The issue with the 2022 Free Agency is that we have already had an awful lot of action, given that we have not even reached the ‘free agency’ part of the program yet. Transactions with players go back and forth, however, in the form of deals with players and the extension of contracts, although no one can agree to a deal until 18:00 east on June 30. (Wink, wink.)
Besides, this time we have a little more mystery. There is no guarantee that we will know the destination of any significant free agent at 6:01 p.m., as we did a year ago. On the one hand, some parties have been punished at least a little by the leap of the league in the second round by the Chicago Bulls and Miami Heat after the defeat in 2021. More importantly, however, some of these situations may simply need more time to to play.
Most of all: the future of Deandre Ayton. The most limited free agent in this year’s class has no obvious suitors with a maximum contract at the moment, as teams such as the Detroit Pistons and San Antonio Spurs are now seeking to become a depot for unwanted contracts of others in the last two days. These were to be the two main stalking horses to encourage other teams to pay to re-sign their own players. Take them out and there is a precious little place on the market to chase free agents over the $ 10 million a year mark. Without such a list of offers, Ayton’s employers in Phoenix also have no compelling reasons to sign a contract to reduce the budget. The Suns would be on the brink of a luxury tax, if not above, with another maximum or near-maximum deal in their books.
With so little market space, where could a competitive bid for it come from? Could the Indiana Pacers-but-maybe-not-repair-breakers break into Ayton with their not-quite-maximum room, or in exchange for Miles Turner? How about the Orlando Magic, who have money and motivation, but seem to need more perimeter help than any other big one? Can the Memphis Grizzlies come into the game with their excessive assets and $ 22 million in space? (The Grizzlies front office, already housed in its familiar bunker in the Utah Summer League, is not leaning its hand on the myriad options the team faces this summer.)
Ayton’s people will beat the bushes for sign and trade, but is there one that really works? Will Ayton sign the $ 16.4 million qualifying offer and try again next summer? This is a strange state of affairs. No one really thinks Ayton will return to Phoenix … but it’s becoming increasingly difficult to build scenarios in which he finds himself elsewhere. You have to give something, you will think, but it has not happened yet.
As for the other prime minister with a limited free agent in this class, Miles Bridges, he was arrested the day before the free agency began. It is not clear how this will affect the interest of other teams. The Hornets offered him a $ 7.9 million qualifying offer to return to Charlotte.
Meanwhile, some side teams are still trying to get involved in the game. Minnesota Timberwolves continue to work on the corners of deals with D’Angelo Russell. The Sacramento Kings could have $ 20 million in a room if they find a home for Richon Holmes. The Oklahoma City Thunder has 24 hours to use $ 23 million in a shutter room. Philly’s Matisse Thybulle is widely known to be available for the right asset; you can have Furkan Korkmaz just by asking nice. And, of course, there’s Kyrie Irving of Brooklyn. He almost broke the Internet before choosing his contract for 2022-23 for 36.5 million dollars, but this does not mean that the situation there has disappeared. Just because the monster is submerged under Loch Ness right now doesn’t mean it won’t surface again later this summer.
In contrast, several other free agent destinations are already well known. Bradley Beale, Zack Lavigne, James Harden, Mitchell Robinson, Youssef Nurkic and Nicholas Batum are almost certain that they will sign again with their respective teams. Jaylan Brunson, not so much. Donte Di Vincenzo did not receive a qualifying offer, although Sacramento traded the draft for him in the trading deadline, perhaps as part of the Kings’ game, which depends on them making another deal first. (Or not … but that’s the best reason I have.)
There is activity further down the market food chain. John Wall has been redeemed and looks likely to become a Clipper with the exception of the average taxpayer, which in turn probably means that Isaiah Hartenstein will receive his salary elsewhere. The Clippers will bring back Batum and Amir Kofi, but they, like Heath, will not allow the situation with limited borders and few draft assets to prevent them from circling the waters for another prey.
The abandonment of Harden in Philadelphia and the subsequent re-signing for a lower value, as reported by The Athletic, is also important in this part of the market. This probably opens the door for the Sixers to sign PJ Tucker with their mid-level non-taxpayer exception, even if rumors of a three-year deal for the 37-year-old seem tempting. (I say this as someone who once signed a 37-year-old for a three-year deal for a full MLE.) This also opens up a two-year exception for Sixers and maybe some signing deals and deals.
So with all that said, who is actually available to sign right now?
I’m glad you asked. I have already listed my top 25 BORD $ free agents in front of the free agency, as well as the BORD $ values for each possible free agent per point guard, shooter, small striker, powerful striker and center. These links also contain some descriptions of how player ratings have emerged and where the market may differ for certain players.
This list has changed slightly as a result of decisions over the last few days. Heading to the starting minute of the free agency, here’s what the “BORD $ board” of the top 25 free agents (and BORD $ predictions) looks like after some options and extensions. We will monitor this as the free agency continues:
- James Harden, SG, Philadelphia: $ 46,617,283 (previous: 2)
- Bradley Biel, SG, Washington: $ 38,520,130 (3)
- Zach LaVine, SG, Chicago: $ 31,716,188 (4)
- Deandre Ayton, C, Phoenix (limited): $ 31,406,061 (5)
- Miles Bridges, PF, Charlotte (limited): $ 30,940,550 (6)
- Jaylen Brunson, PG, Dallas: $ 29,371,294 (7)
- Chris Boucher, C, Toronto: $ 19,782,672 (8)
- Bruce Brown, SF, Brooklyn, $ 19,043,654 (9)
- Kyle Anderson, PF, Memphis, $ 18,990,342 (10)
- Mitchell Robinson, C, New York: $ 18,862,212 (11)
- Youssef Nurkic, C, Portland: $ 17,414,518 (12)
- Otto Porter Jr., SF, Golden State: $ 16,603,510 (13)
- Malik Monk, SG, Lakers: $ 16,511,722 (14)
- Bobby Portis, C, Milwaukee: $ 15,793,989 (15)
- Donte DiVincenzo, SG, Sacramento: $ 15,551,549 (16)
- Montrezl Harrell, C, Charlotte: $ 14,730,416 (17)
- Delon Wright, PG / SG, Atlanta: $ 14,546,800 (18)
- Theis Jones, PG, Memphis: $ 13,791,316 (19)
- Nicholas Batum, SF, Clippers: $ 13,734,340 (20)
- Jae’Sean Tate, PF, Houston (limited): $ 13,343,341 (NR)
- Keven Looney, K, Golden State: $ 12,533,705 (21)
- Cody Martin, SG, Charlotte, (limited): $ 12,366,850 (22)
- Anferni Simons, PG, Portland (limited): $ 11,467,484 (23)
- Colin Sexton, SG, Cleveland (limited): $ 10,816,788 (25)
- Isaiah Hartenstein, LA Clippers: $ 10,549,849 (NR)
(Photo by Deandre Ayton: John Hefty / USA Today)
Add Comment