We all know that feeling when you walk into a store and find a really great item in the clearance section that is undoubtedly worth more than the price suggests.
(This writer still remembers the $4 pair of Levi’s he had been using for 20 years that he found at a Marshalls store in downtown Chicago.)
As it turns out, NBA teams are not much different. While awarding large contracts, many organizations still find significant value in unexpected places. To the point where the players they sign become borderline All-Stars and become key components.
There were plenty of new discounts discovered during last summer’s free agency period.
Malik Beasley (Detroit Pistons)
6 million dollars per year
The Pistons are probably kicking themselves for not offering Beasley a contract that lasted more than a year. The 28-year-old is scoring 16.7 points per game in just 28 minutes and is hitting 41.8% of his 9.3 triples per night.
The 6-foot-4 shooting guard is one of the most dynamic and efficient long-range shooters in the NBA this season and is playing a key role in giving the young backcourt of Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey space to operate.
Some will point out that Beasley is primarily a one-trick pony, and that argument is not without merit. But if you’re good at one of the most important skills in all of basketball, you can easily justify a salary much larger than $6 million, which is just 4.27% of the salary cap.
Looking at the production above, who would bat an eyelid if Beasley signed a three-year contract worth $50 million next summer?
That’s not to say there will be that type of offer, considering how few teams actually have cap space, but it does highlight how ridiculously team-friendly his deal is.
Tyus Jones, Phoenix Suns
2 million dollars per year
How on earth did Jones stay on the market for so long and settle down like this?
Yes, he could have signed a bigger contract, preferring destination over financial gain, but the league still ignored him while free agency began. And, as has become a sad tradition, if your name isn’t included in the early contract cycle, you’ll likely have to settle for much less than market value suggests.
Jones, one of the NBA’s best ball-handlers and playmakers, surprisingly sat out the first cycle, leaving him with fewer options than he had hoped.
That shouldn’t happen again next summer, as the 28-year-old is once again one of the most consistent point guards in the game.
His 12.3 points, 6.4 assists, and 43.6% shooting percentage from downtown (5.3 attempts per night) are already enough to get the team’s attention. Considering his 1.2 turnovers per game and overall ability to lead an offense, he should have a good market.
If not, it’s not an indictment of him, but rather an indictment of the mayor. Young teams that need stability should actively seek him out.
Buddy Hield, Golden State Warriors
4 years, $37.7 million ($21 million guaranteed)
When you lose a franchise staple like Klay Thompson, it’s nearly impossible to find a replacement. This is especially true if your finances are somewhat tight.
But for the Warriors, they found one of the most dynamic shooters in the NBA who can emulate quite a few sets that included Thompson.
Hield, who averages 12.6 points and has a 39.3% 3-point shooting percentage, accounts for only 6.25% of the salary cap this season. This is the new reality of NBA contracts.
Many people will see his compensation of $8.7 million and think that’s a lot of money. For mortals it certainly is. For a productive NBA player who plays 22.5 minutes a night and is one of the best 3-point shooters in the league over the past decade, that’s a steal.
Hield is who he is at this stage. The 32-year-old will drain 3s off catches at a ridiculous rate, rebound some, and conversely struggle as a playmaker and defender.
No matter how you slice it, that’s equivalent to 6.25% of today’s game cap. 68.9% of his shots have come from downtown, so he’s not a player who doesn’t understand where he’s most useful. This self-actualization combined with the ability to compete with others is exactly why you pay him.
The fact that the Warriors can cut bait and pay just $21 million for two years of service also makes this a strong deal.
Derrick Jones Jr. (Los Angeles Clippers)
3 years, $30 million
This is a bit controversial, as some people raised their eyebrows when Jones left the Dallas Mavericks and Luka Dončić went to a place where he wasn’t spoon-fed to the same extent.
In short, there was some risk involved. Can the 27-year-old survive offensively without an elite playmaker in the wing? Is there a place for inconsistent shooters in the NBA?
Jones has been a starter in 30 games this season, putting many of those concerns to rest. The 6-foot-5 wing big has survived perfectly well without Doncic, even averaging 10 points in efficiency, much more than he did in Dallas last season.
Jones shot 37.5 percent from downtown and found his stroke at the free throw line, shooting an unexpected 88 percent. His shot selection looked much more skilled and his defense remained effective.
For someone who only takes up 6.77% of the cap, this is a win. Jones is playing less than 25 minutes per game, which means he is playing an important role and helping the Clippers continue to exceed expectations.
Even if he eventually has to give up the starting job to Kawhi Leonard, Jones will likely remain a valuable player for the Clippers at a price point that is becoming increasingly team-friendly.
Russell Westbrook, Denver Nuggets
2 years, $6.7 million
See, Westbrook shares water more effectively than Moses. He may be the most polarizing player in NBA history. That’s because his stats tend to be much bigger than his actual impact.
At 36, this is truer now than ever.
But still, there’s no way a player as productive as Westbrook can ignore that when he’s earning the veteran minimum salary.
He’s averaging 12.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.7 steals per game in just 26.2 minutes for Denver, and his role as a constant firecracker remains the same as always.
For a Nuggets bench that has historically struggled with any type of regular production, it was at least a fair attempt to turn things around, especially after losing Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in back-to-back summers.
The Nuggets have been performing poorly overall, and Westbrook’s inconsistent defense and shot making have received a lot of attention. But that will be true regardless.
For someone who only takes up 2.35% of the cap, it’s impossible not to call it a deal.
Jalen Smith, Chicago Bulls
3 years, $27 million
Some will argue against this, considering Smith hasn’t played more than 15.4 minutes per game for the Bulls this season.
The response to this is to look at his work.
Smith, who is at just 6.10% of the salary cap this year, averaged 7.9 points and 5.5 rebounds in limited minutes while upping his 3-point percentage significantly.
The 6-foot-10 center is rebounding better than ever, and despite being inconsistent, he checks in with an efficient role and a keen understanding of what to do.
The Bulls, who don’t seem to fully realize what they have on their hands, honestly need to play Smith more given that he is a better rim protector than Nikola Vučević while being a similar offensive performer.
With the Bulls likely to pivot around some older players (Vučević is included in that group), it may only be a matter of time before Smith gets the opportunity to turn his already team-friendly contract into one of the biggest deals in the NBA. You can. .
