Decision day arrived for DeAndre Jordan, and he chose the Dallas Mavericks. That left the rest of the NBA waiting on LaMarcus Aldridge to make up his mind.
George Karl, Vlade Divac and Vivek Ranadive also made a decision to roll the dice on a one-year deal with Rajon Rondo.
Nobody’s star has fallen quite as far as Rondo’s. Just six months ago, he was the prized acquisition of the Dallas Mavericks. Then, before the Mavs were even finished being eliminated from the playoffs, he was basically kicked off the team.
A player who once could have commanded a five-year max deal is now just looking to rebuild his standing, with the aim of hitting the market a year from now with his reputation restored.
As for Aldridge, there is no shortage of choices. When he makes his decision, the domino effect will go into full force.
With Aldridge, the Spurs, Blazers and Suns were said to be the top three candidates, although the Lakers were granted a second meeting Thursday to make up for the underwhelming presentation they made with Kobe Bryant in the room during the first hours of free agency. Phoenix cleared cap space by offloading the contracts of Marcus Morris, Danny Granger and Reggie Bullock, but they would still need to clear more space — probably by dealing P.J. Tucker and Markieff Morris — to gain enough cap room to sign both Aldridge and Tyson Chandler, the latter of whom has already agreed to terms.
Meanwhile, Tobias Harris is reportedly $64 million richer after agreeing to a four-year deal with the Orlando Magic. No team tendered an offer sheet to Harris, which would have its business put on hold for 72 hours.
That 72-hour window could also impact the future of Tristan Thompson, whose talks with the Cavs have broken off after earlier reports said he and the team had agreed on a five-year, $80 million deal. Cleveland has the right to match any offer, and most around the league feel the fact that Thompson is represented by Rich Paul, who also represents LeBron James, makes it a virtual certainty that the Cavs would match.
More than $1.3 billion in contracts have been given out over the first two days of free agency, an unprecedented spending spree that has accompanied a dynamic change in the free agency timetable. Never in past years have so many players agreed to terms so quickly after the start of free agency on July 1.
But there are still a number of good players out there, and there is plenty of money remaining to be spent. That should make for a busy holiday weekend — provided that Aldridge makes up his minds and starts the dominoes toppling.
Onto the rankings, with the latest news highlighted in boldface.
1. LaMarcus Aldridge, F, Portland (Unrestricted): Less than a year ago, Aldridge said he wanted to be “the best Blazer ever,” which could only be done by staying in the Pacific Northwest. But he also turned down a three-year, $55 million extension. Most assumed that was because he wanted the more lucrative five-year deal this summer — and Aldridge said as much. This will be Aldridge’s third contract and likely his last chance to truly explore free agency. The allure of playing for Dallas or San Antonio in his home state is strong. The Lakers will be in the mix. And the Blazers’ first-round exit from the playoffs doesn’t help. League executives consider him more likely to leave than to stay. He has emerged as the cream of the crop. JULY 1 UPDATE: Meeting with Lakers went “really well,” ESPN.com reported, which was contradicted by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo, who tweeted: “Lakers didn’t make strong impression. Spurs can close on him.” San Antonio’s trade of Tiago Splitter to Atlanta cleared the necessary cap space for Aldridge. The Suns brought Tyson Chandler to their pitch meeting after he signed with Phoenix for four years and $52 million. Woj said not to count out a return to Portland. Houston said to be prepared to offload contracts to Philadelphia to clear the necessary room. Phil Jackson of the Knicks will make his pitch Thursday. JULY 2 UPDATE: Check out this quote from assistant coach Kim Hughes of Portland: “Well, people don’t realize we just went young,” Hughes told WTHI of Terre Haute, Indiana. “We didn’t publicize it, but we lost LaMarcus Aldridge. It hasn’t been declared yet, but I’m sure he won’t come back. We will go young.” UPDATE II: The saga continues. A day after San Antonio cleared space by trading Splitter to Atlanta, Phoenix cleared out cap room by trading Marcus Morris, Reggie Bullock and Danny Granger to Detroit for a 2nd round pick in 2020, according to Yahoo. But that may not be enough for the Suns to take on Aldridge, the recently signed Tyson Chandler and Brandon Knight. Aldridge will also sit in on a second meeting with the Lakers, per Yahoo, while he’ll also meet with Miami, says Marc Stein. JULY 3 UPDATE: A planned meeting between Aldridge and Damian Lillard instead turned into a phone call, Basketball Insiders reported. Yahoo said no decision was imminent. Spurs seeking another meeting, the Oregonian reported. Gregg Popovich made a strong pitch, ESPN reported.
