NBA Notebook: Free Agent Stock Watch -- playoff edition

The NBA playoffs can make or cost any NBA free agent and this offseason the stakes are raised even further with the revenue losses from the pandemic likely putting a tight squeeze on spending for many NBA teams. The competition will be fierce for the little cap space available and with a sizable gap between the regular season and postseason, a player's value on the open market is more volatile than ever.

STOCK UP

Brad Wanamaker: The senior member of the Celtics was forced into a crucial rotation role for much of the postseason once Gordon Hayward went down with a sprained ankle. He easily outplayed his veteran’s minimum deal, providing a valuable scoring spark in multiple games against the Raptors thanks to his 46 percent shooting mark from 3-point range. His age (30) ensures he won’t get a long-term deal but he’s earned a raise from the minimum next year, whether it comes in Boston or elsewhere.

STOCK DOWN

Gordon Hayward (player option): With a shrinking salary cap looming thanks to the loss of revenue in the wake of a coronavirus pandemic, there was never any serious doubt that Hayward would opt out of his $32.7 million player option. However, another injury to the 30-year-old has limited any chance of him making a meaningful impact during the C’s run to this point. That could change of course if Boston fights their way past Miami and gets to the NBA Finals (allowing Hayward’s ankle to get stronger ahead of a matchup against the Lakers). However, his leverage at negotiating a long-term extension has dissipated with bad health luck this year.

Enes Kanter (player option): A strong Game 5 outing against the Heat helped his cause but the painful reality is that he’s only played a total of 32 minutes in the past two rounds. Kanter's defensive limitations are exposed by elite teams in the postseason so it’s hard to see any playoff team thinking he is a long-term solution in the middle. The guess here, barring a Finals breakout, is that he opts into his $5 million option since it’s going to be hard to find that money elsewhere in a shrinking center free-agent market.

Semi Ojeleye (team option): He’s only making $1.75 million next season but could be a victim of a roster crunch in Boston with the younger Grant Williams doing a lot of the things the C’s have asked of Ojeleye in the past. Ojeleye has appeared in 13 games this postseason but he’s shooting just 25 percent from the field and 21 percent from 3-point range over that stretch.

NO IMPACT

Tremont Waters/Tacko Fall: Both players will be restricted free agents this offseason. Look for Waters to get a chance to earn a roster spot in camp while the team attempts to bring Fall back again on a two-way deal.

FREE AGENTS AROUND THE NBA

STOCK UP

Jerami Grant, Nuggets, PF (PO): The athletic forward finished the Nuggets playoff run as the team’s third-best scorer (11.4 ppg). His 3-point shooting has steadily improved in recent years, making him more of a two-way threat (defense has always been his strength). In a weak free-agent market, he should be able to at least fetch the mid-level extension on a long-term deal so that will be enough for him to opt-out of his $9.3 million option to get added security.

Serge Ibaka, Raptors PF/C: The 31-year-old won’t come close to matching his $23 million salary in 2019-20 but he was sensational off the bench for the Raptors all postseason long, averaging 14.8 ppg and 7.7 rpg while knocking down a team-best 51 percent of his 3s. His defense is still a weak spot but he should be a top of the big man options available at center this summer on the open market.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Lakers SG (PO): The 27-year-old has been overpaid by the Lakers last decade but he’s outperformed his $8 million deal this postseason with terrific defense and 42 percent shooting from 3-point range. Look for him to opt-out of the final year of his deal and look for a lengthy extension in LA or a new home elsewhere as he enters his prime.

Rajón Rondo, Lakers PG (PO): Playoff Rondo has returned this summer and that fact is even more impressive when you consider the point guard missed all of the seeding games in the bubble after breaking his thumb during bubble training camp. Rondo returned in Round 2 from the injury and has been a nice boost for the Lakers offensive attack, averaging 9.1 ppg and 7.2 apg while shooting a career-best 44.8 percent from 3-point range in the postseason. Look for him to negotiate a sizable raise from his $2.5 million player option this offseason as the Lakers attempt to keep him.

