Top 50 NBA free agents in 2018: Ranking next year's class from LeBron to Montrezl

The first week of NBA free agency in 2017 was insane. Mad. Dizzying. Crazy. Right?

It’s been OK. But it’s nothing compared to what we could have on our hands in 2018.

With the majority of notable 2017 free agents off the board, it’s time to peek ahead to the NBA free agent class of 2018, which could be full of stars and superstars alike. Some will be expected to return to their incumbent teams, or opt into the final years of their contracts. Some are restricted free agents. But many will hit the open market, which could make for the wildest summer of player movement in some time.

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This week, we took a look at the prospective 2018 class. Monday was for the point guards; Tuesday was for the wings; Wednesday was for the bigs; and Thursday is for the top 50 overall. Without further ado, here are those top 50 …

TOP 50 FREE AGENTS IN 2018

Key: ^ = player option * = restricted free agent ** = team option

1. LeBron James^, SF
Current team: Cleveland Cavaliers | Age on July 1, 2018: 33 | 2017-18 salary: $33.3 million

Eric Freeman: “It’s unclear how many teams will have the cap room to add James on what could be a record contract. The Los Angeles Lakers appear ready to swing for the fences, but rumors and reports do not add up to a legendary talent moving to a team without a star currently on the roster. However, a lot can happen between now and next July. The mere possibility of a potential G.O.A.T. changing teams could cause many executives to move heaven and earth to open up the necessary cap room. A player of this magnitude only becomes available so often.”

2. Kevin Durant^, SF
Current team: Golden State Warriors | Age on July 1, 2018: 29 | 2017-18 salary: $25 million

Freeman: “Durant’s 2018 offseason will be important to both him and the Warriors. He could decide to take less than his maximum salary again. Or he could opt for a new five-year mega-deal that would push the Warriors well past the luxury tax threshold right when they face the league’s punitive repeater tax. Owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber will pay whatever it takes to keep one of the best players of this generation, but even a team that prints money has limits. The latter option could force the league’s top team into difficult choices in the future.”

3. Russell Westbrook^, PG
Current team: Oklahoma City Thunder | Age on July 1, 2018: 29 | 2017-18 salary: $28.5 million

Henry Bushnell: “The NBA’s reigning Most Valuable Player could re-up with OKC anytime between now and next summer. But if he and newly acquired running buddy Paul George don’t gel, or if he simply decides to explore other opportunities, Westbrook could opt out of his contract and become next summer’s top free agent point guard.”

4. Chris Paul, PG
Current team: Houston Rockets | Age on July 1, 2018: 33 | 2017-18 salary: $24.6 million

Bushnell: “Regardless of how [Paul and new teammate James Harden] amplify or mute each other’s strengths, though, Paul, even at 32 going on 33, should command the max when he becomes an unrestricted free agent next summer. Paul could also sign an extension in Houston, but he’d be eligible for a bigger contract if he waits until next July.”

5. Paul George^, SF
Current team: Oklahoma City Thunder | Age on July 1, 2018: 28 | 2017-18 salary: $19.5 million

Freeman: “Maybe Westbrook will convince George that Oklahoma living has plenty of positives to offer. Maybe the Lakers will experience another dysfunctional season that turns off top-level talent. Maybe the Thunder will exceed expectations and emerge as the most likely challenger to the Warriors. None of these seems out of the realm of possibility.”

6. DeMarcus Cousins, C
Current team: New Orleans Pelicans | Age on July 1, 2018: 27 | 2017-18 salary: $18.1 million

Ben Rohrbach: “Once believed destined to waste away on a super-max contract in Sacramento until at least 2024, Cousins lost at least $30 million in future earning potential when the Kings dealt him to the Pelicans immediately after the All-Star Game. In some regard, though, he earned his freedom. As mercurial as he may be, Cousins is still a sublime talent who will turn 27 in August, and he will get a max contract offer next summer — whether it’s five years from New Orleans or four years elsewhere.”