2. Marc Gasol, C, Memphis (Unrestricted): This isn’t his first free agent rodeo. Remember, the Rockets signed him to a four-year, $55 million offer sheet in the post-lockout frenzy of 2011, which the Grizzlies matched. But this is his last shot at a monster contract, and no team can offer Gasol what the Grizzlies can. Sorry, Knicks fans, but sources tell me the difference between what Gasol can make by staying in Tennessee, compared to what he would lose in New York through higher income taxes and lower annual raises, takes them out of the equation. There is also the overlooked factor that Gasol has lived in Memphis since high school, when his brother was the Grizzlies’ alpha dog. So he’s probably not going anywhere, although the Spurs likely will kick the tires. The Lakers are not an option, the LA Times reports. JULY 1 UPDATE: Nobody expects him to leave Memphis. JULY 2 UPDATE: Spanish media outlets report he will get a five-year deal for $108 million, with incentives that can push the total higher.
3. Kevin Love, F, Cleveland (Unrestricted): The biggest mystery guy on this list. He has become a third wheel with the Cavaliers, and his first career playoff trip ended with a serious shoulder injury that likely will keep him out of action until training camp. He has opted out of his contract, so now what? You could argue this one of several ways. Does a return to Southern California where he played college ball seem more appealing? How about Boston, where he can accelerate the rebuilding plan? Or what about Portland, in his home state of Oregon? In the end, maybe the Cavs would have been better off keeping Andrew Wiggins. One idea being floated is Love signing a two-year deal with Cleveland with an opt-out, then hitting free agency again next summer when the cap jumps. He was due to make $16.7 million, but now can get a salary of $18.9 million for next season. JULY 1 UPDATE: The deal is done. He is staying in Cleveland. Five years at max money, with an out after Year 4.
4. DeAndre Jordan, C, LA Clippers (Unrestricted): Max guy. Not many players can get you 20 rebounds on a nightly basis. Remember when Dwight Howard used to do that? A valid argument can be made that Jordan should have been both an All-Star and the Defensive Player of the Year this season. His horrifying free-throw shooting is a minor tradeoff for his paint presence on both ends and the fact that he is the NBA’s current iron man, having not missed a game since the league returned from its last lockout. It is safe to say that Steve Ballmer can afford to keep him on a five-year max deal, and I expect that to come his way. But Jordan is planning visits with the Lakers, Knicks, Mavericks and, of course, the Clippers. Because he is in such high demand from so many teams, he vaults ahead of Kawhi Leonard, who was No. 4 in our previous rankings. JULY 1 UPDATE: Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and coach Doc Rivers met with Jordan in Beverly Hills, presenting a video compilation of highlights from Jordan’s seven seasons with the Clips. Several other teams followed, with the Mavericks said to have made an especially strong pitch over 4 1/2 hours. JULY 2 UPDATE: The Knicks and Clippers met with Jordan on Thursday. JULY 3 UPDATE: Jordan leaning heavily toward joining the Mavs, which is true would make them one of the biggest winners of the week with Jordan and Wes Mathews. UPDATE II: Word arrived mid-afternoon that he chose the Mavs, for $80 million over four years.
5. Kawhi Leonard, F, San Antonio (Restricted): It doesn’t matter whether the Spurs are proactive and don’t allow their future cornerstone to get to the market, or reactive and allow another team the formality of making an offer. Leonard will become the first Spurs player to receive a true max deal – not an eight-figure average, like Tony Parker; not something slightly below the max, like Tim Duncan – since Duncan’s second contract in 2001. Think of all the poorly run teams that have given max deals to undeserving players in that span. The Spurs have not handed out one and have four championships to show for it. And the beauty of Leonard’s deal is that it will be below market value once the new TV money explodes the cap. First, though, the Spurs will figure out if Gasol or Aldridge is obtainable. If so, expect Tiago Splitter to be traded. JULY 1 UPDATE: Max deal will be for five years and $90 million, although exact figures won’t be known until cap is set July 9.
