Top Free Agent Power Forwards
This week marks the beginning of NBA free agency. Who’s out there that can make your team better (or worse)? We’ll go position by position…
Elton Brand (29 y/o, 17.6 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.9 bpg) — It’s not like he’s injury-prone; before the Achilles last year, Brand had been an everyday 20-10-and-2 workhorse for eight straight years. And in the handful of games for which he came back at the end of ‘08, he put in work as usual. Brand says he wants to stay in L.A., but you’ve gotta think he’s tired of losing.
Ryan Gomes (25 y/o, 12.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg) — His skills are being wasted on a bad team. Nevertheless, Gomes’ numbers have improved every year and after Al Jefferson was the next-best thing Minnesota got in the Garnett trade. Maybe he isn’t a starter for a playoff team, but he’ll be a solid role player.
Robert Horry (37 y/o, 2.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg) — The NBA’s version of a placekicker, if that placekicker spent the entire regular season warming up for a Super Bowl-winning field goal that may or may not need to be attempted.
Carl Landry (24 y/o, 8.1 ppg, 4.9 rpg) — One of those dirty-work intagibles types who will have a job for a long time. His game-saving block on Deron Williams in the playoffs is just another reason the Rockets need to keep guys like Landry if they hope to ever go somewhere.
Craig Smith (24 y/o, 9.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg) — When he was doing the understudy thing for KG in Minnesota, Smith was getting some attention as a promising prospect. He was then what Big Baby/Leon Powe are now.
Earl Barron (26 y/o, 7.1 ppg, 4.3 rpg) — Still young and athletic for a 7-footer, Barron is an intriguing talent. Keep in mind that during the ‘06 Finals, Barron pretended to be Dirk Nowitzki in Miami’s practices and reportedly was giving the starters buckets.
Kenny Thomas (30 y/o, 1.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg) — He’s thirty? The only PF in the League who’s aged more suddenly and ungraciously than Kenny is, well, his teammate Shareef Abdur-Rahim.
Pat Garrity (31 y/o, 2.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg) — Orlando’s longest-tenured player probably isn’t going anywhere.
Steve Novak (25 y/o, 3.9 ppg, 1.0 rpg) — Knocked down 48% of his threes last year. One of the League’s best shooters who never gets any playing time; a bigger version of J.J. Redick.
Austin Croshere (33 y/o, 3.9 ppg, 2.4 rpg) — If this were 1997 and you would have told me that Austin Croshere would still be in the NBA in 11 years while God Shammgod was playing in China…
Nick Fazekas (23 y/o, 4.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg) — Another big-man shooting specialist in the Raef LaFrentz mold.
Shavlik Randolph (24 y/o, 0.9 ppg, 1.2 rpg) — Once upon a time, he was a blue-chip high school recruit who was supposed to be the next great one at Duke. What happened? Shav busts his ass every minute he’s on the floor and does all the little things right, he just can’t do the big things.
Juwan Howard (35 y/o, 1.1 ppg, 1.6 rpg) — The last surviving member of the Fab Five might try one more run with a contender, but the real Juwan Howard left the NBA a long time ago.
July 1st, 2008 at 11:39 am
Sam I Am says:
Damn I’m old…Juwan Howard used to be a hometown favorite here in DC
July 1st, 2008 at 11:46 am
Gangsta D says:
Nah, I’m old. I remember hearing Dickie V rave about Juwan…when he was in high school.
July 1st, 2008 at 11:56 am
YOUNGFED says:
weakest’ free angency EVER!!!!
July 1st, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Bron42 aka Thugnificant says:
Shavik never recovered from his…”I don’t mind gay people, as long as they don’t make me gay too” comment. Plus hes another overyped Duke stiff, ala josh mcroberts.
can someone PLEASE explain to me how garrity has been able to stay, not only in the league but with one team this long while averaging 2 points and having a crippled back. Don’t give me that “good guy in the locker room” junk. Your tellin me gerald green isn’t a better investment?
July 1st, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Big Freeze says:
Brand opted out yesterday and says he plans to stay in LA. What the fuck is wrong with Elton? He needs to go to a contender instead of rotting with the Clippers for the rest of his career.
July 1st, 2008 at 12:19 pm
Yoooo says:
Kenny Thomas is only 30???? Im sorry yo I don’t believe that. I just can’t.
July 1st, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Celts Fan, "Kobe, Tell me how my @$$ tastes" says:
“Juwan Howard (35 y/o, 1.1 ppg, 1.6 rpg) — The last surviving member of the Fab Five might try one more run with a contender, but the real Juwan Howard left the NBA a long time ago.”
Ya, like the second the ink dried on the $100M contract and he heard yes to, “All of this money’s guaranteed, right?”
Gomes is solid too. He’s one of those guys that every good team needs, but is wasting away in Minnesota. He actually showed up to cheer on his old teammates some during the playoffs. I’d LOVE to bring him back to Boston!
July 1st, 2008 at 12:55 pm
E-ROC says:
The Spurs would be wise to signed Ryan Gomes, Earl Barron, and possibly Carl Landry as Tiago Splitter decided to stay in Europe.
July 1st, 2008 at 1:16 pm
DJ Go Go Gomez says:
Kenny Thomas isn’ a free agent. He’s on the books for 7 mill this year and 8 YES 8 mill next year. Believe me I wish he was a F.A.
July 1st, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Diego says:
No Josh Smith? I don’t care what the Hawks, Josh himself, Horford (or the rest of the world) may think, there is absolutely NO WAY J Smoove is a small forward. (He is about as much a small forward as Joe Johnson is a point guard.)
July 1st, 2008 at 2:08 pm
AB_40 says:
Spurs need athletisism on almost every position. Players who they should give a shot are gerald green and darius miles. If they can’t get they act together in san antonio. They should work at wal mart after they spent all their money on dumb stuff
July 1st, 2008 at 2:33 pm
blah says:
what about KWAME!
July 1st, 2008 at 3:40 pm
K Dizzle says:
Kwame was listed under centers……
July 1st, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Dave says:
No Josh Smith on the power forward listings?
Elton Brand is an incredible addition for whoever gets him. Clippers should be praying right now.
Once you get past him it gets weak quick. Carl Landry second best on that list? I think so. Not a fan of Ryan Gomes, plays no defense and has no position, there’s many backup small forwards and power forwards that are better than him.
July 1st, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
Yeah the Kings screwed up taking Kenny Thomas’s contract on. I think it had something to do with the fact that Kenny played HS ball in New Mexico and the Maloofs are from New Mexico. I guess hometown love is worth 7-8 million a year.
July 1st, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Spliff 2 My Lou says:
YOUNGFED is spot on. Other than Brand this has gotta be the worst power forward free agency class ever.
July 1st, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Craig says:
BIRDMAN!!