Player Efficiency Rating isn't the be-all, end-all statistic by which to measure NBA players, but it does provide an easy way to at least get an idea of a player's productivity. While the stat is not without its issues, it manages to neatly level the playing field when comparing, for instance, a point guard and a center.
So, with many of this year's top free agents off the board. Let's check in on the remaining available players, sorting them by their 2011/12 PER. Players must have played at least 500 minutes last season to be listed here. Restricted free agents are marked with an asterisk, while the player's PER is in parentheses. Here's the top five at each position:
Point guard:
Nate Robinson (18.0)
John Lucas III (16.3)
Delonte West (15.3)
Sundiata Gaines (15.0)
Jannero Pargo (13.6)
Shooting guard:
* Brandon Rush (15.2)
Leandro Barbosa (14.0)
Michael Redd (13.9)
Willie Green (13.9)
Shannon Brown (13.6)
Small forward:
Matt Barnes (15.5)
* Derrick Brown (14.7)
Tracy McGrady (13.6)
* Alonzo Gee (13.2)
Terrence Williams (13.1)
Power forward:
Carl Landry (18.2)
Antawn Jamison (16.1)
Jordan Hill (15.8)
* Ivan Johnson (14.3)
D.J. White (12.4)
Center:
* JaVale McGee (19.9)
* Robin Lopez (15.2)
* Greg Stiemsma (13.6)
Nazr Mohammed (11.0)
Ben Wallace (10.7)
Stray observations:
- Nicolas Batum and Omer Asik have either signed or agreed to sign offer sheets, so they weren't included here.
- The most-discussed point guards left on the market tend to be players like Jonny Flynn and Derek Fisher, but there are a few under-the-radar names that were quietly effective last season.
- McGee seems like the only player left on the board destined to land a huge contract, and his PER, at least, suggests he's worthy of such a deal.
- The deepest position appears to be shooting guard, where Randy Foye (13.5), Courtney Lee (12.6), C.J. Miles (12.4), Ronnie Brewer (12.3), and Marco Belinelli (11.9) were among those that didn't make the cut.
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