The summer free agent frenzy is mostly over. With so much money flooding the market, the only established NBA players to sign apparent bargain contracts are those who did so by rule (e.g. Kevin Durant, limited to the individual max salary) or by choice (most glaringly David West, opting to play for the league minimum in pursuit of a title).
But that doesn’t mean there are no bargains to be found. By expanding the free agent search beyond established NBA players, some team could end up with its own version of Robert Covington—an effective role player on a very team-friendly contract.
With this in mind, here are a few players to watch over the next 10 days in the Las Vegas Summer League on NBATV and ESPN. Most of them likely can be signed for a partially-guaranteed minimum contract, or perhaps fully-guaranteed if they’re going to agree to tack on multiple non-guaranteed years thereafter. Included in the below player profiles are comps to better-known and better-compensated players in the 2016 free agent class. These are stylistic comps to help conceptualize player types rather than assessments of their expected level of performance. That said, for any team that wanted to sign one of the established-player comps but missed out due to cost or player preference, I hereby present these more affordable alternatives for your consideration.
Coty Clarke
24.0 years old, 6’7” 235 pounds, 7’1” wingspan
NBA Role: Versatile 3&D Forward
2016 Free Agent Comp: Luol Deng
Summer League Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
Clarke is coming off of a breakout year in the D-League, where he averaged 22.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.9 blocks per 36 minutes for the Maine Red Claws. Following the D-League season, he also led Capitanes de Arecibo to the Puerto Rican league (Baloncesto Superior Nacional) championship.
The biggest selling point for Clarke is his versatility on both ends. He hit 40% of his 3s this past season on relatively high volume, after connecting on 44% of his limited attempts in college. Though his release is a bit slow, Clarke has a solid enough handle to attack overly aggressive closeouts, and he even has a strong post move or two to punish weaker opponents.
Clarke is an active defender on and off the ball, with quick hands and a willingness to throw his body around. Don’t expect many of these highlight-reel blocks in the NBA, but he should be at least average defensively at either forward spot.
If you really want to get excited about Clarke’s NBA potential, check out this extended video mashup of Clarke and Draymond Green.
Jarnell Stokes
22.5 years old, 6’9’ 263 pounds, 7’1” wingspan
NBA Role: Bruising Post Presence
2016 Free Agent Comp: Al Jefferson
Summer League Team: San Antonio Spurs
Of all these players, Jarnell Stokes is the most certain to be on an NBA roster at the start of next season. Given his status as an early second round pick in 2014 and his strong performance in limited playing time for the Grizzlies and Heat, it’s remarkable that Stokes hasn’t been on an NBA roster pretty much continuously to this point. Yet rather than lamenting his situation, Stokes clearly made the most of his experience in the D-League this past year, leading Sioux Falls to the title as league MVP. In doing so, Stokes averaged over 20 points a game while shooting 67% from the field, which is a tremendous accomplishment against any level of competition.
Stokes does his best work as a traditional post player. He easily overpowers most opponents while backing them down in the low post, though he also demonstrates a very refined skillset with excellent footwork, surprising agility, and a variety of go-to moves to generate an open look. One aspect of his game that Stokes really improved this year was his mid-range jumper, which he’ll need to make consistently to justify substantial playing time in the NBA.
Stokes will also have to prove himself defensively, where he’s considered a bit of a tweener. He doesn’t have the reach or explosiveness to be a true rim-protecting Center, and he’s not as quick laterally as a typical Forward. If he can find a good fit on a team that’s able to work around these defensive concerns through scheme or personnel, his scoring ability and strength as a rebounder (12 rebounds per 36 in the D-League) could make him a reliable rotation big man this season and for many years to come.
DJ Stephens
25.5 years old, 6’6” 194 pounds, 7’0” wingspan
NBA Role: Athletic Combo Forward
2016 Free Agent Comp: Moe Harkless
Summer League Team: Memphis Grizzlies
You’ve probably seen DJ Stephens before, whether you realize it or not. Known as one of the world’s most prolific dunkers, Stephens has appeared on a number of SportsCenter Top-10 lists and their online equivalents. Here’s one of his many youtube compilations:
This year his all-around basketball skills started to catch up to his dunking skills. Stephens averaged 15.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, 1.9 blocks, and 1.5 steals per 36 in a D-League season split between the Canton Charge and the Iowa Energy. He also increased his 3-point attempts and his shooting efficiency on jumpers and free throws compared to his college career and prior seasons in Europe.
I question how well his improved jumper will translate to the NBA—he tends to bring the ball down low and then shoot with a bit of a hitch that results in a slow and awkward motion—but if it’s any kind of threat he’ll be a tough cover given his spectacular ability to convert on cuts and lobs. He’s also an aggressive defender who makes good use of his crazy athleticism by blocking shots, grabbing steals, and getting out in transition.
A major concern with Stephens is his lack of ball handling ability. He doesn’t create many shots for himself or for others, so if his outside shot doesn’t translate, he could be a non-factor in the half-court offense. That’s essentially why, despite his athleticism, Stephens has played in just 3 NBA games. Yet I can think of many worse ways to spend a roster spot than on an absurdly athletic, explosive, and energetic forward who just might be a decent shooter.
