The 2009 NBA free agent class has one Hall of Famer and several interesting names. There are no All-Stars, let alone transcendent players of the kind we'll see next season, but there are several difference-maker role players.
- All stats based on 08-09 season unless noted.
(Player: 'Deserved' Salary, FIC per 40, Rank in Season FIC, Games played, Reina Value)
Jason Kidd: $18,077,904, 17.4, 10th, 81, -15%
Age is a huge factor in the equation, as is his deteriorating defense, but the stability he brings to the point guard position and the vastly improved perimeter shooting make him extremely valuable in one-year increments.
David Lee: $18,077,903, 17.4, 11th, 81, 911%
The FIC doesn't take defense into the equation and that is a prime reason why Lee is not even close to being worth this much. He also has played on bad teams, so without question his statistics have been inflated. He is a nice fourth or fifth player and probably deserves half of $18M.
Andre Miller: $14,666,667, 14.4, 21st, 82, 42%
Miller is one of the most durable players in the NBA, but he's also 33 and unlike Kidd, he hasn't developed his perimeter jumper at all. He would be a serviceable two-year rental, but anything beyond that would put him into likely reserve status.
Paul Millsap: $12,250,000, 15.9, 39th, 78, 1436%
Millsap is one of the NBA's most efficient scorers and is very good on the offensive glass. His ability to score in the paint is a commodity almost any team can use more of
Lamar Odom: $11,593,817, 15.7, 41st, 78, -18%
Odom's price will decrease as his inconsistency offsets his extreme versatility for many potential buyers. He is the straw that stirs the Lakers drink on some nights, while other nights he is AWOL.
Raymond Felton: $11,300,000, 11.4, 46th, 82, 172%
The Bobcats have been trying to rid themselves of Felton for a few seasons now and though he hasn't improved much as a scorer, he is still a complementary point guard, who could develop into a Jason Terry-like player during the second half of his career. The one element separating the two players is perimeter shooting, which has shockingly dipped since his rookie year when he shot 35.8% from beyond the arc.
Mike Bibby: $11,250,000, 12.8, 47th, 79, -25%
Like Kidd and Miller, Bibby's best seasons are behind him, but he remains an excellent perimeter shooter and he isn't as far off from his prime seasons as it may seem at first glance.
Ben Gordon: $11,238,564, 11.7, 48th, 82, 75%
Gordon is already off the market and signed a five-year contract, which was appropriate to his value according to this metric. He is one of the better pure scorers in the game, but at the same time he has bouts of inconsistency and struggles defensively.
Shawn Marion: $10,602,667, 13.8, 54th, 69, -40%
Marion is hitting free agency too late to cash in on all of those monster statistical seasons he enjoyed with Phoenix, but he has become an underrated player at this point.
Hedo Turkoglu: $10,126,984, 12.0, 56th, 77, 48%
Turkoglu is a unique scorer offensively and underrated defensively, but a player of his age and athletic ability doesn't have too many seasons remaining similar to his last two.
Ramon Sessions: $9,500,000, 14.5, 68th, 79, 1,235%
Sessions has become a second round success and improved in his second season while playing a full season. He is a fairly efficient scorer despite not having much range on his jumper and that assist/turnover rate should improve.
Nate Robinson: $9,500,000, 14.3, 69th, 75, 370%
Robinson is unquestionably a gadget player, which combined with his attitude makes him a little bit of a risk to add. If Robinson could regain the near-40% shooting from beyond the arc that he displayed over his first two seasons, then he would be a much better value. Any player that averages 20.7 points per 36 minutes has talent, even if his usage is high.
Grant Hill: $9,028,575, 12.7, 74th, 82, 357%
Hill is a shadow of his old self of course, but the fact that he's made such a remarkable and effective comeback, makes the 'what could have been' conversation even more unfortunate. Unlike his prime seasons in Detroit, Hill has become a better than 50% shooter, while still filling up a stat sheet.
Charlie Villanueva: $9,000,000, 14.6, 76th, 78, 161%
There aren't a lot of players with his size and skill, but there is something about Villanueva that has made two teams give up on him. The 2008-09 season was clearly his best and he could have become one of the game's most dangerous weapons had he joined LeBron James in Cleveland, where he could play off of a superstar. In Detroit, Villanueva will carry a heavier load.
Ron Artest: $8,500,000, 11.9, 84th, 70, 15%
Intangibles aren't really factored into the FIC and Artest brings a ton of them, some good and some bad. He has regressed defensively, but he can still guard three positions and he's become a very competent perimeter shooter. The question on him is how his presence affects chemistry.
Jarrett Jack: $8,353,000, 10.7, 86th, 82, 317%
Jack has hit a plateau after his second season and is about as good as he'll ever be, which is as a nice backup point guard.
Josh Childress: $8,110,000, 13.3, 80th, 76, 118% *2007-08 numbers
Childress has some of the same qualities as Grant Hill, except not nearly as athletic or talented. It will be fascinating to see how his experience in Europe has changed his game.
Anderson Varejao: $8,000,000, 12.5, 88th, 81, 38%
Take Varejao away from LeBron and it would be interesting what kind of player is left. He is better in smaller spurts when he can go all out and I believe that's why we've seen a drop in his production on the glass, particularly the offensive glass.
Antonio McDyess: $7,140,000, 15.0, 95th, 62, 1089%
Like Hill, McDyess' prime was swiped away due to injuries but he has had an effective career as one of the NBA's elder statesman. He can still rebound, defend and hit jumpers from 10-15 feet.
Anthony Parker: $6,864,200, 10.4, 100th, 80, 51%
Parker is an underappreciated perimeter shooter, who has shown some age on the defensive end of the floor, but is a nice rental for one or two years if he can be placed next to a more athletic wing.