7. Isaiah Thomas, PG
Current team: Boston Celtics | Age on July 1, 2018: 29 | 2017-18 salary: $6.3 million

Dan Devine: “There’s no denying that the 5-foot-9 game-breaker and fourth-quarter killer has earned a mammoth raise over the four-year, $27 million deal he inked with the Phoenix Suns three years ago. But in a league landscape in which the salary cap has flattened out after last summer’s sticker-shock-inducing spike, and in which few teams figure to have massive amounts of money to spend, will Thomas find multiple suitors willing to offer a max deal starting at about $30.6 million for the 2018-19 season?”

8. DeAndre Jordan^, C
Current team: Los Angeles Clippers | Age on July 1, 2018: 29 | 2017-18 salary: $22.6 million

Bushnell: “Jordan is one of the best true centers in the NBA, and one of the best players, period, within a five-foot radius of the rim. He finished the 2016-17 season in the league’s top five in field goal percentage and rebounding percentage, and although he had his least impactful year as a shot blocker since 2009-10, he’s been a regular on blocks leaderboards for years. He was viewed as a top-25 player heading into this past season, and with good reason. But does that mean he’ll be paid like a top-25 player next summer?”

9. Carmelo Anthony^, SF
Current team: New York Knicks | Age on July 1, 2018: 34 | 2017-18 salary: $26.2 million

Freeman: “… the Melo situation could get much more complicated next summer. Anthony can opt in for a 2018-19 salary in excess of $29 million, and it’s possible that he’ll consider that more worthwhile than taking significantly less money to join up with a friend on a contender that looks unlikely to beat the Warriors in a seven-game series.”

10. Joel Embiid*, C
Current team: Philadelphia 76ers | Age on July 1, 2018: 24 | 2017-18 salary: $6.1 million

Rohrbach: “There’s a very real possibility Embiid could be No. 1 on this list by season’s end, if he puts up anything close to a full season of his per-36-minute production from 2016-17 (28.7 points, 11.1 rebounds, three assists and 4.7 combined blocks and steals), and it will take another serious injury to prevent teams from throwing max offers at the Cameroonian. And even then, Philly would probably still match.”

11. Andrew Wiggins*, SF
Current team: Minnesota Timberwolves | Age on July 1, 2018: 23 | 2017-18 salary: $7.5 million

Freeman: “Wiggins has arguably not fulfilled the potential that made him the No. 1 overall pick in 2014, but he could be in for a big season with Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns set to take the bulk of the Wolves’ shots. Less will be asked of Wiggins, and he could thrive because of it. If that scenario comes to pass, then the Wolves could be set to enter a precarious cap situation over the next few years.”

12. Avery Bradley, SG
Current team: Detroit Pistons | Age on July 1, 2018: 27 | 2017-18 salary: $8.8 million

Freeman: “It’s possible Bradley could end up a bargain, as well. There’s no guarantee that a market for a non-star, even one entering his prime, will materialize, and Bradley could find a paucity of teams willing to pay him if he wants upward of $20 million per season. This free agent period has served as a cautionary tale for many players of Bradley’s ilk.”

13. Jabari Parker*, SF
Current team: Milwaukee Bucks | Age on July 1, 2018: 23 | 2017-18 salary: $6.7 million

Freeman: “He could be a candidate for a relatively cheap extension before the start of the season, but if he stays unsigned, Parker’s deal figures to be determined heavily by what he shows in his return from the most recent season-ending injury.”

14. Gary Harris*, SG
Current team: Denver Nuggets | Age on July 1, 2018: 23 | 2017-18 salary: $2.5 million

Freeman: “Harris has a good case to be named as one of the most underrated players in the league. But the Nuggets know his value, and it’s a good bet he’ll get something at or approaching the max.”

15. Brook Lopez, C
Current team: Los Angeles Lakers | Age on July 1, 2018: 30 | 2017-18 salary: $22.6 million

Freeman: “As in the case of the Nets, there’s no guarantee that a great season will keep him in town. In fact, it would be shocking to see a team with its eyes on Paul George and LeBron James bring back Lopez. He’s almost certainly heading elsewhere for 2018-19. The question is who will want a big man who has always been an odd fit for this era.”

16. Clint Capela*, C
Current team: Houston Rockets | Age on July 1, 2018: 24 | 2017-18 salary: $2.3 million

Rohrbach: “Capela remains one of the league’s most underrated bigs, despite starting two-thirds of the season for a team that won 55 games last season. […] His offer sheet in restricted free agency will be an interesting one to follow next summer, when the salary cap levels out and teams don’t have as much money to throw around the market.”

