NBA Free Agency 2013 Rankings: J.J. Hickson Rising

RANK	PLAYER	RUNDOWN	LAST
1		DWIGHT HOWARD, C, LA LAKERS: A 3-1 week saw Superman rediscover his might. The beating the Lakers took at the hands of the Thunder aside, Howard is looking like himself again. 16.5 points, 16.3 rebounds and 3.3 blocks per game over the last week, and his Lakers are back over .500.	1
2		CHRIS PAUL, G, LA CLIPPERS: Agreed, it was difficult to not make him number one after feeding DeAndre for the vicious dunk over Brandon Knight, but it was just an assist at the end of the day. 16.7 points and 11 assists per game over a 2-1 week for his Clippers keeps Paul second here, though. 14 assists and zero turnovers against Detroit on Sunday bears mentioning, too.	2
3		BRANDON JENNINGS, G, MILWAUKEE: 13.2 assists per game over his last five games and 10 per game over the last week. The 31 points he dropped on the Warriors on Saturday, plus the 48 percent he’s shooting from downtown over the last week has us feeling quite giddy. The 2-1 record on Bucks’ Western swing helps, too.	6
4		AL JEFFERSON, C, UTAH: The 29-point shellacking that his Jazz took at the hands of the Knicks without Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire was the clincher in dropping him a spot. An 0-4 road trip and a team that’s looking like it may slip out of the playoff race? Big Al got some ‘xplaining to do. And no, the 16 point, 10 rebound effort against the Detroit Pistons doesn’t impress us.	3
5		JOSH SMITH, F, ATLANTA: It’s just as difficult to keep Smith here in the Top 5 when his Hawks lose winnable (and important) games, but we think the 32 points, 8 rebounds and 9 assists he poured in against the Celtics last Wednesday serves as a reminder how of “Smoove-ly” Smith can fill up a box score.	4
6		J.J. HICKSON, F, PORTLAND: Now is when you begin asking yourself what Hickson is worth on the open market. Three more double-doubles over the past week gives him 35 on the season. The 23-point, 11-rebound effort in a 30-point blowout of the Spurs warrants the significant jump for J.J. Let’s see if he can keep it up, especially after he gets papered (NBA parlance for paid).	10
7		DAVID WEST, F, INDIANA: Losses to the Celtics and the Heat hurt, but the 16 rebounds versus Boston and the 24 points at Miami are enough to allow my favorite West (aside from Kanye) to move up a spot. Another 1-2 week for the Pacers, though, and we may reconsider.	8
8		MANU GINOBILI, G, SAN ANTONIO: We’re willing to chalk the 30-point dismantling at the hands of the Trailblazers as an aberration. Truth is: without Tony Parker, Ginobili has been handling the ball and creating more for the Spurs. And Monday’s win over the Thunder moves him into our Top 10.	12
9		PAUL MILLSAP, F, UTAH: Millsap misses games due to injury and falls down three spots? That’s unfair, but so is life. It should also be expected when you consider the awesome weeks that the competition has put together. In these rankings, a failure to stay on the court hurts, big time.	5
10		ANDREW BYNUM, C, PHILADELPHIA: It no longer matters to the out-of-the-picture Sixers whether or not he will play this season — although it matters to Bynum’s wallet. Still an impact player if healthy, but ever-growing concerns about his knees have his stock falling rapidly. If he gets a max deal, something is fundamentally askew in the universe.	7
11		TYREKE EVANS, G, SACRAMENTO: Just turned in back-to-back 20 point games for only the fourth time this season. I’ll keep reminding you that, if healthy, Evans is a very solid perimeter contributor. He’s not LeBron James, so the 22-43 record for the Kings isn’t all his on him.	11
12		J.J. REDICK, G, MILWAUKEE: Over the last seven days: One good game (a win over the Warriors, 15 points, 7 assists on 5-of-11 shooting) and one bad game (a loss against the Clippers (3 points, 1-of-5 shooting) and one game missed due to an ankle injury. We will measure his true impact — and his future financial value — in the playoffs.	9
13		KEVIN MARTIN, G, OKLAHOMA CITY: The usual dead-eye shooter hit just 41 percent of his attempts last week. Though the Thunder went 3-1, including good wins at New York and at Boston, the 9-point egg he laid in San Antonio on Monday night will stink for the next week. His 12 points per game over the last week won’t cut it, either.	13
14		EARL CLARK, F, LA LAKERS: His numbers have fallen lately, but so have his minutes and opportunities. We still like the double-double he had last week against the Thunder and being a starter on the Lakers, who went 3-1 last week, counts for something. Clark is playing well enough that some are suggesting the Lakers may amnesty Pau Gasol this summer.	15
15		SAMUEL DALEMBERT, C, MILWAUKEE: With Nikola Pekovic missing in action, we can no longer ignore the Haitian Sensation’s rejuvenation, especially after he responded to being named a starter against the Kings on Sunday by chipping in 11 points, 10 rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Still proving he’s got something left in the tank.	–