G9.
Pistons GM
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A Closer Look at 10 Free Agents
(2020)
Domantas Sabonis, 24, PF
FA PF Rank: 1st
B B- C B- B+
| MPG | PPG | RPG | BPG | SPG | FG% |
2018 | 31.9 | 15.3 | 10.3 | 1.0 | 0.9 | .441 |
2019 | 33.1 | 16.4 | 11.1 | 0.6 | 0.5 | .456 |
2020 | 32.8 | 17.2 | 11.5 | 0.8 | 0.7 | .463 |
A quick glance at the Free Agency Class of 2020 reveals a group of headline players. Sabonis quietly deserves a spot in that group. He didn’t earn a spot on the leaderboards for his impressive rebounding in 2019, but expect him to continue progressing into 2020. At 24 years old a full four-year max is the perfect contract for this well-rounded big man. Defense tends to continually increase during training camps as players age, so if we see a few short jumps in training camp, Sabonis could easily be flexing B+ B- C B+ B+ attributes. He remains eligible for weight and height boosts and did not receive any coaching in 2019. Pump +2 jumping, +2 strength, +2 post defense into this man and he’ll take your investment a long way.
JaMychal Green, 30, PF
FA PF Rank: 3rd
C+ B- F+ C+ C+ C
| MPG | PPG | RPG | BPG | SPG | FG% |
2018 | 12.7 | 4.6 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | .490 |
2019 | 10.3 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 0.3 | .469 |
2020 | 22.5 | 7.9 | 6.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | .475 |
Give this man some minutes! JaMychal Green has spent the past two seasons riding the third string bench in Minnesota. During his short stints of playtime Green has posted some impressively consistent stat-lines. Rocking highs of 16 points and 13 rebounds over the past two seasons, Green possesses the skills to be a staple in your big man rotation. He’s efficient with the basketball and can even shoot from deep. At C+ defense he shouldn’t be on the court for more than 25 minutes, but he can lead the charge of your second unit.
Derrick Favors, 29, C
FA C Rank: 2nd
B C D B B- C
| MPG | PPG | RPG | BPG | SPG | FG% |
2018 | 30.6 | 14.8 | 9.4 | 1.5 | 0.8 | .422 |
2019 | 30.9 | 14.0 | 8.4 | 1.4 | 0.7 | .458 |
2020 | 30.9 | 14.5 | 8.6 | 1.5 | 0.8 | .444 |
Honestly, Favors will likely get overpaid in this free agency. Consider this a warning rather than a blessing. His letter attributes do him some solids, but beware. Favors averaged over 13 shots per game for the Jazz over the past two seasons and he’s shown an uncanny ability to stall ball movement. Favors is what we may call a “possession-sink,” he eats your teams possessions with poor efficiency. Let Favors get overpaid or pay him a more reasonable contract. This is a man you want coming off the bench and heading your second units scoring options. You don’t want him carrying the brunt of your first string’s offense.
Kyle Lowry, 35, PG
FA PG Rank: 1st
C B+ B B C- D
| MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | SPG | FG% |
2018 | 34.5 | 17.7 | 4.6 | 7.6 | 1.9 | .450 |
2019 | 33.7 | 15.8 | 4.4 | 6.9 | 1.7 | .464 |
2020 | 34.0 | 16.0 | 4.5 | 7.5 | 1.7 | .453 |
35-year-old Kyle Lowry heads this impressive point guard class. He’s well-rounded letter-wise, giving him the ranking advantage over more FBB-suited point guards such as Kyrie. Lowry deserves a bit of love though. At 35-years-old you can expect him to retire soon, and he still looks solid for his age. Investing in Lowry to lead your team for a few seasons may not be a bad decision. He’s efficient, doesn’t turn it over as much as his peers, and has shown the ability to score big. Consider locking him up on a three-season deal, maybe he’ll do you a favor and retire after two!
Jordan Bell, 26, C
FA C Rank: 4th
C+ C- D+ B- B
| MPG | PPG | RPG | BPG | SPG | FG% |
2018 | 21.9 | 4.4 | 5.9 | 1.2 | 0.5 | .374 |
2019 | 21.1 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 1.1 | 0.5 | .457 |
2020 | 25.5 | 7.2 | 7.1 | 1.6 | 0.7 | .457 |
Bell had a rough season in 2018, putting up less than impressive numbers on less than impressive efficiency. He bounced back in 2019 with his efficiency, but still had a hard time making an impact on the court. Expect him to grow a bit more in 2020, earning more minutes and making a bigger impact. Blocked shots are a key attribute in FBB, basically forcing a turnover. Get Bell locked up to carry your second unit defensively and maximize turnovers.
