Ron Harper All-Stars: The NBA’s Top 10 Role-Playing Free Agents
Tyson Chandler, Dime #33
5. Tayshaun Prince – Serious question: what’s in the water in Detroit? Careers/things fall off there. Prince, Ben Gordon. Ben Wallace. Charlie Villanueva. D12. ABC’s “Detroit 1-8-7″.
Prince is on this list mainly because, well, he’s one of the few that’s actually done it. 2004. He locked up all the way to a title. Maybe all he needs is a change in scenery. The question though is whether he would fit in better on a young team that needs experience, like say the Clippers, or would he look better with a team of vets?
4. Kenyon Martin/Carl Landry – Having Martin on your front line assures you of a couple of things:
* Your tattoo-to-naked-skin ratio will be near the league leaders
* Your PG will become better at throwing lobs
* You will be much improved defensively
Martin’s athleticism is dipping, but if he’s your third big man, you’re in a good spot. He can still move and cover ground on defense.
Landry is like the exact opposite. He gets buckets no matter what. He scores on put-backs, on jump shots, on rolls to the rim, and with or without plays called for him. He’s the prototypical backup power forward, someone who’s toughness and energy makes a difference for 20-25 minutes a night.
3. Jason Richardson – When J-Rich was traded from Phoenix to Orlando last December, my fantasy team got screwed. He was dropping nearly 20 a night and hitting threes at a ridiculous pace. Then, his minutes were cut and his opportunities dwindled in Orlando.
It’s all a transition. Richardson is now past 30, and it’s time he realize his potential as a championship fourth wheel. Someone, perhaps Chicago, needs to nab Richardson and watch him hit big threes for them next spring. J-Rich cares and actually attempts to play team ball, he NEVER turns it over, can definitely shoot and will hound like Iggy in a defensive system.
2. Tyson Chandler – Chandler has the perfect home in Dallas. Let’s pray he doesn’t leave. He’s the latest example of what happens when someone is overrated for years, only to become perfectly rated by their latest team (Dallas) and turned into a defensive anchor, eventually becoming extremely underrated and now this summer, someone will probably overrate and overpay him again.
1. Arron Afflalo – One of my favorite players in the league. He’s the ultimate role player: makes threes, is content with 10 shots a night, plays smart, plays hard, defends every time down and continuously gets better (and he did all of this in Denver, which was the anti-thesis of developing good role players, surrounded by stupid shots, terrible tattoos, selfish players and J.R. Smith. Extra points for this). Afflalo is actually on the cusp of moving beyond this list.
But he’s also one of George Karl’s favorite players. Afflalo is a restricted free agent and it’s imperative that Denver brings him back. They’ll probably match anything that isn’t outrageous. But imagine if Afflalo ended up on San Antonio or some other contender? EVERYONE would know who he is.
What do you think? Who would you want on a championship team?
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June 27th, 2011 at 4:20 pm
Aron Phillips says:
Not a ton of guys to open up the pocketbook for, but definitely dudes to fill out the roster.
June 27th, 2011 at 4:21 pm
Roc1980 says:
Good call with the J-Rich to the Bulls scenario…
June 27th, 2011 at 4:26 pm
King says:
Some things never change….. Dime love goin out of their way to take a shot at JR Smith….. yall need to grow up! and if he has a bball IQ of a squirrel, what do u guys have? One of a beatle?
June 27th, 2011 at 4:45 pm
fsf says:
…surrounded by stupid shots, terrible tattoos, selfish players and J.R. Smith. Extra points for this.
Love that
June 27th, 2011 at 5:01 pm
Kudabeen says:
Disagree on Wilson Chandler…I haven’t seen anything about him that tells me he requires to be a star or #1 player or that he isn’t going to show up on either end of the floor sulking for minutes or anything.
He seems like a guy that can do anything to fit in with your Team. There isn’t a team in the league I don’t think he wouldn’t fit with. What we did see in the playoffs is that he isn’t an aggressive closer at all. He will just play in the flow of the game to a fault.
June 27th, 2011 at 5:01 pm
nizzio says:
Why y’all hating on JR Smith? He makes more in one year than y’all make in a lifetime
June 27th, 2011 at 5:11 pm
Kudabeen says:
Yeah JR is immature and doesn’t do somethings defensively, but offensively and general play he isn’t a low IQ guy…what is the comparison or bar for a bench/scorer? Is it because he hasn’t cashed in on his enormous talent (really has the skill-set to be a top 10 player), but something just doesn’t connect…that’s label Basketball IQ?
I guess I feel players aren’t two different people like the media tries to make us feel. Kobe is Kobe always. His Agressiveness on the court shows off the court. Maybe no when he knows the cameras are on, but in the gym by his self or in Denver hotel he is an aggressive guy clearly…(j/k sorta just had to do it…)
JR came in the league too early. Instead of being mentored and coached he was chastised and turned off of the belief that the coach is there to make you better not limit your shine by Byron “Sly Smile Through It All” Scott. I’m not excusing his immaturity, but he plays his role for Denver. He makes plays for Denver. It is unnecessary to kill him for lack of IQ on the floor…
NBA is such an improvisational league now that makes it excitingly bad basketball that penalizes defense, so what is the player incentive or working hard to give effort on an end of the floor that the league doesn’t value instead of trying to drop 30+ with every single shot/dunk?!?!
June 27th, 2011 at 5:18 pm
the cynic says:
i wouldn’t be surprised if no one signed JR Smith
June 27th, 2011 at 5:20 pm
the cynic says:
JR Smith has a low IQ period
June 27th, 2011 at 5:28 pm
mark says:
Good call with Afflalo. That guy is a perfect role player. A true un-sung hero. He would only get his name out there if he was on LA, Boston, Miami, and maybe my beloved Bulls…..
