NBA training camps opened this week, and players from all 30 franchises are gearing up to hone their skills and build chemistry with teammates for the 2022-23 season.
But a handful of usable players are still unsigned and unsure which team they will help this coming season, if any. Injuries, age and reduced minutes from previously playing in teams with deep rosters have reduced their player supply, but several teams still have time to take a chance on these unsigned players and bring them in. before the season.
Seasoned veterans such as Jeremy Lamb and Hassan Whiteside and former All-Star Blake Griffin are some of the best unsigned players who could make a solid late addition to an NBA team, either as a role player for a contender. , or as a mentor for young teams.
Here’s a look at the best unsigned players who still have a chance of finding a home this season and where they could fit best:
Jeremy Lamb | Guard | Age: 30 years old
Stats: 7.3 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 1.4 APG
What went well in 2021-22: Lamb was healthier last season, appearing in 56 games between his stints with the Indiana Pacers and Sacramento Kings – his most since undergoing ACL surgery on his left knee in 2020. He’s not the same goalscorer as before the injury, but he had a few flashes of instant offense on the bench. He played his best basketball in January before the trade, averaging 8.5 points on 43% shooting with a steal and 0.5 blocks. –Jamal Necklace
What went wrong in 2021-22: He has struggled with shooting since his injury, especially with his jump shot. In 2021-22, Lamb shot 32.4 percent on 3 and 44.1 percent on 2 in one of the worst shooting seasons of his career while taking 10.4 shots per game. If Lamb finds a reserve role for the 2022-23 season, he will need to improve his effectiveness coming off the bench. — Necklace
Best fit this coming season:Toronto. The Raptors bolstered their frontcourt depth with the signings of Otto Porter and Juancho Hernangomez while keeping Thaddeus Young and Chris Boucher. Still, there is a void in bench scoring. The only reserves are Malachi Flynn, Dalano Banton and Jeff Dowtin. The Raptors have 13 guaranteed contracts and four players on partial or non-guaranteed deals (Banton, Josh Jackson, Justin Champagnie and DJ Wilson). — Bobby Marks
Hassan Whiteside | Center | Age: 33 years old
Stats: 8.2 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 0.4 APG
What went well in 2021-22: Whiteside proved he could still be a solid option last season backing Rudy Gobert, and he could help a side looking for size and experience off the bench. He averaged 8.2 points and 7.6 rebounds while shooting a career-best 65.2 percent on 5.1 attempts last season, and filled the starter role well in Gobert’s absence. In eight starts at Utah last season, he averaged 11.5 points and 11.3 rebounds. — Necklace
What went wrong in 2021-22: Whiteside has its limitations, but its biggest problem could be a crowded market for players with its skills, as they are much less in demand in the modern NBA. Whiteside joins a group of veteran big men still looking for landing spots that includes Tristan Thompson, DeMarcus Cousins, Dwight Howard, LaMarcus Aldridge, among others. Whiteside has come to terms with his reserve role more transparently in recent seasons. — Necklace
Best fit this coming season: Brooklyn. If there is a weak point in this Nets team, it is the lack of size in the center. The Nets have re-signed Nic Claxton, but the only replacement is Day’Ron Sharpe. Last season, Brooklyn ranked last in defensive rebound percentage, and there’s always a pressing need to add some size to their roster. Unlike most teams, the Nets have open spots. — Brands
LaMarcus Aldridge | Center | Age: 37 years old
Stats: 12.9 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 0.9 APG
What went well in 2021-22: In the first half of the season, Aldridge provided the Nets with a stabilizing veteran presence – averaging 15 points and 5.5 rebounds in six December games while helping Brooklyn get off to a strong start in the East . –Nick Friedell
What went wrong in 2021-22: After scoring 16 points and grabbing nine rebounds in a March 1 loss to the Toronto Raptors in which the Nets played without Kevin Durant (knee) and Kyrie Irving (vaccination requirement), Aldridge only played four more games and was blocked at the end of Steve Nash’s bench. –Friedell
Best fit this coming season: Golden state. Aldridge in the Bay Area is an “emergency glass break” situation. Kevon Looney started all 82 games, but his replacement, James Wiseman, missed the entire season with a knee injury. Wiseman has been cleared for practice, but there will be a stark lack of size if the former No. 2 pick suffers a setback. Due to the Warriors’ luxury tax situation, signing a player like Aldridge would cost them almost $12 million. — Brands
Blake Griffin | Transfer | Age: 33 years old
Stats: 6.4 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 1.9 APG
What went well in 2021-22: Griffin averaged 8.8 points and five rebounds through eight December games as the Nets battled injuries and a COVID-19 outbreak. –Friedell
What went wrong in 2021-22: Griffin only played seven games from March 1 until the end of the season. Nash has repeatedly praised Griffin for staying ready — but the athleticism and explosiveness that defined his career aren’t still there after 13 seasons in the league. Like veteran center LaMarcus Aldridge, Griffin could barely come off the bench for the final two months of the season. –Friedell
Best fit this coming season: Miami. The Heat have a spot on the open roster and a power forward void with the loss of PJ Tucker in Philadelphia. However, Miami is only $162,830 below the luxury tax, and the final spot on the roster likely won’t be filled by the trade deadline. — Brands
Eric Bledsoe | Guard | Age: 32 years old
Stats: 9.9 PPG, 4.2 APG, 3.4 RPG
What went well in 2021-22: Bledsoe started the season with the LA Clippers and came out strong with a 22-point effort on 10 of 16 shooting. Bledsoe started and came off the bench at times for the Clippers and had his best streak in nine games from mid-December to New Years Day, when he averaged 15.7 points, 5.7 assists, 3.4 rebounds while shooting 48.6% overall and 45.7% from 3 . — Andrew Lopez
What went wrong in 2021-22: The 22-point effort in Game 1 ended up being his second-highest scorer of the season. Once Bledsoe was dealt to the Portland Trail Blazers in February, he ended up on the injury report with left Achilles tendinopathy and was officially ruled out for the season on March 28. Overall, Bledsoe’s efficiency continued to decline, hitting 42.1% – the second-lowest mark of his career – and 31.3% from 3 – his lowest mark since 2011-12. — Lopez
Best fit this coming season:Charlotte. The Hornets have two available spots on the roster, and their only LaMelo Ball replacement is Dennis Smith Jr. The former lottery pick signed an unsecured training camp contract and played 37 games last season with Portland before to be waived in February. — Brands
Stats: 10.2 PPG, 1.6 RPG. 0.9 APG
What went well in 2021-22: McLemore proved he was still a shooter capable of racking up points when his shot landed. McLemore posted a double-digit average for the third time in his career in 64 games with Portland. He had a season-high 28 points three times. As Portland struggled with injuries down the stretch, McLemore averaged 16.1 points over the final 14 games of the season. He also finished second to the Blazers in 3 points (151), and his 10.2 ppg average was the second-highest of the former lottery pick’s career. — Lopez
What went wrong in 2021-22: While McLemore was successful, it didn’t always translate into success for the Blazers. Some late-season rosters took that into account, but of the 215 players to play at least 60 games last season, McLemore finished with the second-worst net rating at minus-13.1. — Lopez
Best fit this coming season: New Orleans. The Hornets’ reserves shot 31.9 percent (27th in the league) from 3 last season, and there’s a need for additional bench scoring. However, the Pelicans have 15 guaranteed contracts (including Jose Alvarado’s partial contract) and should open up a spot on the roster. — Brands