With the NBA free agent frenzy in full-swing, a few guys at the top are getting all of the attention. But as we pointed out in our "Four You Can't Ignore" segment on undervalued draft picks (all of whom were drafted between 27 and 36), here are four NBA free agents who are floating under the radar, all of whom could be significant pickups for teams looking for bargains.
Ramon Sessions, Milwaukee Bucks
Sessions is a scoring and creating point guard, and has proven he can run a team. Although he is a poor three-point shooter, he has an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3 to 1, and is one of the better rebounding point guards in the league. He was forced to share time at the point and played only 27 minutes per game, but Sessions ranked higher this season in player efficiency than Mo Williams, Jason Kidd, Mike Bibby, T.J. Ford and Derrick Rose. And he can put up numbers too, dropping 44 points and 12 assists on the Pistons and hanging a 16-point, 16-assist, 10-rebound triple-double on the Lakers. He may the NBA's next Rajon Rondo/Devin Harris breakout point guard, and with Brandon Jennings coming on board, Sessions should be looking for a contract Milwaukee won't care to match. If he gets away from the Bucks, they could live to regret it.
Linas Kleiza, Denver Nuggets
In the last three seasons in Denver, Kleiza has played about the same number of minutes, played about the same role, and had about the same amount of production – averaging 11.1 points and 9.9 points the last two years. He is a starter at small forward on most other teams, and his scoring, rebounding, three-point shooting, overall toughness and physical nature give him great value. He shot 42% from three in the playoffs this year, and scored in double figures in the Nuggets two wins over the Lakers in the conference finals. But, if he ever wants to start, he has to get out of Denver. He would be an upgrade at the three for most teams in the league.
James Singleton, Dallas Mavericks
Although he didn't get much run in the playoffs, Singleton played a fairly significant role for the Mavericks after the All-Star break, recording six double-doubles. He averaged 7.1 points and 6.1 rebounds in 17 minutes per game in February on 67% shooting. He followed that up with 7.1 points and followed in March with 7.1 points and 5.6 rebounds on 52% shooting, playing 19 minutes per game. Maybe his greatest value during that time was his more than two offensive rebounds per game. He started his career with the Clippers, and might just be one of those forwards that doesn't fit around Dirk Nowitzki. With more time and a more defined role, he could be a consistent double-double guy for the right team.
Rob Kurz, Golden State Warriors
A sweet shooting face-up four man, Kurz made Golden State's roster as a complete surprise last season, and played limited minutes in only 40 games, averaging 3.9 points. However, what should get the attention of bargain shoppers is this: Kurz played more than 30 minutes in just two games this season, and when he got those minutes, he produced – scoring 20 against Denver and 21 against Utah, going 7-11 from the field and 3-3 from three against the Nuggets and 8-14 from the field against the Jazz while hitting 4 out of 7 threes. That's 15-25 from the floor and 7-10 from three in the only two games where he got significant minutes – and those games were four months apart. He's a guy who not only is waiting for his chance, but has proved to be ready when it comes. If you need a four who can stretch the defense and create space for others, Kurz is a bargain.