June 27th, 2011 at 5:38 pm
crossphaded says:
Love the Ron Harper mention!!! Solid role players are a dime a dozen.
June 27th, 2011 at 5:58 pm
heckler says:
are you guys really ranking AARON AFFALO as the #1 role player in the nba?
remember when James Posey would have made this list?
sheeeeit, how far off that map has he fallen since being traded out of Boston? shit.
Affalo will stay in Denver, and after 2 seaons, yall will realize he is a clone of Ime Udoka…
Tayshaun Prince should RUN to the Clips if the opportunity presented itself. Hometown boy back in LA. he’d be a perfect compliment to what they are doing in LA.
Tyson Chandler will be back in Dallas.
If he did leave, the NY Knicks would be PERFECT for him.
Jason Richardson is decent. respectable. I didnt realize hes 30yrs old already. I gues GS was a looong time ago. if rudy gay is permanently damaged, I like the idea of tony allen and jason richardson being the wings in Memphis.
Kenyon Martin: I have always been a fan. hes tough. hes a leader. and he can defend perimeter players. but i dont see Denver offering him big money. my guess is that he bounces. but if you need a tough PF to play above the rim and protect a pussy center, he’d be a perfect compliment. …are you listening MILWAUKEE?!!?
Carl Landry: decent role player. Im not sure he should be tied for 4th best in the league. if big baby dont re-sign in Boston, the Celts just need to scoop in
Mbah a Moute: nice on perimter defense. sucks everywhere else. NOT a good role player. 1-dimensional 1-trick pony.
Glen Davis: this fat fuck is actually a decent role player. but he doesnt know his role all the time. if Boston dont resign him, he might end up in Jersey or New Orleans–especially if the Hornets lose David West
Shane Battier: Ive always been a fan. seems to do everything right all the time. Memphis should really keep him. although, he seems like a good fit in San Antonio. Richard Jefferson SUCKS anyway
Samuel Dalembert: excellent role player as a center. defends willingly. rebounds willingly and has a decent outlet pass. i dont like that he doesnt block a lot of shots for his size (same with Tyson), but he can semi-anchor the defense in the paint.
Miami will come after him hard. So will NY.
he just has to decide which has better hatian women, FL or NY.
Mario Chalmers: shouldnt be top 10 on this list. he got minutes by default. eddie house sucks and mike bibby is a bigger bum. poor Spoelstra had no choice but to play Chalmers. Still, Mario earned everything he got in the playoffs. the Heat really need Kirk Hinrich aas their point guard. but anyway, Mario will stay in Miami
June 27th, 2011 at 6:04 pm
EN FUEGO says:
Free Agents with dumbass basketball IQ
aka
The JR Smith All-Stars:
10. Aaron Brooks
9. Jamal Crawford
8. Ike Diogu
7. Jamario Moon
6. Shelden Williams
5. Vladimir Radmanovic
4. Sebastian Telfair
3. Marcus Banks
2. Kwame Brown
1. JR Smith
June 27th, 2011 at 6:40 pm
Big B says:
JR Smith needs a team with veterans if he signs with a young team it could spell disaster for the locker room.
June 27th, 2011 at 11:41 pm
superfreak says:
@ heckler
They’re naming the top 10 role players that are free agents this summer, not necessarily the NBA as a whole. Affalo would have to be this summer’s best free agent role player.
I’m not sure why there’s hate for Dalembert. He’s a good defensive presence and gives you good rebounding and block shots at that position. His offensive game is bad in the sense he takes too many shots, but he was putting up some nice numbers for Sacto toward the end of the year. The man is also durable, played 80+ games like last 4-5 seasons, which is more than you can say about 80% of centers in the league nowadays.
Thanks for giving a shoutout to Tay, that man is as underappreciated as it comes. Get him out of Detroit and onto a young emerging team.
June 28th, 2011 at 3:19 am
beiber newz says:
sweeny’s tyson chandler description had a few twists and turns in it. lol
June 28th, 2011 at 6:55 am
larry brown says:
RON HARPER;You should know, because you was thee best bench warmer in the league, and could not talk, and know one knew who the hell you were. But every one knows, who Nick Young is, because off his looks, and Young sweet smooth game, point’s win game. So stop hating you know not what you speak off.
June 28th, 2011 at 8:08 am
JAY says:
^^^ WTF???
June 28th, 2011 at 8:24 am
Celts Fan says:
Some of you are dumb as shit. Whyd Dallas win the title? Cuz they found a way to defend LeBron. Whyd LA and Boston win the 3 before that? Cuz they were good defensive teams that could protect the rim. If “points win titles” then steve nash would be Bill Russell. Points get you on Sportscenter, defense and rebounding win titles. SMH
June 28th, 2011 at 9:10 am
sh!tfaced says:
shit, when did larry brown become a faggot….?
June 28th, 2011 at 10:16 am
Brown says:
I’d love to see Tayshaun Prince go to Golden State. They could desperately use his veteran presence, defense and rebounding.
June 28th, 2011 at 11:26 am
Dan Tanner says:
@ King haha, its beetle not beatle. Unless you were referring to the pop rock quartet. Dummy dumb!
July 6th, 2011 at 11:43 am
coldasice says:
tayshaun prince to me. would be a gd fit in ny. in either a 6th man or 7th man off the bench. he plays d still. can still put the ball in the hole. and does the lil things that will fit in well on a vet team. can guard a few positions. and if we can snag back wilson chandler. then go for the prince man
July 6th, 2011 at 11:44 am
coldasice says:
cant*