Editor's note: In case you missed part one of this series, where Elan broke down the Eastern Conference, please check it out.
There is no debating which NBA conference is stronger. With
48 wins, the Phoenix Suns would have been tied for the 3rd seed in
the East, yet they finished one game out of the playoffs in the West.
With such
fierce competition, every payroll dollar counts and getting good value is
vital.
The margin of error is so small that one bad decision can mean the difference between contending for a championship or counting ping pong balls.
With that in mind, here are my selections for the Western Conference All-Under-The Radar Value team.
The margin of error is so small that one bad decision can mean the difference between contending for a championship or counting ping pong balls.
With that in mind, here are my selections for the Western Conference All-Under-The Radar Value team.
Patty Mills – San Antonio Spurs - 3 years, $11.5 million
The Spurs strike again. A 55th pick toiling away
in the D-League and they find him, bring him in cheap, groom him and turn him
into a perfect cog in the Popovich system.
He shoots the three at a very high
rate, doesn’t look for his own shot and doesn’t turn the ball over.
What more
could you want from your backup point guard?
He also showed that he doesn’t fear the big stage, shooting 13-23 (56.5%) from three in the NBA Finals. Patty Mills gets the job as the starting point guard on our Under-The-Radar-Value team.
He also showed that he doesn’t fear the big stage, shooting 13-23 (56.5%) from three in the NBA Finals. Patty Mills gets the job as the starting point guard on our Under-The-Radar-Value team.
Vince Carter – Memphis Grizzlies – 3 years, $12 million
After exploding on the scene early in his career, Vince
became a bit of a punching bag due to his reluctance to take contact and
lackadaisical defense. His teams were never all that great and he never made it
out of the second round.
Ultimately, he achieved the ignominious honor of being
included in a trade purely due to his overpriced, soon-to-expire contract.
When he signed with the Mavericks for a paltry $9 million over three years, there were doubts whether he was worth even that.
When he signed with the Mavericks for a paltry $9 million over three years, there were doubts whether he was worth even that.
But instead of playing out the string and riding off into the sunset, Vince suddenly became that thing we were all waiting for going back to Toronto; a leader.
As improbable as it seems, Vince Carter is now a lunch-pail player. He plays hard on both ends of the floor, takes smart shots and generally does all the little things you need out of a veteran player.
PJ Tucker – Phoenix Suns – 3 years $16.5 million
This choice comes with a bit of a caveat. Tucker has always
provided great rebounding and interior defense at small forward.
Last year, seemingly out of nowhere, he became an efficient three point shooter hitting over 38%.
That ability completely changes the dynamic in terms of what he can bring to a team. If he can shoot the three he becomes an analytics wet dream.
And with Channing Frye and his 5.3 3PA last year now in Orlando, he is going to get more opportunities to shoot from long range.
If he can keep that percentage around where it was last year, he’s going to be a big time contributor.
Last year, seemingly out of nowhere, he became an efficient three point shooter hitting over 38%.
That ability completely changes the dynamic in terms of what he can bring to a team. If he can shoot the three he becomes an analytics wet dream.
And with Channing Frye and his 5.3 3PA last year now in Orlando, he is going to get more opportunities to shoot from long range.
If he can keep that percentage around where it was last year, he’s going to be a big time contributor.
Carlos Boozer – Los Angeles Lakers – 1 year, $3.2 million
For much of the duration of his last contract, Carlos Boozer
was one of the most overpaid players in the league.
Now, thanks to the Bulls decision to use their Amnesty provision on him and his subsequent signing with the Lakers, he has become one of the league’s biggest values.
For $3 million, Byron Scott is getting a veteran player with tremendous experience that has several productive years left.
Although he’s probably not going to make enough of an impact to get the Lakers into the playoffs, he should help them avoid being an embarrassment.
Now, thanks to the Bulls decision to use their Amnesty provision on him and his subsequent signing with the Lakers, he has become one of the league’s biggest values.
For $3 million, Byron Scott is getting a veteran player with tremendous experience that has several productive years left.
Although he’s probably not going to make enough of an impact to get the Lakers into the playoffs, he should help them avoid being an embarrassment.
Spencer Hawes – Los Angeles Clippers – 4 years, $22 million
This may be an unsexy pick, but that’s what Hawes is. Hawes
fills a big need for the Clippers.
He can defend the interior and shoot the
three. He’s a legit 7 footer. And he’s getting paid around the league average.
Sure…I suppose there are lots of guys out there who can do more or less what
Hawes does for about the same money, but the Clippers needed that kind of
player and they got a good one for a reasonable price.
That is the essence of value. That is the kind of signing that teams need to look for to compete in today’s NBA if they want to remain competitive over a the long term.
That is the essence of value. That is the kind of signing that teams need to look for to compete in today’s NBA if they want to remain competitive over a the long term.