And here are a few more DJ Stephens dunks:
Fred VanVleet
22.3 years old, 6’0” 197 pounds, 6’2” wingspan
NBA Role: Defensive-Minded PnR Ball Handler
2016 Free Agent Comp: Matthew Dellavedova
Summer League Team: Toronto Raptors
Fred VanVleet was one of the most productive point guards in college basketball in each of the past 3 years. He finished his college career with 2 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Awards, the 3rd most assists and 7th most steals in conference history, a 3:1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and 9 NCAA Tournament victories. Despite all those achievements, VanVleet was not selected in last month’s draft.
Why wasn’t he drafted? For the most part, it’s due to his physical limitations. Standing 6 feet tall with a 6’2” wingspan, VanVleet is small even for a point guard. He also doesn’t have particularly quick feet, either in a straight line or laterally, and he’s not much of a leaper either. He didn’t finish well around the rim in college, so it’s basically a foregone conclusion that he won’t be able to do so in the NBA.
Even granting that all of these criticisms are valid, I think he could have a solid NBA career as a backup point guard. I’d say that “pesky” is the best word to describe VanVleet as a defender, and I mean that entirely as a compliment. He crowds ball handlers and tests the boundaries of what refs will let him get away with in terms of physical contact. He doesn’t get phased by screens, as even though he’s small he’s sturdy and tough-minded, and he’s hyper-aware of what’s going on around him. If you get the chance to see him in the Summer League, watch how he communicates with his teammates and intermittently diverts his attention from his man for a split-second to keep track of where everyone is on the floor.
That awareness translates equally well to the offensive end, where VanVleet established himself as arguably the most polished and unflappable pick-and-roll ball handler in the college game. Here’s how DraftExpress describes him in that regard:
VanVleet is a pick and roll maestro, with 58% of his total possessions logged by Synergy Sports Technology derived from him running the pick and roll. He’s an expert at using the ball-screen to create space to get inside the arc to make play, often by looking to get his teammates into space to shoot by delivering accurate, on point passes to the roll man, cutters or spot-up shooters. He turns the ball over on just 5.9% of pick and roll possessions and is never rattled no matter what level of pressure the defense throws at him. With the NBA being such a ball-screen heavy offense, VanVleet certainly has the chops to create some points from this play type while he is on the floor.
The key to VanVleet’s effectiveness running an offense, despite not possessing exceptional size or athleticism, are his terrific ball-handling skills, coupled with his propensity for changing gears and keeping defenders off-balance. He operates at a pace that is unique to him, handling the ball on a string and finds a great mix between scoring and playmaking.
Since VanVleet won’t be much of a threat to drive to the rim and score in the NBA, he’ll need to shoot well from the outside. VanVleet converted 38.6% of his 3s in college, and from what I’ve seen he’s comfortable adjusting to the NBA line. Take a look at his shooting form in this NBA draft workout video:
The comparison between VanVleet and Dellavedova might be the closest of any listed here. Each was a very successful 4-year college player at a mid-major who went undrafted due to perceived physical limitations, and their college stats are remarkably similar.
Dellavedova has proven his critics wrong thus far. I hope VanVleet gets that opportunity.
Erick Green
25.1 years old, 6’3” 178 pounds, 6’6” wingspan
NBA Role: Instant-Offense Guard
2016 Free Agent Comp: Jamal Crawford
Summer League Team: Portland Trail Blazers*
*The Blazers acquired Shabazz Napier on the eve of Summer League and added him to the roster, leaving Green as the odd man out. Reportedly he is being pursued aggressively by European clubs such as Olympiakos, though his asking price is high to give up on the possibility of playing in the NBA this year.
Erick Green has a herky-jerky sort of style that always feels like it should be less effective than it actually is. He doesn’t look exceptionally quick or smooth on film, yet no one can stop him from scoring. In 2013 he scored 26 points a game in the ACC while shooting 44% from 3 and leading the conference in free throws made and attempted. Last year in the D-League he again averaged 26 points a game while shooting 44% from 3, finishing in the top 10 in free throws made and attempted as well as effective FG%, true shooting percentage, and PER. In the playoffs he scored 37 a game. Here’s his 2015-16 highlight video:
I’ll leave the bulk of the analysis to Jonathan Schulman at Posting and Toasting, who delivers it in full Walt “Clyde” Frazier voice:
Erick is slippery with the pill and the jumper thumps. . . Something everyone can appreciate is that he scores efficiently by slipping and dipping all around the court. He’s got a pretty raucous little rocker step that carries the defense away and he hesitates them into submission before bursting to the open space. He also possesses the dexterity to get to the rim and hang to alter his shot as needed. That combo of tricks certainly helps him get to line for his nearly six attempts a game (5.9). . . .
Much like Jose [Calderon], it’s the defensive end where Green isn’t helping his cause. He’s very slight of build and perhaps a bit inattentive or careless away from the ball. That would only be amplified against NBA talent.
Read his full report on Erick Green here.
Can Green’s slippery, efficient offense make up for his questionable D? Given the fact that his established-player analogue Jamal Crawford just signed a contract for $14 million a year at age 36, I think some team might find it worthwhile to give him a chance.
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