Deadspin fixes NBA free agency, Part IV: Power Forwards

Charles Barkley once said, “What do you call a power forward that only averages six rebounds per game?” Someone said, “what?” And the answer was, “A small forward.” That was funny as shit.

Anyway, your power forwards to look out for hopefully average more than six rebounds per game. If not, they either come off the bench, which is acceptable, or they really are a small forward. (I forgot who Charles said that about, but it was well put.)

It’s a different game now, so the same exact rules may not apply. Do power forwards still actually exist, or are they all either center, wings or lead guards in this positionless NBA?

Anywho: Here’s your collection of big men who aren’t quite centers.

JaMychal Green is a very solid role player who has shined on two prominent contenders the last two seasons, even though each team entered the playoffs with high hopes and faltered in the second round. Green averaged 6.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game in only 20.2 minutes per contest with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2019-20 through 63 appearances, all but one came off the bench. This past season, with the Denver Nuggets, Green put up 8.1 points and 4.8 rebounds in only 19.3 minutes per contest through 58 games, just five starts. Green’s shot a combined 45/39/78 these last two seasons and has been a rotational playoff player for teams in five of the last six seasons. The only year he didn’t was because his team, the 2017-18 Memphis Grizzlies, won 22 games.

Who should try their hardest: The Nuggets, but also teams like the Bucks, Lakers, and Suns. The Nuggets are expected to try and retain Green after he declined his $7.6 million player option to become an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Bucks, Lakers, and Suns are among those who should try and invade those discussions to pry him away, whether it’d be a sign-and-trade, mid-level (if possible, but don’t count on it), or otherwise. The defending champs and two aspiring contenders, like many other teams, need trustworthy bigs to produce off the bench, and Green is a void-filler in that regard. It’s also why Denver should keep him on a deal that works for both sides and likely will.

Who probably will call, but shouldn’t: No one. The entire league should want a reliable guy like Green coming off the bench at a reasonable price. Especially the team he is currently on.

We damn near all thought Blake Griffin was cooked before the Detroit Pistons decided to buy him out in March. His numbers were at career lows, and honestly, you couldn’t blame him given the uninspiring circumstances. We’ve all tanked while in working situations we couldn’t bear, admit it. At least they’ve got the No. 1 pick out of it. Griffin wanted out so badly that he gave back $13.3 million to complete the buyout.

And then, when you watched him play in Brooklyn, it’s like we saw where dude was coming from. Griffin appeared in 20 games with Detroit before the buyout, all of which were starts. He logged 26 appearances with the Nets, 10 of which were starts, and here’s how that went.

Pistons:

31.3 minutes per game, 12.3 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists

37/32/71 shooting splits

101 offensive rating

.491 true shooting percentage.

Nets:

21.5 minutes per game, 10.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists

49/38/78 shooting splits

121 offensive rating

.610 true shooting percentage — and mad.

He also started all 12 Nets playoff games, recording 9.0 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and shot 53/39/71 from the field in 26.5 minutes per contest.

Who should try their hardest: The Clippers. The leaders in the clubhouse are probably the Nets retaining him. If Denver loses the aforementioned Green, they, too, should give Griffin a call. But, yes, it would be nice to see Griffin back with the Clippers, especially since they need what he could provide at this stage. People could say what they want, but his defense, including the many drawn charges, became valuable. Even with Kawhi Leonard’s injury, the Clippers will be viable around Paul George, especially if they add DeMar DeRozan. If there are no hard feelings, why not run it back, precisely given the constant energy he gave to Brooklyn. They were considered, along with the Lakers, before he chose Brooklyn back in March.

Who probably will call, but shouldn’t: The Sixers. There was some, albeit barely, Griffin/Sixers smoke back in March. Doc Rivers reuniting with him probably wouldn’t be ideal, though they do need fortification on their frontline in the event Joel Embiid inevitably missed 15-20 games, it may just arrive better suited elsewhere.

That’s NBA and WWE Champion Bobby Portis to you, motherfucker.

Before signing with the Milwaukee Bucks on a cheap team-friendly contract, Portis was already one of the more underrated big men in the league, but his 2019-20 season with the Knicks tanked his value. He learned that the hard way, but he learned that nonetheless. Even so, Portis proved to be one of the NBA’s best sixth men during his first regular season with the Bucks, even if the voting didn’t reflect that to its justice.

