Ranking the Top 20 NBA Free Agents Available This Summer

Lebron James

Free agency type: Restricted

Current team: Boston Celtics

2017-18 salary: $4.5 million

Stats: 10.2 PPG, 4.8 APG, 3.5 RPG

Getting Smart back from a thumb injury was huge for the Celtics in their first-round win against Milwaukee. Smart may be one of the league’s biggest irrational confidence guys on the offensive end, but he’s a menace on defense. He’s due for a pay raise, but he almost definitely won’t get the $50-60 million deal he’s rumored to want.

Free agency type: Unrestricted

Current team: Philadelphia 76ers

2017-18 salary: $23 million

Stats: 17.1 PPG, 3.0 APG, 42% 3FG

Count me among the many who thought that the Sixers overpaid Redick with his current one-year deal—we were all wrong. The veteran sharpshooter has played an integral role in Philly’s surprising run. He’ll turn 34 in June and could receive another lucrative, short-term deal.

Free agency type: Unrestricted

Current team: Utah Jazz

2017-18 salary: $12 million

Stats: 12.3 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 1.1 BPG

Favors hasn’t quite lived up to his top pick billing (he went No. 3 in 2010), but the 26-year-old has bounced back this season after a rough 2016-17. The Jazz, who are building around Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, haven’t needed Favors to do too much, and he’s turned into a nice role player.

Free agency type: Restricted

Current team: Portland Trailblazers

2017-18 salary: $2.9 million

Stats: 14.3 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 1.4 BPG

Nurk is still only 23 years old. He’s an enigma: tremendously gifted on the offensive end but a liability defensively. Portland acquired him on one of the league’s biggest bargain deals, and he’ll command significantly more money on the market—we’ll see if the ‘Blazers are willing to pony up the big bucks.

Free agency type: Unrestricted

Current team: Denver Nuggets

2017-18 salary: $3.5 million

Stats: 15.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.1 APG

The 6’5” two guard had a solid contract year and burst into the Sixth Man of the Year conversation. Barton is an explosive athlete and prolific scorer. The Nuggets will want to hold onto the 27-year-old, but he could be tempted by the prospect of consistently starting for another team.

Free agency type: Unrestricted

Current team: Houston Rockets

2017-18 salary: $7.4 million

Stats: 11.7 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 36.8% 3FG

The 32-year-old has been one of the league’s best perimeter defenders for years—he’s Houston’s “glue guy.” Ariza has greatly improved his jumper as he has bounced around the league. With Paul turning 33 and Ryan Anderson turning 30, Houston has an aging roster. Still, it would be a surprise if Daryl Morey allowed Ariza to leave.

Free agency type: Restricted

Current team: Chicago Bulls

2017-18 salary: $3.2 million

Stats: 16.7 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.0 APG

The 6’5” guard is one of the most explosive players in the league. He played well coming off a torn ACL in his first season with Chicago. The 23-year-old will get a raise, likely around $10 million a year.

Free agency type: Unrestricted

Current team: Los Angeles Lakers

2017-18 salary: $6.3 million

Stats: 15.2 PPG, 4.8 APG, 2.1 RPG

You know the story: last year, Thomas said the Celtics would have to “bring the Brinks truck” to re-sign him. Life comes at you fast. Because he played through a hip injury in the 2017 playoffs and hurried back this year, Thomas cost himself tens of millions. He wasn’t the same player this year—not by a longshot. The 5’9” point guard recently turned 29, but some team will likely still take a gamble on I.T.

Free agency type: Unrestricted

Current team: Memphis Grizzlies

2017-18 salary: $3.3 million

Stats: 19.4 PPG, 5.2 APG, 5.1 RPG

It’s still baffling that Memphis didn’t move Evans at the trade deadline. Now, he’ll sign elsewhere for a boatload of cash and Grind City will get nothing in return. The 6’6” guard had a renaissance year, upping his PPG average from 11.6 to 19.4. He’s become a consistent outside threat.

Free agency type: Team Option

Current team: New Orleans Pelicans

2017-18 salary: $12.5 million

Stats: 15.6 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 37.7% 3FG

Mirotic has found a home in New Orleans, where he played a key role in the Pelicans’ first-round sweep of Portland. He’s one of the best floor-spacing bigs in the league, and his defense has improved. The 6’10” 27-year-old is only in his fourth NBA season.

Free agency type: Restricted

Current team: Milwaukee Bucks

2017-18 salary: $6.8 million

Stats: 12.6 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 38.3% 3FG

The former No. 2 pick (2014) had a promising start to his career, but his struggles to stay healthy have thwarted his development. He has suffered two torn ACLs in the same knee (left). In Milwaukee’s first-round loss to Boston, however, it looked like Parker had some of his old juice back. Teams will approach the former Blue Devil with caution, debating whether his potential outweighs concerns about his health.

