Best Landing Spots Right Now for NBA's Top 10 Available Free Agents
Even the top teams in both NBA conferences—currently the Boston Celtics (11-3) and Minnesota Timberwolves (10-3)—are always looking to improve their rosters through the grueling 82-game regular season.
More so, perhaps, it's those struggling to climb the ranks, deal with injuries and plug holes in the rotation that are in greater need.
Some of those problems can only be solved via the trade market, which begins percolating in mid-December. But minor tweaks are readily available via the free-agent market. Not that a Giannis Antetokounmpo or Kevin Durant is hanging out waiting for a job.
But a few can take on regular minutes in an NBA rotation right now, which probably excludes the long list of younger G League prospects—many of whom will get called up later in the year for further development. For now, though, the focus is on players who can provide a stopgap for teams in need.
Who are the top current free agents, and where might they land?
No. 10: Stanley Johnson
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Why He's Still a Free Agent
The Los Angeles Lakers picked up Stanley Johnson's option in June 2022 but later traded him with Talen Horton-Tucker to the Utah Jazz for Patrick Beverley.
The Jazz cut him before the season, and he hooked up with the San Antonio Spurs for 30 games.
The rebuilding Spurs eventually let him go, and the 27-year-old has yet to find a new home.
Best Landing Spot
The Milwaukee Bucks have designs on a championship but gave up a lot defensively in Jrue Holiday to add the scoring prowess of Damian Lillard.
Johnson, who was drafted at No. 8 overall in 2015 by the Detroit Pistons, is a big, strong wing defender.
Where he's struggled is as a shooter, at just 30.5 percent from deep, but he was much improved with the Spurs in a limited sample size (45 percent). But whatever he brings on offense is a bonus. He's a physical player who could help the Bucks while Jae Crowder is sidelined after surgery on an adductor and abdominal tear.
Milwaukee is a taxpayer with 15 players guaranteed, and it might prefer to open a spot via trade. Perhaps rookie AJ Green or Robin Lopez could be expendable (though Brook Lopez may not take too kindly to his twin brother being cut).
No. 9: Justise Winslow
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Why He's Still a Free Agent
Justise Winslow played 29 games for the Portland Trail Blazers last year, but he has struggled to stay healthy.
While it seems like the veteran guard has been around forever, he's still just 27 years old.
He recently signed right before the season with the Toronto Raptors to join their G League affiliate (Raptors 905) to work his way back into playing shape.
Best Landing Spot
The Celtics are among the elite teams in the East, but adding a connective, playmaking defender like Winslow could provide just a bit of what the team lost in Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon over the offseason.
Winslow doesn't need to play significant minutes, but he does fit the team's style. The Celtics even have a roster spot available, though the team is a taxpayer.
The Duke product was the No. 10 pick in 2015 for a reason. Boston is trying to win a title, and a small investment in Winslow (even with tax ramifications) could pay off as the team makes its playoff run.
No. 8: Jaylen Nowell
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Why He's Still a Free Agent
The Minnesota Timberwolves drafted Jaylen Nowell in 2019 (No. 43), but after four seasons, they didn't bring him back.
He went through training camp with the Sacramento Kings and is currently with the Stockton Kings in the G League.
The "why" here may have to do with his dip from 39.4 percent from three-point range in 2021-22 to 28.9 percent through 2022-23.
Best Landing Spot
The Trail Blazers are going through a rebuilding process post-Lillard. Injuries have been a real issue for players such as Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, Robert Williams III and Malcolm Brogdon.
Unfortunately, Ish Wainright is out with a knee injury; perhaps he's the cut to make room for another scoring wing like Nowell.
The Blazers need to find talent, so why not take a real look at Nowell, who averaged almost 11 points per game last season? The minutes are available due to injury, and Portland's season won't be measured by the won-loss record but by player development and talent acquisition.
Nowell, still just 24, may just need the opportunity.
No. 7: Terrence Ross
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Why He's Still a Free Agent
After several years in Orlando with the Magic, Terrence Ross was bought out of his deal and joined the playoff-bound Phoenix Suns.
He played 21 games, averaging 9.0 points a game while shooting 34.7 percent from three-point range, but that plummeted to 3.7 points on 29.6 percent shooting in the postseason.
Ross is yet to catch back on with a team.
Best Landing Spot
With Seth Curry struggling to find his shot this season (26.7 percent), maybe the Dallas Mavericks need to look in a different direction. The Suns had several issues that may have contributed to Ross' struggles last season.
The Mavericks have more of a complete roster and an elite set-up man in Luka Dončić, who can always benefit from additional floor spacing. That may mean the team needs to move on from Markieff Morris, who isn't part of the rotation and isn't fully guaranteed.
Ross is 32 but still capable of filling a low-minute bench role as an extra shooter in Dallas.
No. 6: Will Barton
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Why He's Still a Free Agent
Like Ross, Will Barton left a non-playoff team (Washington Wizards) to help one with designs on a postseason run (Toronto Raptors), but Toronto lost to the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the play-in tournament.
Barton went scoreless in two minutes and has yet to find a new home.
Best Landing Spot
The risk of trading for Bradley Beal was durability, and the veteran guard is dealing with some back issues. Damion Lee is also out for with a knee injury. The Suns need experienced, ready-to-play veterans to complement Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.
The Suns have 15 guaranteed players, but Bol Bol isn't part of the rotation and might be the necessary cut to make room for additional depth.
Barton averaged 14.7 points per game in 2021-22 while shooting 36.5 percent from three-point range.
Getting traded to the struggling Wizards and then picking up with a not-so-good Raptors squad didn't give Barton much opportunity to show what he still could offer an NBA team. And the Suns may need the help in light of their injury situation.