17. Zach LaVine*, SG
Current team: Chicago Bulls | Age on July 1, 2018: 23 | 2017-18 salary: $3.2 million

Freeman: “The good news for LaVine is that the Bulls are in rebuilding mode and can afford to pay him a big salary while their still-undrafted future core develops. His extension could come before the season, and if it doesn’t, he’ll still have a chance to score around 20 points a night and make fantasy owners happy. Sometimes the right situation makes for a better financial future than on-court production.”

18. LaMarcus Aldridge^, PF/C
Current team: San Antonio Spurs | Age on July 1, 2018: 32 | 2017-18 salary: $21.5 million

Rohrbach: “There will be a stigma attached to Aldridge should he fail to rediscover his best self under coach Gregg Popovich, and a salary-dumping trade could further diminish his value, so opting out of the $22.4 million he’s owed in 2018-19 may not be financially viable. If he’s truly unhappy, the money may not matter all that much.”

19. Jusuf Nurkic*, C
Current team: Portland Trail Blazers | Age on July 1, 2018: 23 | 2017-18 salary: $3 million

Rohrbach: “Owed just $3 million this season, Nurkic could play himself into a near-max offer if he matches the 15.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 3.2 combined blocks/steals he averaged over 20 games in Portland in 2017. That presents a problem for a Blazers team that would almost surely be a repeat luxury taxpaying team in 2018-19 and may still not be a legitimate contender.”

20. Rodney Hood*, SG
Current team: Utah Jazz | Age on July 1, 2018: 25 | 2017-18 salary: $2.4 million

Freeman: “Hood’s production dipped amid injury after a breakout sophomore season, but he will now be asked to serve as Utah’s primary perimeter scorer after the departure of Hayward, and has the potential to reestablish himself as a max-deal candidate.”

21. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG
Current team: Los Angeles Lakers | Age on July 1, 2018: 25 | 2017-18 salary: $18 million

Bushnell: “By taking the one season in L.A. over more elsewhere, Caldwell-Pope is betting on himself, and on the possibility of the market being more forgiving a year from now. Neither of those wagers, however, comes without risk and downside.”

22. J.J. Redick, SG
Current team: Philadelphia 76ers | Age on July 1, 2018: 34 | 2017-18 salary: $23 million

Bushnell: “Will he be coveted to the tune of $23 million? No. The Sixers paid him an above-market annual salary to keep the length of the contract to one year. But, provided Redick doesn’t fall off a cliff, he should have multiple suitors again in 2018.”

23. Danny Green^, SF
Current team: San Antonio Spurs | Age on July 1, 2018: 31 | 2017-18 salary: $10 million

Devine: “Green’s play the last two seasons probably hasn’t dissuaded execs from around the league who speculated that his rise to NBA Finals record-setting production came largely thanks to the Spurs’ development structure. Even so, if Green decided to hit the market, his combination of high-volume 3-point accuracy and ability to credibly defend multiple positions would draw suitors.”

24. Dwyane Wade, SG
Current team: Chicago Bulls | Age on July 1, 2018: 36 | 2017-18 salary: $23.8 million

Devine: “Wade’s still got enough caginess and craft to get buckets, plus a famous face. Whether he stays put on the rebuilding Bulls and puts up numbers as Chicago’s offensive engine or takes a buyout, joins a contender and plays a role in a playoff push, the bet here is there’ll be a more-robust-than-you-might-think market for his services — one last big score, perhaps, before starting his walk to Springfield.”

25. Trevor Ariza, SF
Current team: Houston Rockets | Age on July 1, 2018: 33 | 2017-18 salary: $7.4 million

Devine: “Ariza’s efficiency and effectiveness have declined a bit from the form he showed during his final year with the Washington Wizards, but the 13-year vet remains tailor-made for good teams. […] Barring injury or Ariza’s play falling off a cliff, if Daryl Morey decides to look elsewhere next summer, it’d be surprising if another contending team didn’t come calling.”