Rasheed Wallace: $6,487,888, 12.8, 106th, 66, -53%
A lot of what Wallace brings is based on reputation, but he still has it on some nights, though those nights are becoming increasingly infrequent.
Trevor Ariza: $6,310,150, 12.9, 110th, 82, 104%
Ariza was Isiah's first pick and is probably his best (along with David Lee). Ariza was the right guy, in the right system, at the right time this past year with the Lakers. Whether or not he can be so effective in Houston will have to be seen, because there are a lot of athletic wings that would look good playing with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol.
Marvin Williams: $6,250,195, 12.1, 113th, 62, 11%
The fact that he was the second overall pick needs to be thrown out the window, he has reached 98% of the potential he has within him. He's improved his perimeter shooting since coming into the league and had a nice 2008-09 when healthy. He might benefit from a new setting and increase his production by another click or two.
Chris Andersen: $6,200,000, 17.2, 116th, 71, 677%
Andersen is a great force to bring off the bench because he changes games without a whole lot of talent and without having the ball in his hands. He makes any second unit significantly better.
Jamario Moon: $6,049,400, 11.8, 124th, 80, 750%
Moon can play a Trevor Ariza kind of role next to Dwyane Wade.
Hakim Warrick: $5,636,142, 11.7, 130th, 82, 166%
Warrick is an efficient scorer and underrated rebounder, who would be much more widely talked about in just about any other situation.
Allen Iverson: $5,176,440, 10.8, 140th, 57, -75%
Iverson is a risky addition for any team since you can no longer commit to him as a primary or even secondary scorer.
Brandon Bass: $4,574,189, 12.8, 154th, 81, 454%
Bass is a nice first or second guy off the bench, but shouldn't be the best classic power forward on any team.
Flip Murray: $4,484,040, 9.6, 160th, 81, 200%
Murray brings instant offense off the bench, though he only has a couple more seasons where he is a reliable option.
Linas Kleiza: $4,159,200, 10.3, 169th, 82, 130%
Kleiza is the kind of scorer that wouldn't enjoy the same success he has in Denver if you extend him out.
Zaza Pachulia: $4,010,000, 12.2, 173th, 77, 0%
Pachulia puts up backup levels of production.
Marquis Daniels: $3,749,880, 9.9, 182nd, 54, -45%
Daniels had a nice season for Indiana in 08-09, but he is not the kind of player that any team will 'have to have.'
Drew Gooden: $3,630,480, 13.1, 187th, 52, 159%
Gooden's numbers are rarely awful, but there is a clear reason why he's passed through the hands of so many teams.
Leon Powe: $3,630,000, 13.5, 188th, 70, 355%
Powe's injury came at the worst possible time, since he would have cashed in on an excellent 2008 Playoffs and 08-09 season. Given his injury history, he is now a risky signing.
Wally Szczerbiak: $3,163,680, 9.5, 206th, 74, -77%
Wally has been known for having a huge contract for so long that he will be a much better value to his new team.
Joey Graham: $3,093,333, 8.9, 210th, 78, 27%
Graham's tenure in Toronto has been a disappointment and he isn't too far away from Europe at this point.
Glen Davis: $2,900,000, 8.3, 216th, 76, 309%
The injury to Powe paved the way for Davis to receive a much more lucrative contract. He had a nice postseason, but GMs should be wary.
Joe Smith: $2,725,920, 11.8, 221st, 57, 129%
Smith, who shared a draft class with Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess, is at a similar stage in his career.
Marcin Gortat: $2,623,200, 16.3, 225th, 62, 272%
Gortat made the most of his opportunity with Orlando and his per minute production is too excellent to ignore, but expect a drop as his minutes get extended.
Chris Wilcox: $2,497,320, 11.2, 235th, 64, -63%
Wilcox has always seemed like an underachiever, but to be fair, his combination of size and athleticism clouded glaring deficiencies in his game when he came out of Maryland.
Rodney Carney: $1,993,560, 8.4, 256th, 67, 21%
Carney's athleticism hasn't clicked in terms of basketball production.
Mikki Moore: $1,983,454, 8.3, 257th, 70, 736% (RV represents Boston salary)
Moore parlayed an excellent season with New Jersey into a nice contract, but he was a complete non-factor for Boston.
Rashad McCants: $1,877,572, 8.6, 266th, 60, -27%
McCants has never shown enough skill to be an effective NBA wing.
Shelden Williams: $1,315,080, 12.2, 301st, 44, -61%
There's enough left in Williams to salvage as a bruiser, Michael Ruffin type.
Channing Frye: $1,222,320, 7.4, 309th, 64, -60%
Frye trended downwards from his excellent rookie season quicker than 'Baha Men/'Who Let The Dogs Out.'
Shannon Brown: $1,084,080, 9.1, 318th, 48, 47%
Brown might have been the Lakers best point guard on a per minute basis during the post season and seeing him return to a full season would be interesting.
Ike Diogu : $841,000, 14.6, 341st, 35, -70%
Portland didn't give him much of a chance and he was traded to Sacramento at the deadline. He's nothing, if not an efficient scorer.
Sean May: $797,581, 6.1, 373rd, 25, -70%
Injuries have decimated a career that had a ceiling of 7th man.
Morris Almond: $711,517, 5.2, 389th, 25, -34%
Almond is on the scrap heap after three short seasons in Utah and has surfaced on the Summer League roster of the Knicks.
Stromile Swift: $600,532, 5.8, 396th, 19, 253%
Swift has been one of the bigger busts of this decade.