Everyone is focused on where LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will land this summer. While a championship team needs superstar players, every team that has won a championship has had role players that have stepped up (think Steve Kerr for the Bulls and Robert Horry and Derek Fisher for the Lakers). Who are the low budget free agents this year that could make an impact next season?
J.J. Redick – was arguably the most consistent player in the Magic-Celtic series. He is a sharp shooter and has a high basketball IQ.
Raja Bell - tremendous defensively and can relieve the star player on his team on the defensive end.
Roger Mason - had a great 2008-2009 season with the Spurs. He is a sharp shooter and can spread the floor, allowing his teammates to operate more freely inside.
Amir Johnson - does the dirty work for his team (played behind Chris Bosh on the Raptors) and is one of the best pick-and-roll players in the NBA. A solid screen is undervalued in the NBA – it opens up easy scoring opportunities – wide open jumpers or a clear lane to the basket.
Nate Robinson - provided a huge spark off the bench for the Celtics in the NBA Finals with his confidence and energy. He also has the ability to score.
I think Bell would be a great addition to the Lakers to solidify the back court defense with Kobe. But it is hard to tell how cheap these guys are going to be if Drew Gooden got 32mil from the Bucks.
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