The NBA Finals are finished and the draft is done. With June now in the rearview mirror, NBA free agency has officially kicked off and the offseason is in full swing.
Despite free agency starting today, there have already been some game-changing moves. The Philadelphia 76ers added Paul George to a four-year, $212 million contract and extended Tyrese Maxey. The Oklahoma City Thunder tore Isaiah Hartenstein from the New York Knicks with a four-year, $87 million deal. James Harden re-signed with the Los Angeles Clippers. The Orlando Magic signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a three-year, $66 million deal. Klay Thompson signed with the Dallas Mavericks on a three-year, $50 million deal as well.
Despite all of these names flying off the shelves, though, there are still many high-impact players available for signing. Here are the top ten.
NBA free agency: James Harden returns to Los Angeles in Clippers’ first move of NBA free agency
The King may have opted out of the final year of his contract, but he is expected to re-sign with the Lakers after the team drafted his son with the 55th overall pick in the draft. Even at 40 years old, James is a prolific scorer with tools capable of being a vital part of a championship team.
Can he carry teams to championships like he used to though? That’s where fans may start to argue. That said, he’s undeniably the best player still available this summer.
Still one of the most athletic players in the game and a very efficient midrange scorer, DeMar DeRozan is sure to draw a lot of attention as the offseason progresses. As it stands right now, the Lakers seem like a possibility. According to reports, LeBron James has stated he’s willing to take a pay cut in order to join forces with DeRozan.
Bridges has recently developed into a very strong outside shooter and is still a fantastic player in transition. Obviously, the Hornets would be interested in bringing him back, and they have told him as much. However, there are several teams that could make a run at Bridges.
The most obvious would be the Detroit Pistons. Bridges is from Michigan and might be more inclined to play for his hometown team. That said, other teams with young cores looking to add another piece like the Memphis Grizzlies or Utah Jazz could also be in the running.
At this point, there have been very few rumors surrounding Bridges, but he has been connected to the Jazz and Pistons in the past. In May, NBA insider Michael Scotto claimed that the Jazz would certainly be one of the teams interested alongside the Hornets.
A prolific outside shooter, Hield will not be a franchise-changing player but can fill the role of shooter on any team that needs one. Recently, the Golden State Warriors have emerged as an option for Hield after the team failed to re-sign shooter Klay Thompson. Other teams that could be interested include the Miami Heat or a reunion with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Saddiq Bey may have had his qualifying offer declined, but he’s still a very versatile player, offering solid defense and serviceable scoring off the dribble. He should draw some attention over the course of the summer from teams in need of rebounding help, like the Cavaliers and Magic. However, as it stands, very few rumors have emerged regarding Bey’s next team.
The Washington Wizards may be interested in dealing Jones in a sign-and-trade deal. While Jones certainly isn’t the top player available or someone who drew tons of interest off the rip like Paul George or Chris Paul, he’s still capable of helping a contender. It is not yet clear which teams may be interested in pursuing a sign-and-trade deal with Washington for Jones.
Although the Magic declined Wagner’s $8 million team option, there is reportedly mutual interest to bring Wagner back to Orlando next season. Wagner was one of those players that helped make your franchise’s stars look great. He’s a fantastic player to have on your roster, just not one that will make a difference on his own.
Dinwiddie had a tough year, efficiency-wise, last season. However, he still has the potential to turn it around. According to reports, both the Lakers and Mavericks have expressed interest in bringing Dinwiddie on board.
Beasley may not be a great defender, but he was one of the best shooters in basketball last year with Milwaukee. While reports have indicated that the Golden State Warriors are interested in Beasley, they may not be able to offer him the type of contract that he is expecting. Instead, the Rockets and Magic, who were also listed as interested parties in the report mentioned earlier, have the money to make such a deal. Both teams are likely to be aggressive in free agency this summer, so a deal could be reached sooner than expected.
As a restricted free agent, the Cavs have the ball in their court when it comes to Okoro. Why wouldn’t they want to return such a versatile defender and someone who shot 49% from the field? However, with former Cleveland head coach J.B. Bickerstaff moving to Detroit this offseason, the Pistons could be interested in making a move for Okoro.
Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor stated “Sources say the Detroit Pistons, with a plethora of cap space and former Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff now aboard, are a team to watch. Okoro’s playoff-specific flaws wouldn’t be as cumbersome in a rebuilding organization and his toughness, competitiveness, tenacity and defense-first credo would all help Bickerstaff instill the culture he wants in Detroit, giving the Pistons an edgy wing with some untapped offensive potential.”
NBA free agency tracker: Klay Thompson to Mavericks; Sixers set to sign Paul George
