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Avery Bradley, Detroit Pistons

A renowned on-ball menace, Bradley will be in demand as long as there are dangerous scorers to contain. So...forever.

Reliable from deep (career 37 percent) and a consistent mid-teens scorer, Bradley offers value on both ends. He's not a big wing, so a decline in quickness could make him vulnerable against larger wings, and he's got to shelve the overconfident long-twos off the dribble. But Bradley is a starting-caliber guard with an elite skill on D.

Jabari Parker, Milwaukee Bucks

There's no questioning Parker's scoring chops, but health and defense are the concerns here. Will the breathtaking open-court speed and ball-handling survive Parker's second torn ACL? Can he change direction on a dime and explode to the rim like he used to? And if the answers are "no," could his defensive ineptitude render him little more than a bench scorer going forward? Parker's upside remains high, but it'd be foolish to ignore the possible low-end outcomes in his forecast.

Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics

A guy who can win you games by flopping is at least resourceful enough to warrant a mention here. Smart is still an abysmal shooter, albeit one undaunted by his consistent clanging. He still gets 'em up.

In a strange way, his willingness to continue chucking might be valuable; at least a willing bad shooter doesn't grind the offense to a halt by refusing to take open looks. Smart's true value is on D, where he can handle three positions with grit, persistence and, yes, effective acting. It feels like he's destined to make big plays down the stretch of playoff games for the next 10 years.

J.J. Redick, Philadelphia 76ers

There'll be calls for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Rodney Hood here, but if I'm investing in a shooting guard, I want the one who'll definitely stripe it from three and tie defenses in frantic knots by always sprinting around the floor. Redick's reputation has a literal impact; opponents know they cannot lose contact. He's a role player, sure, but he's great at it. And I don't think KCP or Hood offer enough extra to earn a mention over Redick.

Jusuf Nurkic, Portland Trail Blazers

The version of Nurkic that showed up in Portland for 20 games last year would probably be a top-10 free agent, but I think we all suspected that surge was a bit of an outlier.

Nurkic has been productive and of particular use on defense, where the Blazers remain surprisingly competent after several years near the bottom of the league. But he's still a conventional center in an era that doesn't value the position, and he's not as effective in that role as a handful of guys who'll rank ahead of him here.