由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
克里斯·赫林(Chris Herring)，ESPN 资深作家，2024 年 6 月 28 日，美国东部时间上午 7:32
随着 2024 年 NBA 选秀大会的结束，NBA 自由球员市场的开启也只剩下几个小时了。几周以来，球队管理层和球迷们一直在思考、计划、想象着他们的球队在签下一些联盟顶级球星——保罗·乔治、克莱·汤普森、德玛尔·德罗赞——之后会是什么样子。
但这样做的时候，人们往往很容易忽视那些名气不大的球员，而这些球员实际上可能为那些寻求升级阵容的球队提供更大的价值。考虑到这一点，以下是今年休赛期最被低估的七名自由球员，以及最有可能从签下他们中获益的球队。
奇才队后卫泰厄斯·琼斯(Tyus Jones)
这位 28 岁的球员刚刚度过了一个职业生涯的巅峰赛季，他是奇才队轮换阵容中最具影响力的后卫，在得分、篮板和助攻方面都创下了职业生涯新高。但数据统计上的提升不仅仅是因为他成为了全职首发。他的效率——投篮命中率、三分球命中率、有效投篮命中率——也都达到了历史最佳水平。
奇才队——没错，就是那支 15 胜 67 负的奇才队——当琼斯在场上的时候，每百回合进攻得分要高出 2.7 分。他的决策能力也一直都是精英级别的，本赛季他令人惊叹的 7.3-1 的助攻失误比再次证明了这一点；这也是所有出场至少 50 场比赛的球员中最高的。
最适合的球队：马刺、魔术、鹈鹕
独行侠队前锋小德里克·琼斯(Derrick Jones Jr.)
27 岁的小琼斯去年夏天选择跳出与芝加哥公牛队的合同，希望为一支有竞争力的球队效力。然后他与达拉斯独行侠队签约，接受了降薪。结果是：他成为了独行侠队攻防两端不可或缺的多面手，帮助球队打进了 NBA 总决赛。
现在，他已经准备好将赌注兑现了。在防守端，当小琼斯在场上的时候，独行侠队每百回合要比他不在的时候少丢 2 分。虽然他不是一个出色的跳投手，但他本赛季的三分球命中率仍然达到了职业生涯最高的 34.3%，而且他还找到了其他参与进攻的方式，包括成为球星控球后卫卢卡·东契奇稳定的空接威胁目标。
最适合的球队：独行侠、勇士、爵士
76人队前锋托拜厄斯·哈里斯(Tobias Harris)
毫无疑问，哈里斯在 2019 年与费城续约，签下了一份五年 1.88 亿美元的接近顶薪合同，但他并没有完全兑现这份合同。他在球队赛季结束的第六场比赛中对阵尼克斯队时一分未得，这很有代表性，因为很多费城球迷都认为他是 76 人队失败的罪魁祸首，拿着过高的薪水。尽管如此，这位即将年满 32 岁的球员仍然可以成为一名高效的得分手，场均可以得到 15 分，这对合适的球队来说会很有帮助。
首先，他总是可以出战，在过去九个赛季中，他参加了球队 719 场比赛中的 671 场，出勤率高达 93%。在这段时间里，只有尼古拉·约基奇（675 场）和同样是自由球员的肯特维奥斯·卡德维尔-波普（673 场）比他参加的常规赛比赛更多。
而且他仍然是一个可以用不同方式得分的球员；特别是在他的使用率提高，以及进攻体系比费城更均衡的情况下。在过去的七个赛季中，他有六个赛季底角三分球命中率达到或超过 40%，而且在所有前锋球员中，他在 2023-24 赛季的快攻得分排名联盟第 11 位，得到了 207 分。
最适合的球队：活塞、爵士、鹈鹕
爵士队后卫克里斯·邓恩(Kris Dunn)
尽管邓恩在过去两个赛季的投篮方面已经取得了进步，但他的进攻永远也赶不上他的防守。尽管如此，他在过去两个赛季中都打出了联盟平均水平或高于平均水平的外线投篮命中率——此前他的职业生涯前六年三分球命中率只有不到 30%——这仍然值得关注，即使他的出手次数和使用率相对较低。
但邓恩是联盟中为数不多的防守如此出色的后卫之一，以至于你可能会因为他在防守端的贡献而忽略他在进攻端的不足。在所有出场至少 60 场比赛的球员中，他每分钟干扰传球的次数排名联盟第四。当邓恩在场上的时候，爵士队每百回合的防守得分要比他不在的时候少 2.5 分。凭借着这样的防守表现，再加上平均水平的投篮和进攻，邓恩对于那些需要一名能够限制对方箭头人物的后卫的球队来说，将会是一个很有价值的签约。
最适合的球队：雄鹿、奇才、爵士
公牛队中锋安德烈·德拉蒙德(Andre Drummond)
任何需要一名强硬的内线球员——尤其是在篮板球方面——的球队，都应该聪明地签下德拉蒙德，他在过去两个赛季中，在所有出场 60 场以上的球员中，进攻篮板率都排名联盟第一。
从每分钟胜利贡献值的角度来看，2023-24 赛季是德拉蒙德五年来效率最高的一个赛季。这位将在 8 月份年满 31 岁的中锋在护筐方面也非常出色，将对手在篮筐附近的投篮命中率限制在低于平均水平 3 个百分点以上，而且他在防守端非常活跃。在所有中锋球员中，只有凯利·奥利尼克和维克多·文班亚马(Victor Wembanyama)每分钟干扰传球的次数比他多。
最适合的球队：灰熊、奇才、鹈鹕
热火队前锋海伍德·海史密斯(Haywood Highsmith)
27 岁的海史密斯并没有像马克斯·斯特鲁斯、盖ABE·文森特、邓肯·罗宾逊或凯莱布·马丁（他也可能在未来几天成为自由球员）那样受到关注，但他可能是近年来迈阿密热火队培养出的下一个可靠的球员。
