A few hours before the resumption, many players are still without a contract, and among them there are even many former All-Stars!
Most are over 30. They are victims both of the evolution of the NBA, but also of the regulation which locks the workforce to 15 players, or quite simply of their physical form. Without forgetting that formations have no interest in strengthening themselves to place themselves at best in the race for Victor Wembanyama.
carmelo anthony
Stats : 13.3 points, 4.2 rebounds
Effective as the 6th man at the Blazers then at the Lakers, “Melo” is back to square one, without a contract for the coming season. The person concerned, who wants to celebrate his 20th season, has good remains but for the moment, no team seems interested in his profile. Even for minimum wage.
Eric Bledsoe
Stats : 9.9 points, 4.2 assists
Transferred during the season to Portland, Eric Bledsoe has never played there. A left Achilles tendon injury deprived him of the end of the season and the Blazers took advantage of a “team option” to part with it. He only got $3.9 million of his $19.4 million. Losing momentum for two seasons and his departure from Milwaukee, the former Phoenix playmaker is still a rather interesting physical defender.
Ben McLemore
Stats : 10.2 points, 36% at 3-point
Tested by the Warriors, he did not convince the staff despite his qualities as a shooter. His problem is that he is one-dimensional and participates very little in the game. At 29, he still has his place in the NBA.
Dwight Howard
Stats : 6.2 points, 5.9 rebounds
Never two without three for Dwight Howard, who therefore wore the Lakers jersey for the third time. This time, no title, no playoffs, and it’s back on the market. But this time, his rating is at an all-time low, and his future may be shaping up in wrestling since he passed the WWE casting call.
Rajon Rondo
Stats : 6.2 points, 4.9 assists
Another former Laker who finds himself on the floor… The former Celtics point guard did not really shine at the Cavaliers, and his end of his season was marked by marital problems, even if there is no prosecution committed against him. His discretion during the offseason suggests that his future is on the bench, perhaps as an assistant.
Hassan Whiteside
Stats : 8.2 points, 7.6 rebounds
On the “accounting” level, Hassan Whiteside largely has its place in the NBA, and he has again demonstrated it as Rudy Gobert’s understudy. The problem is his lack of reading the game, and that is penalizing in the current NBA where interiors are asked to defend wide and cover on pick-and-rolls.
Paul Millsap
Stats : 3.5 points, 2 rebounds
His move to the Nets confirmed that he was at the end of his career, and it will be difficult for him to find a place in the NBA. Like others, he will be present in the event of an injury to a major player, and his agent must monitor the “injured list”.
DeMarcus Cousins
Stats : 8.9 points, 5.5 rebounds
He assures that he has changed, but no team seems willing to give him a chance. His stints with the Bucks and Nuggets were fine, but DeMarcus Cousins remains a jittery, erratic player, and coaches may not want to deal with a troublemaker like him. As for the teams at the bottom of the table, without an experienced pivot, they are targeting Victor Wembanyama and there is no question of mortgaging their chances.
LaMarcus Aldridge
Stats : 12.9 points, 5.5 rebounds
Like Paul Millsap or Dwight Howard, LaMarcus Aldridge is very close to retirement. He also had a taste after his first withdrawal from the field for health reasons. Returning after the green light from the doctors, he did his stats, but Brooklyn took the door with a broom.
Kemba Walker
Stats : 11.6 points, 3.5 assists
The years go by and look alike for the former All-Star point guard. Transferred then cut in stride last summer, he suffered the same fate this year. Left free by the Pistons, he would like to come full circle with the Hornets. What does Michael Jordan think?
And also : Lou Williams, Kent Bazemore, Avery Bradley, Wayne Ellington, Taj Gibson, DJ Augustin, Elfrid Payton, Frank Jackson, Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, etc.
