Indiana Basketball: Noah Vonleh heading to a playoff contender?

One of the under-the-radar free agents on the market, former Indiana basketball forward Noah Vonleh could be headed out west.

While Kawhi Leonard is the biggest name on the free agent market as it currently stands, there are still a lot of talented players who can help fill out rosters and be productive role players for many teams.

We now enter day three of NBA free agency and Noah Vonleh is still on the free agent market, which could ultimately work to his benefit.

After the New York Knicks unofficially decided not to bring him back when they signed Julius Randle, Taj Gibson, and Bobby Portis, Vonleh could become a nice rotational player on a playoff contender, and even better a championship contender.

The rumor mill has been stirring over the course of the past 24 hours about who the Lakers will fill out their roster with regardless of the Kawhi Leonard decision. Vonleh could be one of those players.

The five-year pro is coming off of his best season in the NBA averaging 8.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game while shooting 34 percent from three. Just 23 years old, Vonleh has already started 170 games in his career including 97 games in his two seasons in Portland where he gained valuable playoff experience.

The Lakers have been running out of options and the longer the Kawhi sweepstakes last, the less they may be able to pick from.

The Rockets are another team that could possibly look into signing the former Indiana forward as Nenè declined his option and become a free agent last week.

If Vonleh were to go to a contender, which seems likely, he would ideally receive a one-year deal for a mid-level exception.

Overall, while the market may look slim for Vonleh, the possibility of him going to a contender looks better and better every day.