今年，在他第一个赛季场均出场时间达到或超过 20 分钟的情况下，海史密斯在所有出场 60 场比赛的球员中，一对一防守效率排名联盟第三，将对手在一对一防守中的得分限制在每回合 0.70 分。在所有侧翼防守球员中，只有基根·穆雷比他出色。
然而，海史密斯在进攻端的进步可以说是未来最令人期待的。他的助攻率和三分球命中率每年都在提高，而且他在 2023-24 赛季末表现出色，全明星赛后他的投篮命中率为 53.5%，三分球命中率为 44.4%——比他全明星赛前的 42.1% 的投篮命中率和 36.7% 的三分球命中率有了明显的提高。
最适合的球队：热火、勇士、老鹰
骑士队前锋艾萨克·奥科罗(Isaac Okoro)
年仅 23 岁的奥科罗本赛季在骑士队的进攻端迈出了一大步，三分球命中数和三分球命中率都创下了职业生涯新高。他的底角三分球命中率也达到了职业生涯最高的 40%。
考虑到奥科罗已经是一名优秀的防守球员，这些进步非常重要。当奥科罗在场上的时候，克利夫兰骑士队每百回合只丢 105.6 分——这是球队中最好的数据——而当他不在场上的时候，他们每百回合要多丢 6.3 分。他是一名受限制自由球员，这意味着克利夫兰可以选择匹配其他球队为他开出的任何报价。
最适合的球队：湖人、骑士、76人
点击查看原文：Seven underrated NBA free agents -- and where they could make the biggest impact
Seven underrated NBA free agents – and where they could make the biggest impact
Chris Herring, ESPN Senior WriterJun 28, 2024, 07:32 AM ET
With the 2024 NBA draft out of the way, the start of NBA free agency is mere hours away. For weeks, front office executives and fans have been thinking, planning, imagining what their teams could look like with some of the biggest stars in the game – Paul George, Klay Thompson, DeMar DeRozan.
But in doing so, it’s often easy to overlook the less famous players who might actually provide more value for teams seeking to upgrade their rosters. With that in mind, here are seven of the most underrated free agents this offseason, with teams that could benefit the most from signing them.
Wizards guard Tyus Jones
The 28-year-old is coming off a career year in which he was, by far, the most impactful guard in Washington’s rotation, having logged career bests in scoring, rebounding and assisting. But the boost in counting stats wasn’t merely thanks to him becoming a full-time starter. His efficiency – field goal percentage, 3-point percentage, effective field goal rate – was also the best it has ever been.
The Wizards – yes, the 15-67 Wizards – performed 2.7 points better on offense per 100 possessions when Jones was on the court. And his decision-making has always been elite, evidenced again by his dazzling 7.3-1 assist-to-turnover ratio this past season; the best of any player who appeared in at least 50 games.
Best fits: Spurs, Magic, Pelicans
Mavericks forward Derrick Jones Jr.
