NBA free agency: Yahoo Sports’ Top 50 free agents
With the free-agent negotiating period opening at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, here are the top 50 players on the market. This list will be updated with available contract terms as players agree to deals.
1. Kawhi Leonard
Age: 28
Leonard bounced back from an injury-ravaged season and led the Toronto Raptors to the NBA title, while also winning Finals MVP. Toronto used a progressive rest program to keep Leonard fresh throughout the season and it paid off, as he delivered one of the best playoff runs of all time. Despite the fairytale season, Leonard is still intrigued about leaving the Raptors to head back home to Southern California, but Toronto is the favorite to keep him.
Agreed with: Clippers for four years and $142 million
2. Kevin Durant
Age: 30
Durant would have topped this list had he not torn his Achilles. Now, his long-awaited free agency is one that involves a different type of calculation. Durant will still lead free agency, just in a different way than was expected.
Agreed with: Nets for four years and $164 million
3. Kyrie Irving
Age: 27
Irving remains one of the top players in the NBA, despite a frustrating season with Boston. While the Celtics didn’t have the success many envisioned, Irving was an All-NBA performer and once again an All-Star.
Agreed with: Nets for four years and $141 million
4. Jimmy Butler
Age: 30
Butler headlines this class as the most versatile shooting guard available. He’s able to play either wing spot and can also function as a team’s primary ball-handler. While he’s not the lockdown defender he once was, Butler is still in the upper third of the league as a defensive player. His age and injury history could be deciding factors for Butler.
Agreed with: Heat for four years and $141 million
5. Kemba Walker
Age: 29
Walker had a dream season. He was an All-Star in his home city of Charlotte and capped off the year by making the All-NBA team. The latter honor made him eligible for a super-max extension of five years and $221 million.
Agreed with: Celtics for four years and $141 million
6. Klay Thompson
Age: 29
Thompson suffered a torn ACL in the NBA Finals that is expected to keep him out for most, if not all, of the 2020 season. Thompson should make a full recovery. Golden State sticks with their pre-injury plan of signing Thompson to a max deal.
Agreed with: Warriors for five years and $190 million
7. Khris Middleton
Age: 28
Middleton picked a great year to go from everyone’s most underrated player to a first time All-Star. He’s now poised to cash in as a free agent. Because of his ability to play on or off the ball, inside or outside, as well as being a plus defender, Middleton fits with any team. He’ll have big offers, but he’s found a home in Milwaukee.
Agreed with: Bucks for five years and $178 million
8. Tobias Harris
Age: 27
Harris could have easily been on the power forward list, as he’s really just a forward in today’s NBA. That interchangeability serves him well and makes him an ideal fit for several teams. Philadelphia paid a pretty penny to get Harris at the trade deadline, so they paid to keep him.
Agreed with: 76ers for five years and $180 million
9. D’Angelo Russell (restricted)
Age: 23
Russell really came into his own last season and became a first-time All-Star. Normally, this would mean a player of his age has a max deal coming to stay with the club with which he developed. In this case, Russell’s future was tied to the Nets’ pursuit of Irving, and Golden State was the beneficiary.
Agreed with: Warriors for four years and $117 million
10. Al Horford
Age: 33
Horford has become the ideal modern NBA center. He can step out and hit 3-pointers, but can also go get a bucket on the block. He remains an elite defender, both individually and within a team scheme. He can also slide down a position and play bigger power forwards. Horford projects to age well over the next few years, provided a team keeps him on a similar maintenance plan to the one Boston has used.
Agreed with: 76ers for four years and $109 million
11. Bojan Bogdanovic
Age: 30
When Victor Oladipo went down with a torn quad, it looked like the season was lost for the Indiana Pacers. Instead, Bogdanovic stepped up and was a big part of carrying Indiana to the playoffs. He’s been doing this for years on the international level, so it shouldn’t have come as a surprise. He’s down a bit on the list because of his age, but for at least the next few years, Bogdanovic will give a team solid scoring and better-than-you-think defense.