6. Jimmy Butler, G, Chicago (Restricted): No one – not Leonard, not Brook Lopez, not Draymond Green, not Enes Kanter – has been on a more sustained or successful salary drive than Butler, who turned down $40 million over four years in October. Since then, he has become Chicago’s leading scorer, earned his first All-Star appearance and won Most Improved Player. With Derrick Rose returning to form at times in the playoffs, it was easy to forget that Butler and Pau Gasol did the heavy lifting for much of the season. And like the Spurs with Leonard, the Bulls will have one of the game’s top shooting guards locked up for below market value once the TV money kicks in. He reportedly was signed to a max qualifying offer, which means a rival team must sign him to at least a three-year deal. JULY 1 UPDATE: Butler wants an opt out after Year 4 of a five-year, $90 million max deal, RealGM reported. Turning down $40 million clearly turned out to be a wise decision. He is getting five years and $95 million.
7. Greg Monroe, F, Detroit (Unrestricted): Do the Pistons consider him a max player? They didn’t a year ago, which is why Monroe and his agent, David Falk, accepted the qualifying offer and decided to see what comes their way this summer. This is the guy I can see the Knicks making the hardest push for, especially since chose Kristaps Porzingis in the draft. DeAndre Jordan remains an X-factor (would that be a Phil Jackson coup, or what?). But again, the actual dollar difference (when accounting for local taxes) between taking a max deal from a team not in California or New York is beyond substantial. For a long time, Monroe appeared to be the Knicks’ No. 1 target, as colleague Mike Scotto reported a few months ago. The Pistons’ acquisition of Ersan Ilyasova showed that Van Gundy wants to move to a stretch-4. JULY 1 UPDATE: Lakers, Bucks, Knicks and Blazers all met or are scheduled to meet with Monroe in Washington, D.C. Boston wants a meeting, too. The Bucks and Blazers made “significant inroads” in the pursuit of Monroe, Woj reports. JUL:Y 2 UPDATE: Monroe has chosen the Bucks, Yahoo reported. Max deal of $50 million for three years, with the third year a player option.
8. Goran Dragic, G, Miami (Unrestricted): He isn’t going anywhere. His agent, Bill Duffy, made quite the power play in getting him dealt to Miami, which removed the Knicks and Lakers from the equation in terms of potential destinations. He has already opted out of his player option, and we should expect the Heat to make him a max offer, or something close to it, and that will be that. There will be parties in Slovenia and South Beach, and the Heat will have their best point guard since … Tim Hardaway Sr.? The only question is timing, and that will be determined by what happens with Dwayne Wade. Oh, and if Wade leaves? That would be a game-changer that could impact this particular guy. JULY 1 UPDATE: Held late-night phone talks from Slovenia with the Heat, which will resumed during the day and resulted in a five-year, $90 million deal.
9. Brook Lopez, C, Brooklyn (Unrestricted): He will get a max deal because he spent the last two months of the season showing a newfound desire to rebound and defend alongside his polished offensive game. That might have scared off Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov, who no longer has the drunken-sailor approach he brought to the NBA when he arrived a half-decade ago, but the Nets’ trade of Mason Plumlee to Portland on draft night changed the equation. There will always be questions about his long-term health due to his history of foot injuries. JULY 1 UPDATE: Agreed to a three-year, $60 million deal shortly after midnight when free agency opened. Has an opt out after Year 2.
10. Draymond Green, F, Golden State (Restricted): There is no doubt that Green’s salary is going to jump from six figures ($920,000) to eight figures. The Warriors already are in tax territory next season, when Klay Thompson’s extension kicks in. They have indicated that they are willing to take the one-year hit in order to keep Green, whose improved offense and ability to defend multiple positions is invaluable. GM Bob Myers would love to move David Lee and the $15.5 million on the final year of his contract, which is not impossible given that it is an expiring deal (would the Raptors take him?). With no other big names to re-sign, the Warriors can let another team set the market for Green, even if that is a max offer. If that happens, (a) Golden State will become the third team in NBA history with five eight-figure players and (b) Stephen Curry will be their fifth-highest paid player. JULY 1 UPDATE: The Warriors and Green agreed to a five-year, $85 million deal. “Proud to say that I’ll be a Warrior for at least the next five years,” Green said in a video posted to Bleacher Report. “It’s been a long journey to get to this point. Always trying to overcome the odds, overcome doubters. “To be in this position, signing back long term with the Warriors is amazing. It’s an organization that I love, it’s great being a part of, best fans in the NBA, first-class organization.”