Jones, 27, gambled last summer by opting out of his deal with the Chicago Bulls in the hopes of contributing to a contender. He then signed in Dallas, where he took a pay cut. The result: He was a versatile, integral role player on both ends for the Mavericks, who reached the NBA Finals.
Now, he’s set up to cash in on the gamble. Defensively, Dallas was two points better per 100 possessions with Jones on the floor than with him off. And although he isn’t a great jump-shooter, he still managed a career-best 34.3% from 3 this season and found other ways to get involved on offense, too, including being a consistent lob threat for star playmaker Luka Doncic.
Best fits: Mavs, Warriors, Jazz
Sixers forward Tobias Harris
It goes without saying that Harris, who signed to stay in Philadelphia back in 2019 on a five-year, $188 million near-max deal, hasn’t quite lived up to that contract. His scoreless showing in the team’s season-ending Game 6 to the Knicks was emblematic, as many of the city’s fans had fashioned him as the overpaid face of the Sixers’ failures. Still, the soon-to-be 32-year-old projects as a productive, 15-point-per-game player who can be helpful to the right team.
For starters, he’s always available, having played in 671 of 719 games – 93% – of his team’s contests the past nine years. Only Nikola Jokic (675 games) and fellow free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (673) have appeared in more regular-season contests in that span.
And he’s still someone who can score in different ways; particularly with a boost in his usage rate, and an offense that’s more equitable than Philly’s. He has shot 40% or better from the 3-point corners in six of the past seven years, and, among forwards, he ranked 11th in the league in fast-break points in 2023-24, having logged 207.
Best fits: Pistons, Jazz, Pelicans
Jazz guard Kris Dunn
Even with the improvement Dunn has shown the past two seasons as a shooter, his offense will never catch up with his defense. Still, his league-average-or-better perimeter shooting in each of those seasons – after having shot just under 30% for his first six years of his career – is notable, even if it is on a relatively low volume and usage rate.
But Dunn is one of the few guards in the league who is so good defensively that you potentially play him despite the shortcomings on offense. He deflected passes at the fourth-highest rate in the NBA on a per-minute basis among players who logged at least 60 games. And the Jazz were almost 2.5 points better per 100 possessions on defense when Dunn was on the court than when he was off. With this type of defensive output, combined with average shooting and offense, Dunn will be a worthwhile signing for teams in need of a point-of-attack stopper.
Best fits: Bucks, Wizards, Jazz
Bulls center Andre Drummond
Any team that needs a rugged interior presence – particularly on the glass – would be smart to sign Drummond, who has led the league in offensive rebounding percentage for each of the past two seasons among players who logged 60 appearances.
The 2023-24 campaign marked Drummond’s most efficient season, from a per-minute win-share perspective, in five years. The big man, who turns 31 in August, was excellent in rim protection, too, holding opposing shooters more than 3 percentage points beneath their averages around the basket, and had highly active hands on that end of the floor. Only Kelly Olynyk and Victor Wembanyama deflected more passes per minute among NBA centers.
Best fits: Grizzlies, Wizards, Pelicans
Heat forward Haywood Highsmith
Highsmith, 27, hasn’t gotten as much attention as Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, Duncan Robinson or Caleb Martin (who also could be a free agent in the coming days), but he might be the next solid developmental story to come out of Miami in recent years.
This year, in his first season averaging 20 minutes per game or more, Highsmith ranked third in the NBA in isolation defense (among players who appeared in 60 games), limiting opposing players to 0.70 points per 1-on-1 possession. Only Keegan Murray was better among wing defenders.
Yet it’s the growth in Highsmith’s offense that’s arguably most intriguing going forward. He has seen annual increases in his assist percentage and his 3-point accuracy, and he had a very strong close to the 2023-24 campaign, shooting 53.5% overall and 44.4% from 3 after the All-Star break – a considerable boost from the 42.1% overall and 36.7% from 3 he shot before that.
Best fits: Heat, Warriors, Hawks
Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro
Okoro, still just 23 years old, took a significant step forward this season within the Cavs’ offense, logging career-highs in 3-pointers made and 3-point percentage. He also shot a career-high 40% from the corners.
These are important improvements, considering Okoro is already a plus defender. The Cavaliers gave up just 105.6 points per 100 possessions with Okoro on the court – the best rate on the team – and were a whopping 6.3 points worse per 100 possessions whenever he was off the floor. He’s a restricted free agent, meaning Cleveland can opt to match whatever free agent offer he gets from another team.
Best fits: Lakers, Cavs, Sixers
via ESPN