From Zach LaVine to Deandre Ayton, the top 25 free agents are ranked
From Zach LaVine to Deandre Ayton, the top 25 free agents are ranked. NBA free agency is scheduled to begin soon. We will know where many of the free players are headed after teams start negotiations at 6 p.m. ET on June 30 even if contracts won’t be signed until July 6. Although there are some outstanding players at the top, this is a poor class as a whole. Additionally, there isn’t much available cap space for teams to use as they see fit.
However, it doesn’t prevent player movement. This season, trades—including sign-and-trades with the players below—may be a more effective tool for changing squads. Players that theoretically could become free agents but have very no chance of doing so are excluded from this exercise.
1. Zach LaVine
LaVine recently made his second straight appearance in the All-Star game. He is one of the league’s best scorers, scoring 24.4 points per game in the previous season. He was slowed down by knee concerns, but offseason surgery should fix that. The Bulls will be willing to offer LaVine a five-year, $212 million deal. Early speculations suggested he may swap teams, but those have since died down. He should quickly once free agency begins, barring anything shocking, agree to the maximum deal with the Bulls.
2. Bradley Beal
Beal might become a free agent if he chooses not to exercise his player option. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto said that Beal would do just that, however, Beal later refuted that assertion. Beal, like LaVine, is an extremely talented scorer who is almost at the top of his game. He should be compensated under his next contract throughout his prime years. Last year, he had a dismal shooting season, making only 30% of his 3-point tries. But any team would profit from his career average of 22.1 points per game on a 37 percent three-point shooting.
3. James Harden
What happens to him depends on the Harden player option. He is likely to accept and renew his deal with the Sixers, who made significant sacrifices to obtain him. Giving him the full maximum compensation of $5 million over five years, which would cost him more than $60 million by the time he was 37, would be tough for them to bear. Despite having a hit-and-miss season, he still averaged 22.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 10.3 assists despite having trouble applying pressure to the rim. He continues to be a force on offense and a master foul-drawer.
4. Kyrie Irving
Irving will allegedly use his $36.5 million player option to sign a one-year extension with the Nets, but nothing will be official until Irving signs the contract. Irving has until June 29 at 5 p.m. ET to complete this. Despite his problems, Irving remains one of the top 10 offensive players. Last season, he produced one of the most productive 50-point games in history. His invention of shots and jump shooting is still top-notch.
5. Miles Bridges
Bridges improved significantly in terms of scoring last season, averaging 20.2 points per game on many of his own-created looks. The previous 2018 draft pick with the 12th overall pick is nearing the end of his rookie contract and should see a significant pay raise. He should get nearly $25 million a year when he joins the Hornets again.
6. Deandre Ayton
The best player whose chances of changing teams are reasonable is Ayton. Up to $131 million over four years is what other teams can offer him. Ayton’s talent would normally prevent him from moving, but the Suns’ ownership is unwilling to pay the price to keep him. To find a sign-and-trade arrangement for him, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, they were “extremely motivated.” Ayton is one of the league’s top two-way centers despite only turning 24 in July. He may be an asset to any team with his rim protection, mid range jumper, and low scoring.
7. Jalen Brunson
The foundation of Brunson’s game is contact, making him a razor-sharp scoring guard. Playing with Luka Doncic can be challenging for him because he is a smart but little defender who plays best with the ball in his hands. If they decide to keep Brunson, the Mavericks will have to pay the NBA’s luxury tax. After a strong playoff performance, he should earn over $20 million per year and attract interest from several teams, including the Knicks, who are said to have freed up a significant amount of cap room to pursue him.
8. Anfernee Simons
When he was selected with the 24th pick in 2018, Simons was a very undeveloped prospect. In his first three seasons, he failed to average more than ten points per game, but Portland’s roster injuries and a rebuilding year offered him a chance to prove himself. He increased his output to 17.3 points per game while shooting 40.5 percent from deep, demonstrating that he could at the very least put the ball in the hoop.
9. Collin Sexton
One could believe that a former eighth overall pick who has averaged 20.0 points per game over the course of his four-year career should be an easy contender to rejoin his team on the best possible compensation. But Sexton’s offense has come at the expense of his typical effectiveness. Given that he needs the ball in his hands to score, his career assists average of 3.3 per game is not particularly noteworthy. Despite his apparent attempts, he significantly hurts the defense. Despite his flaws, Sexton should be a sought-after target because of his youth, shot-creating ability, and the Cavaliers’ underwhelming interest in him.
10. Mitchell Robinson
Another young man from the draft class of 2018 is Robinson. His strengths include dunking, offensive rebounding, and shot-blocking, all of which he excels at. He does very poorly at the things he does poorly, such as shooting jump shots and free throws (he only made 49% of them last season). Robinson suddenly appears on the screen. As a big man, he is among the league’s most athletic. However, because of his restrictions and the low starting pay for centers generally, he will continue to be paid at a modest level for starters.
11. Jusuf Nurkic
Nurkic is a trustworthy veteran. Aside from his history of injuries, you know exactly what you’ll receive from him. He contributes to his team’s success sufficiently as a terrific scorer and rebounder that the Blazers overplayed a plantar fasciitis ailment that ended his season in order to increase their chances of winning the lottery. Nurkic is likely to join the Blazers again. They don’t have a strong plan to replace him, but their recent signing of Jerami Grant indicates that they intend to try to compete next year.
12. Kevon Looney
Looney excelled in the final two rounds of the playoffs, playing all-around defensive center, offensive rebounder, and screener. Although he can no longer move as freely as he once could due to two hip surgeries, he can still protect reasonably well in space. He makes a good first big man off the bench or marginal starter. The Warriors will be heavily in debt due to the luxury tax, and paying Looney will increase their cost by many multiples of his compensation.
