By George Orfanakis / info@eurohoops.net
The countdown for the jump ball of the 2018-19 season has begun and teams are looking to make the best moves in order to bolster their rosters.
Some players are still available on the market and will examine the offers they receive for next season. Eurohoops presents 10 of them:
Thomas Robinson
Stats: 8.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 9.1 PIR
Khimki made a bang with the signing of Thomas Robinson in the summer of 2017 but an injury problem changed everything. More specifically, on November 24 the American suffered a broken hand against Fenerbahce and was out for almost 3.5 months.
Despite the great misfortune, Robinson had enough time to show part of his skills, completing the season with 8.2 points and 5.8 rebounds. In fact, there were games where he dominated, justifying the 313 NBA games under his belt but also the fact he was drafted fifth overall in the 2012 Draft by the Sacramento Kings.
It’s a given that a healthy Robinson can offer great solutions inside the paint in terms of scoring, rebounding and defense. If he chooses to stay in the EuroLeague, it will be very interesting to see which clubs the player will attract and how big the offers are going to be.
James Augustine
Stats: 9.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 66.7% in two-point shooting, 14.4 PIR
James Augustine is a EuroLeague-level player and Malaga’s disqualification from the top European competition opens the exit door for him.
The American is a free agent and is expected to attract a lot of interest as he combines offensive talent, experience and consistency for a number of years. The season that was completed was very good for him, contributing in scoring (9.2 points) and rebounding (6.7), while special mention has to be made of the 66.7% in two-point shooting, which is the 5th best performance in the EuroLeague.
At 34 years of age, Augustine remains an exceptional character and a tried and tested solution for any level. His bio includes stints in Valencia, Khimki, CSKA Moscow, Malaga and soon another name is expected will be added.
Stats: 9.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, 55.4% in thee-point shooting
If a coach is looking for a player who does not forgive from outside the 6.75m line, that’s James Nunnally. After his 43.2% in the 2016-2017 season, the American improved his percentages even further, becoming the second-best long-range shooter in the entire EuroLeague with the impressive 55.4% (46-for-83 three-pointers).
Nunnally is a genuine scorer who helped Fenerbahce reach the top of Europe and the EuroLeague final. His selection by a coach like Zeljko Obradovic is indicative of his quality and his good character since these are the two elements that the Serbian coach traditionally looks for.
The 28-year-old shooting guard found a steady role in Fenerbahce’s rotation and with 9.3 points in almost 20 minutes of playing time, he provided important solutions mostly through his shooting and secondarily through his drives.
Taylor Rochestie
Stats: 13.4 points, 5 assists, 41% in three-point shooting, 14.4 PIR
The years have gone by for Taylor Rochestie, but he doesn’t seem to be affected. His season with Crvena Zvezda is deemed particularly satisfactory since he was the team’s best player in the departments of execution (13.4 points) and creation (5 assists).
Despite this, the Serbian club lost to Buducnost in the finals of the Adriatic league and failed to qualify for next season’s EuroLeague. This particular development makes the player’s stay in the team extremely doubtful, with the contract between the two sides, have already expired.
Rochestie is 33 years old and has the experience and quality that can secure him a spot on the roster of most EuroLeague teams.
Sonny Weems
Stats: 15.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 13.7 PIR
When it comes to Sonny Weems, there’s no need for any special recommendations. For a number of years, the American has proven his rare offensive skills, which, combined with his athletic qualities, are enough to secure him a position on any EuroLeague team.
After a brief stint in the Chinese league, the 32-year-old forward put on Efes’s jersey and in six games averaged 15.5 points and 3.5 rebounds. Weems can threaten from anywhere on the court and has the ability to score after a dribble, as a spot shooter or with drives to the basket. His fast feet and speed give him an advantage over most 3s in the league and help him maintain a decent presence in defense.
Let’s not forget that the American has 114 games in the EuroLeague under his belt and the mixture of experience and skills provides great solutions for any coach who will have the player at his disposal.