Agreed with: Jazz for four years and $73 million
12. Julius Randle
Age: 24
Randle quietly blew up in New Orleans. Despite the drama that swirled around Anthony Davis for half the season, Randle put up a 21/8/3 stat line. He also became a dependable shooter, which opens up his market in today’s game. He’s not a great defender, so pairing him with a rim protector is necessary. But his offensive game fits just about anywhere.
Agreed with: Knicks for three years and $63 million
13. Kristaps Porzingis (restricted)
Age: 24
Porzingis is coming off a lost year, missing the entire season while rehabbing from a torn ACL in 2018. Despite that, the Dallas Mavericks gave up a considerable package of picks and players to acquire Porzingis. There was buzz he could have returned late in the season, but with the Mavs out of the playoff picture, they took the conservative approach.
Agreed with: Mavericks for five years and $158 million
14. Nikola Vucevic
Age: 28
Vucevic took a while to get here, but he became an All-Star in his contract year. He also helped carry the Magic to their first playoff appearance since the team traded Dwight Howard in 2012. Vucevic is a good offensive player, but he needs good defenders around him. With his range and passing, he can fit any offensive system, which makes him attractive to many teams.
Agreed with: Magic for four years and $100 million
15. Jeremy Lamb
Age: 27
Lamb had a career year just in time for free agency. He was a starter for the first time and delivered with career-best numbers across the board for the Charlotte Hornets. Lamb is seen as a fit for just about any team. He can start or come off the bench and can play either wing position.
Agreed with: Pacers for three years and $31.5 million
16. J.J. Redick
Age: 35
Even at his age, Redick remains a solid player. While his 3-point percentage slipped under 40 percent for the first time in five years, he actually averaged a career-high 18.1 points. Redick’s role as a shooter fits on every NBA team.
Agreed with: Pelicans for two years and $26.5 million
17. DeMarcus Cousins
Age: 28
Cousins looked like a guy coming off a torn Achilles tendon when he first returned. He then suffered a quad injury that kept him out for a chunk of the playoffs. But by the end of the Finals, Cousins looked pretty good. He’s fairly ground-bound, so the leg injuries aren’t major factors for him. He played for the Warriors on the cheap last year. He might have to do the same for another season just to prove he can stay healthy and productive. Team culture matters when looking at where Cousins fits going forward.
Agreed with: Lakers for one year and $3.5 million
18. Brook Lopez
Age: 31
Lopez was kind of like the kid left standing in musical chairs last summer. When the music stopped, everyone else had plans for their cap space and Lopez didn’t have a chair. His loss was the Bucks’ gain as they got Lopez for just the bi-annual exception. He’s a perfect fit in Milwaukee, but there is no chance he’s that cheap again.
Agreed with: Bucks for four years, $52 million
19. Harrison Barnes
Age: 27
Barnes somewhat surprisingly opted out of a contract that would have paid him over $25 million for the upcoming season. It is unlikely Barnes will ever see a single-season salary that large again, but this move gives him flexibility for the summer. It also gives the Kings the ability to lower his annual salary, but stretch it over more years.
Agreed with: Kings for four years and $85 million
20. Marcus Morris Sr.
Age: 30
Morris really blossomed in Boston. The Celtics let him carry the second unit for large chunks of his two seasons in green, while also using Morris as a sometimes starter. While he’s known for his scoring, Morris is also a good defender, rebounder and passer. He fits anywhere because he’s equally good coming off the bench or starting. Some smart team is going to get a steal here.
Agreed with: Spurs for two years and $20 million
21. JaMychal Green
Age: 29
Green was seen as a steal by the Memphis Grizzlies when they snagged him from the San Antonio Spurs in 2015. He grew into his own in Memphis, especially by adding range to his jumper. He fit in almost perfectly with the Los Angeles Clippers after they acquired him at the trade deadline because of his lunch-pail work ethic. L.A. would love to keep him, but bigger plans for its cap space could cause Green to be on the move. If so, he’ll become a target for many teams.