26. Robert Covington, SF
Current team: Philadelphia 76ers | Age on July 1, 2018: 27 | 2017-18 salary: $1.6 million

Devine: “The offensive numbers aren’t gaudy; he’s shot just 39.3 percent from the floor and 35.4 percent from 3-point land since joining the Sixers. He’s become an excellent defender, though, ranking third among small forwards in Defensive Real Plus-Minus two seasons ago and No. 1 with a bullet last year, while standing as one of just 10 players in the league to log at least 300 steals and 100 blocks over the past three seasons. […] the Sixers’ most likely next step is working out an extension with Covington that keeps him lined up alongside Embiid, Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz and the rest of Philly’s young core for the next several seasons.”

27. Julius Randle*, PF
Current team: Los Angeles Lakers | Age on July 1, 2018: 23 | 2017-18 salary: $4.1 million

Freeman: “If the Lakers don’t nab a big name, it’s easy to see Randle languishing on the market as teams lose cap space and decide not to extend him an offer sheet, just as many restricted free agents have this summer. The Lakers have the leverage in this situation, both in seeking out better options and waiting to see how the market dictates deals. At worst, they let Randle walk. At best, they force him into signing at a decent rate.”

28. Aaron Gordon*, F
Current team: Orlando Magic | Age on July 1, 2018: 22 | 2017-18 salary: $5.5 million

Freeman: “Gordon theoretically remains a big part of the Magic’s future, but the draft acquisition of fellow combo forward Jonathan Isaac means he’ll see new competition for minutes and excitement in the Orlando frontcourt. If he doesn’t progress, he could lose several million per year on his next contract.””

29. Dirk Nowitzki**, PF
Current team: Dallas Mavericks | Age on July 1, 2018: 40 | 2017-18 salary: $5 million

Freeman: “Dirk has taken enough paycuts over the years to suggest he will not leave the Mavericks under any circumstances. He’s on this list only because his contract includes an option that gives him and the team financial flexibility. It would not be a shock if he retires before he becomes a free agent again.”

30. Marcus Smart*, G
Current team: Boston Celtics | Age on July 1, 2018: 24 | 2017-18 salary: $4.5 million

Devine: “If his [shooting] accuracy doesn’t make a leap this season, he could see a cool restricted free agent market that lands his payday in Andre Roberson territory. If the needle ticks north, though, his versatility and the prospect of continued improvement through his prime years could lead a team in need of backcourt help to view him as a building block worth betting on.”

31. Thaddeus Young^, F
Current team: Indiana Pacers | Age on July 1, 2018: 30 | 2017-18 salary: $12.9 million

Devine: “It has always felt like a good, smart team would one day swoop in, scoop Young up on a surprisingly below-market deal, and reap the benefits of unleashing his Store-Brand-Millsap steez. If it’s going to happen, here’s hoping it happens soon.”

32. Norman Powell*, SG
Current team: Toronto Raptors | Age on July 1, 2018: 25 | 2017-18 salary: $1.5 million

Devine: “He made a major impact in Toronto’s first-round playoff win over the Bucks, showcasing a capacity to knock down shots from the perimeter and play up a position in the lineup that should earn him plenty of opportunities to play big minutes this season […] The smart money’s on team president Masai Ujiri trying to lock Powell up before he can hit the restricted free agent market, but a strong season — especially as an outside shooter and a supplementary ball-handler — could make Powell the kind of restricted free agent a team takes a chance on next summer.”

33. Tony Parker, PG
Current team: San Antonio Spurs | Age on July 1, 2018: 36 | 2017-18 salary: $15.5 million

Bushnell: “Parker ruptured his quad tendon late in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Houston Rockets, and will be sidelined for around eight months, likely until January. His post-injury effectiveness will determine whether there’s a market for him next summer.”

34. Jeremy Lin^, PG
Current team: Brooklyn Nets | Age on July 1, 2018: 29 | 2017-18 salary: $12 million

Devine: “After Brooklyn added former No. 2 overall pick D’Angelo Russell just before the 2017 NBA draft, Lin will enter next season in a familiar situation: expected to share touches and opportunities with another lead ball-handler and playmaker. He says he’s excited for the partnership, but if they don’t quite mesh, or if Lin again looks to have more potential to pop as a solo artist than he does in a tandem, he could become an intriguing option for a team looking for a big name at the point who might still have some as-yet-untapped production after several years of sharing and false starts.”