Grant Williams, 21, SF
-Sleeper-
B- C+ C C+ C
| MPG | PPG | RPG | BPG | SPG | FG% |
2019 | 22.3 | 9.1 | 5.2 | 0.7 | 0.6 | .444 |
2020 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | .000 |
Someone snag this guy and shove him in the D-League for his sophomore season. Williams remains eligible for a full season in the D-League, a summer league during this offseason, and coaching. He made the All-Rookie team and dropped career highs of 30 points, 13 rebounds, 8 assists, 3 steals, and 4 blocks in 2019. A look back at my 2019 Draft Board reveals that Williams entered the league with poor pot, but don’t let that sway you. He’s shown that he can make an impact on the court when given meaningful minutes. Invest in him offensively and you may end up with a B B C C+ C bench contributor in a few short seasons.
Bobby Portis, 26, PF
C+ B- D+ C+ B C
FA PF Rank: 5th
Bobby Portis, 26, PF
C+ B- D+ C+ B C
FA PF Rank: 5th
| MPG | PPG | RPG | BPG | SPG | FG% |
2018 | 21.1 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 0.6 | 0.6 | .450 |
2019 | 15.6 | 3.8 | 5.2 | 0.3 | 0.4 | .449 |
2020 | 20.0 | 5.3 | 6.1 | 0.6 | 0.6 | .450 |
Portis sports a respectable B-letter ability to rebound the ball. His defense is sus but he’s shown flashes of brilliance on offense. Snag this man to head your second unit of big-men, he’ll keep energy high and set the tone.
Jamal Murray, 24, PG
C+ A- C+ C+ C- C
Offensive Star
| MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | TOPG | FG% |
2018 | 31.8 | 18.1 | 4.4 | 6.3 | 3.0 | .470 |
2019 | 31.0 | 17.4 | 4.0 | 6.2 | 3.0 | .478 |
2020 | 33.5 | 19.5 | 4.5 | 6.9 | 3.2 | .475 |
Murray is similar to two previously mentioned players in this article. First, he’s 24 years old, just like Sabonis. Second, he needs to be forced into more minutes, like JaMychal Green. This is a prime opportunity to snag a young player on a maximum contract. Is he worth the max? Perhaps not, but Murray is a gamechanger, especially in FBB. Murray has put up impressive percentages and relatively low turnover numbers for his usage in the past two seasons for the Warriors. Still, he’s only been third option at best in the Warriors depth chart. If given the opportunity to completely carry the offense, Murray will make the most of it. He also becomes eligible for coaching in 2020. A few more boosts to his scoring ability would make him absolutely filthy.
Al Horford, 34, C
B- B C B+ C+
-Sleeper-
| MPG | PPG | RPG | BPG | SPG | FG% |
2018 | 33.3 | 16.7 | 10.1 | 1.3 | 1.2 | .448 |
2019 | 32.5 | 13.4 | 9.2 | 1.1 | 0.9 | .428 |
2020 | 34.0 | 17.1 | 10.1 | 1.2 | 1.0 | .452 |
Classifying Horford as a sleeper here because I think he may be overlooked in terms of his value. In 2018 Horford showcased his offensive ability and held his own on the glass. He earned an All-Star game bid and was a solid two-way player. In 2019 the Celtics refocused their depth chart elsewhere, effectively dicing Horford’s usage in half. This butchered his production, but he still found a way to average 13/9. Given another opportunity to lead an offense before he retires, we could see Horford averaging closer to 17/10 for a few more seasons.
Mike Conley, 33, PG
C B+ B+ B C-
FA PG Rank: 3rd
Mike Conley, 33, PG
C B+ B+ B C-
FA PG Rank: 3rd
| MPG | PPG | RPG | APG | TOPG | FG% |
2018 | 34.6 | 17.2 | 3.8 | 8.4 | 2.2 | .441 |
2019 | 37.0 | 16.6 | 4.4 | 7.4 | 2.3 | .472 |
2020 | 36.5 | 17.5 | 4.4 | 8.2 | 2.2 | .469 |
Mike Conley absolutely balled out in 2018, rocking a high usage rate and exceptional ball-handling. In 2019 Conley brought this same heat and improved upon his efficiency. At 33 years old he is getting up there in age, but he’s got at least two or three good seasons left in the tank. It’s hard, extremely hard, to find a Point Guard who can take care of the ball and facilitate an offense so well. He’s the opposite of the aforementioned Derrick Favors, he’s a “possession-escalator?”
