With the NBA offseason approaching, much of the focus has been on LeBron James and where the self-proclaimed "King" will land. Aside from his impending decision, focus has been drawn to the free agency market for Paul George, as well as the trade market for Kawhi Leonard.
Aside from these three players, very little attention has been drawn to an assortment of quality players who could be important pieces for championship contenders. These include important bench pieces, veterans searching for a championship, as well as players that can be best utilized for specific times in specific situations.
One thing is certain, although LeBron James is the prize of 2018 NBA free agency group, there are other difference makers to be had as well.
Market for Cousins
Among the headliners of difference-makers, not named is Demarcus Cousins. While proving to be one of the best big men in the league, Cousins has not proven to be a winning player. He has never played on a winning team and despite putting up statistics that are up there with any big man in the league, he may have a slim market due to his questionable character and inability to lead his teams to wins. If one team, however, wants to take a chance, Cousins is a free agent and playing for an already good team, he could be a difference maker.
Veteran difference-makers
For a team who lacks an interior presence on offense, but even more importantly, on defense, DeAndre Jordan, who has a player option, may hit the market. As someone who has proven to be a huge stopper at the rim on defense, the current Clipper could truly be a difference maker.
For a team looking for someone with a winning track record and an ability to guard the perimeter on defense and provide scoring both at the rim and behind the three-point line on offense, teams may look no further than Trevor Ariza.
As those who have watched the playoffs have seen, Trevor Ariza has been a quality player for Houston and if he looks elsewhere, would likely have a similar impact.
For a team looking for some young scoring punch off the bench, Denver Nugget Wil Barton could be the guy, as he is coming off a season in which he averaged 15.7 points per game.
All three of these players mentioned could provide scoring, as well as an ability to guard quality players on the other team.
Proven veteran scorers
If a team is in need of a shooter to plug into their starting lineup or off their bench, there are many potential options. At the top of this list is current 76er, JJ Redick who appears to be in an interesting situation as Philadelphia pursues a superstar free agent.
If looking for scorers beyond JJ, one may consider Austin Rivers, Wayne Ellington, Marco Belinelli, or Danny Green. These four players are just a couple of the many shooters available in this year’s free agency group.
Veteran leadership available
Teams looking for a veteran to help bring them into championship contention also have many options.
These options include Dwayne Wade, who has previously won in Miami and would bring a championship pedigree to a team searching for a veteran presence.
If one is looking for a versatile player who has experience in the playoffs, one may look to current pacer Thaddeus Young. Coming off a season in which he averaged 11.8 PPG and 6.3 RPG, Thaddeus Young will likely have a strong market. Although these two headline the available players with playoff experience who can still contribute to an NBA roster, other valuable players include Luke Mbah A Moute, Rudy Gay, Ersan Ilyasova, and Tony Parker.
Looking beyond the king
Although it's apparent that the prizes of the free agent class are LeBron James and Paul George, as this information proves, they are not the only valuable players available this offseason.
Whether one is looking for defense, shooting, perimeter or interior defense, or veteran leadership, there are players to be had. We will soon find out which teams are the most aggressive in finding players that suit their needs.