Free agency type: Restricted

Current team: Orlando Magic

2017-18 salary: $5.5 million

Stats: 17.6 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 2.3 APG

Gordon’s free agency will be fascinating to watch. With his versatility, he could make a big difference for a contender. He’s improved on the offensive end but still needs to get better—that said, the 22-year-old is an NBA infant. Gordon has the legendary agent Bill Duffy in his corner.

Free agency type: Restricted

Current team: Los Angeles Lakers

2017-18 salary: $4.1 million

Stats: 16.1 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 2.6 APG

Say it with me: “contract year.” Randle blossomed into a candidate for Most Improved Player. What a difference six months makes—the Lakers were desperate to move him before the deadline but couldn’t find a taker. Now they’ll be happy to bring the powerful, skilled forward back, but it’ll be costly. Don’t be surprised if he lands elsewhere.

Free agency type: Restricted

Current team: Houston Rockets

2017-18 salary: $2.3 million

Stats: 13.9 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 1.9 BPG

Capela is another candidate for the Most Improved award. With Paul throwing him lobs, Capela emerged as one of the league’s best rim-runners. He plays hard; he knows himself and doesn’t try to do too much. He shot 65.2% from the field. Morey will likely make bringing back the 23-year-old his top priority.

Free agency type: Player Option

Current team: Los Angeles Clippers

2017-18 salary: $22.6 million

Stats: 12.0 PPG, 15.2 RPG, 0.9 BPG

It’s no secret the Clippers came this close to sending Jordan to the Cavs before the trade deadline. It’s not clear where the Clippers franchise is headed, so it’s difficult to project whether D.J. will be back. He may opt in. Despite his obvious limitations, Jordan remains one of the league’s best rim defenders and rebounders.

Free agency type: Unrestricted

Current team: New Orleans Pelicans

2017-18 salary: $18.0 million

Stats: 25.2 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 5.4 APG

If you were New Orleans, would you give Boogie the max? The Pelicans were starting to figure it out with him and Anthony Davis early in the season, but after Boogie tore his Achilles they really hit their stride. He’ll have to take a lesser deal, I think, for him to remain in New Orleans. The Pelicans may lowball him, as our team recently discussed on Out of Bounds. Don’t be surprised if another team offers the max.

Free agency type: Unrestricted

Current team: Houston Rockets

2017-18 salary: $24.3 million

Stats: 18.6 PPG, 7.9 APG, 5.4 RPG

It would be shocking if Morey let Paul walk. He meshed with James Harden seamlessly, as the team expected. Paul returned to his vintage, dominant “point god” self. His feel for the game is second to none. Though he’s getting up there in age, he should have a few good years left in the tank—provided he stays healthy.

Free agency type: Player Option

Current team: Oklahoma City Thunder

2017-18 salary: $19.3 million

Stats: 21.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 3.3 APG

We can now definitively say the OKC experiment was a failure in Year One; the Thunder just couldn’t perform consistently. They will pull out all the stops to bring George back, but many consider it a foregone conclusion that he’s headed to the Lakers. The 6’9” forward can’t carry a championship-level team, but he could be one of the best second options in the league.

Free agency type: Player Option

Current team: Golden State Warriors

2017-18 salary: $25 million

Stats: 26.4 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 5.4 APG

Durant took a pay cut last offseason so Golden State could bring back its core. He will reportedly restructure his deal this summer to get paid what he’s worth because he doesn’t want Golden State “taking advantage of me.” Fair point. Though he’ll technically be a free agent, he’s not going anywhere. The 29-year-old will be remembered as an all-time great, and he seems thrilled to have found a home in the Bay.

Free agency type: Player Option

Current team: Cleveland Cavaliers

2017-18 salary: $33.3 million

Stats: 27.5 PPG, 9.1 APG, 8.6 RPG

You could make a case for the younger Durant to be slotted at No. 1, but let’s be honest—LeBron is the best player on the planet, and though he’s older, he hasn’t given us any reason to suspect he’s slowing down. This dude is special. His free agency will likely captivate the sports world this summer. Will he stick with Cleveland? Go to Philly, Houston, or L.A.? I can’t wait to see how it unfolds.

Honorable Mention: Fred VanVleet, Rodney Hood, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Anderson, Carmelo Anthony, Enes Kanter, Avery Bradley, Efrid Payton, Dwyane Wade, Brook Lopez, Ersan Ilyasova