9. Willie Reed
Age: 26
Position: Center
2016/17 Salary: $1,015,696
Contract Expires: 2017/18 (Player option)
2016/17 Stats: 3.8 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 55.2 FG%, 11.7 MPG, 21 GP
In his first season with the Heat and just his second in the league, Reed has shown all the hallmarks of being a late bloomer. While his numbers don’t jump off the page, Reed’s athleticism and potential could be attractive to a team in need of rim protection. Reed’s best game to date with the Heat came on December 9 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Reed posted 10 points, 11 rebounds and a block in 20 minutes off the bench.
Considering his very low salary, Reed would almost definitely need to be packaged with another player in a prospective deal. One such deal could involve Reed and guard Dion Waiters heading to Denver in exchange for explosive shooting guard Will Barton. There are a number of reasons why this deal would be advantageous for both teams:
- Reed provides some rim protection for a team ranked 26th in the league in defence.
- Waiters provides a shot creator for Denver coming off the bench
- Barton has another year to run on a very team-friendly contract ($3,533,333)
- Barton’s usage rate (20.3) is noticeably lower than Waiters’ (24.7), hence a better partner for
Click here to see how the trade could look.