With the NBA season right around the corner, most free agents have been signed and are gearing up to start the new season with their respective teams. However, there are still some quality players who remain on the free agent market and can be sneaky difference-makers. While most remaining free agents have likely battled with injuries for some time, or haven’t quite tapped their potential, many still have some upside and can be valuable on the right team. On top of that, many of these free agents can likely be signed to very low-cost contracts at this point in the NBA campaign. With that said, here are some of the best low-risk, high-reward free agents that are still available on the market.
Best Low-Risk High-Reward Free Agents Still Available
Hamidou Diallo
While it has taken him some time to find his footing in the league, Hamidou Diallo has shown some promising signs recently as a wing player on both sides of the floor. The 25-year-old is an explosive athlete with notable physical traits, such as his 6’11 wingspan. Over his last two seasons with the Detroit Pistons, Diallo has used his athleticism to improve his offense through a two-point game. He has averaged 57% shooting on twos and 72% within three feet of the rim, which are very efficient percentages for a guard/wing.
Diallo has also risen as a defensive player. Last season, Diallo ranked among the 95th percentile in terms of defensive plus-minus. His steals and block percentages of 2.6 and 1.4 respectively were also among the best for any player at his position. His length and leaping ability also make him a viable help defender around the rim.
While Diallo still needs to improve his outside shooting, he has shown potential as a dynamic two-way player. Diallo needs to continue building on his strengths and leverage his physical assets to his advantage. If he does that, he can be a tremendous low-risk, high-reward player for a team this season.
Terence Davis
Considering that Terence Davis is coming off a productive season with the Kings and is in the prime of his career, it’s surprising he is still available. Davis is no stranger to being overlooked as he went undrafted back in 2019. The 26-year-old combo guard has shown some really good flashes since he entered the league in 2019. His ability as an efficient scorer stands out, coupled with his athleticism.
Last season, Davis averaged 6.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 36.6% from three. He also played in four of Sacramento’s playoff games against the Golden State Warriors in the first round last season. In those games, Davis averaged 6.0 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists while playing 14.5 minutes per game.
Over his four seasons in the league thus far, Davis has averaged 8.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 43.4% from the field and 36.6% from three. Overall, Davis has been a consistent and efficient player in the league and a valuable second-unit player.
If you ask me, Davis epitomizes a low-risk, high-reward player. While his ball facilitation and defense could still be improved upon, his scoring abilities as a combo guard make him a valuable player. For any team still looking to add some scoring off their bench at a reasonable cost, Davis may be just the player who can provide that.
Terrence Ross
A skilled veteran sharpshooter is usually always a plus to have on any team’s roster. Terrence Ross brings just that with his ability to score out on the perimeter and have a heat-check at any given moment.
While Ross is a bit older at 32 years old, his skillset still makes him a quality player in the league. Last season, Ross played 21 games for the Phoenix Suns and was fairly productive on the court. Ross averaged 9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game on 43/34/85 shooting splits. While Ross’ production fell off a bit during the playoffs with the Suns, he has shown up big in playoff games before with both the Toronto Raptors and Orlando Magic. In 47 playoff games played throughout his career so far, Ross has averaged 7.6 points and 2.1 rebounds per game.
For Ross, his experience and offensive versatility make him a prime free agent at this point in the year. Ross is also entering the stage in his career where he may be more interested in joining a contending team than solely a big payday. This makes him an ideal low-risk, high-reward player that contending teams should consider signing.