Anthony Randolph
Stats: 8.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 9.6 PIR
A healthy Anthony Randolph is a luxury for the EuroLeague and his possible departure from Real Madrid is setting the transfer market on fire. Despite the fact that he has a contract and according to the latest reports he is staying in Madrid, anything can be possible if there’s the right taker. The American combines physical attributes (2.11m), athleticism and competitive elements that very few players in the entire EuroLeague have and offers are expected to come in by the bucket.
His shoulder injury didn’t allow the 29-year-old forward to play according to his real abilities since, in 21 games, he averaged 8.2 points and 3.8 rebounds. Even so, Randolph proved he’s an especially reliable shooter who can put the ball on the floor, dominate above the rim and run the court.
In general, the American is a top-shelf player who can make the difference. Besides, he has 252 appearances in the NBA and, at 29 years of age, he has everything that is needed to add experience, quality, and solutions to a roster.
Rakim Sanders
Stats: 8.9 points, 3.1 rebounds
Barcelona moved aggressively in last summer’s transfer period and one of the players who became residents of Barcelona was Rakim Sanders. The American signed a one-year contract, which means that now he’s on the Free Agents list and has the opportunity to negotiate with any club he wishes.
The 29-year-old forward presents a very interesting package that includes athleticism, strength, good ball handling skills and contact with the basket. Last season he played in only 15 games in the EuroLeague, showing part of his skillset with 8.9 points and 3.1 rebounds in almost 20 minutes of playing time.
Sanders can threaten with his long-range shooting or take advantage of his speed against rival forwards and drive to the basket for a strong finish. In defense, respectively, it’s hard to… push him around, while his jumping ability and agility help him keep track of his opponents.
Norris Cole
Stats: 12.6 points, 3.8 assists, 11.1 PIR
Based on his bio and skills, Norris Cole is one of the biggest names in this summer’s transfer period. His first season in the colors of Maccabi Tel Aviv is deemed very good, especially in the first half of the season, where he showed that he doesn’t need a lot of time to adapt to a new environment.
Of course, the 29-year-old guard is not your run-of-the-mill player, since he has won the NBA championship twice (2012, 2013) and this season he helped Maccabi win the title in Israel.
Now he’s a free agent and he’s one of the players coming off the top shelf. Cole loves to run on the open court, he’s a good scorer for European standards, he has improved his shot, while he was always fast, strong and effective in 1-on-1 situations.
The only questions are his size, his ability to set plays and his appetite for creating.
Erick Green
Stats: 14.4 points, 1.7 assists, 1.7 rebounds, 13.5 PIR
Valencia may have lost the qualification for the EuroLeague playoffs early on but Erick Green is certainly not the one responsible for that. The American guard had an upgraded role and more playing time in the Spanish team and, as a result, he increased his productivity with 14.4 points per game.
Shooting from any range and driving to the basket are Green’s biggest assets and, for the second season in a row, he managed to maintain his very good percentage from the 6.75m line (41.7%). He can set up plays for himself, he loves to execute after a dribble, while in Olympiacos and Valencia he proved he can adapt to different roles and circumstances.
Valencia’s disqualification from the EuroLeague next season leads Green to the exit door and it will be very interesting to see which clubs will want to make him their own.
Jared Cunningham
Stats: 12.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 11.2 PIR
Jared Cunningham isn’t just any player. He was selected with the 24th overall pick in the 2012 Draft, he has played in 84 NBA games and in the 2015-16 season he was fortunate enough to count 40 appearances with LeBron James’ Cavaliers.
In the summer of 2017, Bayern Munich convinced him to play in Europe and almost 12 months later the two sides should feel vindicated. On the one hand, the German club won the championship and qualified for the EuroLeague and, on the other, the 27-year-old American unfolded his talent and raised his value.
His impressive athletic qualities and light touch help Cunningham finish plays by driving to the basket, while he’s amazing on the open court. He likes taking advantage of screens and attacking the rival big man, and we often see him cut along the baseline for an alley-oop dunk. It’s worth noting, though, that there is room for improvement with his long-range shooting, which is considered a requisite element in Europe.
The priority of every American player is to return to the NBA, but if that doesn’t happen, Cunningham won’t have any trouble finding a contract in our neck of the woods.