11. LeBron James, F, Cleveland (Unrestricted): Relax, Cavs fans. He isn’t going anywhere, which is why he is randomly slotted here. The only way James doesn’t finish his career in his home state is if there is some sort of irreparable disconnect between him and owner Dan Gilbert that drives The King away. And if James went elsewhere, he would need a security force that would make President Obama blush. Depending on how you look at it, he could be first on this list or not even on it because his free agency is a formality to earn him an extra half-million dollars next season – and keep pressure on management to improve the roster. So we arbitrarily placed him here. What is interesting is that he reportedly will not recruit Love to stay.
12. Dwyane Wade, G, Miami (Unrestricted): He is an institution in Miami rivaling Dan Marino and Joe’s Stone Crabs, so there is zero chance, IMHO, of Wade ending up anywhere else for reasons I addressed above. There were reports in mid-June that the Heat wanted him to sign for $10 million per season, which is a non-starter for Wade after he sacrificed tens of millions of dollars in past seasons to facilitate the building of Pat Riley’s Superteam. It would be a shocker if Riley — one of the most loyal people in the entire NBA — lets him walk. For dreamers in Cleveland, there is no chance he could land with the Cavs because it would trigger a hard cap of $85 million and would prevent them from retaining Love and Tristan Thompson. There is no doubt Wade can still get it done on an All-Star level on the offensive end; he nearly pushed Miami into the playoffs by himself. But the defense has been slipping for some time, and he hasn’t played 70 games since the 2010-11 season. JULY 1 UPDATE: With the Dragic deal out of the way, the Heat turned their focus toward Wade. ESPN said Wade is seeking a three-year deal worth at least $45 million, while other reports said he wants a max deal. He was spotted in the Bahamas with LeBron James, fueling speculation that he wants to reunite with his former teammate. JULY 2 UPDATE: Wade didn’t get a three-year deal but got more money, inking a one-year contract to stay in Miami worth $20 million, according to the Associated Press‘ Tim Reynolds.
13. Paul Millsap, F, Atlanta (Unrestricted): One of the best signings of the last two years, as the Hawks paid less than $10 million annually for a tough, team-oriented player who has back-to-back All-Star appearances and continues to expand his game beyond the arc to remain relevant in a shooter’s league. At 30 years old, he will be looking for a max deal. But because Millsap is finishing up a two-year contract, he is an “Early Bird” free agent and the Hawks can only offer him four years starting at a max of $16.675 million. Other teams can offer four years with a starting salary of $18.6 million. This is an extremely complicated equation, and Millsap’s options are many. If he takes a one-year deal, the Hawks will have full Bird rights on him next summer and could then give him a five-year deal worth $160 million. JULY 1 UPDATE: Has been offered a max deal of $80 million over four years by the Orlando Magic, ESPN.com reported. It will come down to either Atlanta or Orlando, and Millsap is leaning toward Atlanta, a source told SheridanHoops. UPDATE II: He stays in Atlanta, getting $59 million over three years with an opt out after two.
14. Monta Ellis, G, Dallas (Unrestricted): He led Dallas in scoring last season, can give you 20 points in his sleep, has missed just 10 games in six years and still is on the right side of 30, at least until October. Ellis also took a considerable pay cut in his last contract (three years, $25 million) but won’t this time around, which made his decision to opt out of the final year at $8.7 million a certainty. The Mavs plan to move on without him, feeling his proclivity to hoist outside shots and moodiness had a negative impact on both Chandler Parsons and Dirk Nowitzki. Shooting guards are not easy to find, and Ellis should find no shortage of suitors on the open market. JULY 1 UPDATE: Traveling to Indianapolis as his reps discuss a three-year, $32 million deal with the Indiana Pacers, according to Yahoo. Hawks, Nuggets and Kings also interested, CBSSports reported. JULY 2 UPDATE: Ellis agreed to a four-year contract worth $44 million with a player option after the third year, ESPN.com reported. He reportedly turned down a larger offer from Sacramento.
