NBA Daily: 8 Free Agents – Central Division

Well, this has certainly been difficult.

As we enter week two of however many weeks (or months) it will take for the world’s on-switch to be flipped up by a metaphorical finger, the game of basketball is sorely missed. There’s an unknown within all of this, which makes it even harder to grasp.

But those three sentences will be the only negative spin I’ll be putting on this forward-moving piece. As Benny Nadeau astutely illustrated our current situation in these times, he also kicked off Basketball Insiders’ Free Agent series with the Northwest Division, so that’s what we’re here to continue along with the Central…sans the Mad Max references.

Before we get started, let’s just get this out of the way: If you’re looking for “sexy” names on this list, you won’t find many of them. What you will see are players who have burst onto the scene as recently as this season — perfect timing for a free agent market that is going to be scarce in star-level talent, yet plentiful in complementary and secondary pieces that can help complete a puzzle if the fit is right.

Improbable, But Not Impossible

Andre Drummond, Cleveland Cavaliers – Player Option – $27,950,198

This first name contradicts everything that was typed in the introduction. Drummond is a two-time All-Star center and a sexy name. He is bar-none the best rebounder in the NBA and has been consistent since he stepped foot in the league. He works wonders in the pick-and-roll game and provides a forceful presence on the interior. He’s a much-improved ball-handler in open floor opportunities and can start a fastbreak with ease. He’s even shown *signs* — heavy emphasis on the asterisks — of expanding his range to the perimeter.

With all that said though, is Drummond willing to walk away from $28.7 million in 2020? Contending teams that he’d likely prefer won’t have all that much money to spend this upcoming offseason. In addition, the league is trending towards versatility as opposed to the traditional type of big man, which he fits the mold of. Would a franchise gamble a pricey long-term future on a player whose positioning is seemingly fading away?

There’s a lot of questions here: Cavaliers’ general manager Koby Altman has said on the record that he’d consider Drummond a play for both now and later. At 26 years old, he’s just now entering his prime. His options could be limited whenever things start back up again, so it might be wise to take the money, skip free agency now and figure things out in 2021.

Otto Porter Jr., Chicago Bulls – Player Option – $27,250,576

Porter is in the same boat as Drummond when it comes to his contract. The difference is that he hasn’t played much at all this year due to a left foot injury. It’s a shame because of the productive season he put together when the Washington Wizards sent him to Chicago last season. Since his return, he’s registered respectable numbers as a starter on both ends of the floor.

Wings are in high demand these days, so Porter fits the bill pretty much on any team. The issue is that he won’t make close to what he does now on a new deal, especially after such an injury. Don’t bet on Porter opting out of the last year of his current deal.

Diamonds In The Rough?

Christian Wood, Detroit Pistons – Unrestricted – $1,645,357

When the Pistons blew it all up around the trade deadline to change course, Wood was poised to be the primary beneficiary. Simply put, the 24-year-old big man has lived up to his end of the bargain.

Wood not only finally got a chance to show what he could do on the floor consistently, but he made sure that people would take notice in the process. Having played 51 games combined in the previous three seasons of his career, he found a place to dominate in Detroit. Over a career-high 62 games this season, he has posted his best numbers so far as well — 13.1 points and 6.3 rebounds with a 65.9 true shooting percentage. However, those statistics pale in comparison to what’s happened since the deadline.

Since Drummond was dealt away, Wood’s boasted 22.8 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. He’s knocking down 40 percent of his shots from distance, while giving Detroit a block and nearly a steal each night. This take-off is well-timed considering his free-agent status and young age. Wood is set to make the well-deserved big bucks with few bigs to compete against in the market.

Kris Dunn, Chicago Bulls – Restricted – $5,348,007

If you’re looking for a player to lock up ball-handlers on the outside, Dunn is your guy. While teams might have a slight hesitation to give him a ton of money because of his offensive limitations, it’s clear that the Providence product is a load to handle as a defensive matchup. His length is extremely bothersome as his long arms help him poke away steals and deflect the ball in passing lanes.

The Bulls are allowing 6.8 more points per 100 possessions with Dunn off the floor, ranking in the 91st percentile, according to Cleaning The Glass. His impact on that end alone makes him a sought-after piece for any team that wants to bring in a true perimeter defender – a skill set that almost all coaches thirst after to stop an opposing offense from execution. It remains to be seen whether Chicago extends the qualifying offer and if he accepts that. Even so, another organization may pay him more money than the Bulls would be willing to match due to the development of Coby White and their commitment to Zach LaVine and Tomas Satoransky.

