The arms race in the NBA hasn’t been as intense in recent memory until this offseason. With teams looking to form the most stacked lineup in hopes of challenging the Golden State Warriors for the league crown, most of the marquee free agents have found new homes already.
Then again, there are still some very attractive options in the market right now that could very well give any ball club an added punch. And with that, let’s take a look below at the five free agents that are waiting for more offers to come in.
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The Top 5 Available Free Agents in the NBA
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1. PF/C Nerlens Noel
The combination of youth and raw potential should’ve warranted plenty of demand for Nerlens Noel this offseason. So what’s the catch?
Well, Noel’s strengths lie in defense, and teams are now looking for big men who are versatile on both ends of the floor. The Mavericks traded for the sixth-overall pick at the 2013 NBA Draft mainly because of his defensive ability, and it’s highly likely that he’ll stick around in Dallas given his status as an unrestricted free agent.
In the end, Noel’s the biggest loser with his current situation. The Mavs haven’t received any serious offers from other teams looking to sign the former Kentucky standout due to the fact that he’s also quite the injury risk, having just undergone knee surgery at the start of last season and with a torn ACL from back in college already on his record. Nonetheless, Noel’s upside is sky high, granted that he stays healthy and develops a more refined shooting stroke.
2. PF JaMychal Green
In each of his four seasons in the NBA, JaMychal Green has seen a jump in production across the board from one year to the next. The undrafted forward out of Alabama started 75 out of the 77 games he played for Grizzlies last season, and he’s shown great ability to hit three’s for a team lacking in firepower from beyond the arc while boasting some pretty fantastic defense for the grit-and-grind Grizz.
Unfortunately, Memphis already has 16 players under contract this season, which is why Green’s status as a restricted free agent is working against him. He’ll need to break out even better than the previous season to prove his actual worth before he likely re-enters the free-agency market next year, and he’s actually in a good spot to do so now that Zach Randolph is no longer with the team.
3. PF Nikola Mirotic
At just 26 years old, Nikola Mirotic has enough time to improve his game. The European flex forward has been impressive since joining the Bulls in 2013, showing that he has enough range to drain shots from downtown and be servicable on defense just as well. However, his scoring ability is quite the fickle affair. His streaky ways could boost any team’s offense as well as hurt it if his shots don’t fall right out the gates.
Chicago will likely retain Mirotic’s services for another year, and he’ll have a great chance to improve his shooting efficiency considering the Bulls have just shipped their star player in Jimmy Butler to give the rest of their young core ample amounts of playing time.
4. C Mason Plumlee
Denver’s Mason Plumlee probably has the worst situation out of all players on this list. He has to fight for minutes against the likes of Nikola Jokic, Juancho Hernangomez and recently-acquired former All-Star, Paul Millsap, in the Nuggets’ frontcourt.
The Nuggets were so high on the 27-year-old big man that they even traded one of their young centers in Jusuf Nurkic plus a first-round draft pick for Plumlee last season. And yet, the team is now hesitant to lock up the former Blue Devil to a long-term deal. Quite a pity too since he has a ton of room to develop.
Given the chance to play for a system that he can fit right into, Plumlee can provide solid rim protection and put-back baskets consistently. His overall defense and rebounding awareness may need some more work, though.
5. SG Ian Clark
Bucking the trend of restricted free agents and frontcourt players on our list is Ian Clark, who’d shown flashes of brilliance as a part of the championship-winning Warriors squad.
As a pivotal member of the team, Clark just didn’t make the cut in Golden State’s roster this upcoming season since he’s already past the minimum salary range, and god knows the Warriors are already well over the tax line for the nect few years with the millions committed to their main core of superstars. Having said that, the Tennessee native can serve as a terrific option off the bench for any team in need of instant offense.
Unfortunately and as we’ve mentioned in the intro, almost every NBA team is looking to go top-heavy to compete against the Dubs themselves, leaving lesser demand for role players like Clark. On the bright side, the 26-year-old guard has drawn interest from the likes of the Lakers, Bucks and Wolves of late. He may have to temper his asking price, though, as to not remain in free agency limbo much longer.
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