A - PAY UP
Andray Blatche - A talented big. He's been playing on a humble contract because of behavorial issues in his old Wizards days. His ability to behave in Brooklyn, while providing post scoring (a lost art) should earn him a deal well above the MLE (mid-level exception). He provided the Nets with the scoring punch they missed with Brook Lopez out for the season.
Kyle Lowry - An all-star level year for a guy who has been cited as a locker room headache. While he remains underrated, everybody saw that he was a Paul Pierce block shy of taking the Raptors to the second round. A good floor leader is vital in today's game, so Lowry should head into next season well-compensated.
Marcin Gortat - The former Dwight Howard backup, is a competent center in a league where they're nearly extinct. His steady diet of rebounding and finishing at the rim really helped Washington's resurgence. Don't be surprised if Gortat enters next season making somewhere around $10 million annually.
Vince Carter - Imagine. A player that was touted as selfish throughout his formative years develops into a do-it-all veteran leader. Some team will need a competent swingman (Clippers?) to eat up minutes, and VC can still give you something.
Shawn Marion - Matrix keeps on doing Matrix things. At 36, Shawn Marion still runs the floor, rebounds, and plays rock solid perimeter defense. Some contender will need a guy just like this, probably at the MLE rate.
Trevor Ariza - Ariza's play this season was reminiscent of 2009. During that year, his uncharacteristic clutch shooting and defense on the perimeter helped the Lakers take the 2009 title. Putting in that type of work on such a big stage earned Ariza a fat 5-year deal in Houston. Since then, he's bounced around the league with inconsistent play. But, right on time, his jumper began to fall again, and he's currently seeking a new contract this summer. How convenient.
B - I'LL TAKE A PAY CUT
Lance Stephenson - Lance used the playoffs to show off his all-around game.Even though Indiana suffered an uneven finish to the season, Lance oftentimes looked like the best player on the Pacers roster. He followed that up by unleashing playground antics on Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals. They weren't impressed. And you can bet the other 28 teams will use it against him when negotiating his next deal.
Zach Randolph - Z-Bo is a huge part of Memphis' grit-and-grind theme. He a rugged vet, who scores in the post and rebounds. Unfortunately, his suspension (along with his teams injuries) really costed the Grizzlies a legitimate shot to knock off OKC in a first round game 7. Randolph is on the wrong side of 30, and beginning to show signs of wear with a difficulty scoring against length. His next pact will likely go for less than his true market value.
C -PLEASE, I HEARD YOU WERE HIRING
Jordan Crawford - Crawford helped lead the young Celtics to a surprisingly positive start. He showed great maturity, poise, court vision, and shot-making ability. Then Rondo came back. Jordan was immediately traded to Golden State where he could never become part of a rotation that was begging for improved guard play from its bench. Crawford's next contract won't be rich, and if he's not careful, it could be his last.
Evan Turner - It doesn't help that he was partly blamed for Indiana's slow demise. He was supposed to be the successor to Iguodala in Philly. They grew frustrated with him and traded him. He was supposed to supply some of Granger's old production. Upon his arrival, they fell into a huge slump. In the playoffs, longtime veteran Rasual Butler began taking all of his minutes. I had to squint at the screen to realize Rasual Butler was still in the league. Giving the Pacers solid minutes in the playoffs could've netted Turner a healthy contract elsewhere. Now, he'll be lucky to make more than his rookie-scale salary. His length and skill-set were supposed to make him a poor man's LeBron, it seems that now he may just be a poor man.
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