If you don’t finish first in the Deron Williams Derby, you finish last.
If that sounds like a knock on the rest of the free-agent class, so be it.
The best of the bunch is Houston’s Goran Dragic, who had a terrific second half of the season. In the final 28 games, he averaged 17.8 points and 8.1 assists. He played all 66 games, and he just turned 26.
He learned under Steve Nash (also a free agent) in Phoenix for a couple of seasons, and he has all the looks of a Nash starter kit.
But there are downsides. The unrestricted free agent couldn’t beat out Kyle Lowry as the Rockets’ starting point guard until midway through the season when Lowry was suffering through some injuries.
Somebody is going to pay Dragic some large coin this summer in free agency. But it remains to be seen if the Mavericks are the right fit for a player who has yet to prove he can play at an All-Star level consistently.
There are other free agents, too. Milwaukee’s Ersan Ilyasova had a wonderful season, averaging 13 points and 8.8 rebounds. But after the All-Star break, he averaged 16.1 and 9.1.
He does, however, play the same position as Dirk Nowitzki, and we’ve seen how power forwards of varying skills often fade when paired with Nowitzki.
Other free agents of note: Nash, Kirk Hinrich, Ray Allen, Andre Miller, Marcus Camby, Chris Kaman, Kris Humphries, C.J. Miles.
(Source: bleacherreport.com)
