As the 2020 NBA Bubble season comes to a close, multiple franchises are preparing for the upcoming free agency period. Scheduled unofficially for October 18th, some teams will be in desperate need for additional support in hopes of chasing an NBA Championship.
Here, we tiered off the top 50 NBA free agents for the 2020 offseason:
Players Unofficially On The Market
There are 19 valuable free agents either entering free agency under a restricted contract, or hold a player/team option. Headlining the 2020 free agency class will be Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis. At this time, the latest reports have indicated that Davis will decline his $28.7 million player option for the 2020-21 season; resulting in him becoming an unrestricted free agent. In total, four members of the Lakers hold player options.
There are other names that will catch the eye of many this offseason; most notably San Antonio Spurs’ DeMar DeRozan and New Orleans Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram. For Ingram, a restricted free agent, he is already determined to work out an extension with the team.
- Malik Beasley (G, Minnesota Timberwolves) (Restricted)
- Bogdan Bogdanovic (G, Sacramento Kings (Restricted)
- Brandon Ingram (F, New Orleans Saints) (Restricted)
- Dario Saric (F, Phoenix Suns) (Restricted)
- Avery Bradley (G, Los Angeles Lakers) (Player)
- Anthony Davis (F, Los Angeles Lakers (Player)
- DeMar DeRozan (F, San Antonio Spurs) (Player)
- Andre Drummond (C, Cleveland Cavaliers (Player)
- Evan Fournier (G, Orlando Magic) (Player)
- Tim Hardaway Jr (G, Dallas Mavericks) (Player)
- Gordon Hayward (F, Boston Celtics (Player)
- JaVale McGee (C, Los Angeles Lakers) (Player)
- Jabari Parker (F, Sacramento Kings) (Player)
- Otto Porter Jr (F, Chicago Bulls) (Player)
- Austin Rivers (G, Houston Rockets) (Player)
- Rajon Rondo (G, Los Angeles Lakers) (Player)
- Bobby Portis (F, New York Knicks (Team)
- Garrett Temple (G, Brooklyn Nets) (Team)
- Mike Conley (G, Utah Jazz) (Early Termination)
Emerging Stars
In this section, we display four players who have emerged as upcoming stars in the NBA. The tier is headlined by Los Angeles Clippers’ Montrezl Harrell, who recently secured the 2019-20 Sixth Man of the Year award. In free agency, the latest rumors value Harrell around $14-18 million per year.
Another name on the rise could be Toronto Raptors’ Fred VanVleet. The guard is reportedly gaining interest from the New York Knicks, who are prepared to offer more than $22 million per year in free agency. He finished last season with a career-high 17.6 points and 6.6 assists per game.
- Davis Bertans (F, Washington Wizards)
- Danilo Gallinari (G/F, Oklahoma City Thunder)
- Montrezl Harrell (F, Los Angeles Clippers)
- Fred VanVleet (G, Toronto Raptors)
Veteran Talent
In the following section, we feature seven veteran NBA talents who could contribute to select franchises. In the right situation, these players could prove to be a difference-maker.
The class will be led by Portland Trail Blazers’ Hassan Whiteside, who finished the 2019-20 season with his sixth consecutive double-double average (15.5 points, 13.5 rebounds per game). While he is seeking a permanent NBA home, his future has yet to be determined.
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (G, Los Angeles Lakers)
- Jordan Clarkson (G, Utah Jazz)
- Joe Harris (G/F, Brooklyn Nets)
- Serge Ibaka (F, Toronto Raptors)
- Marcus Morris (F, Los Angeles Clippers)
- Tristan Thompson (F/C, Cleveland Cavaliers)
- Hassan Whiteside (C, Portland Trail Blazers)
Solid Bench Options
These players will still provide benefits to whichever team they sign onto, but will likely remain on the outside of most starting lineups. There may be exceptions in select circumstances, as these players provide experience. Six of the seven players featured naturally play at the forward or center position.
The lone guard, Philadelphia 76ers’ Alec Burks, is coming off a season in which he shot a career-high 46.1% from the field in 18 games played. While the sample size is small, he could provide a boost from a contender’s bench.
- Alec Burks (G, Philadelphia 76ers)
- Jae Crowder (F, Miami Heat)
- Derrick Favors (C, New Orleans Pelicans)
- Jerami Grant (F, Denver Nuggets)
- Enes Kanter (C, Boston Celtics)
- Nerlens Noel (C, Oklahoma City Thunder)
- Mason Plumlee (C, Denver Nuggets)
Unknown Potential
These two players have a bright future within the NBA, but their minimal experience deems it too early to tell. The average age between them is around 23, and they could both spark for a team seeking long-term success.
For Detroit Pistons’ Christian Woods, his 13.1 points per contest and 56.7% from the field could prove to be useful for a franchise seeking a bargain contract this offseason.
- Derrick Jones Jr (F, Miami Heat)
- Christian Wood (F, Detroit Pistons)
Aging NBA Talents
Finally, there may be teams that are seeking out veteran leadership. While some of the listed names, such as Milwaukee Bucks’ Kyle Korver, will contemplate retirement, others are in the midst of a resurgence in their respective careers.
Los Angeles Lakers’ Dwight Howard has proven to be a presence off the bench, but could easily be viewed as a starting center for select franchises. His 7.5 points and 7.3 rebounds per game this season comes from just 18 minutes per contest.
- Carmelo Anthony (F, Portland Trail Blazers)
- DJ Augustin (G, Orlando Magic)
- Aron Baynes (C, Phoenix Suns)
- Goran Dragic (G, Miami Heat)
- Marc Gasol (C, Toronto Raptors)
- Justin Holiday (G, Indiana Pacers)
- Dwight Howard (C, Los Angeles Lakers)
- Kyle Korver (G, Milwaukee Bucks)
- Paul Millsap (F, Denver Nuggets)
- Jeff Teague (G, Atlanta Hawks)