Dwight Howard, Lakers, C: He’s still foul prone but for perhaps the first season in his career, he’s bought into a secondary role, focusing on doing the little things instead of looking to force his own offense in the post. He’s grabbed over 12 rebounds per 36 minutes in the postseason and has shown there is still a little bit left in the tank for another contract somewhere.

Markieff Morris, Lakers, PF: His bet on rehabbing some of his value in LA in a crowded frontcourt has paid off. He’s shooting 43 percent from 3-point range this offseason as a stretch four, giving LA another reliable forward to stretch the floor around him.

Goran Dragic, Heat, PG: The Heat were trying to essentially give away the veteran making $18 million last offseason in attempts to reshuffle their roster. Dragic has responded with an incredible resurgence, particularly in this postseason upon being inserted into the starting five. He’s led the Heat in scoring (21 ppg) and has been the engine to a dynamic offense on a nightly basis. He’s earned one more big payday for himself with this play.

HOLDING STEADY

Avery Bradley, Lakers SG (PO): The shooting guard opted out of the bubble for family reasons and looks likely to opt back into his $5 player option

Jae Crowder, Heat, F: The wing had bounced back from a miserable shooting season in Memphis to become a 3-point shooting force yet again in Miami where he feasted on open looks while defenders focused on top Heat sharpshooters. However, his regression against the Celtics (3-of-22 in the last three games) are sign water is finding its level. He’s still a good 3-and-D guy but his streakiness is tough to rely on if he’s in your starting five.

Marcus Morris, Clippers, PF: The former Celtic did exactly what he was brought in for at the trade deadline, knocking down 47 percent of his shots from 3-point range. However, he picked a bad year to opt for a one-year deal with no player option to protect him. With few teams having cap space in the wake of the pandemic, it’s going to be tough for him to get close to that $15 million annually in his next deal. The good news? The Clippers are desperate to win next season and don’t have cap room to sign alternatives. Look for him to stay put, probably at a discounted rate.

STOCK DOWN

Paul Millsap, Nuggets, PF: The 35-year-old was a pretty big disappointment offensively despite Denver’s deep run. The most he scored in a postseason game was 17 points as he averaged just 8 ppg on 40 percent shooting. His inability to be an offensive threat got his minutes slashed (24 mpg) and should hamper his market this offseason to mid-level money or less.

Montrezl Harrell, Clippers, C: The sixth man of the year missed a large chunk of the Orlando bubble after the death of his grandmother. He returned in time for the postseason run but wasn’t the same explosive player we saw during the regular season, perhaps due to conditioning issues. His rebounding (2.9 per game) was atrocious in the postseason and that combined with lackluster interior defense helped the Clippers get upset by the Nuggets in Round 2. He’s still going to get a good contract somewhere but he cost himself some cash with this performance.

Javale McGee, Lakers C (PO): There was little doubt he could do much better than his current $4.2 million player option next season on the open market but a demotion to the bench in the middle of the Lakers-Nuggets series ensures that. He hasn’t even averaged 10 minutes per game for the Lakers so far during their Finals run.

Kelly Olynyk, Heat C (PO): A $12 million player option was always a sure thing for him to opt into this offseason but his demotion out of the rotation during the Celtics series is a sign that his value as a stretch shooting big gets diminished in a hurry against elite offenses.

Marc Gasol, Raptors C: The former All-Star looked over the hill against the C’s, losing his touch from 3-point range (18.5 percent) and many times just turning down open looks to the detriment of the Raptors defense. His defense is still valuable but it’s hard to envision him getting more than a couple million on the open market with his sharp decline as a 35-year-old

Fred VanVleet, Raptors, G: One of the few high-profile scorers on the open market in 2020. He was sensational during the regular season for the Raptors after being handed a bigger role following the departures of Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green but his limitations as a No. 2 or 3 option were on display against the Celtics. He shot just 34 percent from the field in that series against a stout Boston defense and that inefficient production probably will make suitors think long and hard about committing big money to him in the offseason.