The frenzy that is NBA Free Agency is up and running. Teams are ready and willing to throw some money around in order to improve their team and make a run at an NBA championship. The reality of it all is that NBA teams throw money towards players and sometimes it doesn’t work out. Injuries, off-the-field issues and other things take place where teams are often stuck overpaying for players. During the NBA free agency period, teams are able to find “diamond in the rough” players. Some of these players that were cast off by other teams due to cap space issues or they needed the roster space to sign someone else.
The evolution of the game of basketball means that players need to be able to do a bit of everything, including big men. Gone are the back to the basket type of big man that just bangs in the paint. Now big men need to be able to spread the floor and have the court vision to have some type of play making ability. The outlier to that would be signing a big man with supreme paint defense and can crash the boards like no other, even if they are limited on the offensive end. There are a few free agent big men who fit the bill for this. They could very well become a key piece in helping a team improve for next season.
NBA Free Agency: Three Big Men To Sign On A Budget
DeMarcus Cousins
DeMarcus Cousins at one point in his career was considered one of the best all-around big men in the NBA. In 2018, Cousins suffered a torn Achilles which effectively ended his season. Since that injury, Cousins hasn’t been the player he once was, however that doesn’t mean he still can’t produce. Last season with the Denver Nuggets, Cousins dropped 31 points in 24 minutes, which set a franchise record for the fewest minutes played in a 30 point game. For his career, Cousins averages 19.6 points and 10.2 rebound per game, even with the four less than stellar seasons. Cousins can provide a spark to any team that picks up him with a cheap price tag.
Blake Griffin
Blake Griffin burst onto the scene after recovering from a broken knee cap. Griffin was a walking 20 and 10 guy and took the steps needed to expand his range and improve his play-making ability. Griffin and Chris Paul help revive the Los Angeles Clippers franchise, turning them from laughing stock to NBA title contenders. The only thing that could stop Griffin at point were injuries and that’s exactly what happened. Knee surgeries kept Griffin from becoming even better. At this stage of his career, Griffin can still give teams solid scoring off the bench. Griffin has also improved his defense and is an excellent passer from anywhere on the court.
JaVale McGee
JaVale McGee is a completely different player from the two that were mentioned before. Offensively, McGee won’t give you much outside the paint, but he makes up for that by the way he crashed the offensive glass. McGee’s strength is definitely his defense. McGee is definitely going block shots. If McGee doesn’t block the shot, he will definitely alter the shot due to his presence. McGee has also become somewhat of a respectable perimeter defender as well. In the playoffs, one of the more popular highlight was his steal from Luka Doncic where he got an easy two points on the fast break. If you want defense and some cheap points in the paint off the glass, McGee is your guy.