Agreed with: Clippers for two years and $10 million
22. Thaddeus Young
Age: 31
Young has been a good, but not great, player for years. He came into the NBA as a run-and-jump player, but has slowly rounded out his offensive game. He’s still able to get to the rim, but he’s also added a reliable jumper. And his defense has always been good, especially with his ability to guard either forward spot.
Agreed with: Bulls for three years and $41 million
23. Patrick Beverley
Age: 30
Beverley has gained a reputation as one of the guards whom opposing players hate to go against most. He’s just a pest, and that’s a compliment of the highest order. Beverley has also improved his shooting and playmaking enough that he’s no longer just a defensive stopper. He’ll have plenty of suitors this summer because of the plug-and-play nature of his game.
Agreed with: Clippers for three years and $40 million
24. Malcolm Brogdon (restricted)
Age: 26
Brogdon is a ways away from his 2017 Rookie of the Year season, but he’s gotten even better since then. He’s become equally adept at playing with the ball in his hands, or sliding off the ball and playing as a spot-up shooter. He put up a remarkable 51/43/93 shooting split this season.
Agreed with: Pacers for four years and $85 million
25. Robin Lopez
Age: 31
Of the players listed so far, this Lopez brother seems like the player who is most likely to have a new home next season. Chicago is moving on with younger options, so Lopez will be elsewhere. That’s probably a good thing for him because his rugged, defensive-minded approach can fit with several teams. He’ll have plenty of suitors to choose from.
Agreed with: Bucks for two years at the full room exception
26. Thomas Bryant (restricted)
Age: 22
The Wizards hit the jackpot when they took a flyer on Bryant after he was waived by the Lakers. Bryant led the NBA in field-goal percentage and even displayed a little range by hitting 33 3-pointers. Because of Washington’s lack of ability to bring in a replacement, it’s going to take a big offer sheet to pry him away.
Agreed with: Wizards for three years and $25 million
27. Rodney Hood
Age: 26
Hood remains an enigma wrapped in a riddle. He shows signs of being a breakout wing scorer one moment and then is an injury-prone, inconsistent player the next. Hood seems to have settled into the role of bench scorer/spot starter. That adds to his value. With his ability to play both wing positions, he’ll have plenty of suitors. Portland would like to keep him.
Agreed with: Trail Blazers for two years and $16 million
28. Danny Green
Age: 32
Put Green firmly in the Redick camp of aging vets who remain productive. Green’s a far better defender than Redick, but not nearly the shooter Redick is. He’s another guy in this class who can defend both wing positions, but he also has the ability to guard the bigger, slower point guards as well. That adds some value that offsets his declining offensive game.
Agreed with: Lakers for two years and $30 million
29. Terrence Ross
Age: 28
Ross became a Sixth Man of the Year candidate for the surprising Orlando Magic. His shooting and energy helped turn games on a regular basis for Orlando. He’s an ideal backup for those reasons and can fit with any team. The Magic would love to have Ross back, but will only extend so far to re-sign him.
Agreed with: Magic for four years and $54 million
30. Nikola Mirotic
Age: 28
Mirotic has had quite the odyssey over the last couple of years. He was traded from Chicago to help New Orleans make a playoff push last season, and this year was flipped to Milwaukee to fill the same role. Now, Mirotic is a free agent and can pick his next destination. While his defense doesn’t really allow for him to be a starter, Mirotic’s ability to stretch defenses makes him a fit for any contender. With the Bucks facing a large tax bill, they may not be able to pay the market rate to keep Mirotic.
Agreed with: Barcelona of the EuroLeague
31. Jonas Valanciunas
Age: 27
Valanciunas somewhat surprisingly opted out of his $17.6 million contract with the Grizzlies. All indications are that both sides would like to come to an agreement on a long-term deal. Outside of Robin Lopez, Valanciunas is the biggest dinosaur on this list, and not just because he was once a Raptor. His fit is tough to project because he’s not an ace defender and has little range on the offensive end. But he offers enough skill and experience to be helpful in the right situation.