35. Derrick Favors, PF/C
Current team: Utah Jazz | Age on July 1, 2018: 26 | 2017-18 salary: $11.8 million

Rohrbach: “Favors is entering the final year of a $47 million extension he signed in 2013, so don’t be surprised if he’s shopped between now and the trade deadline. He’s still 25 years old for a few more days, and a year removed from averaging 16 and eight for two straight seasons. His market in a trade and/or free agency will demonstrate how much the league still values old-school power forwards.”

36. Greg Monroe, C
Current team: Milwaukee Bucks | Age on July 1, 2018: 28 | 2017-18 salary: $17.9 million

Freeman: “Monroe should fit well on a mid-level salary with a playoff squad without a top-level sixth man on the perimeter. In other words, he’d be good for the Bucks, or a team like them, at a different salary. The only question is if he’s willing to accept such a demotion.”

37. Wilson Chandler^, SF
Current team: Denver Nuggets | Age on July 1, 2018: 31 | 2017-18 salary: $12 million

Devine: “Nine years into his NBA career, Chandler has become a player who doesn’t do any one thing excellently, but who does a few things well at a few different positions. That kind of player can be hard to feature, but can be awfully valuable for contenders … which could lead Chandler to decline his $12.8 million player option next summer and take a shot at finding a multi-year deal on a winner where everyone knows going in what to expect.”

38. Rudy Gay^, SF
Current team: San Antonio Spurs | Age on July 1, 2018: 31 | 2017-18 salary: $8.4 million

Devine: “If Gay’s slow to return to the court this season, or looks like a shell of himself when he does, he’ll have a chance to rebuild his value in 2018-19. If he’s somehow able to come back as a real front-line contributor to a Spurs team with title aspirations, though, Gay can exercise his player option and seek a longer-term deal more commensurate with the credentials of a player who’s averaged 18.4 points per game over 11 NBA seasons.”

39. Enes Kanter^, PF/C
Current team: Oklahoma City Thunder | Age on July 1, 2018: 26 | 2017-18 salary: $17.9 million

Rohrbach: “Even if he’s been a productive sixth man the past couple years, it’s hard to imagine Kanter opting out of his $18.6 million player option in 2018-19. If he does enter free agency, he might be doing Sam Presti a favor.”

40. Wesley Matthews^, SG
Current team: Dallas Mavericks | Age on July 1, 2018: 31 | 2017-18 salary: $17.9 million

Devine: “Barring a sudden return of explosiveness, though, the eight-year vet might not have mass appeal in unrestricted free agency … which might make it more likely that he exercises his $18.6 million player option for 2018-19 and stays with Dallas rather than testing the market.”

41. Lou Williams, G
Current team: Los Angeles Clippers | Age on July 1, 2018: 31 | 2017-18 salary: $7 million

Bushnell: “His lack of size makes him a liability on defense, and he’s never been an overly willing passer, but he has made and will continue to make a living as an instant-offense power-up off the bench. If he doesn’t fall off a cliff during his second Los Angeles stint, this one with the Clippers, Williams could receive the highest annual salary of his career next summer.”

42. Trevor Booker, PF
Current team: Brooklyn Nets | Age on July 1, 2018: 30 | 2017-18 salary: $9.1 million

Freeman: “Booker will enter free agency having made a little more than $34 million over his career, and might be inclined to take the biggest deal possible. But the difference between offers might not be large enough to matter. At some point, role players want to win.”

43. Joe Johnson, SF
Current team: Utah Jazz | Age on July 1, 2018: 37 | 2017-18 salary: $10.5 million

Devine: “Joe Johnson was brought to Utah last summer to chip in a little bit off the bench. Instead, he won two playoff games. Remind me when we get here next summer, after he’s averaged 15 points a game as a starter for a Jazz team that somehow makes the second round, that Joe Jesus should’ve been higher on this list.”

