Five under-the-radar free agent deals that could pay big dividends

Free agency is typically all about the big names and splashy deals, but in years like this one where there isn’t a top tier free agent on the market, it’s just as likely that the deals under the radar are going to end up having the greatest impact. So, what were the five most unheralded moves of the offseason that might pay off down the line?

5. CODY ZELLER (PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS)

It may not have been the offseason that Damian Lillard was hoping for, but signing Cody Zeller might make his life in Portland a lot easier. While the Blazers have an excellent big man in Jusuf Nurkic, Zeller adds an element the Blazers have been missing.

The thing that Nurkic really struggles with, despite being an above average playmaker for a big, is making passes out of the short roll. Teams from the Warriors to the Lakers have attacked that specific weakness to gum up Portland's offense in the past with devastating consequences.

Short roll passing is an area that Zeller excels in, which will make him a valuable playoff asset in certain matchups for the Blazers. He’s also generally a crafty pick and roll big, who sets rock solid screens. He gives the Blazers a great option as a backup.

4. GORGUI DIENG (ATLANTA HAWKS)

The Atlanta Hawks are a roster deep with young talent at many positions, but that depth took a blow when it was announced that backup center Onyeka Okongwu would miss at least the first two months of the season due to a shoulder injury. They did extremely well to add a player of Dieng’s caliber, a perennially underrated player who provides excellent rim protection while also adding an element that Clint Capela and Okongwu do not - an outside shot. 

Dieng shot 42.9% from 3 last season, and is just below 36% for his career. Giving Trae young even more space to work with will cause serious headaches for opposing defenses. Dieng also has great hands, and regularly ranks in the 90th percentile and higher for steals as a big man, per Cleaning the Glass.

3. GRAYSON ALLEN (MILWAUKEE BUCKS)

The Milwaukee Bucks are NBA champions, but they still have their share of flaws. For one thing, they shot 32% from 3 throughout the playoffs. While it's a marvel that they won with that level of inefficiency, it was an area they clearly needed to improve. 

They’re also old. Outside of Giannis, none of their core players from the title run will be under 30 next season, which is not a recipe for sustainable success.

Trading for Grayson Allen potentially kills two birds with one stone. They added real shooting while also getting younger. Allen is already 25, so he’s ready to play now, and he’s a career 38% shooter from deep on a high volume.

2. RUDY GAY (Utah Jazz)

Gay is a success story of modern NBA evolution. He started as a relatively inefficient midrange-gunning small forward, and now he makes his living as a crafty, small ball big that can stretch the floor from deep.

Gay gives the Jazz something they really didn’t have last year: a second look. He can and will play small-ball center for the Jazz, allowing them to switch styles when Gobert sits in a way they haven’t really been able to under Quin Snyder’s tenure to date. Outside of overwhelming talent, tactical flexibility is the key to success in the playoffs. Gay’s acquisition gives the Jazz some.

1. PATTY MILLS (Brooklyn Nets)

Patty Mills is coming off a bronze medal-winning performance in Tokyo, where he had 42 points and nine assists. While he won’t have that kind of role on the Nets, his scalability as an offensive threat is part of the thinking here.

The Nets learned something important last year. Namely, Kevin Durant is still the best basketball player on the planet. He dragged Team USA to gold, and nearly carried the remains of an injured Nets team to victory against the eventual champs. And he didn’t even need Kyrie Irving or James Harden at their best, a facsimile of either would have put them over the top. Mills is Kyrie and Harden insurance, insulating the betting favorites against their true Achilles heel - injury to their starting backcourt.

As a bench player that can shoot and create, Patty adds to the Nets' embarrassment of riches, but if worst comes to worst, he can start for this team too.