Top Remaining NBA Free Agents

With all of the top free agents signed onto their new deals and now off the board, there are still some viable options available on the market. Though the talent left on the market is obviously not what it was when free agency started on July 1st, some teams are still looking to add some veteran leadership or some young talent with upside.

Here is an updated list of the best remaining NBA free agents:

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who was a restricted free agent when free agency started, now sits atop of the board as an unrestricted free agent since the Pistons renounced his rights after trading for Avery Bradley. The Pistons, who were expected to match any offer sheet that Caldwell-Pope signed, now seem to be heading in a different direction with their latest acquisition of Bradley, who will take Caldwell-Pope’s spot at shooting guard.

Caldwell-Pope, who is just 24 years-old, definitely draws a ton of interest across the league as the Lakers are now reportedly in pursuit of the former lottery pick. Caldwell-Pope is an excellent shooter with a soft touch and is coming off his best season shooting the three (35 percent). Caldwell-Pope has a lot to offer to a team and is someone who has been able to stay relatively healthy, only missing a handful of games. One would have to think that Caldwell-Pope will find a home sooner than later.

Nerlens Noel*

Nerlens Noel, who was finally able to see some minutes on the court last season once he was traded to Dallas, definitely fits the young player with plenty of upside description. Noel, who has really yet to see some consistent playing time in his four-year career, has shown flashes of what he potentially can be. Noel, a 23-year-old, 6-foot-11 power forward/center has stayed pretty quiet since free agency started.

The Atlanta Hawks are reportedly the latest team to show interest in Noel but those discussions may never actually start because it has been widely reported that Dallas intends to match any offer that comes Noel’s way as he is a restricted free agent.

JaMychal Green*

JaMychal Green’s situation is quite interesting and something to keep an eye out for. With Memphis great Zach Randolph out of the picture now, it was assumed the Grizzlies would have already completed a deal with the 27-year-old power forward by now, but a conflicting report about whether the Grizzlies ever offered JaMychal a contract or not has stirred some confusion. Regardless, Green is an excellent talent left on the market is going to make an offer to 6-foot-9 athletic forward out of Alabam

Jonathon Simmons*

Jonathon Simmons is one of the top two-way players left on the market right now. Standing at 6-foot-6, 195lb, Simmons is a solid on ball defender and showed last season that he has some offense to his game as well. Simmons has been in active talks with the Knicks recently but is a restricted free agent, meaning the Spurs would be able to match any offer that Simmons is given. Although it has been reported the Spurs aren’t going with the ‘we’ll match any offer’ approach, San Antonio will reportedly match reasonable offers.

Simmons showcased his skill set on national TV this past post-season in a series-clinching win at Houston without star forward Kawhi Leonard. Simmons, who started for the injured Kawhi put up 18 points on an efficient 8-12 shooting from the field and looked very comfortable given the circumstances.

Derrick Rose

Rose is obviously not what he once was, but was still able to put together a productive season with the Knicks last year before ultimately falling to injury. Rose averaged 18 points, 4.4 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game with New York last season, showing that he can still play despite all of his past injuries. Teams with a void to fill at point guard are sure to be interested in 28-year-old Rose, especially considering  the Clippers and Mavericks both have held discussions with Rose and his camp.

The Mavericks have recently emerged as serious contenders to sign Rose, according to reports. With Rose being a former MVP and All-Star, he can serve as a veteran mentor for the Mavericks 2017 lottery pick, Dennis Smith Jr., as he makes his transition to the NBA.

Rajon Rondo

Rondo, very similarly to Rose, as he had a solid season with the Bulls last year despite all of the off the court issues and front office troubles the Bulls were having. Rondo, who has an excellent basketball IQ can provide great leadership on the court and open up plenty of scoring opportunities with his court vision. Several teams are reportedly interested in the twelve-year vet out of Kentucky, as it seems to be just a matter of time until Rondo finds a new home after being bought out by the Bulls.

*Denotes Restricted Free Agents