13. Malik Monk
When Monk signed a prove-it deal on a minimum contract with the Lakers last summer, it was a letdown to his free agency. This time around, he should receive a substantially larger paycheck. He was among the select few Lakers who outperformed themselves last year, contributing reliable 3-point shooting and unexpectedly strong defense. As one of the worst defenders in the NBA in his early years with Charlotte, Monk needed that defensive improvement more than anyone. He’s still by no means a stopper, but his liability isn’t as great.
14. Kyle Anderson
One of the most challenging players in the league to predict is Slo-Mo. Though he moves like molasses, he manages to make it to the rim. He can switch to different positions, is a very underrated defender, and is capable of making passes and creating shots. The inconsistency of Anderson’s 3-point shooting, however, limits him. Considering his special ability set, he might be challenging to place in lineups.
15. Bobby Portis
It’s widely believed that Portis will choose to leave his contract early and sign with another team as an unrestricted free agency. He can stretch the floor and is a high-energy big man who has a 38 percent career three-point shooting percentage. He is a skilled offensive rebounder as well. Despite not being a great passer and having poor defensive ability, Portis is unquestionably a goal scorer. One of the league’s worst big men at blocking shots, he occasionally struggles to maintain a strong perimeter defense. Like Looney, he’s a capable fringe starter who can hide his flaws in the appropriate circumstances.
16. Bruce Brown
Brown is yet another original player on this list. He served as a type of hybrid big man for the Nets at 6-4. He is a superb finisher at the rim, an energetic cutter who can score without holding the ball, and a very versatile defender. Even though Brown only made a small number of 3-pointers last season, he hit 40 percent of them. He’s an extremely talented role player who might see his role grow if he receives more regular playing time somewhere.
17. Nicolas Batum
Batum is expected to choose to end his deal because it significantly underpaid him for the contribution he made to the Clippers’ success the previous year. In Charlotte, his career appeared to be ended, but he was able to restore his shooting form and, over the past two seasons, has hit more than 40% of his triples for the Clippers. In recent years, Batum has adjusted to primarily playing power forward. Despite losing some of his youth’s quickness, he is still a very intelligent defender. He won’t score a lot and will be largely spotting up. He is a valuable role player who adds a lot.
18. Otto Porter Jr.
Following a year of rediscovery, Porter signed a minimal contract with the Warriors. Throughout the year, he served as an important reserve for them. Because of the unique skill set he possesses, Porter has occasionally been a big-money, big-minute player. He makes 40% of his career shots from 3-point range, which is great. He has some of the league’s best mid-range shooting abilities as well. Porter is an excellent team defender who can compete with some of the league’s top wing scorers. Although not a top-tier stopper, he is intelligent and reliable.
19. T.J. Warren
Warren, who missed the majority of the last two seasons due to a foot injury, has been a forgotten player. He will get a lot of interest if his health is ultimately totally recovered. Throughout his whole career, he has been a bucket-getter. In college, he played more from the midrange, but in recent years, he has improved his 3-point shooting. With the Pacers, Warren also significantly boosted his defensive reputation. His communication, point of attack defense, and screen navigation have improved, going from weaknesses to strengths.
20. Victor Oladipo
The worth of Oladipo, another name on this list, will be greatly influenced by how well his body holds up. He was an All-Star and All-Defensive selection at his peak. However, he has missed most of the last four seasons due to injury. Oladipo did get some playing time with the Heat toward the conclusion of the season to demonstrate his talent. He could still cause damage defensively with his still-moving hands. Additionally, he made 42% of his threes during the regular season before drastically declining during the playoffs.
21. Tyus Jones
In Memphis, Jones has been a fantastic backup point guard to Ja Morant. When Morant was injured, they still played quite well because of Jones’ excellent performance. Jones is not a showy athlete. He is a skilled offensive coordinator as well as a competent but diminutive defender. He has developed into a proficient 3-point shooter. Even if his creativity is constrained and he won’t be a top choice, he manages to make a good difference when he is on the field.
22. Mo Bamba
A roster crunch for the Magic might make Bamba available. They have an abundance of big men thanks to the return of Jonathan Isaac from injury, the No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero, and Wendell Carter Jr. Bamba was marketed as a stretch big man with a 7-10 wingspan who could block shots. Last season, he nailed 38 percent of his 3-point attempts while blocking 1.7 shots per game.
23. Gary Payton II
Payton finally received a regular position on the Warriors last season after years of toiling in the G-League and occasional sips of coffee. He excelled as a defensive threat, pinning down players of all sizes. Payton isn’t a particularly effective 3-point shooter or shot maker. He has good athleticism, is a plus finisher at the rim, and is a master at filling in as a reserve. He might be a good available bench addition for the Warriors, who are heavily in debt.
24. Fonte DiVincenzo
DiVincenzo was acquired by the Kings last season in exchange for Serge Ibaka, probably with the intention of keeping him. Although he had a terrible season trying to recover from a serious ankle injury, he had previously shown some promise in Milwaukee. DiVincenzo is a competent defender who can make plays on defense and is a reliable three-point shooter at his best. Last year, his shot deserted him, and the rest of his game collapsed along with it.
25. Gary Harris
Wild swings have occurred in Harris’ career. He seemed like a solid cornerstone who could play a 3-and-D role alongside Nikola Jokic in his early seasons in Denver. However, his performance plummeted, and in the summer of 2018, he agreed to a deal worth $84 million over four years, which made him one of the worst contracts in the league. With minimal expectations, Harris was moved to the Magic in exchange for Aaron Gordon’s contract. A type of professional resurgence occurred for him. In the previous season, he made 38 percent of his 3-point attempts. And his defense resembled more of what it did in Denver’s early years.
From Zach LaVine to Deandre Ayton, the top 25 free agents are ranked