We’re nearing the four-week mark of the NBA’s new league year, and most of this year’s best free agents have found new teams — or new deals with their old teams. Only four players from our list of the top 50 free agents of 2018 remain unsigned.
Still, a perusal of our list of 2018’s remaining free agents reveals several noteworthy names. Roster spots around the NBA are becoming scarce, but a number of unsigned players could help out contending teams. Some of these players could sign in the coming days or weeks, while others may have to wait for injuries to open up opportunities.
In a series of posts, we’re taking a closer look at some of the most notable free agents still on the board, breaking them down by position. That series started on Thursday with a look at some of the top guards available, and continued today as we turned to the top free agent wings. Now we’re closing things out by examining some of the most intriguing veteran big men on the open market.
Let’s dive in…
Greg Monroe (UFA): As recently as February, Monroe’s value was high enough that the Celtics were willing to pay him $5MM for the final two months of the regular season, plus the playoffs. The veteran center didn’t play as well in Boston as he had in Phoenix, but his 10.2 PPG and 6.3 RPG in just 19.1 minutes per contest were still impressive. Even if he’s not an ideal fit in the modern NBA, Monroe is too talented not to find an NBA deal at some point.- Trevor Booker (UFA): Booker played for three teams in 2017/18, ultimately landing on a playoff club in Indiana. While his minutes were cut back in the postseason, Booker can still be a solid bench piece for a team in need of rebounding and inside toughness. The veteran was said to be drawing interest from several teams early in free agency, but a report linking him to the Cavs is all we’ve heard in the last three weeks.
- David West (UFA): When West re-signed with the Warriors in 2017, reports at the time suggested it would probably be his last NBA contract. West hasn’t made an official retirement announcement this summer, but there has been little indication that he plans to continue his career. He should receive interest if he wants to keep playing.
- Jahlil Okafor (UFA): Okafor’s stock has fallen precipitously since he was drafted third overall in 2015. Still, he’s only 22 years old, and it seems hard to believe NBA teams would give up on him so soon. Four NBA clubs reportedly watched Okafor work out in Las Vegas earlier this month, and he’s also said to have drawn interest from teams in China.
- Tarik Black (UFA): Battling with Nene for backup minutes behind Clint Capela last season, Black didn’t get much of an opportunity to shine. He had a good year with the Lakers in 2016/17 though, and is still just 26 years old.
- Alan Williams (UFA): After missing nearly all of the 2017/18 season with a knee injury, Williams was waived by the Suns several weeks ago. That move was mostly about avoiding his non-guaranteed $5.5MM salary though. At a lower cost, Williams can still be a solid investment — his career numbers on the boards (15.0 rebounds per 36 minutes) suggest he could be one of the NBA’s most effective rebounders if given the chance.
- Willie Reed (UFA): Reports linked Reed to the Thunder, Wizards, and Knicks earlier in free agency, but those teams have since gone in other directions, adding Nerlens Noel, Dwight Howard, and Noah Vonleh, respectively. Reed’s value will be somewhat diminished due to the six-game suspension he faces for a domestic incident.
- Lucas Nogueira (UFA): Nogueira’s playing time was sporadic in 2017/18, but he often provided a much-needed spark of energy of the Raptors’ bench, averaging 3.7 blocks per 36 minutes. He may never develop into a reliable, consistent NBA rotation player, but at age 26, he’s worth a flier.
Some other free agent bigs of note:
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
It’s still shocking a player like Okafor has dropped so much that no team is willing to take a flier on him. Maybe a two way contract.
He’s not eligible for a two way contract due to service time.
I would take 8 of those others first. Okafor– yeah flier class
By far, & not even close Okafor is the best of the bunch, in a team that can see his potential I think he can still be an all-star, though I doubt at this point any team is willing to give him a chance.
Also Monroe is a good player that should be wanted by many teams, his mistake in my opinion was go to Boston, NOLA was a lot better option for him.
But this 2 are the only good ones left in the list the rest nothing but dross.
An All-Star? Have you watched him play since he left Duke?