3 NBA Players with Much to Prove
The NBA postseason is filled with compelling storylines. Some pertaining to the here and the now, and others that will determine players' and teams' fates moving forward. Here are three players who will be free agents at seasons end and their play over the course of the next couple of weeks could either boost their stock or potentially cost them tens of millions of dollars.
George Hill, Combo Guard, Utah Jazz .... Hill is an interesting player. The former Spur was traded to the Pacers for the rights to Kawhi Leonard back in 2011. He stayed in Indianapolis until this past summer when he once again traded, this time to the Utah Jazz. He has put up very solid numbers this season - 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. The one negative with Hill has been his availabilty. The 6'3" guard played in just 49 games during the regular season. This postseason is an immense opportunity for him to showcase that he can lead a team, and a dangerous one at that, deep into the postseason. His floor is probably 4 years and $60 million, but if he can really ball-out over the next couple of weeks and lead the Jazz in a competitive series with the Warriors, it is not out of the question that Hill could find himself with a $100 million contract.
Otto Porter Jr. , Wing, Washington Wizards ...... Porter has finally found a role for himself in Washington after a rough couple of years after being selected 3rd overall back in 2013. He has become a reliable three-point shooter and a defensive nightmare for opposing wings. I think of him in the same vein as a Trevor Ariza. Ariza has made a great career out of defending premier players, while also being capable of consistently knocking down shots from distance. If all goes well for Porter he could find himself with a lofty contract come July. Right now he's probably looking at 4 years and close to $75 million. If he plays well throughout the Wizard's run, that number could swell up significantly.
Tim Hardaway Jr., Shooting Guard, Atlanta Hawks ..... Hardaway's success this season has been a shocker for me. I watched him play in New York for his first two seasons and had serious questions as to whether or not he was a legitimate NBA player. He has proven me wrong and then some. Averaging 14.5 points per game in the regular season, the Hawk's sharpshooter will be receiving some votes for 6th Man of the Year. He certainly will not win the award, but he will accumulate his share of tallies. Hardaway, a free agent after the season, will demand somewhere in the neighborhood of $50 million over 4 years. That is not bad for a late first-round pick who seemed destined for a career in Europe after his first couple of seasons. If he can catch fire and lead the Hawks to a few unexpected playoff victories, a team like Brooklyn with a bunch of money to spend, might give him money he didn't even think was possible.
