The decision has been made, and the dominoes have started to fall in the wake of LeBron James' return to Ohio. Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade are back with Miami, Carmelo Anthony re-upped with the Knicks and now the NBA free agent pool has started to dwindle. With much of the top-flight talent off the board, several teams are now vying for the services of the best available free agents.
Ranking the top 10 NBA free agents remaining
With LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony and Chris Bosh all signed to their respective deals, what value is left for teams to snap up?
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Despite the fervor around James’ signing with Cleveland, there are still several players left without teams who could change the direction of a franchise or alter a playoff race. At least two borderline All-Star candidates remain unsigned, and myriad role players and bench scorers are available for the taking. Let’s take a look at the 10 best 2014 NBA free agents left.
1. Eric Bledsoe
Eric Bledsoe is a restricted free agent, but no one is quite sure just how much the Phoenix Suns want to keep him. A powerful and quick point guard, Bledsoe played in just 43 games last season due to injury. To further complicate things, the Suns reportedly offered him a four-year, $48 million contract extension that he turned down. The former Clippers standout is reportedly seeking a maximum five-year, $80 million deal according to ESPN's Chris Broussard.
2. Greg Monroe
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Yet another restricted free agent, Greg Monroe has been waiting to see what happens with Pistons teammate Josh Smith. Monroe is an offensively talented young big man, but doesn't fit next to Smith and will likely try to bolt if Detroit retains him. Defense is still an issue for Monroe, but at only 24 he has plenty of time to learn.
3. Evan Turner
The former No. 2 overall pick is a bit of a head-scratcher. In Philadelphia, the lefty was arguably one of the Sixers’ better players. After he was traded to Indiana last season, Turner failed to put much on the court to impress opposing GMs. What Turner’s value is at this point is anyone’s guess, but he could end up just as easily with a big deal on a low-tier team as he could on a value contract for a contender willing to take a shot.
Ramon Sessions still being on the board is a bit worrying at this point. A natural scorer, Sessions would be killer off the bench for a contender and at just 28 years old he isn’t statistically in danger of experiencing an age-related decline in performance. Someone should pick him up soon.
5. Jermaine O’Neal
Oakland provided a bit of a revitalization for Jermaine O'Neal last season. The six-time All-Star was the anchor off the bench for the Warriors, and when Andrew Bogut went down with an injury in April it was O'Neal who filled the void. Two weeks later, O'Neal was himself injured and the subsequent lack of defense down low hurt Golden State significantly against the Clippers in the first round.
6. Emeka Okafor
At age 31, Emeka Okafor feels like he has less in the tank than he should, what with being just over a year older than LeBron James. The UConn product missed all of last season with a neck injury, and as the undersized center ages, it's hard to know if his defensive acumen will be up to par as a bench role player. Still, Okafor appeared in 79 games for the Washington Wizards in 2012-13, and if he can be had for the right price he would make an excellent seventh or eighth man when healthy.
You can't undervalue shooting in today's NBA, and Jimmer Fredette proved he still had it after being waived by the Kings last season. Chicago could use him back in red and white, where his ball-handling could be seen as a backup plan to Derrick Rose's injury concerns. Fredette is a career 40 percent shooter from three, and there's no doubt he will find a home somewhere. Update: Fredette is signing with the Pelicans.
8. Mo Williams
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Portland’s sixth man from last season is an enigma in terms of value. After acting as the sparkplug off the bench for the Blazers in 2013-14, Williams opted out of his contract and is reportedly seeking a three-year deal. Although he was an excellent spot-up shooter for Portland, Williams was less than efficient and drew some ire with his poor decision-making. He is reportedly interested in returning home to Dallas, where Williams has a basketball academy. However, nothing has come of it yet.
Choosing to sign Andray Blatche will likely come on the hopes of potential and not much else. Despite his physical gifts, Blatche has been wildly inconsistent and isn’t a guarantee when it comes to any contract. Still, a team in need of a third big will be able to get him for relatively cheap, and surrounded by the right veterans his rebounding ability could come in handy.
10. Jordan Hamilton
An athletic answer to the modern three-point shooter, Jordan Hamilton was useful off the bench in Houston and Denver last season. At age 23, Hamilton is still learning how best to use his talents, and although his shot selection is questionable at times his abilities will likely make him a bargain considering his potential.
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