44. Austin Rivers^, PG
Current team: Los Angeles Clippers | Age on July 1, 2018: 25 | 2017-18 salary: $11.8 million

Devine: “Jokes about his favored son status — and reporting about how it might’ve rankled some in the L.A. locker room — aside, the Duke product has earned a spot in the NBA as a reserve scorer who can get to the basket, who’s got a credible enough jumper, and who works hard defensively at either guard position. It’s unlikely he’ll land a starting job next summer, but if he hits the market, he could draw interest from teams looking for instant offense off the bench … including, perhaps, the one his dad runs.”

45. Cory Joseph^, PG
Current team: Indiana Pacers | Age on July 1, 2018: 26 | 2017-18 salary: $7.6 million

Bushnell: “Even if he doesn’t eventually win the [Pacers’ point guard] job outright, Joseph should be given the opportunity to shoulder more of an offensive and leadership burden — and, by extension, an opportunity to make some money when he hits the market next summer, provided he declines his player option.”

46. Nick Young, SG
Current team: Golden State Warriors | Age on July 1, 2018: 33 | 2017-18 salary: $5.2 million

Devine: Young might’ve been able to get more years and more money from a Pelicans team that was interested in him and is desperate for wing help, but the chance to follow in old pal JaVale McGee’s footsteps and make a quick bid for validation was too good to pass up. Swaggy adds another big wing who can shoot and defend a couple of positions to the team that’s made such players a must-have in today’s NBA; if he can prove a consistently steady contributor for another title run, he could put himself in line for a richer multi-year deal elsewhere. (One caveat: this has not necessarily worked out for all recent complementary Warriors.)

47. Patrick McCaw*, SG
Current team: Golden State Warriors | Age on July 1, 2018: 22 | 2017-18 salary: $1.3 million

Rohrbach: The Warriors like their 38th overall pick from 2016, and it’d be hard for anyone to leave a dynasty in the making, but if he turns out to be the impact wing off the bench coach Steve Kerr has built him up to be, his offer sheet would make it difficult for both McCaw and the team to keep their relationship alive. Golden State’s luxury tax bill is climbing to ridiculous levels, so ponying for up for seventh or eighth men seems needlessly excessive, and a rich contract offer elsewhere could prove too much for a recent second-round pick who made just over $500,000 last year to pass up.

48. Seth Curry, G
Current team: Dallas Mavericks | Age on July 1, 2018: 27 | 2017-18 salary: $3.0 million

Devine: “He averaged 12.8 points, 2.7 assists and 2.6 rebounds per game on very strong 48/42.5/85 shooting splits during his first season in Dallas, and was more efficient in a larger role in the starting lineup, too. Now, he’s earned consideration as part of the Mavericks’ core alongside Harrison Barnes, 2017 first-round pick Dennis Smith Jr. and presumably-getting-re-signed-at-some-point center Nerlens Noel. If he produces like that again as a lethal spot-up option and capable backcourt defender, the rebuilding Mavs could face competition for the right to hang on to their own sharpshooting Curry.”

49. Elfrid Payton*, PG
Current team: Orlando Magic | Age on July 1, 2018: 24 | 2017-18 salary: $3.3 million

Rohrbach: The hype around Payton entering the league was such that the Magic were willing to pay a hefty price — the picks that turned into Dario Saric, Willy Hernangomez and De’Aaron Fox to be exact — for the right to select him 10th overall three years ago. His traditional statistics (12.8 points, 6.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game) are fairly impressive, and he’s shown flashes of defensive potential, but he can’t shoot (27.4 percent from 3 in 2016-17) and is all too often careless with the ball. Those are pretty important skills for a point guard, but maybe he can create some more hype with a decent contract season, at least enough to prove he’s a worthy backup point guard on a quality team.

50. Montrezl Harrell*, C
Current team: Los Angeles Clippers | Age on July 1, 2018: 24 | 2017-18 salary: $1.5 million

Rohrbach: “Harrell’s playing time will depend on how much coach Doc Rivers plays [Blake] Griffin as a small-ball center, with Danilo Gallinari and Sam Dekker serving as stretch fours. Should Harrell improve along the same trajectory he’s followed since entering the league as a second-round pick in 2015, he could see enough interest to create a bidding war between teams looking to fill a similar role in 2018.”

BDL’s position-by-position 2018 free agency previews: Point Guards | Wings | Bigs