NBA Free Agents 2016: Rumors and Predictions for Top Remaining Players on Market
You might think the NBA free-agency period is over, but there are noteworthy players still on the market.
Aside from LeBron James, who is still a free agent after opting out of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the pool of available players might not be loaded with All-Stars and game-changing talent. However, there are players who had major roles for contending squads last year and can do the same next season.
Although there aren't many teams with cap space still available at this point, plenty of deals are certain to happen in the coming weeks. Here is a look at the latest buzz surrounding the top names still on the market along with predicted landing spots.
J.R. Smith
While J.R. Smith had made a career out of being a quick scorer off the bench, the Cavaliers were the first team to give him a chance to start full time. The charismatic shooting guard started all 77 games he played last season plus all 21 games in the playoffs.
The reward was a solid year as a shooter on an individual level and, more importantly, an NBA championship.
Now comes the time for the Cavaliers to see how much he is worth, which apparently has been a major disagreement between the two sides. As ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst recently reported, "Smith and the Cavs have been in negotiations but remain apart on terms."
Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders then explained what Smith wants:
Smith made just $5 million this past season and has never made $7 million in a single season, according to Basketball-Reference.com. This makes tripling his salary for what will be his age-31 season a bit of a bold move, even with the current salary-cap figures.
On the other hand, the guard explained that he made a sacrifice by taking less money in the past to win, something he should be rewarded for now.
"If I didn’t sacrifice then, I wouldn’t be a champ now," Smith told ESPN's His & Hers (via Sam Amico of Amico Hoops). "There has to be sacrifices on both sides, and both sides have to come to an understanding where neither of us are taking advantage of the other."
The Cavs are obviously focused heavily on retaining James at whatever cost necessary. Regardless of the timing, keeping the NBA Finals MVP remains priority No. 1 in order to continue being a contender.
With that said, Smith's impact on the squad was undeniable. He made big shots on the court and wasn't quite the locker room distraction many have perceived him to be throughout his career. With Smith a fan favorite who helps the team win, Cleveland should be willing to pay a little extra in order to keep him around.
Predicted destination: Cavaliers
Dion Waiters
Unlike Smith, Dion Waiters wasn't a starter for the majority of the season, coming off the bench in 63 of his 78 regular-season appearances and for every one of the 18 playoff games with the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, he showed he can make positive contributions to a winning team by playing strong defense and making open threes. He also can create his own looks when given an opportunity.
This skill set made it seem as though he would have a chance of remaining with the Thunder, especially after Kevin Durant left town for the Golden State Warriors. That no longer seems likely, per Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical:
"The Oklahoma City Thunder rescinded the qualifying offer to guard Dion Waiters on Monday, making him an unrestricted free agent, league sources told The Vertical. [...]
The Thunder still hold Waiters’ Bird Rights and could re-sign him to a deal, but several teams with salary-cap space – including Brooklyn and Philadelphia – make it unlikely that Waiters returns to the Thunder.
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Wojnarowski added how the change could impact interested parties:
The Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers have been two of the top suitors since the start of free agency, according to ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin. The difference is that it's difficult to negotiate a contract offer when it's likely the former team will just match any deal.
Brooklyn knows this struggle well after missing out on restricted free agents Tyler Johnson and Allen Crabbe already this offseason, per ESPN.com's Mike Mazzeo. Both players signed offer sheets but ended up with their former teams (Johnson with the Miami Heat and Crabbe with the Portland Trail Blazers). The front office would likely have to overpay the next option just to make sure it gets a chance to keep him, but it's much easier to make a deal with an unrestricted free agent.
As for the fit, Waiters could go back to becoming a go-to option on a team that desperately needs scoring. Hopefully, the improved defense and efficiency he learned while playing for the Thunder will then carry over as he becomes a more complete player.
According to The Vertical, the Nets also still have almost $20 million remaining in cap space, an advantage over most of the teams in the NBA at this stage of free agency. This should be more than enough to get a deal done as long as the two sides can agree on the length of a contract.
Predicted destination: Nets
Maurice Harkless
After four years in the NBA, it's hard to project what Moe Harkless will be going forward.
The wing hasn't proved to be much of a scoring threat, but he's 6'9", athletic, can become a decent three-point shooter and is also a strong defender. According to Basketball-Reference.com, he has totaled 5.7 defensive win shares in his career as opposed to just 2.7 on the offensive end.
There are teams intrigued by his upside and his value as a role player off the bench, but the uncertainty is a reason the restricted free agent's future is far from settled.
Jason Quick of CSN Northwest provided the latest on the small forward:
"The waiting game continues for restricted free agent Maurice Harkless and the Trail Blazers, as the two sides are "not any closer" to reaching a deal according to his agent, Happy Walters.
Walters says several teams have shown interest in Harkless, but the small forward wants to re-sign with Portland. However, talks with the Blazers have shown "no movement" in recent days.
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A team like the Nets could be interested in taking a chance on a high-upside player like this, but there are still other options for Harkless if he doesn't get an offer. Kyler explained what would happen without a long-term deal:
It's always a risk for an athlete to play on a one-year deal, especially considering an injury could leave that player with nothing. Then again, an extra season could allow Harkless to improve upon his 6.4 points per game in 2015-16 and show he can be a bigger contributor at this level.
With the salary cap expected to rise once again next summer, the versatile player has a chance to put up strong numbers and really get paid a year from now.
Even with the addition of Evan Turner, there is still plenty of playing time to go around in Portland, and Harkless has a chance to continue to grow his game for one of the better teams in the NBA.
Predicted destination: Trail Blazers
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