No. 5: JaMychal Green
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Why He's Still a Free Agent
JaMychal Green spent last season with the Warriors, making 57 appearances at 14 minutes a game. He shot well (54 percent from the field, 37.8 percent from deep) for 6.4 points a game.
At 33 years old, his career may be winding down, but he's a flexible big at 6'9" and may still have some minutes left to offer.
Best Landing Spot
Green brings continuity to Golden State. The team always seems to lack size but prefers bigs who can also play on the perimeter. The Alabama product is a natural hybrid big.
Since he wouldn't need to learn the team's system, he can step into the same role (he played 14 minutes a game through 2022-23).
The Warriors also have the roster space, though they've hesitated to use it because of luxury taxes. Given that the team (7-8) is below .500, subtle roster improvement could help.
No. 4: Wenyen Gabriel
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Why He's Still a Free Agent
Wenyen Gabriel played a significant rotational role with the Los Angeles Lakers last season, helping the team get through an injury-plagued run to the playoffs.
The 26-year-old made 10 low-minute postseason appearances, but the Lakers decided to go in a different direction this offseason.
Gabriel went through training camp with the Boston Celtics but is currently in the G League with the Bucks' affiliate (Wisconsin Herd).
Best Landing Spot
The Chicago Bulls are struggling for wins, and while Gabriel may not solve all of their problems, he could bring some front-court connective energy the team may have lost with Derrick Jones Jr. leaving in free agency.
Gabriel has length and always brings tremendous energy to the court. He's not as physically imposing as some of the league's powerful true centers, but he's more mobile.
The Bulls have the roster space and should be able to stay under the luxury-tax threshold while adding a bit of a pick-me-up to their squad.
No. 3: Terence Davis
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Why He's Still a Free Agent
Terence Davis finished about two-and-a-half seasons with the Sacramento Kings, shooting 36.6 percent from three-point range last year, but he wasn't retained.
The 26-year-old wing scorer didn't sign with anyone for training camp and remains an unrestricted free agent.
Best Landing Spot
The Miami Heat always seem to find and make the most of fringe talent. Davis was an eager learner with the Kings, but they didn't have the room after acquiring Chris Duarte in trade from the Pacers.
Miami always seems to need scoring, and while Davis isn't known for his defense, coach Erik Spoelstra gets his guys to buy in on both sides of the floor.
The Heat are in the luxury tax, but that issue may need to be solved elsewhere at the trade deadline (perhaps Duncan Robinson, whose value has risen with improved play, which would open up even more minutes for wing scoring in Miami).
No. 2: Danny Green
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Why He's Still a Free Agent
Danny Green wasn't a regular part of the Philadelphia 76ers' rotation, but he was a veteran presence who fit what the team aspires to be this season.
The three-time NBA champion was a casualty of the James Harden trade with the LA Clippers. Philadelphia needed the roster space to make the deal legal.
Best Landing Spot
The issue persists: The 76ers have 15 guaranteed players. The team would need to make room for Green by waiving or trading a low-minute player on the roster.
Having the right voices in the locker room and on the bench is often underrated. While the 36-year-old wouldn't play significant minutes, he's a pioneer of the modern-day 3-and-D archetypes. His knowledge, experience, leadership and whatever he has left for the court would help Philadelphia's title aspirations.
This one may need a little time for the Sixers to sort out its roster, tax and trade targets, but Green may end up back in Philadelphia before long.
No. 1: Taj Gibson
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Why He's Still a Free Agent
The rebuilding Washington Wizards brought Taj Gibson back to camp for his locker room presence and leadership, but the team just ran out of roster space.
He's 38 years old, but with age comes experience.
Best Landing Spot
The Indiana Pacers just cut Daniel Theis loose on a buyout to let him play in Los Angeles with the Clippers. And while Indiana doesn't necessarily have minutes for another big man, that's not why it should bring in Gibson.
Most of the Pacers' big men are younger, such as Obi Toppin, Jalen Smith, Isaiah Jackson and even forward prospect Jarace Walker. The team is also optimistic that it will be able to compete among the top eight in the Eastern Conference, and Gibson is the right mentor to help this exciting but still inexperienced squad.
Indiana has the roster space and is still below the league's $136 million salary cap. Gibson may be the closest to retirement on the list, but he'd still be a worthy investment for a Pacers team that hopes to be a playoff contender this season.
Honorable Mention
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Once again, leaving out talent in the G League (not currently on two-way contracts), plenty of recent NBA players are available for work (though some listed may be unofficially retired).
The list of ball-handling guards is relatively sparse with veterans such as John Wall, Goran Dragić, Elfrid Payton, George Hill and DJ Augustin. Also, Kevin Porter Jr. is dealing with legal issues that will likely preclude him from joining an NBA team anytime soon.
Wings include Rudy Gay, TJ Warren, Shaq Harrison, Hamidou Diallo, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Jeremy Lamb, David Nwaba, Glenn Robinson III, Rodney McGruder and Vit Krejčí. Big men like Dwight Howard, Blake Griffin, Nerlens Noel, DeMarcus Cousins, Isaiah Roby, Derrick Favors, Gorgui Dieng, Khem Birch, Darius Bazley and Dewayne Dedmon are also available. Kai Jones, recently let go by the Charlotte Hornets, may not be ready to join a team this season.
Again, some may be nearing or retired in all but name (Hill, Griffin, etc.), while plenty of recent NBA players are overseas, such as Kendrick Nunn, Frank Kaminsky and Matthew Dellavedova.
Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.
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