Portis averaged 11.4 points and 7.1 rebounds in just 20.8 minutes per contest through 66 games, including seven starts. In the playoffs, Mike Budenholzer removed him from the rotation vs. the Nets, and played him inconsistently against the Suns early on. In spite of that, Portis rallied to have a successful post-season, scoring 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting in the Game 6 championship close-out game. His shooting splits were 52/47/74 during the regular season. For his career, he’s a 47/38/75 shooter while posting 18.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per 36 minutes.

Portis has a fascinating free agency ahead. In 2019, he signed with the Knicks for two years and $31 million, and the second year was a team option of nearly $16 million, which New York declined. He then signed with Milwaukee for a discounted $7.5 million for two years, declining his $3.8 million option for 2021-22 to become an unrestricted free agent. The six-year and four-team veteran is also just 26 years old.

Who should try their hardest: The Heat. While the Bucks should absolutely try and retain him, Portis has “Heat Culture” written all over him through and through. The Heat badly need a stretch-big who could play next to Bam Adebayo in the starting line-up or come off the bench to help attack from multiple levels. Portis is also a former Jimmy Butler teammate, who once smacked the shit out of his hand on a standard hi-five. He doesn’t look like a man who wants to go anywhere, though. We’ll see whose money talks, and it should be Milwaukee’s, but anything could happen in an NBA summer.

Who probably will call, but shouldn’t: None of the shitty teams with money. Portis left the Knicks because he wanted to be part of a winning culture. The Knicks have since built the foundation of one, but weren’t when they tried to re-sign Portis last summer. He had been through runs with the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards before that. He had played six career playoff games before this Bucks run, and could easily get his numbers on a bad team, but he’s done that already. He should be a rotation player/starting-level big man on playoff teams for years to come.

Lauri Makkanen is a fairly strong “what the fuck?” candidate for this summer. Something weird is probably going to happen involving him, and to that point, the Minnesota Timberwolves are apparently interested. We’ll get to that in a second.

After coming into the league looking like a steal with 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game as a full-time starter in 2017-18, Markkanen improved to 18.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, and still shot 36 percent from three and 87 percent on free throws. In year three, his numbers dropped as he battled injury, and this past season, half of his appearances came off the bench. He’s at 15.6 points, and 7.1 rebounds on 44/37/85 shooting splits for his career, though last season, his splits were a personal-best 48/40 from the field and from deep. The two sides couldn’t agree on an extension before the early season deadline, setting the 24-year-old stretch big up for restricted free agency.

Who should try their hardest: The Bulls. It doesn’t look like they know what they’re going to do with him yet, so keep him and figure it out later, or organize a sign-and-trade to part ways this summer. If he stayed, he did play well numerically last year, and maybe they could see how he looks next to Nikola Vučević for an entire season before making a final decision. The two started one game together last season, a 121-116 loss to the Suns.

Who probably will call, but shouldn’t: The Timberwolves. What’s the plan? A D’Angelo Russell sign-and-trade? Does Markkanen make sense next to Karl-Anthony Towns?

The modern-day Amar’e Stoudemire and four-year pro has averaged 19.3 points, and 9.0 rebounds on 57/38/79 shooting splits since coming into his own during his second season. The soon-to-be 24-year-old big was criticized for “empty stats” during his first few years in the league, but changed his perception with the Atlanta Hawks playoff run to the Eastern Conference Finals this season. In the playoffs, he recorded 13.9 points, and 8.7 rebounds per game on 55/36/83 splits through 18 games, all of which were starts.

Who should try their hardest: The Hawks. Are you really going to let him walk or trade him after the postseason you just have? Do the Hawks think this was fools gold due to injuries elsewhere? Probably not on both ends. It would be shocking to see Collins not back in Atlanta next season. He’ll have his suitors, but the Hawks can match any offer delivered to the restricted free agent. His max will be four years and $125 million.

Who probably will call, but shouldn’t: The Spurs. There’s smoke about Collins possibly being a sign-and-trade candidate to San Antonio. It could make sense if DeMar DeRozan is retained, but the money it’s going to require would be substantive, and will it be worth it for San Antonio, or should they push their chips elsewhere and rebuild around their current young players? Ultimately, what’s best for Collins is probably starting in Atlanta.

After a few seasons in Miami, he was traded along with Avery Bradley and a first-round pick swap. Olynyk averaged 10.0 points and 5.2 rebounds on 47/36/81 splits in four seasons with the Heat, which nearly mirrors his 9.5 points and 4.7 rebounds on 48/37/74 splits in four seasons with the Boston Celtics beforehand. With the Houston Rockets, he posted 19.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists on 55/39/84 splits, albeit in largely inconsequential games. Still, at 30, he’ll be an important contributor for someone.