Sports
Ranking the NBA's Top 30 Free Agents for 2023 – Bleacher Report
The 2023 NBA Playoffs are barely underway, but you can be sure that all 30 teams are already laying the groundwork for this summer.
Team-building feels almost as important as the games these days, and the bulk of that happens in June, July and August.
Of course, the draft and trades are avenues for improving a roster, but free agency might still be the purest form of player movement. As a free agent, a player is free to choose his own future.
And this summer, there are plenty of players who could dramatically alter the NBA landscape by choosing a different future.
Several factors were considered when determining a top 30 from that group, including past production, age and current trends within the league. But this is an exercise that endeavors, at least to some degree, to predict the future, which requires plenty of subjectivity.
So, with all those factors thrown into the ranking concoction, here are the top 30 free agents for 2023.
30. Mason Plumlee, 33, Unrestricted
Raw numbers suggest Mason Plumlee should be higher, but he’ll turn 34 next spring, looks like less of a deterrent on defense and rarely scores outside the restricted area.
Still, any team in need of a backup center who plays hard and can distribute a little bit would benefit from his presence.
29. P.J. Washington, 24, Restricted
Had P.J. Washington entered free agency last summer, he might’ve ranked higher on a list like this, but a terrible season including a significant dip in true shooting percentage and noticeable ones in rebound, assist, steal and block rates may stymie his value a bit.
Still, Washington is a relatively young player who averaged 15.7 points in 2022-23 and has a slightly above-average three-point percentage for his career.
28. Dillon Brooks, 27, Unrestricted
When he’s not poking bears, Dillon Brooks has become a pretty solid (or at least pesky) perimeter defender who can occasionally hit a jumper.
But he can also shoot you out of a game like few others in the league. Among the 75 players who’ve attempted at least as many threes as Brooks over the course of his career, Brooks’ effective field-goal percentage ranks 74th (ahead of only Russell Westbrook).
27. Grant Williams, 24, Restricted
Grant Williams falling out of the Boston Celtics’ playoff rotation probably couldn’t have come at a much worse time, but a 39.7 three-point percentage over the past three seasons is encouraging. That and solid defense will draw him some suitors outside Boston, even if there isn’t much more to his offensive game right now.
26. Jordan Clarkson, 30, Player Option
Jordan Clarkson’s career-high 4.4 assists per game in 2022-23 is encouraging, but he remains a loose cannon—at best—as a three-point shooter. Over the past three seasons, he’s 11th in three-point attempts per game and 221st in three-point percentage.
25. Bruce Brown, 26, Player Option
Bruce Brown may not be able to singlehandedly take over the offense for stretches quite like Clarkson, but he shot better in 2022-23, was a comparable playmaker and was a significantly better defender. The versatility he’s shown in previous stops should also boost his value a bit, too.
24. Bogdan Bogdanović, 30, Player Option
Bogdan Bogdanović is firmly in the “that player’s older than you realize” camp, but 15.1 points, 3.0 assists and a 40.0 three-point percentage over the past three seasons would still have plenty of potential suitors looking his way if he declines his player option. As a secondary creator attacking (or shooting over) rotating defenses, he can be a dangerous offensive weapon.
23. Gary Trent Jr., 24, Player Option
Gary Trent Jr. has quietly been one of the game’s steadier high-volume three-point shooters. He’s averaged at least 2.5 threes with an above-average three-point percentage in each of his past three seasons. He just hasn’t shown the ability (or had the opportunity) to do much beyond that yet.
22. Caris LeVert, 28, Unrestricted
In his first two games of this postseason, Caris LeVert gave us a pretty good encapsulation of the Caris LeVert experience. In Game 1, he had three points and was minus-14 in a four-point loss. In Game 2, he had 24 points and was plus-23 in a 17-point win.
It’s often feast or famine with him, but if you’re signing him to invigorate a second unit, those feasts can be game-changers.
21. Donte DiVincenzo, 26, Player Option
After injuries severely limited his value last summer, Donte DiVincenzo had a strong bounce-back campaign for the Golden State Warriors. He shot 39.7 percent from deep, was fourth among Warriors in box plus/minus and averaged 6.1 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.8 steals per 75 possessions.
He probably won’t give you many huge scoring performances, but there aren’t a lot of guards who check as many boxes.
20. Tre Jones, 23, Unrestricted
It flew under the radar because the San Antonio Spurs were in the bottom three all season, but Tre Jones had a solid campaign as a table-setting 1 who takes care of the ball.
He was 16th in the league in assist percentage and 11th in assist-to-turnover ratio. If a team believes it can help him develop a decent three-point shot (as his brother Tyus did), it could probably justify a pretty solid offer for him.
19. Alec Burks, 31, Team Option
He’s one of the older players on this list and will turn 32 in July, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing for Alec Burks. Over the course of his career, Burks’ shot selection and defensive focus have matured.
