Welcome to the final day of my 2008 NBA Free Agent Rankings. We have made it to tier 3, where players who’s contributions are questionable, or very limited. Some of the players in this ranking could very well be busts, and I’ll note that, but they make it here for some reason or another. So get your last look at my rankings, and like before if you’ve missed part one (here) or part two (here) you can check them out with these links: Part1, Part2

Tier 3 - Limited Role, Potential or Bust?

PG

Lindsay Hunter

- Lindsay is a good point guard. He is old, but has shown he can run the point under limited time. He can still score and assist, but his numbers are nothing flattering. He can be a good roleplayer off the bench, but he has capped at his potential.

Pros: Solid point guard, can contribute off the bench.

Cons: Has reached his potential, and its not that high.

Anthony Carter

- Anthony Carter has really showed what he has this season with the nuggets. He is playing some of the best ball I’ve seen. I think the key to his play, is if he is paired with a shooting guard who can also handle the ball really well (like AI can). He doesn’t really need to score in denver, but he can still steal and provide for his team.

Pros: Steady PG, good contributor with steals and assists.

Cons: Old guy, ho much is left on his wheels.

Keyon Dooling

- Dooling is a great pg. He has taken over the point for Jameer Nelson in Orlando, and may be looking for a starting job this offseason. Dooling is a tough guard, who is not afraid to get a little banged up in the process. He has bounced around the league a little bit, which I think hurts his cause when he tries to make a permanent landing anywhere. But he can slash into the paint and has good size. What hurts him, and drops him from either above tiers, is that he is a guard. let me be clear, he isn’t really a point guard, because he hardly contributes on assists. He isn’t really a Shooting guard, as he hardly attempts the 3 and isn’t a big time scorer. He reminds me a bit of Sasha Pavlovic, with a slightly slower motor.

Pros: Good defender, tough slasher

Cons: Not really a 1, more of a combo guard.

SG

Flip Murray

- Flip Murray is really a one dimensional player. But, he is very very good at his one dimension. Flip can shoot. He can take a jump shot, bury it from 3 and can do it in the clutch too. Flip showed his best in his short run with the cavaliers where he as clutch and contributed his shooting as a starter. But Flip in detroit can’t even get passed rookie Rodney Stuckey on the depth chart. So thats why he drops down here to the third tier. Either he can be a major contributor, or he might have reached his limit.

Pros: Great shooter, clutch

Cons: Can’t even get off the bench in Detroit.

Kareem Rush

- Rush as a great shooter for the Lakers, and has seemed to found a role for himself with the pacers. Rush is a good shooter, but isn’t as consistant as Flip or anyone in tier 1 and 2. Rush is still a good shooter, but his scoring has gone down alot, and that was what was building him up as a tier 1 and 2 player, but now I think of him as a stop gap as a team looking to develop some young talent and still find someone who can shoot either as a starter or off the bench.

Pros: Good shooter, quick

Cons: Lack of consistency

Ricky Davis

- Davis is a great scorer. But he does not know how to make the players around him better, or how to involve them in the game. He is desperate to find a home now, because he is tired of being a journeyman. I think Davis can be a great contributor if he is willing to take a Leandro Barbosa role, providing instant scoring off the bench, but his time as a starter or a leader is well behind him.

Pros: Instant scoring, can provide quick points off the bench.

Cons: Doesn’t make his teammates better.

SF

James Jones

- Jones is a streaker shooter, who can be a good contributor off the bench. He should not be a first, second, and I’m not even sure he should be a third option off the bench because he is so streaky. He is a great shooter, when he’s on, but if its a night when his shot is off, he’s not going to be able to recover on that night.

Pros: Great shooter

Cons: Terribly streaky, one dimensional

Ime Udoka

- Ime is a great all around player. He isn’t particularly special at any one category, but he can contribute a little at everything. Rebounding, Shooting, and an assist or two. Udoka is not a starter, but he can be plugged in and contribute in whichever fashion he needs to.

Pros: All around contributor.

Cons: Hasn’t shown he can fill the stat sheet in any one category.

Derek Anderson

- Anderson is a good commodity, for the sheer reason that he can play 3 positions (1,2, and 3). He is by no means a natural point guard, and isn’t the strongest scorer, but he can contribute some points and some good defense. Anderson has shown he is a willing contributor at anything he’s asked to do.

Pros: Can play 3 positions, solid defender

Cons: Not perticularly great at any one thing.

PF

Stromile Swift

- Swift is a great dunker. He is athletic and can really get up and down the court. The problem is Stromile is not really a defensive presence even though he’s a big guy and has the ability, he just doesnt contribute much on that end. Stromile’s lack of defensive ability, and honestly not that special of an inside game that leaves him on the last tier. He showed with the Rockets that he isn’t that much of a player, same with the grizzlies. Stromile can contribute some energy and dunks off of the bench, but he isn’t going to give you a defensive presence or even an offensive explosion.

Pros: Athletic, great dunker

Cons: Not a defensive presence, not a big scorer

Bostjan Nachbar

- Nachbar was starting to develop in New Jersey until his injury. He sat out alot of games, but was turning into a good player. He can defend pretty good, and shoots well. His injury may hamper him, so we are going to have to see what happens with him after the allstar break.

Pros: Great shooting big man

Cons: Injuries, a little slow

C

Primoz Brezec

- Brezec is a good contributor at center. He really doesn’t have a big stat, he’s an ok rebounder, not much of a scorer or blocker. He can give you size and a willing defensive contributor as well. Brezec is pretty mobile, but not particulary fast or athletic.

Pros: Size, willing defender

Cons: Not particularly good at anything

Kwame Brown

- I know, I can’t believe he’s on any of my tiers either. But honestly, is Kwame really a bad player, no i don’t think so. I think he is a terrible first round pick. If he was a guy who went undrafted, he would be exceeding expectations. With the lakers he showed he can be a defensive presence. But he has also shown he will never develop a really useful offensive game or good hands. He is still more productive than Brezec, and is a good backup center.

Pros: Good defender, mobile

Cons: Bad hands, not a great rebounder.

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Thanks for reading my 2008 NBA Free Agent Rankings. I think logically the next big feature would be seeing, which of these many guys your team should be looking for. In the coming weeks I will do a 2008 Team Analysis for ever team, looking at who they should be looking at in the draft and free agency. Thanks to everyone who has enjoyed reading this article!

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