LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 24: Reggie Jackson #1 of the LA Clippers and Cameron Johnson #23 of the Phoenix Suns look on during Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals of the 2021 NBA Playoffs on June 24, 2021 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
If you’re old enough, you absolutely remember Jerome James. He went off in the playoffs for the Sonics—when they still existed—during the spring of 2005. Averaging 12.5 PPG, 6.8 boards, and 1.8 BPG against the Kings and Spurs over two series, the center became a hot commodity in free agency a few months after Seattle’s run ended. He was rewarded with a huge deal—5 years for $30 million from the Knicks—that represented a massive salary upgrade for the reserve center that hadn’t averaged more than 5.4 PPG through five seasons in the league.
James’ contract, of course, will go down as one of the worst in Knicks’ history. Which is saying something. He would start 20 games for New York over four seasons and Knicks fans still curse his name to this day. But I bring up a player that last played in the NBA 11 seasons ago because he’s the perfect reminder that performing above your pay grade and putting up big numbers out of nowhere in the postseason is a surefire way to cash in when you’re about to hit the open market.
With free agency arriving in just a few weeks (Aug. 6 at 12:01 p.m. ET, to be precise), we highlighted eight players that balled above and beyond expectations during the playoffs that will surely cash in on a bigger, better contract this summer than they were playing on during the 2020-21 campaign. And let the record show we’re not predicting any of these guys will be the next Jerome James on their new team (or with their current team on a new contract). It’s just worth remembering that buyer beware when handing out deals based on small sample sizes.
Chris Paul
Postseason Stats: 19.2 PPG, 8.6 APG, 44.6 3FG%
Obviously, Chris Paul was going to get paid regardless of what happened in the playoffs after leading the Suns to the postseason for the first time in 10 years. But this run to the NBA Finals could very well earn the 36-year-old point guard an ultra-lucrative four-year offer from the Suns that can’t be matched anywhere else. Why’s that? You may have heard there’s a slightly obscure rule in the CBA that prevents teams from offering a contract longer than three years to any player it doesn’t own Bird rights if said player will turn 38 during it. Got it? Good. Nicknamed the “Chris Paul rule,” CP3, the NBPA president, helped change the floor for the rule from 36 to 38 during the last CBA negotiations.
John Collins
Postseason Stats: 13.9 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 35.7 3FG%
Our pal over at The Athletic, Shams Charania, reported that after filling up box scores and helping the Hawks take the Bucks to six games in the Eastern Conference Finals, John Collins could cash in on a max contract this summer. Collins turned down a $90 million extension offer from Atlanta earlier in the season and decided to bet on himself. He was rumored to be a trade candidate at the deadline, but the Hawks wisely kept him and after morphing his game to better complement superstar Trae Young’s and putting up excellent numbers himself, it looks like 23-year-old Collins, who shot 54.9 percent from the field during the playoffs, will get a nine-figure contract.
Reggie Jackson
Postseason Stats: 17.8 PPG, 3.3 APG, 40.8 3FG%
That kind of postseason production from a guy who made the veteran minimum of $2.3 million rarely happens, but kudos to Reggie Jackson for performing above and beyond his contract during the Clippers’ run to the Western Conference Finals. He was incredible launching from beyond the arc and in isolation situations and precisely what LA needed when it lost Kawhi Leonard to a partially torn ACL. Who knows where Jackson cashes in, but he’s going to get a huge bump from that minimum.
Cameron Payne
Postseason Stats: 9.3 PPG, 3.2 APG, 35.0 3FG%
It wasn’t that long ago that Cameron Payne wasn’t playing in the NBA. And he’s come a really long way from being known as Russell Westbrook’s hype man in Oklahoma City to a competent, reliable backup point guard at age 26. He’s stepped up big time when the Suns were without Chris Paul in the Western Conference Finals, including that Game 2 explosion for 29 points on 12-of-24 shooting. He’ll still make mistakes, but he’s also pretty fearless driving to the basket and hit 44.0 percent of his threes for the Suns during the regular season. He’s going to get a nice bump up from the roughly $2 million he just made.
Bobby Portis
Postseason Stats: 8.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 0.7 SPG
The player formerly famous for clocking his teammate in Chicago, Bobby Portis has become a fan favorite at Fiserv Forum during the Bucks’ run through the NBA Finals. Providing energy, rebounding, some defense, and the occasional three off the bench, Portis has filled in nicely for either Giannis Antetokounmpo or Brook Lopez at times. On his fourth team in seven seasons, Portis may have found a perfect spot for his talents with Milwaukee where he can come off the bench and do a little bit of everything as a 6’10” disruptor. Chances are he’s going to have more way more suitors on the open market than expected before the postseason tippe. Plus, he was so good he may have priced himself out of Milwaukee should he decline his player option for $3.6 million. But the way he’s talked about the love he’s felt in Milwaukee makes you think he really wants to run it back. And why wouldn’t they want him back if they can make the money work?
Lou Williams
Postseason Stats: 7.7 PPG, 2.2 APG, 43.3 3FG%
The knock on Lou Williams has always been he’s shrunk in the postseason and gets played off the court for being a liability on defense. While he didn’t completely rewrite that script during the Hawks’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals, he did a damn good job of filling in for Trae Young when the superstar missed Games 4 and 5 against the Bucks. Williams scored 21 and 17 points in those two contests sans Young and while the 34-year-old, who is unrestricted free agent, won’t command big money on the open market, those two games will definitely be brought up by his representation when it’s time to negotiate. Williams still has plenty to offer off the bench entering his 17th NBA season.
Austin Rivers
Postseason Stats: 8.7 PPG, 2.6 APG, 37.5 3FG%
It was a season from Hell for Austin Rivers who started it by putting up impressive numbers off the bench for the Knicks before quickly falling out of favor with coach Tom Thibodeau, a good friend of his father’s. Then Rivers was shipped to the Thunder before being waived. Then he stewed at home, waiting almost a month and a half for his phone to ring. It finally did after the Nuggets lost Jamal Murray to a torn ACL and Rivers took advantage of the awesome opportunity. Appearing in 15 postseason games for the Nuggets, starting five of them, Rivers emphatically reminded everyone how he can be a key rotational piece for a playoff team when he stole the show in Game 3 of the Portland series, scoring 16 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter. He’s only 28 and it sounds like the experience of the past season has changed his outlook on basketball.
Blake Griffin
Postseason Stats: 9.0 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 38.9 3FG%
We all know he hasn’t been the high-flying Blake Griffin we loved with the Clippers for a decent amount of time now, but Griffin proved to be an excellent role player on a contender during his stint with Brooklyn. Averaging 26.5 minutes per game over 12 contests, the 32-year-old Griffin provided a nice boost for the Nets off the bench at power forward and he’s potentially carved out a nice niche for himself in the league—as long as he stays healthy—for years to come. Sure, Griffin has plenty in the bank after negotiating a buyout from the Pistons. But remember that he played in Brooklyn for a measly $1.6 million. Barring a ridiculous offer that probably won’t materialize, expect him to hunt for a spot on a title contender.