Over the past four seasons, Stephen Curry is the only player in the league who matches or exceeds all of Burks’ marks for three-point percentage and threes, free throws and assists per possession.
18. Russell Westbrook, 34, Unrestricted
Having Russell Westbrook in the top 20 runs counter to some of the criteria laid out in the intro (age, trends in the game and recent production), but he showed some important things for each of the league’s Los Angeles teams this season.
With the Lakers, he was willing to play a smaller role, and that sort of evolved into smarter shot selection and a willingness to defer with the Clippers. If those trends continue, Westbrook can be a helpful role player in this next phase of his career.
17. Christian Wood, 27, Unrestricted
Few things in the NBA were quite as confounding as Christian Wood’s role with the Dallas Mavericks in 2022-23. They gave up assets to get him, he was generally productive whenever he played and Jason Kidd stubbornly refused to give him a consistent role.
Now he has a chance to take his outside shooting and shot-blocking elsewhere. His 16.6 points, 1.6 threes and 1.1 blocks in just 25.9 minutes should be intriguing.
16. Kyle Kuzma, 27, Player Option
His scoring efficiency was way below average, but Kyle Kuzma posted career highs in points (21.2), assists (3.7) and threes (2.5) per game in 2022-23.
In a more appropriate role—he often had to operate as a first or second option on the injury-riddled Washington Wizards—he might get a little efficiency boost against lesser defenders.
15. Nikola Vučević, 32, Unrestricted
The Chicago Bulls were significantly worse with Nikola Vučević on the floor this season, but he’s still a solid shooter and passer for his position who may be more effective in a lesser role for a better team.
Surrounded by more shooting (Chicago was 30th in threes per 100 possessions and 16th in three-point percentage), Vučević could be an intriguing distributor from the high or low post.
14. D’Angelo Russell, 27, Unrestricted
His defense and shot selection leave plenty to be desired, but D’Angelo Russell can still swing a game with his playmaking—both for himself and others.
With his patience in the pick-and-roll, Russell has a knack for letting plays develop and finding open teammates at the right moment.
Over his past three seasons, he’s averaged 18.2 points, 6.4 assists and 2.8 threes while shooting 37.2 percent from deep.
13. Austin Reaves, 24, Unrestricted
This isn’t a case of the Los Angeles Lakers’ propaganda machine overhyping an undeserving player. Austin Reaves, who will turn 25 in May, has played his way into legitimate top 10-15 free-agent status.
As part of L.A.’s push for a play-in spot, Reaves averaged 18.0 points, 5.7 assists, 5.7 free throws and 1.6 threes while shooting 44.0 percent from deep in his last 21 games. And in the playoffs, he’s often operated as the fulcrum of the Lakers’ offense, even with LeBron James on the floor.
12. Harrison Barnes, 30, Unrestricted
He doesn’t put up gaudy numbers in any one category, but Harrison Barnes’ size, experience, solid defense and reliable outside shooting make him a plug-and-play option for probably any team in the league.
Barnes, who turns 31 next month, won’t take many shots away from your stars and has tons of experience as a fourth or fifth option who’s happy to just do the little things.
11. Jerami Grant, 29, Unrestricted
Jerami Grant has to be in the conversation for most unsung 20-point-per-game scorer in the NBA over the past three season. Since the start of 2020-21, Grant has averaged 20.7 points and 2.1 threes while shooting 37.2 percent from deep.
He’s also a decent multipositional defender, but his lack of contributions in other categories (like rebounds and assists) can limit his impact a bit.
10. Cameron Johnson, 27, Restricted
Cameron Johnson has shown a little more off-the-dribble pop this season, and his size makes him a decent defensive option against both 3s and 4s.
But his biggest value remains as a catch-and-shoot threat. For his career, he’s hit 39.3 percent of his three-point attempts. This season alone, his catch-and-shoot effective field-goal percentage was 61.9.
9. Josh Hart, 28, Player Option
Josh Hart is one of the NBA’s best utility players, with averages of 7.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.1 steals over the past two seasons.
Despite being a bit smaller than most 3s, the 6’5″ Hart can still defend two or three positions.
For any team that might already have two or three high-volume scorers, Hart could be an ideal addition.
8. Draymond Green, 33, Player Option
If Draymond Green’s suspension following a stomp on Domantas Sabonis contributes to a first-round exit for the Golden State Warriors, noise surrounding his free agency could get awfully loud.
But even as he nears his mid-30s (he’ll be 34 next March) and continues to play with a level of competitiveness that often takes him over the line, Green still has a unique game that could help a number of contenders.
Nikola Jokić, Luka Dončić and Ben Simmons were the only players in the league who matched or exceeded all of Draymond’s per-possession averages for rebounds, assists and steals this season. Add blocks, and Green stands alone.
7. Khris Middleton, 31, Player Option
Injuries limited Khris Middleton to 33 games in 2022-23, and he looked nowhere near his usual self for most of those 33 games.
