My Top 3 Free Agents That Can Contribute to any NBA Roster Right Now!

Hello everyone and Happy New Year! I hope everyone has had a blessed 2023 and will have an even better 2024. I've stated on multiple occasions that the word "narrative" means everything when it comes to the NBA. For an NBA player and any professional athlete in general, narrative decides their fate. The narrative can either work in a player's favor or be a detriment to them. Let's look at Carmelo Anthony (seen in picture above) for example, Carmelo literally had to go on a press run to tell the world that he believed that he could still play in the NBA after being labeled as "washed". This is Carmelo Anthony we're talking about, a first-ballot hall-of-famer that can still give you about 15 to 20 points in his sleep; there's no reason why he shouldn't be on an NBA roster right now. There are a multitude of players that can help can contribute to an NBA team, especially come playoff time when the pace slows down to a half-court pace. There are players that rely solely on athleticism to score and there are players that simply just have "game". Players that can shoot and create their own shot are extremely valuable and can help any roster at any moment. Many teams in the league struggle due to the lack of flow in their offense once the game slows down i.e. the Lakers. Having another playmaker that can create their own shot when the offense becomes stagnant is a game-changer. With that being said, let's dive into the players that I personally feel belong in the NBA and can immediately contribute to any roster in the league.

1) Carmelo Anthony

As previously mentioned, this is Carmelo Anthony we're talking about! One of the most prolific scorers the game has ever seen and will undoubtedly be in the hall-of-fame when it's all said and done. There is no reason he isn't on an NBA roster right now! He's proved time and time again that he is a guaranteed 15 to 20 points per game off the bench if given the opportunity. Prior to Carmelo's retirement, he managed to average 13.3 points and despite the narrative of being a "defensive liability", he actually managed to garner the highest defensive rating of his career with a rating of 114.0. People also fail to realize that Carmelo managed to average 13 points, while playing limited minutes and having to continue to embrace the 3-and-D role opposed to the natural go-to scorer he played in his prime. His game is tailor-made for the NBA Playoffs and slowed down pace that it brings. I firmly believe that he could still get any shot he desires no matter the age or who's guarding him. There's nothing more beautiful in basketball than a signature jab step pull-up mid-range jumper from Carmelo. Carmelo Anthony definitely deserves another chance in the NBA and can absolutely contribute to any current NBA roster.

2) John Wall

Another player currently suffering from the narrative and can contribute to any NBA roster right now is....drumroll please...John Wall! While being known at the time as one of the most dynamic and crafty point guards since being drafted in 2011, the five-time all star signed a four-year supermax contract extension deal with the Wizards for $171 million with both the media and fans criticized the deal and questioned if Wall was worth that much money. Unfortunately, Wall tore his achilles the following year in 2019 and although he has fully recovered from his injury per his tenure with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2023, the narrative of being "washed" has been placed upon him. This is John Wall we're talking about here people, an absolute bucket and arguably one of the best playmakers of his generation. There is absolutely no reason that he's not in the league right now! I can name a number of teams that would extremely benefit from having Wall on their roster...cough cough...the Los Angeles Lakers. Despite having to fight the "washed" narrative, he still managed to average 11 points in limited minutes last year before being waived half way through the season. With that being said, John Wall absolutely deserves another chance in the league and can absolutely contribute to any current NBA roster.

3) DeMarcus Cousins

Last but not least, coming in at number three is...DeMarcus "Boogie" Cousins! During his prime, which was just a few years ago, Boogie Cousins was regarded as one of the best (if not the best) centers in the NBA. He was elite and a threat on both sides of the court, being that he could stretch the floor from the three, he was a good defender in the paint, a good passer, and much more. During the 2017-2018 season Boogie was having one of the best seasons of his career yet, averaging 25 points and 13 rebounds, until disaster would strike and change the course of his career forever. Similar to John Wall, Boogie ruptured his Achilles during that season and has now acquired the "washed" narrative as well. Again, once a narrative is placed upon a player it's pretty much impossible to change both the media and fans perception of you. This is proven in Boogie Cousin's situation as it's reported that he recently signed a 10-day contract with wait for it...the Taiwan Beer Leopards! There is no reason why a player as talented as Boogie Cousins can't find a roster spot on any team in the league right now. At the very least, he's a big body that can stretch the floor and defend at a high level. There are a ton of teams that can use his services, but due to the "washed" narrative he may never play another minute in the NBA again sadly. It's really sad to see the fate of some of these all-time greats end up on the negative side, due to the perception of others. Best believe there are more players out there besides Carmelo, John Wall, and Boogie Cousins that are in the same situation and can still offer extremely valuable minutes to any roster given the opportunity. Players like Isaiah Thomas, Tyreke Evans, Michael Beasley, Nate Robinson, and many more deserve another chance at a roster spot! Put some respect on the OGs name!