DeMarre Carroll was in the spotlight this postseason as one of the breakthrough players of the playoffs for the Atlanta Hawks and his performance couldn’t have come at a better time in terms of his personal salary. He is set to become a free agent this summer and is going to cash in. The Hawks have Al Horford, Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver and Thabo Sefolosha each locked in to contracts for next season and with Paul Millsap also in need of a new deal, there are obvious concerns in Atlanta about whether or not they will be able to sign Carroll. Money isn’t the only thing that Carroll will look for in free agency as opportunity is perhaps the most important factor for him on the market.
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He emerged as a fantasy weapon and he could become even more valuable if he gets more playing time. Here are the best scenarios for his fantasy value next season.
New York Knicks
The Knicks enter this offseason as the team that most experts have selected to experience the biggest turnaround looking forward to next year. It’s hard to argue with that thought after they finished at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with just 17 wins this past season. Carmelo Anthony and Jose Calderon will return after missing most of last year, New York owns the fourth-overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft and they have a ton of money to spend on free agents. The biggest need for New York is the addition of quality big men and general manager Phil Jackson has to appreciate what Carroll can bring to his team at both ends of the floor. Carroll will have every opportunity to thrive from a fantasy perspective either at the power forward position or at small forward with Anthony moving to shooting guard, and it’s hard to envision a better situation for Carroll in terms of money, opportunity and potential fantasy numbers.
Los Angeles Lakers
Kobe Bryant has at least one year left in him, Julius Randle will be ready for the start of the season, the Lakers own the second-overall pick for the 2015 NBA Draft and have a ton of money to spend in free agency. Carroll would fit in to the LA lineup perfectly as Carroll is not a player that needs the spotlight to compile fantasy numbers. Los Angeles will have a substantial amount of young talent in place regardless of whether they land Carroll and if he decides to move to the west coast, this could be the perfect opportunity for him both from a fantasy and a player perspective.
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons would represent an excellent landing spot for Carroll in terms of his fantasy value as he would slot in as the missing piece in a very talented starting five. Reggie Jackson’s move to Detroit worked wonders for his fantasy value as he finished the season as one of the most productive point guards in the NBA down the final stretch of the regular season. We could see a similar effect on Carroll if he decides to go to the Pistons. Detroit already has some talented pieces in place and a starting five that includes Carroll, Jackson, Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond and Jodie Meeks (or Kentavious Caldwell-Pope) would automatically make the Pistons a playoff contender with Carroll’s fantasy value getting a major boost.
Miami Heat
Miami might not have the cap space to give Carroll the type of deal he could get if he signs somewhere else but the Heat deserve the final spot on this list as a sleeper pick to land him based on potentially being one of the best fits for his fantasy value. Chris Bosh is set to return from injury and Miami paid a heavy price to acquire Goran Dragic from the Phoenix Suns, so there will already be enough talented pieces in place for Carroll to step right in to the small forward position where he would thrive. A starting five that consists of Carroll, Bosh, Dragic, Dwyane Wade and Hassan Whiteside would have to be considered among the most dangerous in the Eastern Conference, so don’t look past Miami if Carroll is willing to take less money for one year for a chance to contend for a title and thrive from a fantasy perspective.
