(The original text was published on December 5. The author is Andy Bailey in the bleachers. The content of the article does not represent the translator’s point of view)
This season has finished a quarter, and there are enough data to draw some meaningful conclusions. Today’s topic is free agent next summer. In the early months of the season, many players improved their value in the management of each team through personal performance. The value of some players remains basically stable, and the players whose value is not beaten by themselves belong to a minority (only from the performance on the court). Andy Bailey in the bleachers analyzed the 10 most expensive free players in the summer of next year, which players have risen in value and which players have fallen in value.
10th place: Christian Wood
Rising value
In terms of talent alone, Wood’s ranking may be higher, but his lack of defense and passing ability is worth worrying. The coach of the Lone Ranger Kidd was obviously very concerned about Wood’s shortcomings, which led to the latter’s failure to enter the starting lineup of The Lone Ranger.
Ninth place: Cameron Johnson (restricted free agent)
Stable value
Cameron Johnson has been absent from the game since he underwent surgery after a menisci tear in early November. He still has time and opportunity to play high-value, and he has had a hot start before he was injured. Cameron Johnson’s value is largely due to the 2.03-meter height, 2.08-meter arm show and three-point projection ability (42.5% hit rate last season), these advantages are unlikely to be affected by this injury.
Eighth place: Miles Turner (player option)
Rising value
There is no doubt that some people inside the Lakers should blame themselves for not reaching a deal with the walkers. Turner averaged 17.2 points, 2.5 points cap 1.5 points this season, with a hit rate of 38.5 percent. Even though the development of modern competitions is increasingly weakening the position on the field, the center can still better protect the rim, and it is very important to use the three-point projection to pull the other center out of the inner line.
Seventh place: Carl Kuzma (player option)
Rising value
Kuzma’s three-point hit rate still needs to be improved, but his underbasket and mid-distance scores are very good, with the average score reaching 20.3 points of a career high. The biggest reason for the rise of Kuzma in the past few years is to enhance the investment in the defensive end. He may never be a defender who can lock up his opponent, but Kuzma, with a 2.13-meter arm show, has become a stable rebounder, at least working harder on the defensive end than before.
Sixth place: Raymond Green (player option)
Stable value
The scandal of spray gun teammate Poole in the dream green season may make the team who wants to sign him hesitate. This is not the first time that green crossed the line after dreaming a condescending attitude. Now he is 32 years old and still has not changed much. In spite of this, Dream Green has played the best team-level defense this season, effectively setting a new career record field goal percentage and its offensive organization ability to become one of the most unique strikers in the league over the years. At least, the dream green proves that he is worthy of attention next summer.
Fifth place: Gerami-Grant
Rising value
Grant’s career has been unable to find the most comfortable environment. Grant felt that he did not do enough when he was working for gold mining, and he was a little powerless when he was working for the piston. Until he came to the pioneer, Grant played the right role, therefore, he performed the best performance in his career so far. The average score is 22.7 points, 2.8 points, and the hit rate is%. During the period when Lillard was absent from the game, Grant could not only ensure that his performance was close to the level of the effective piston period, but also give anfanni Simmons full play space. Grant’s number of rebounds is very small, and the organization data is not bright enough. However, Grant is only 29 years old after becoming a free agent next summer. It is not too late for him to make up for these defects during his peak period. If Grant can continue to maintain his current status, he will be one of the most popular strikers in the free agent market in the offseason.
Fourth place: Carey Owen
Falling value
Many things Owen has encountered at present are not conducive to his worth next summer. First of all, Owen’s average scores, rebounds, assists, steals and three-point hits are all declining. In the previous six seasons, Owen hit 40.4 percent in three points, while this season only 32.8 percent. For a player who has just entered the age of 30, this decline in data is worth noting, but it is also possible that Owen directly hit the data back through the outbreak of 5 or 6 games, it is too early to rule out this possibility.
Owen is more worried about his availability. Due to various reasons, including injuries, Owen’s basketable nets has been less than half of the team since he joined games played in the 2019-20 season. This spring, according to Kevin O’Connor, a reporter from The Ringer website, basketable Nets could not get a response from other teams when evaluating Owen’s value in The trading market. Later, Owen was suspended by basketable nets for promoting anti-Semitism movies on social media and refusing to deny anti-Semitism. Although Owen is back on the court now, it is hard to believe that he will not make a moth for the rest of the season. However, when Owen fought seriously, few players had the talent, organizational ability, ability to create shooting opportunities and comprehensive offensive skills like Owen. If Owen can play about 60 games this season and play several stable games in the playoffs, then some team management may be willing to sign him, including basketable nets.
Third place: christapus-polzingis (player option)
Rising value
This season, as long as Porzingis can keep healthy, he can improve his value. However, at present, Porzingis can do much more than that. This season, polzingis averaged 21.6 points 8.8 rebounds 2.5 assists 1.5 cap 2.1 Three-point goals, with a three-point hit rate of 36.4 percent and a career record of assists. When polzingis was present, the Wizards could win 3.7 points per hundred rounds of attack, while when he was off, the net loss was 8.1 points per hundred rounds. Since the 2017-18 season ended the all-star tour due to injury, this season is the first time that Porzingis has realized his vision when entering the league. Now Porzingis is not only a space-type big man, but also can score in the low and middle distance. His cap has more and more positive influence on the defensive side.
Second place: Chris Middleton (player option)
Stable value
The operation of the left wrist delayed Middleton’s first show of the season until last Friday, when Middleton ushered in the first show of the season in the defeat of the Bucks to the Lakers, his state did not seem to be affected by his absence for so long. Although Middleton only played for 27 minutes, he scored 6 out of 11 shots and 3 out of 4 in 3 points, with a total of 17 points and 7 assists. If this shows that Middleton will continue his outstanding performance since the beginning of the 2017-18 season, then he will definitely become one of the most coveted flanking players in the free agent market next summer (assuming he gives up the player option worth 40.4 million dollars). In the past six years, Middleton averaged 19.9 points, 4.7 assists, 2.2 points, and a three-point hit rate. Among the players who have played for more than 3,000 minutes in the six years in the league history, only Curry, Durant and Owen can play the figures of not losing Middleton.
First: James Harden (player option)
Falling value
Injuries (including right foot tendon), age (34 years old next summer) and three-point hit rate lower than the average level of the league in the past four seasons (significantly lower than the average level of the league in the past two seasons), all these led to Harden’s lower value in the free agent market next summer. Harden’s explosive power in fengshui ball is not as good as before, which is normal for entering the league in 2009, but other teams will not ignore this factor when they want to sign Harden. Nevertheless, Harden is still one of the top players in the league, thanks to his skill and years of experience as an organizer and creator of shooting opportunities. Every season of Harden’s career, the team he played for scored every hundred rounds. When Harden was present, it was higher than when Harden came off. This has not changed even if Harden slowed down. There are few players who can easily play 20+10 data like Harden, and Harden is the only one in the free player market next summer. If Harden chooses to test the free agent market at that time, even if there are these concerns, Harden’s pursuers will not be few.
Original: Andy Bailey
Compile: Li Taibai
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