Agreed with: Grizzlies for three years and $45 million
32. Kelly Oubre Jr. (restricted)
Age: 23
Oubre was acquired by Phoenix at the trade deadline and went on to play some of the best basketball of his career with the Suns. He seemed like a lock to be a priority for Phoenix as a free agent, but some other maneuvering at the draft has that in a bit of flux. The Suns are a swing team that could have cap space, or stay over the cap. If they stay over the cap, bank on Oubre re-signing in Phoenix.
Fits with: Suns, Kings, Pacers
33. Al-Farouq Aminu
Age: 28
When Aminu was a priority, first-day signing for the Portland Trail Blazers in 2015, many around the league said, “Huh?” Four years later, everyone gets what Neil Olshey’s play was. Aminu became the Blazers’ starting four and played a part in continuing the team’s sustained period of success.
Agreed with: Magic for three years and $29 million
34. Tomas Satoransky (restricted)
Age: 27
It took Satoransky four years to come to the NBA from overseas after being drafted and then two more years to become a starter. But after John Wall got hurt, Satoransky stepped in and delivered the best basketball of his career. Because of his great size at 6-foot-7, Satoransky gives teams options with how they put together their backcourts. Given the Wizards’ already shaky cap situation, a big offer sheet could steal him away.
Agreed with: Bulls for three years and $30 million
35. Dewayne Dedmon
Age: 29
Dedmon is an easy guy to root for. He had to fight his way onto NBA rosters to start his career. Then he developed a jumper to fit the modern game. Now he’s one of those players who fits in just about anywhere, mostly because he can start or come off the bench and be equally as effective.
Agreed with: Kings for three years and $41 million
36. Terry Rozier III
Age: 25
Rozier is a bit of a mystery. Is he the guy who performed well as Boston’s starter late in the 2017-18 season? Or is he the guy who struggled throughout the entirety of this past year? He’s kind of a boom-or-bust type of player. You can’t really be sure what you’re going to get.
Agreed with: Hornets for three years and $58 million
37. Jabari Parker
Age: 24
What a strange trip it’s been for Parker. Twice he’s looked like he was becoming a go-to scorer and both times he tore his ACL — in 2014 and 2017. The Bulls handed Parker a two-year, $40 million deal as a free agent, but it was really a one-year, $20 million contract because the second year was a team option. Parker never really fit in Chicago and was traded to Washington at the deadline. He played well with the Wizards, but had his team option declined Saturday. Now it’s about finding a fit as a bench scorer. At just 24 years old, he can be a major weapon off the pine for a good team.
Agreed with: Hawks for two years and $13 million
38. Ricky Rubio
Age: 29
With Utah acquiring Mike Conley from Memphis, Rubio is going to be on the move. He’s been linked to both the Celtics and the Pacers and would be a nice fit with either team. Rubio is never going to be a shooter, but his playmaking and defense remain very good.
Agreed with: Suns for three years and $51 million
39. Taj Gibson
Age: 34
Gibson is probably the most old-school power forward on this list. He doesn’t really stretch the floor on offense, and his defense is best in and around the paint. But Gibson stays within himself and does what he does. Because he can defend both the bigger power forwards and centers equally well, Gibson has value to contenders as a backup big man. That alone will get him his next deal.
Agreed with: Knicks for two years and $20 million
40. DeAndre Jordan
Age: 30
Jordan finally got to Dallas and his stay didn’t even last a year. He finished out the season in New York, but isn’t likely to be back. Jordan will mostly likely catch on with a contender who needs some rebounding and defense up front. His range is measured in inches at this point, so whoever signs him is getting him strictly for his play on the defensive end.
Agreed with: Nets for four years and $40 million
41. Markieff Morris
Age: 29
It’s been a long, strange trip for Morris. He was hurt and ultimately traded at the deadline as a disappointing Wizards team looked to avoid paying the luxury tax. The Pelicans waived Morris because his acquisition was a straight salary dump. He then caught on with the Thunder, but never had the impact that was hoped for. Now, Morris is looking at getting his career back on track. He’ll probably look at short-term deals with contenders, as he tries to rebuild his value in hopes of another big payday.
