We mention this time and time again. The NBA is a business that operates by paying players to play professional basketball. These franchises must negotiate with players and their agents on what is an appropriate contract. Some players can make over $40 million, while others are playing for the veteran’s minimum. The value in return is what we measure when we have a dollar amount.
For every bad contract, there are bargains. The NBA has many terrible contracts this season for players with upcoming salaries that are drastically hurting the team’s outlook for the future. The Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers have felt that as of late. The inverse of this situation is the bargain. Every team gets a steal in the draft now and then, but the same goes when it comes to free agency.
We analyzed players making $5 million or less. This was the metric used to determine the “bargain” contracts of the NBA. These players are giving teams more on their contracts than some players making millions more are doing on their contracts. For that reason, these players are the best bargains in the NBA. Let’s take a look at which are the best bargain deals.
These are the 10 best bargain contracts in the NBA right now.
10. Donte DiVincenzo ($4,500,000)
Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Stats: 9.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.1 BPG
For the value of the contract, DiVencenzo is playing well for the salary. In 51 games, DiVincenzo has been a productive piece off of the bench. He is shooting a career-high from three-point range (41.6%). It’s the first time DiVencenzo is shooting over 40% in his career.
The contract length is because he battled injuries last season, where he played a combined 42 games for the Bucks and Kings. DiVencenzo owns a player’s option for $4.7 million next year. It will be interesting to see if he declines this option.
9. Thomas Bryant ($2,133,278)
Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Stats: 11.1 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 0.6 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.6 BPG
Bryant has not played over 50 games in a season since the 2018-19 season. That is going to change this year. Bryant is finally healthy, but his injury last year led to a one-year “prove it” deal. This season, Bryant has made the most of his opportunity with the Lakers. In 41 games, Bryant made 25 starts and averaged 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds with the team.
At the trade deadline, Bryant was traded to the Nuggets. His playing time has gone from 21.4 minutes to 12.3 minutes, but he is on a championship-level team. His level as a backup will provide the Nuggets depth. While his stat line of 4.3 points and 4.0 rebounds isn’t sexy, Bryant’s overall play this season deserves recognition as a bargain deal.
8. Shake Milton ($1,997,718)
Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Stats: 8.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 2.9 APG, 0.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG
In the last five years, one of the more dependable players from the 76ers has been Shake Milton. He has given the team about 20 minutes a night and is shooting 36.5% from three-point range for his career. This year, Milton is shooting a respectable 38.3% from deep. That includes a career-high 49.3% field goal percentage.
When it comes to backup minutes, Milton does his job well. He is set to become a free agent at the end of the season. It would not be a shocker if Milton got a slight pay raise in the 2023 off-season. Possibly, that could come from the 76ers at another bargain cost.
7. Daniel Gafford ($1,930,681)
Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Stats: 8.4 PPG, 5.3 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.3 BPG
In 2019, Gafford was the No. 38 overall pick and was taken by the Bulls. After impressing the Wizards during the 2020-21 season, he was traded to the Wizards. In the last two years, Gafford has played well, averaging 9.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 2021-22. This year, Gafford is shooting a career-high 74.7% from the field while playing solid defense.
Gafford got rewarded by the Wizards by agreeing to a contract extension that will pay him between $12 to $14 million in salary for the next three seasons. The three-year, $40 million extension will go a long way. For now, these numbers would be welcomed for just under $2 million. This bargain deal will go away soon, but we can recognize his play for value right now.
6. Austin Reaves ($1,563,518)
Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Stats: 10.6 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.2 APG, 0.5 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Last year, Reaves was a steal in the 2021 NBA Draft after going undrafted. His rookie season featured 23.2 minutes per game in 61 contests. He averaged 7.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and shot 45.9% from the field.
Reaves has made a huge jump this season in his second year. In 43 games, Reaves is averaging double figures but shooting better from both spots on the floor. Reaves is shooting 50.2% from the field and 37.6% from three-point range, which is significantly higher than the 31.7% from last year. The Lakers can offer a $2 million qualifying offer as Reaves enters free agency as a restricted free agent, but this bargain might meet its end at the end of the year.
