Credit: Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images
A couple of years ago DeMarre Carroll was bouncing around the league and sometimes in the D-league, but now it seems like he’ll be getting a nice payday this summer.
Carroll, 29, was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies with the 27th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. After lasting a year and half he was then traded to the Houston Rockets to be later waived after 5 games. The next year he signed with the Nuggets to be waived yet again after 4 games. Then he signed a two year deal with the Utah Jazz playing in a rotational slot not getting a lot of playing time. In the 2013 NBA offseason he signed a two year with the Atlanta Hawks.
At first he was viewed as more of a backup defender who can give you a couple of baskets and a couple of stops here and there, but in his two years he has jumped in every statical category since he started on the Atlanta Hawks. Let’s take a closer look at the stats.
- ’09-10 MEM 71 GPs (1 start) 11.2 mins, 2.9 pts, 2.1 rebs, 0.5 asts, 0.4 stls
- ’10-11 MEM 7 GPs (0 starts) 5.6 mins, 1.4 pts, 1.1 rebs, 0.3 asts, 0.1 stls
- ’10-11 HOU 5 GPs (0 starts) 2.2 mins, 0.0 pts, 0.0 rebs, 0.4 asts, 0.0 stls
- ’11-12 DEN 4 GPs (0 starts) 5.3 mins, 3.0 pts, 0.8 rebs, 0.8 asts, 0,0 stls
- ’11-12 UTAH 20 GPs (9 starts) 16.4 mins, 4.8 pts, 2.5 rebs, 0.8 asts, 0.6 stls
- ’12-13 UTAH 66 GPs (12 starts) 16.8 mins, 6.0 pts, 2.8 rebs, 0.9 asts, 0.9 stls
- ’13-14 ATL 73 GPs (73 starts) 32.1 mins, 11.1 pts, 5.5 rebs, 1.8 asts, 1.5 stls
- ’14-15 ATL 70 GPs (69 starts) 31.3 mins, 12.6 pts, 5.3 rebs, 1.7 asts, 1.3 stls
You can see all the 0’s early in his career and it shows that with more playing time he can be productive. While Carroll is primarily focused on bringing Atlanta to the NBA Finals, he must have the thought in the back of his mind on where he is playing next year.
Sean Deveney of Sporting News made a list of top players who made a name for themselves in the playoffs and are looking to make a lot of money in the offseason. Here is what he said about DeMarre Carroll:
“With his defense and versatility, one league exec estimated his next deal at more than $15 million per year. The Lakers, a source said, have big-time interest in Carroll.”
He also mentioned that the Celtics and Pistons are in the mix for Carroll with the Lakers being the main destination. There has also been talks with the Knicks also being involved in signing Carroll. He has proven, especially in the playoffs that he can play and defend top players in the league. I’m not entirely sure if he is exactly worth $15 million because that type of money is usually for at least a centerpiece or two for a team and it could be a big risk to certain teams.
As a Knicks fan, I would love to have him on the roster but $15 million could be a little to much, since he probably will sit behind Carmelo on the bench. To maximize his potential I think he suits better with great players surrounding. My early prediction for him is that he will re-sign with the Atlanta Hawks where he will be the staple to the Hawks defense.
