In the era of the new CBA with harsher penalties for
overspending and shorter contracts, finding value has become more important
than ever.
With that in mind, here is my All “Under-The Radar-Value” Team for
the Eastern Conference.
These are players who have the potential to make a
substantial impact for their teams while providing excellent value on the
dollar.
I am taking the liberty of making more of a “small-ball” lineup since
that is all the rage these days.
PG: DJ Augustin, Detroit Pistons – 2 years, $6 million
For the first five years (plus 10 games) of his career,
Augustin didn’t show much other than a decent three point shot and solid
defensive play.
After being released by the Toronto Raptors last season and
picked up by the Bulls as an emergency replacement for the injured Derrick
Rose, he exploded onto the scene, shooting over 40% from three and playing a
key role in the Chicago’s playoff run. To
say that no one saw this coming is an understatement.
In the off-season he
signed with Detroit for 2 years, $6 million. If he can replicate his
performance with the Bulls last year, he will be one of the most underpaid
players in the league.
There is a belief amongst many of the staff members here at The Bench, that Augustin will usurp incumbent starter Brandon Jennings; quite possibly before the All Star Break.
There is a belief amongst many of the staff members here at The Bench, that Augustin will usurp incumbent starter Brandon Jennings; quite possibly before the All Star Break.
SG: Bojan Bogdanovic, Brooklyn Nets – 3 years, $10.2 million
(plus 4th year QO of $4.5 million)
Although he’s still an unknown commodity, Bogdanovic gives the Nets something they sorely need…someone new and someone on a reasonable deal.
Due to the extravagance of
their owner and his short-term focus, they are the most capped out team in the
league, with very little to show for it.
Under the new CBA, this means fewer opportunities to add talent. Being
able to bring over a stashed player from overseas is one of those ways.
With
the departures of Paul Pierce and Shawn Livingston, Bogdanovic will have plenty
of opportunity to play and perhaps give the Nets a ray of hope.
SF: Kyle Korver, Atlanta Hawks – 3 years, 17 million
Korver did not sign a new deal with the Hawks, but he is
here because he may represent the greatest value for the dollar of anyone in
the league not on a rookie deal.
Not only has he made dramatic strides in filling out his game, he is on a deal that decreases annually from $6.2 million this year to $5.2 million in two seasons.
In the system that the Hawks are trying to install, he stands to benefit tremendously, especially with the return of Al Horford from injury.
The Atlanta bigs (namely Paul Milsap and Horford) are dangerous inside against single coverage. If teams double down, Korver is deadly from outside.
He also developed into a highly under rated defender in the right system.
Not only has he made dramatic strides in filling out his game, he is on a deal that decreases annually from $6.2 million this year to $5.2 million in two seasons.
In the system that the Hawks are trying to install, he stands to benefit tremendously, especially with the return of Al Horford from injury.
The Atlanta bigs (namely Paul Milsap and Horford) are dangerous inside against single coverage. If teams double down, Korver is deadly from outside.
He also developed into a highly under rated defender in the right system.
PF: James Johnson, Toronto Raptors – 2 years, $5 millionIn last year’s first round playoff loss to the Nets, the Raptors got exposed by the length and size of Joe Johnson and Paul Pierce.
Throughout the series coach Dwane Casey tried different approaches, but none of them worked for long.
To address this need, the Raptors brought back James Johnson. A tough-minded defender with great size and athleticism, Johnson bounced back from some questions about his character during a very effective stint with the Memphis Grizzlies last season.
If he can keep his head on straight, he will give the Raptors exactly what they lacked last year and at only $2.5 million per season, he will do it on the cheap.
C: Pau Gasol, Chicago Bulls – 3 years, $21 million
Anyone who watched the Lakers the past two years knows that
Mike D’Antoni and Pau Gasol simply did not work together.
It didn’t help that,
like everyone else on the roster, Gasol struggled with nagging injuries. But it
was more than that. D’Antoni not only seemed to have no idea how to use Gasol,
he showed little inclination to try.
Now Pau is on a team with a coach who
should be able to get a lot more out of him offensively while maximizing what
defensive abilities he has left at 34 years of age. And they will pay him less
than half what he got from the Lakers last year.
He will also get less than
half of what the Bulls would have paid to Carlos Boozer had they not used the
amnesty provision. For that money, he should provide offensive production to
match Boozer, but with much better leadership, maturity and perhaps most
importantly, championship experience.