Still, he averaged a career-high 7.3 assists per 75 possessions this season. And if that level of playmaking remains and his outside shooting returns in 2023-24, he’ll be right back in the mix for an All-Star selection.
6. Jakob Poeltl, 27, Unrestricted
The addition of Jakob Poeltl to the Toronto Raptors at the trade deadline almost immediately made them more competitive, and his easily adaptable game could have a similar impact for plenty of other teams.
Like Barnes and Hart, Poeltl wouldn’t take possessions away from stars. He merely finishes the few opportunities he gets, defends the paint and provides some underrated passing.
Brook Lopez’s willingness and ability to play a smaller role upon his arrival to the Milwaukee Bucks ahead of the 2018-19 season is one of that team’s greatest strengths, but he recently reminded the league he’s still capable of more.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo sitting Game 2 of their first-round series against the Miami Heat with a back injury, Lopez went off for 25 points on 12-of-17 shooting. And he did much of his damage inside, like he did as a paint-dominating center for the Brooklyn Nets 10 years ago.
That level of play from Lopez is a big part of why Milwaukee had a winning record in games Giannis didn’t play and a positive point differential when he was off the floor.
For the entire season, Lopez averaged 21.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per 75 possessions with a 63.9 true shooting percentage—all when Giannis wasn’t in the game.
Throw in the fact that Lopez has hit 1.7 threes per game and shot a respectable 34.9 percent from deep over his past seven seasons, and it’s easy to imagine multiple teams pursuing him if he decides to seriously test free agency.
Fred VanVleet hasn’t had an above-average true shooting percentage since 2017-18, but the Toronto Raptors have consistently been better offensively with him on the floor throughout his career.
The reason, of course, is that engineering an effective attack isn’t solely dependent on a player’s ability to score. VanVleet’s ability to get to the paint and spray out to shooters, coupled with the threat of his own range, still makes him a solid focal point.
Over the past four seasons, VanVleet has averaged 19.3 points and 6.7 assists while shooting 36.7 percent from deep. And in two of those campaigns, he often played alongside Kyle Lowry, showcasing his ability to sometimes operate as more of a 2.
On the other end, VanVleet is certainly undersized, but he’s at least scrappy, as evidenced by his 1.8 steals over the aforementioned four-year sample.
His stint with the Dallas Mavericks probably didn’t end the way anyone wanted it to. And the fact that he’s averaged just over 50 games per year during his career is more than a bit concerning, but Kristaps Porziņģis did more than enough to warrant serious consideration from plenty of suitors should he decline his player option.
This season, Porziņģis shot 38.5 percent from three and averaged career highs in points (23.2) and assists (2.7). The shot-blocking isn’t what it once was, but he’s still a deterrent inside.
Ultimately, it’s that combination of outside shooting and rim protection that makes Porziņģis so intriguing. With him on the floor, a team can deploy a modern, five-out offense that thrives on spacing and threes. Heck, Porziņģis checks that box even better than most guards (he’s 11th in total makes from 28-plus feet from the rim, despite the aforementioned absences).
And you can, at least in theory, play that kind of offense with Porziņģis without sacrificing rim protection.
Now that he’s added a hint of passing ability to the repertoire, his ceiling is even higher.
All it takes is one, and if Kyrie Irving decides to leaves the Dallas Mavericks this summer, you can bet some team will take a chance on him.
Yes, there’s a worrisome history with Kyrie, and he’s now aging out of his prime, but by all accounts, he was a model citizen in Dallas and his game did most of the talking.
Since the trade to the Mavericks, Irving averaged 27.0 points, 6.0 assists and 2.9 threes while shooting 58.5 percent on twos and 39.2 percent on threes.
Over the same span, Dallas was plus-5.8 points per 100 possessions with Kyrie on the floor and minus-8.3 with him off.
With his seemingly endless array of dribble moves and ability to hit tough shots, Irving is one of the game’s premier bail-out options. Additionally, he has a wealth of experience playing alongside other ball-dominant stars, so he’s shown that he can scale up or down as occasion requires.
Yes, there would absolutely be some risk in acquiring him, but as long as he’s active and available, Kyrie would help just about anyone’s offense.
Any team pursuing James Harden this summer (and it looks like at least the Houston Rockets could be in that hunt) won’t be looking for the MVP version of him, but he remains perhaps the best offensive weapon available.
This season, Harden averaged 21.0 points and a league-leading 10.7 assists while shooting 38.5 percent from deep—his best three-point percentage since 2011-12. The Philadelphia 76ers scored 5.3 more points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor.
Even in his mid-30s—he’ll turn 34 in August—no one can match Harden’s combination of strength, vision and feel in the pick-and-roll. Playing as a No. 2 option has seriously limited the number of desperation shots he takes, which was a big part of his improved scoring efficiency this season.
Of course, a new team might expect him to score a bit more than he does as Joel Embiid’s teammate, but it’s safe to say the pass-first portion of Harden’s career has started.
By the looks of things, he has a few years left as a dominant distributor.