The second day of free agency was eventful, resulting in the signings of some of the best free agents that were still available after a hectic first day. Of our top 50 free agents, only 14 still remain available but a handful are expected to remain with their teams. With plenty of franchises still having cap space and a couple of big dominoes left to fall, there could be plenty of action coming in the next couple of days.
The top 15 NBA free agents still available
Free agency has not slowed down, as teams keep snatching up players looking to improve their rosters. Here’s an updated list of the best free agents still available.
So here’s a rundown of the 15 best available free agents, according to Tom Ziller’s rankings.
1. LeBron James (1)
James is waiting for the Cavaliers to re-sign his supporting cast before committing but with Kevin Love and Iman Shumpert already returning and talks with Tristan Thompson and Matthew Dellavedova in advanced stages, James will surely sign with the Cavaliers. Until he signs on the line that is dotted, he will be at the top of the list.
2. Marc Gasol (3)
Gasol and the Grizzlies should agree to an extension any day now. Memphis added Brandan Wright on a great value contract and is ready to remain one of the West's best teams.
3. LaMarcus Aldridge (4)
The Spurs and the Suns remain the front runners to land Aldridge but he took a second meeting with the Lakers and Damian Lillard is trying to convince him to stay in Portland. Aldridge's decision will have an effect on what a lot of teams do with their cap space.
4. DeAndre Jordan (8)
5. Tobias Harris (27)
There's a huge drop off from the first four available free agents to the fifth but it's still surprising Harris remains available. His numbers in Orlando ring hollow to a degree but he averaged 17 points and six rebounds and is only 22 years old. Restricted free agency might be scaring teams away, which means there's a chance the Magic retain him for less than expected.
6. Reggie Jackson (28)
The Pistons are reportedly interested in retaining Jackson, who showed the potential to be a solid starting point guard late last season. Since he's a restricted free agent, they might just wait for the market to set his price instead of offering an extension outright. Either way, it's very hard to imagine a scenario in which he leaves Detroit.
7. Lou Williams (31)
The reigning Sixth Man of the Year has not received heavy interest from any team yet, not even the Raptors squad for which he scored 15 points per game last season. As soon as the big names are off the market, Williams will appear as a solid Plan B for any team looking for some bench scoring.
8. Rodney Stuckey (33)
After a bounce-back season with the Pacers in which he averaged 12 points as a sixth man, plenty of teams are showing interest in Stuckey, who played for the veteran's minimum last season. He reportedly wants to play for a contender, which narrows his options, but should emerge as a desirable alternative once teams start to round out their rosters.
9. Kosta Koufos (38)
Koufos is the odd man out in Memphis now that Brandan Wright is in the fold and as one of the few good big men still available, he could get serious money from one of the teams that fails to land Aldridge or Jordan. He’s a big body who can defend and every team needs one of those.
10. Patrick Beverley (40)
The Rockets are reportedly waiting to see if they can get into the Aldridge sweepstakes, so they are holding off on re-signing their own free agents. Beverley is a restricted free agent but some team might make an offer that is too rich for Houston's blood and steal the feisty point guard.
11. David West (41)
West has made it clear he wants to play for a contender and his list reportedly includes the Spurs, Warriors and Wizards. At 34 years of age, he's still a serviceable player who could help any team he joins but he will likely have to leave a lot of money on the table to land in one of his preferred destinations.
12. Corey Brewer (45)
Just like Beverley, Brewer is hanging in free agency while the Rockets wait for an opening to land Aldridge. Brewer is an unrestricted free agent who could provide wing depth for a contender but will likely remain in Houston, where he has had success after being traded by the Timberwolves.
13. Josh Smith (48)
Yet another Rockets free agent. Smith is getting paid by the Pistons so he could decide to leave money on the table to return to Houston or sign with another contender. With a few teams with cap space and no one to spend it on, however, he could get a big offer from a desperate front office. How long before Vivek Ranadive picks up the phone and calls Smoove?
14. Enes Kanter (50)
Kanter showed how talented he was offensively and how helpless he is on defense in his short stint with the Thunder. He will likely return to Oklahoma City because he's a restricted free agent. The front office is probably waiting to bring his price down.
15. J.R. Smith (51)
Smith opted out of the last year of his contract in the hopes the Cavaliers would bring him back. So far he’s not been one of their top priorities but he’s likely to play in Cleveland again next season. If the Cavaliers don’t hurry, however, he might take his Phunkee Duck and roll to another town to join a franchise looking for a gunner.
Next 10 best available free agents:
16. Jordan Hill (52)
17. Rajon Rondo (53)
18. Manu Ginobili (54)
18. Dorell Wright (56)
19. Matthew Dellavedova (57)
20. Bismack Biyombo (58)
21. Marco Belinelli (59)
22. Leandro Barbosa (62)
23. Wayne Ellington (63)
24. Andre Miller (64)
25. Darrell Arthur (65)
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