5. Jose Alvarado (1,563,518)
Credit: Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports
Stats: 9.0 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.2 BPG
Last year, Alvarado rose to fame by making highlight reel plays now and then, but the backstory is what pushed him to national attention. Alvarado was an undrafted free agent in 2021, and the Pelicans scooped him up. Last year, he averaged 6.1 points, 1.3 steals, and averaged 15.4 minutes per game. That has increased to 9.0 points, 3.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 21.5 minutes per game. This contract is a steal when you combine the stats and the play.
Willie Green trusts Alvarado off of the bench because he is a solid defender. He can cause turnovers and plays with a “dawg” mentality. That chip on his shoulder is very noticeable, and he plays with the energy and heart you need off the bench. His salary is not guaranteed for next season, and owns a team option two years from now. The Pelicans have a key reserve off the bench for a complete bargain.
4. Max Strus ($1,815,677)
Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Stats: 12.3 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 2.2 APG, 0.6 SPG, 0.2 BPG
An undrafted free agent that came into the league with the Bulls in 2019, Strus has made his career in Miami. Last year, Strus had his best overall year when he averaged 10.6 points and shot 41.0% from three-point range. While Strus has seen that average dip to 33.6% this season, his playing time has shot up to 29.9 minutes and a career-high 12.3 points per game.
Strus is due to become a free agent at the end of the year. The issue the Heat will face is resigning him. With the contracts of Duncan Robinson and Kyle Lowry taking up a huge cap hit, combined with the massive slots owed to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, keeping Strus will be difficult. He is due a salary raise after this season, and the Heat may not be able to afford it.
3. Dennis Schroder ($2,641,682)
Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
Stats: 12.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 4.3 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.1 BPG
Schroder went from receiving a lucrative contract to a journeyman. In 2020, Schroder was the runner-up in the Sixth Man of the Year voting. He joined the Lakers in 2020-21 and produced a solid season but waited out free agency before having to sign a deal with the Celtics. Last year, he split time with the Celtics and Rockets before rejoining the Lakers on a one-year deal.
Schroder has taken the most of this opportunity to prove himself. Schroder’s back to playing about 30 minutes a night. He will be used plenty more this final stretch with the departure of Russell Westbrook. For a backup point guard, Schroder’s stat line, combined with his consistent play, is a solid bargain, especially when you take into account that Schroder made $16 million with the Lakers during the 2020-21 season.
2. Jarred Vanderbilt ($4,320,000)
Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Stats: 8.3 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.3 BPG
Vanderbilt came into the league in 2018 as a second-round pick and has grown into a vital role for teams. Vanderbilt was acquired by the Timberwolves in 2019 and grew into a starter for the team’s playoff run last year. The 23-year-old was traded to the Jazz in the Rudy Gobert trade in the offseason.
In 52 games for Utah, 41 of which were starts, Vanderbilt averaged 8.3 points, 7.9 rebounds, 2,7 assists, and 1.0 steals. Vanderbilt was recently traded to the Lakers in a deal for Russell Westbrook. In five games, three of which were starts, Vanderbilt has continued to lay well by averaging 8.6 points and 8.8 rebounds. For the defense and near-double-double action, this contract is an absolute steal.
1. Bol Bol ($2,200,000)
Credit: Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
Stats: 10.0 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.3 BPG
When Bol was a prospect at Oregon, there was speculation that he was going to be a lottery pick. Then, he battled injuries, and it took some time for him to grow into form. Bol fell in the draft to the No. 44 overall pick by the Nuggets. He lasted seven games in his first season and then played in only 32 games at 5.0 minutes per game in 2020-21. Last year, he left the Nuggets after 14 games.
The Magic took a low-risk offer by signing Bol to a two-year contract. The 2023-24 season is not guaranteed either, so the Magic could cut him. With that said, it would be silly to see the Magic not play with house money next season. Bol is playing his best basketball in his career with the opportunity. Assuming he continues to grow, next year could be a huge season that could lead to his first big-time contract.
Source: fadeawayworld
