It’s hard to believe we’re less than two weeks removed from the Milwaukee Bucks winning the NBA Championship. Just like NFT Twitter, the NBA news cycle never quits! PJ Tucker’s buzz hasn’t even worn off yet and already we’ve seen…
- The NBA Draft
- The US Men’s Basketball team pronounced finished at the Tokyo Olympic games… only to win their next two and make it to the quarterfinals
- The Washington Wizards trade future Hall of Famer Russell Westbrook to Los Angeles Lakers
And now, the free-agent season is upon us. You probably knew that already from all the “{Insert veteran here} is reportedly ready to sign with the Lakers any day now” tweets you’ve seen on your feed. The free agency period officially starts today at 6 PM ET.
Today’s edition of “Debuts and Freaks” is not an exhaustive list of the current free-agent crop. I’ve chosen these four players because I think they have a very good chance of making an impact wherever they wind up.
Kyle Lowry
A six-time NBA All-Star, Kyle Lowry just completed his fifteenth NBA season. He’s been a member of the Toronto Raptors since 2012 and won an NBA Championship with the team in 2019. The 35-year-old Lowry is often referred to as a “pit bull” on the court.
He’s known for his leadership and toughness, so it’s understandable that a number of NBA teams are interested in adding him to their roster. In 601 games with the Raptors, Kyle has averaged 17.5 points, 7.1 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per game. He sits atop the Raptors career triple-double list with sixteen (Damon Stoudamire is second with three). It’s no wonder many refer to Kyle as “Mr. Raptor.”
Kyle’s NBA Top Shot debut is a “three-point” Moment. You can purchase one on the marketplace this morning for $185.
Toronto Raptors legend Kyle Lowry drops a ridiculous three-pointer against Eastern Conference competitors the Washington Wizards on January 17, 2020.
Lowry’s All-Star Freaks card is a perfect fit for his on-court reputation.
A 1 of 1 mint, Lowry (#29) is the junkyard dog you want on your team! Getting low, taking charges, always battling, never scared, killer instincts … Lowry has solidified himself as one of the greatest competitors to ever lace ’em up. A part of the first Series 1 mint, this card is a valuable investment in a Champion and freaky canine leader.
DeMar DeRozan
DeRozan is coming off his 12th NBA season. Drafted by the Raptors in 2009, he sports a career scoring average of 20.1 points per game. The former Trojan is a 4-time NBA All-Star. DeRozan lacks three-point range, but he knows how to get buckets and also averaged a career-high 6.9 assists per game last season.
His Top Shot debut is a Series One “dunk” Moment. The current low ask is around $80.
Make ’em miss you Deebo! DeMar DeRozan of the San Antonio Spurs takes flight against his old Toronto Raptors teammates for the filthy one-handed flush on January 12, 2020.
Demar’s All-Star Freaks card is also from Series One. It’s probably just my own goofy interpretation, but I think the tail is a vestigial remnant from his years with the Raptors. If that’s true, I think it’s a nice touch.
A 1 of 1 mint, DeRozan (#62) is a straight baller and relentless scorer. A professional bucket-getter since the day he stepped on an NBA court, DeRozan has proven to be one of the most consistent offensive forces in the league … especially from the mid-range! A part of the first Series 1 mint, this card is a valuable investment in a 4x All-Star.
Lonzo Ball
Often overshadowed by his outspoken father and his younger brother (LaMelo), Lonzo is developing a very solid NBA player. The 6'6" point guard played one season with the UCLA Bruins. In that season, he led the nation in assists and was the first PAC-12 player since Jason Kidd (1996) to average at least 14 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists per game.
He was drafted with the number two overall pick in 2017 by the Los Angeles Lakers but was shipped off to New Orleans as part of the Anthony Davis trade in 2019. Lonzo has done a lot of work on his shooting form and it seems to be paying off.
Last season, he averaged a career-high 14.6 points per game and posted his best shooting numbers to date (41.4% from the field, 37.8% from three-point range, and 78.1% from the free-throw line). He’s still just 23 years old and has a chance to have a successful NBA career.
His Top Shot debut is an “assist” Moment from Series One. The low ask on the marketplace is currently $65.
Point guard Lonzo Ball of the New Orleans Pelicans gets up for the rebound and throws a precision full-court pass against the Detroit Pistons on December 9, 2019.
Lonzo’s All-Star Freaks card features a hat tip to a familiar character with a similar-sounding name.
A 1 of 1 mint, Lonzo (#38) is a controversial character on the court! A target on his back since the day he entered the league, this Big Baller has settled in as a super-talented guard who can complement any team’s rotation. Passing, vision, defense, and even shooting … he’s got an all-around valuable game. A part of the first Series 1 mint, this card is a valuable investment in a super freaky star player.
Spencer Dinwiddie
The final player I’ve chosen is Spencer Dinwiddie. Injury trouble makes it easy to forget about Dinwiddie. A second-round draft pick in 2014, Spencer has played seven seasons in the NBA, but a partial ACL tear kept him out of all but three games last year. And it’s a shame because he was coming off by far his best season since entering the league.
Dinwiddie averaged 20.6 points and 6.8 assists per game for the Nets during the 2019–2020 season. The injury makes him a bit of a gamble, but he’ll be a steal if he can come back and get close to those numbers. (Confession: I’m hoping the Wizards are able to acquire Dinwiddie. He’s at the top of my wish list).
Spencer’s Top Shot debut is a Series One “jump shot” Moment. As I type this, you can scoop one on the marketplace for $57.
Brooklyn Nets point guard Spencer Dinwiddie knocks down a clutch crunch-time dagger against the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 25, 2019.
Dinwiddie’s All-Star Freaks card is one of my favorites. I love the chain around his neck (with the Bitcoin logo).
A 1 of 1 mint, Dinwiddie (#133) features the original Bitcoin Baller. A scorer and playmaker who is on the comeback from injury, a part of the Series 2 mint, this card is a valuable investment in an established Freak who believes in all-things Blockchain!
And there you have it. Again, not an exhaustive list, but these are the four free agents I’ll be paying close attention to over the next few days. Fortunately, Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania exist and will be awake for the next 120+ hours keeping us all up to speed. If I didn’t list your guy, let me know in the comments or on Twitter. In the meantime, thanks for reading!
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Disclosure
In the interest of transparency, I have given a special edition All-Star Freaks card for being “a vocal supporter of Freaks since very early on, an awesome TopShot/Freaks crossover hypeman, a Freaks blogger(!!!!) and an all-around positive-energy-bringer to the entire Nation both on Twitter and in the Discord.”
I genuinely love the project and I was doing all of those things BEFORE I received the Green Brodie #33 Freaks card, but I DID receive the gift and understand that, for some, this calls my sincerity into question. Thanks again for reading my posts.
