Who are the top players still available in NBA free agency?
The big prizes are already off the board, but some contributors remain. Let's take a look at my personal rankings of the top 10 free agents still available.
1. Nerlens Noel
Dallas Mavericks
Center
Age: 23
Restricted
Noel remains restricted, and few of the teams with the cap space necessary to make him a competitive offer appear interested in a center. The Hawks signing Dewayne Dedmon cost Noel his best option for an offer sheet.
If Noel can't scare up an offer from another team, the option of taking his $4.2 million qualifying offer would be his only real leverage to strike a deal with the Mavericks that pays him market value. However, Dallas is invested in Noel after acquiring him at last year's trade deadline and may be willing to play ball despite his limited market.
2. Nikola Mirotic
Chicago Bulls
Forward
Age: 26
Restricted
While there's more demand for stretch 4s than centers in free agency, Mirotic is running out of teams with the cap space to make him a substantial offer. After signing Dedmon and Ersan Ilyasova, Atlanta is likely out of the market.
Mirotic could also help the Nets as a stretch-4 option and complement to Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. But after that, the Bulls themselves have the most cap space. So they might be inclined to squeeze Mirotic.
3. Pau Gasol
San Antonio Spurs
Center
Age: 36
Unrestricted
Deep into his 30s, Gasol remains a prolific scorer and rebounder. He averaged 17.5 points and 11.1 rebounds per 36 minutes last season, nearly identical to his production as a part of the 2009-10 champion Lakers (17.8 and 11.0, respectively). Additionally, Gasol has added 3-point range, making an incredible 53.8 percent of his career-high 104 attempts last season. So while Gasol isn't as versatile defensively as he was in his prime, he is still a valuable player.
Gasol reportedly declined his $16.2 million 2017-18 player option with an eye toward signing a longer-term contract. Because the Spurs are staying over the cap, they can offer him up to 120 percent of his 2016-17 salary to return.
4. JaMychal Green
Memphis Grizzlies
Forward
Age: 27
Restricted
Having already spent their midlevel exception, the Grizzlies would have no good way to replace Green were he to leave as a restricted free agent. That makes it overwhelmingly likely Memphis matches almost any offer sheet to Green, cooling his market.
The Orlando Magic have a need for a stretch-4 and could offer a four-year, $40 million deal if they waived Patricio Garino and Marcus Georges-Hunt, whose salaries are non-guaranteed.
5. Mason Plumlee
Denver Nuggets
Center
Age: 27
Restricted
Like Noel, Plumlee was acquired at the trade deadline. However, Plumlee's place on the Nuggets is somewhat less clear almost five months after Denver added Millsap. That limits the minutes Plumlee can play alongside Nuggets starting center Nikola Jokic and also adds significantly to Denver's 2018-19 payroll.
The Nuggets thus have plenty of reason to hold the line in their offers to Plumlee. If he took his $4.6 million qualifying offer, that wouldn't be the worst outcome for Denver in terms of payroll flexibility.
6. Manu Ginobili
San Antonio Spurs
Guard
Age: 39
Unrestricted
A few weeks shy of his 40th birthday, Ginobili is hard to compare to other free agents in terms of long-term value. He's strictly year to year at this point, and also a huge long shot to play for any team besides the Spurs. Still, Ginobili belongs at least this high based on his continued high level of play.
7. Willie Reed
Miami Heat
Center
Age: 27
Unrestricted
A high-percentage finisher (56.8 percent from the field last season) who is active defensively, Reed plays within his role at both ends of the court. He's a plus backup center and good enough to start on a team that is deep elsewhere. Expect Reed's market to be somewhere in the range of the $3.3 million biannual exception or up to the $4.3 million room exception after he played last season for the minimum.
8. David Lee
San Antonio Spurs
Center
Age: 34
Unrestricted
The Spurs got surprisingly capable defense from Lee at both frontcourt spots last season, as well as 59.0 percent 2-point shooting. Having added Joffrey Lauvergne as a backup big man, San Antonio may not have a roster spot for Lee if Ginobili returns and the team hangs on to second-year guard Bryn Forbes. So Lee may be on the move again.
9. Troy Williams
Houston Rockets
Forward
Age: 22
Unrestricted
A 3-and-D starter kit, Williams has the combination of size and athleticism to excel as a wing defender. He also shot 29.0 percent on 62 3-point attempts in the NBA last season, so the "3" part of "3-and-D" remains a work in progress. Williams was outstanding for the Rockets in the NBA summer league, averaging 22.0 points in 26.9 minutes per game, and similarly prolific in the G League last season. Houston can pay Williams only 120 percent of the minimum salary using non-Bird rights, so there's an opportunity for another team to poach him if they're willing to wait out his development as a shooter.
10. Ty Lawson
Sacramento Kings
Guard
Age: 29
Unrestricted
For a team looking for a backup point guard, Lawson is a better option than Derrick Rose. After a forgettable season split between the Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers, Lawson got his career back on solid ground with the Kings last season. While Lawson's 3-point shooting might be gone for good, his accuracy inside the arc bounced back and he scored with average efficiency in addition to running the Sacramento offense.