15. Reggie Jackson, G, Detroit (Restricted): It’s hard to envision GM Stan Van Gundy allowing both Monroe and Jackson to get away in free agency. In fact, he recently said that re-signing Jackson is the team’s offseason priority. Keep in mind that Jackson forced his way out of Oklahoma City because he wanted to start and turned down a $48 million extension offer. The guess here is that Van Gundy will allow the market to set Jackson’s value before deciding to match. What he will not do is play hardball as he did with Monroe, because that would make Jackson an unrestricted free agent in 2016, when the bags of TV money show up. Remember that the Pistons still have Brandon Jennings, who is coming off a torn Achilles tendon. JULY 2 UPDATE: Strangely quiet.
16. Enes Kanter, F-C, Oklahoma City (Restricted): Probably the best pickup of the trade deadline, even though his awful defense in the pick-and-roll and at the rim – coupled with Serge Ibaka’s absence – made the Thunder look like an ABA team down the stretch. But Kanter’s offense is a welcome addition for a team that normally uses its centers as screeners and goons, and his effectiveness – if not his production – should be even better when lining up alongside Ibaka and Kevin Durant, whose free agency clock is ticking loudly. Now all GM Sam Presti has to do is convince skinflint owner Clay Bennett to look beneath the sofa cushions for the eight figures annually that it will take to keep Kanter, either with an offer right out of the gate or by matching another team’s pitch. That means luxury tax territory for one season until the cap jumps next summer. How OKC deals with Kanter is a direct referendum on Bennett. JULY 1 UPDATE: Portland may want a meeting, USAToday reported.
17. DeMarre Carroll, F, Atlanta (Unrestricted): Along with Green and Middleton, Carroll figures to receive one of the league’s biggest pay raises this offseason from his $2.44 million salary. Scotto has him in his five free agent sleepers column, but these playoffs showcased Carroll’s skills to a much wider audience. He has become one of the best “3-and-D” guys in the league, and his numbers (career highs of 12.6 points, .487 FGs and .395 threes) were certainly enhanced by playing alongside four All-Stars in a system that took advantage of his willingness to screen and cut rather than just stationing him in a corner. Millsap remains Atlanta’s priority, but with the Hawks under the cap this season and new ownership in place, it’s hard to imagine him heading elsewhere. Then again, strange things happen every summer. JULY 1 UPDATE: Reached agreement on a four-year, $60 million deal with the Toronto Raptors. “We The North” Carroll tweeted.
18. Tobias Harris, F, Orlando (Restricted): Just 22, Harris is going to get max money; you can bet your bottom dollar on that. But here’s two questions: Does he deserve it? Everything he has accomplished has been with awful teams. And will the Magic match? The educated guess here used to be yes, because that is what Rob Hennigan has told Magic season-ticket holders. But the proof will come when the 72-hour matching window begins to tick away, and the Magic have to decide if there may be too much collateral damage from having Harris making significantly more money than teammate Nikola Vucevic, whose $12.8 million salary in 2018-19 may make him the NBA’s most underpaid player. (That title is currently held by MVP Stephen Curry, under contract for $11.4 million next season and $12.1 million the following season.) Keep an eye on New Orleans — and the Knicks if they whiff on getting a big man. JULY 1 UPDATE: Not a peep from Harris’ camp, but a number of teams were operating under the radar with the belief that the Magic will not match a max offer. Harris would prefer not to play for new coach Scott Skiles, whom he previously butted heads with in Milwaukee as a rookie, sources told SheridanHoops. JULY 2 UPDATE: Harris is considering signing a short-term deal that will give him the option to hit the open market next summer, our Mike Scotto reports. JULY 3 UPDATE: Harris and the Magic agreed to terms on a four-year, $64 million contract, RealGM reports.
CONTINUE READING: Nos. 19-35 | Nos 36-50