Two days into 2017 NBA Free Agency, a few big names have been accounted for.
NBA free agency 2017: Gordon Hayward, Kyle Lowry and the best players left on the market after the midnight rush
Jrue Holiday and Stephen Curry have long-term deals, but there’s still a lot of work to be done elsewhere.
Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
The Timberwolves finally traded Ricky Rubio, moving him to the Jazz then replacing him on the market with Jeff Teague. The Pelicans made Jrue Holiday one of the league’s higher-paid players, inking him to a five-year, $125 million deal. Paul George, who wasn’t a free agent but might as well have been, got traded to the Thunder to join Russell Westbrook; Blake Griffin signed a 5-year max to stay in Los Angeles, and Stephen Curry signed the first-ever supermax deal worth five years, $201 million.
Andre Iguodala got his three-year, $48 million contract, and P.J. Tucker left Toronto to sign in Houston.
A lot of money was thrown around to say the least, and Kevin Durant hasn’t even re-signed with the Warriors yet (he’s expected to, though, so we didn’t include him in this list).
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t other quality players left on the board. In fact, the free agency pool is still ripe with impact players looking to latch on to a team in playoff contention.
Here are a few of those players:
We thought Hayward to the Celtics was a foregone conclusion. The Paul George trade flipped that idea on its head. Now, the All-Star wing has three viable options: head to Boston, go to Miami or stay in Utah. This one could go either way.
Stats: 21.9 PPG, 5.4 RPG, 39.8 percent on threes
Lowry can get a max contract from the Raptors. After both George and Jimmy Butler were traded to the Western Conference, sticking it out in Toronto doesn’t seem like such a bad idea after all.
Stats: 22.4 PPG, 7.0 APG, 4.8 RPG, 41.2 percent on threes
No flash in Hill’s game, but he’s a solid two-way point guard with leadership expertise and a winning acumen. As the big names fall off the board, Hill will continue to garner interest from teams with a need at point guard.
Stats: 16.9 points, 4.2 assists, 40.2 percent on threes
Waiters did what he was supposed to do in Miami, hitting big shot after big shot in one of the best seasons of his career. Now, he finally gets to pocket some cash for the first big contract of his career.
Stats: 15.8 points, 4.3 assists, 39.5 percent on threes
Caldwell-Pope, a restricted free agent, was expected to have offer sheets at 12:01 a.m. from teams hoping Detroit wouldn’t want to match a max contract offer on their young guard. But so far, so quiet on the KCP front.
Stats: 13.8 points, 39.9 percent from the field, 35 on threes
The latest reports on Porter indicate the Wizards intend to match any opposing offers on their restricted free agent. Washington should just go ahead and offer the young sharpshooter a contract extension, but it appears Porter will be in a Wizards jersey for awhile.
Stats: 13.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 51.6 percent from the field, 43.4 percent on threes
Gay turned down $14 million in guaranteed salary from the Kings to leave and test free agency this summer. That says a lot. He reportedly could replace a certain Warriors forward should he bolt town.
Stats: 30 games, 18.7 points, 6.3 rebounds
Millsap is gone from Atlanta. That much is certain. He’s 32, but just came off of a career year. The versatile forward wants to compete and get paid at the same time. Seems like Phoenix could be a good place to retire.
Stats: 18.1 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists
Ibaka was traded to Toronto midseason. The Eastern Conference looks compromised. The smart move could be staying with the Raptors and competing against a sapped East. But Ibaka is unrestricted, and if Lowry bolts, so could he.
Stats: 14.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 39.1 percent on threes
Gallo could be a difference maker wherever he goes. He’s turned into a combo forward while still maintaining his stroke from downtown. Gallinari is coming off back-to-back career years in Denver, but has been healthy only once in the last six seasons.
Stats: 18 points, 5.2 rebounds, 38.9 percent on threes
The Mavericks traded for Noel as their next Tyson Chandler. Now, it’s about paying the young rim protector the money he wants before he can field lucrative offers as a restricted free agent.
Stats: 8.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 1.0 steal
Gasol opted out of a $16 million purse this season to give the Spurs financial flexibility and secure a longer-term contract for himself. The number he agrees to will affect what San Antonio can do in free agency this summer.
Stats: 12.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 53.4 percent on threes
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