Agreed with: Pistons
42. Bobby Portis (restricted)
Age: 24
Portis is coming off the best season of his young career. He averaged career highs nearly across the board, but his most impressive improvement came as a shooter. Portis knocked down 39.3 percent of his 3-point shots on 3.8 attempts per game. That’s three straight years of incremental improvement for Portis, who we can now say is a good shooter. His career year came at the right time now that he’s a free agent for the first time.
Agreed with: Knicks for two years and $31 million
43. Elfrid Payton
Age: 25
Payton’s had a roller-coaster career so far. He’s got all the physical skills you could ever want as a lead guard, but his consistency and shooting continue to lag behind. Someone will take another chance on Payton because guards with his size/speed combo don’t come around all that often. But it will be a short-term deal and he’ll likely be right back on this list a year from now.
Agreed with: Knicks for two years and $16 million
44. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Age: 26
In the span of two seasons, Caldwell-Pope went from rising star to overpaid afterthought. He had some struggles with the Lakers, but still improved his offensive game. He remains a good defender, even if that got lost in the context of some terrible team defense in Los Angeles. KCP remains young enough that some team could get a player with some upside for a reasonable price.
Agreed with: Lakers for two years and $16 million
45. Wayne Ellington
Age: 32
For 10 seasons, Ellington has been a knockdown shooter. Like Redick, he’s got a role with any team because of his ability to shoot the ball. He doesn’t do much else, so his value is likely limited to contending teams because older wing shooters are a luxury for bad teams. Ellington will find a role with a playoff team and hit shots as he’s always done.
Agreed with: Knicks for two years and $16 million
46. Delon Wright (restricted)
Age: 27
Wright has spent most of his career backing up Kyle Lowry, only to be traded to Memphis at the deadline to back up Mike Conley. Now it looks like Ja Morant is going to be the Grizzlies’ new point guard after he was selected second overall. That means a team could potentially steal Wright with a big enough offer sheet. The most likely scenario is that Memphis re-signs Wright to act as a bridge to Morant this year and then a high-end backup going forward.
Agreed with: Mavs
47. Rudy Gay
Age: 33
Gay is one of the few success stories as a player who returned from a torn Achilles tendon to be productive. At his age, he’s more of a reserve/spot starter than a guy who you can reliably plug into your opening lineup. Gay can play both forward spots and can still score from the midrange and in the post. His days of iso-ball and taking guys off the bounce are over, but he’s a reliable depth piece for a good team.
Agreed with: Spurs for two years and $32 million
48. Enes Kanter
Age: 27
Kanter had an up-and-down season. He started with the Knicks for a while before being shut down as New York transitioned toward developing younger players. Kanter was then bought out and signed with Portland. After Jusuf Nurkic broke his leg, Kanter became the Trail Blazers’ starting center. At this point, Kanter is what he is. He’s a good scorer and rebounder, but a limited defender. He’s probably best suited to be a bench big, but should have plenty of suitors for that exact role.
Agreed with: Celtics for two years and $10 million
49. Kevon Looney
Age: 23
Looney went from a player for whom the Warriors declined a rookie-scale team option to a critical rotation player on an NBA Finals team. His improvement offensively and toughness to play through fractures in his shoulder/chest during the playoffs has a lot of teams interested. Looney is an easy fit for any team because of his plug-and-play defensive ability and improving offensive game.
Agreed with: Warriors for three years and $15 million
50. Austin Rivers
Age: 27
Rivers is a guy who came in with a lot of hype, never lived up to it and has been trying to overcome that since. Being overpaid for the last few years hasn’t helped his reputation either. But he’s a quality player who can back up both guard spots. For a team with limited flexibility, Rivers can fill two roles as the third guard off the bench. That makes him valuable around the league.
Agreed with: Rockets for two years
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