2018-19 NBA Preview: 5 free agents who could still make a difference

If we're talking about prime-time television material, there isn't any free agent on the market right now who can make it to the level of scrutiny in the 2018 summer of free agency that LeBron James, Paul George or DeMarcus Cousins commanded at the start of the window. And yet, a lot of teams in the league could improve by a fair bit by adding some of the experience campaigners who haven't yet signed a free agency deal this summer.

With teams capped out, however, none of the players on this list are slated to sign deals much bigger than whichever veteran's minimum contract they are eligible for. These players are known NBA journeymen and have the skillset to bolster nearly every team's play wherever they sign, and conceivably end up worth at least one win in the regular season if not more.

The following are the 5 best free agents left on the market now, available to sign with teams before the start of training camp:

#5 Corey Brewer

An underwhelming start to the 2017-18 season with the Lakers saw Corey Brewer move from among their first players off the bench to the deep end of their rotation in the first half of last season. After January, when this move happened, Brewer sought a buyout with the front office, before his former college coach and current OKC head coach Billy Donovan sought him out and signed him to a new contract at the start of March.

Brewer showcased his ability to fit seamlessly into a low-usage role as a 3-and-D player given his still-elite straight line speed, energy levels and ability to fly out in transition. A return to the Thunder would've been nice, but Sam Presti has already filled all 15 of his roster spots - although the waiving of Kyle Singler's contract has opened up another spot.

There are other fast teams like the Nuggets, Pelicans, Lakers (if they play like last season) and the Wizards, among others, who could benefit by adding his veteran presence to the locker room, although he wouldn't be commanding much more than a veteran's minimum contract given his lack of consistent production through his NBA career.

#4 Nick Young

The Warriors' Swaggy P experiment was, by most accounts, a failure on Young's part. He was signed using the taxpayers' mid-level exception of $5.3 million for one season, but his play did not live up to the price tag. Even coming off the bench and used primarily as a catch-and-shoot guy, his shooting splits dropped from the 2016-17 season, when he was playing for a new contract with the Lakers.

Nevertheless, there are a number of playoff-caliber teams which sorely need shooting on their roster. Young would fit well into the plans of teams like the Milwaukee Bucks or the Sixers, although they would both be a couple of All-Stars short of true title contention during a time when the Warriors have five of them.

He was used pretty well by Steve Kerr, and that may well be the blueprint other teams should follow for similar results.

#3 Jamal Crawford

Minnesota Timberwolves v Golden State Warriors

Aged 38 now, it was surprising to see Crawford decline the nearly $5 million player option he had on his deal with the Timberwolves for the 2018-19 season. Given that nearly every team was capped out this summer, it is not as much of a surprise now to see that the 3-time Sixth Man of the Year award winner is yet to sign a new contract for the upcoming season.

Every single team in the league can make do with a player with Crawford's 17-season experience in the league, and as a featured scorer off the bench, he is still capable of leading the offense for most teams. Among teams with the cap space to sign him, the Jazz look like the best fit at the moment - they could be a Conference Finals contender this year if they do sign him, for their bench is starved of featured scorers.

#2 Luol Deng

SiriusXM Presents A Town Hall With Hall Of Fame Coach Mike Krzyzewski At Duke University

The Lakers and Luol Deng parted ways over this weekend, with the one-and-done Blue Devil now free to sign elsewhere where he can demonstrate his potential to still be a serviceable NBA player. He played just 1 game in the past year, and hasn't had much to do with the Lakers since that first game of the 2017-18 season, but he still projects as a power forward or a stretch 5 that could come off the bench for some valuable minutes.

The Timberwolves have been rumoured to be interested in him over the summer, though he would be somewhat a misfit to their young roster and their uptempo style of play. Even so, coach Tom Thibodeau has demonstrated his ability to draw the best out of his former Bulls proteges like Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose, so this could still be the best fit for him - the Wolves, however, may have to go over the luxury tax threshold to sign him.

#1 Rodney Hood

It is startling how one bad move can nearly stall a player's career or make his NBA future murky, but that is what has happened with Rodney Hood since getting traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers at the deadline. His scoring touches went down by a large chunk, his role as a scorer off the bench caused the coach to shave his minutes and he was asked on a number of occasions to be an off-ball threat, which is the best way to utilize his talent.

He hurt his own public impression by refusing to come off the bench during a blowout win for the Cavs in the Conference Semifinals, and that might be part of the reason why no team has yet looked to lock him up for at least a season. During a time when Zach LaVine and Jabari Parker are receiving about $20 million a year, Hood should have been able to command some kind of a respectable contract at least in the range of $10 million given his ability to score off the dribble.

Perhaps the Cavs can re-sign him on a prove-it deal, but he won't be earning much this year, and will likely be relegated to a sixth man role wherever he signs.