Jordan McRae, Detroit Pistons – Unrestricted – $1,645,357

With injuries overloading the Wizards and a season taking a downturn, McRae took the wheel and put it into overdrive. In a 10-game stretch from Dec. 28 to Jan. 15, the veteran swingman became the anchor of Washington’s bench bunch and didn’t disappoint. He averaged a hair under 20 points and 5 rebounds while converting 45.1 percent of his threes during the span.

McRae drew interest at the trade deadline and ultimately ended up with the Denver Nuggets. With those rotations already set and his free agency pending, McRae requested a buyout and landed with the blown-up Pistons to increase his role. Through four games, there have been struggles on his end. Still, there should be no overlooking how well he played for D.C. when they needed him most. Ultimately, McRae should definitely make a decent amount of money, much more than the minimum, for the first time in his career.

Shaquille Harrison, Chicago Bulls – Restricted – $1,620,564

Yes, there is another Bulls guard on this list. If you can’t tell, there’s kind of a logjam in head coach Jim Boylen’s rotation. The 26-year-old displays the grit and tenacity that old school generals love, while also satisfying his role on the offensive end of the floor. He’s been on a shooting tear in the month of March and is positionally versatile with his 6-foot-7, 190-pound frame. It might be a small sample size, but there’s a team that could find a steal in Harrison if Chicago elects not to match a deal pending on what the team does with that qualifying offer decision.

Proven Bigs

Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers – Unrestricted – $18,539,130

After spending the entirety of his career with the wine-and-gold thus far, could Thompson be going elsewhere? With plenty of different frontcourt talent, the Cavaliers have decisions to make. The aforementioned Drummond situation and Kevin Love entering his final season of a lucrative contract make this scenario an uncertain one. But never say never when it comes to him staying in Northeast Ohio…

However, Thompson’s camp reportedly wanted the veteran center to be dealt in February even before Cleveland acquired Drummond from the Pistons, so a split may just happen. As the front office and coaching staff figure out what will happen with that triangle, let it be known that Thompson has been the consummate professional. There has been no complaining, pouting or anything close to the sort as his role slightly diminished. In fact, he’s even outplayed the starters as the commander of the second unit and has finished games strongly in front of Drummond on multiple occasions.

The likely scenario you might see play out is a sign-and-trade between whatever team decides to bring him in and the Cavaliers. It’s wishful thinking on Cleveland fans that have grown to love his tenacity and grit to expect him to return to the city again. Thompson deserves a chance at one more big payday though, and if that’s what he ultimately wants to do, it probably won’t come from Koby Altman and company.

Robin Lopez, Milwaukee Bucks – Player Option – $4,767,000

We’ve all gotten the chance to see the Lopez twins team up (albeit not together) and it’s been awesome. There was a time when these two were limited in their skill sets as big bodies in the post to defend, often working with their back to the basket. While they still do that now, their versatility has gradually improved with each season.

Now in Milwaukee, Robin Lopez has followed his brother’s lead by hitting a career-best 34.4 percent of his shots from deep. Even more so, since the All-Star break, he is 13-for-25 from distance. It’s a rise identical to Brook’s when he started knocking shots down with ease in both Brooklyn and Los Angeles.

Depending on what Robin desires in his next salary and what the Bucks want to give him as a backup, this may only be a one-year thing. After all, he was a starter for three solid years with the Bulls before taking a heavily diminished role behind Brook. It will be interesting to see how that shakes out – at 31 years old, chances at a long-term deal aren’t going to be there often.

Obviously, there will be more than these eight players in the free-agent market coming out of the Central.

Veterans with plenty left to give like Brandon Knight, John Henson, Wesley Matthews (PO) and Justin Holiday should garner attention from contending teams that seek experience and playing the right way. Those that need a shooting boost should look no further than Langston Galloway and Svi Mykhailiuk (TO), who are hitting 40 percent of their triples. Pat Connaughton brings just about everything to the table with his athleticism and defensive prowess. If waived prior to their guarantee dates, T.J. McConnell and Ersan Ilyasova deserve a look to bring a punch off the bench.

There are also opportunities to gamble on young talents such as restricted free agents Sterling Brown, Alize Johnson, Denzel Valentine and unrestricted big man Ante Zizic.

Again, these mostly aren’t the names that were included in the crazy offseason we had one year ago, but they’re guys that can contribute if they find the right home. Not all of them are going to be paid handsomely, nor will they all secure their future. Unfortunately, that’s the name of the game. Of those players mentioned, you could see some “show ‘em, prove ‘em” short-term contracts to boost their value heading into 2021.

Let’s hope that the season resumes as safely (and as soon) as possible. If you’re like me, you’re aching to see some hoops!

Be sure to stay tuned to Basketball Insiders as we continue our division-by-division breakdown of the upcoming 2021 free-agent class.