NBA: 15 potential ‘under-the-radar’ free agent moves

Bismack Biyombo, C (Toronto Raptors)

Bismack Biyombo ended up as the odd man out of the Charlotte Hornets’ plans for 2015-16. The team was flush with big men either acquired in the previous offseason or carried over from the old roster – Al Jefferson, Cody Zeller, Spencer Hawes, Tyler Hansbrough and the newly drafted Frank Kaminsky all clustered with Biyombo in Charlotte.

The reason the Hornets felt comfortable letting Biyombo go was his limited skill set. He has almost no offensive polish, as evidenced by the fact that, throughout his career, 61.2% of his shot attempts are within three feet of the basket. Biyombo is a perfect assignment for a weak defender to be hidden on, and mitigates the potential weaknesses of Biyombo’s opponents.

Biyombo’s value is as a defensive specialist, and a rim protector who cleans up on the glass. In the 2015-16 regular season with the Toronto Raptors, Biyombo finished with 13 rebounds and 2.6 blocks for every 36 minutes he was on the court. While he was on the court for the Raptors, he blocked 6.1% of the possible two-point shot attempts and grabbed 29.5% of the possible defensive rebounds his team could have made. Overall, Biyombo allowed 2.3 less points per 100 possessions above a replacement-level player, evidence of the defensive boost he brings.

Biyombo’s contract with Toronto has a player option. If he accepts, he would be set to make $2.94 million in 2016-17, but he’s likely to decline if he feels his services are worth more. With Jonas Valanciunas out for the remainder of the series against the Heat, Biyombo will have an opportunity to prove his value to the Raptors not only as a defensive specialist but as injury insurance.

Next: Jared Dudley