On the Outside Looking In: A Glance At RFA
Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2017 12:59 pm
Entering the restricted free agency period, there are a lot of key players who could be on the move this off-season; some of them role players, others budding superstars in the making. In this article, we're going to visit the top 10 RFA players on the market and speculate on what the hell is going to happen to them and their respective team(s).
__________________________________________
01. Anthony Davis, Detroit Pistons
Ah, one of PBSL's finest superstars-in-the-making. Anthony Davis is coming off yet another brilliant season, improving from last season to average 39.3 points, 11.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.6 blocks in 37.6 minutes of play for the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons, however, had a forgettable season last year, and after tallying a record of 32–50, it'll be vital that they maximize the shit out of Anthony Davis' contract. Anthony Davis is expected to cost them a lot of money—and rightfully so—but he's a generational talent, and if they wish to succeed in any capacity heading forward, he'll need to be on board. Expect the Pistons to match any offer that's made for the big man.
02. Damian Lillard, New Orleans Pelicans
Although the league continues to be dominated by versatile forwards such as Kevin Durant and Kevin Love, high-scoring guards such as Damian Lillard are leading the way into the future. New Orleans experienced a great deal of success last season, thanks in part to Lillard's contributions as a combo-guard. And for that reason alone, New Orleans should be looking to keep Lillard around for as long as humanly possible — especially when you consider their lack of depth at both guard positions. But what will it cost them? Many teams should be in the hunt to add Lillard to their roster, so expect New Orleans' manager Nick Malone to pay more than expected (see: "Yankee bucks") to keep him on board.
03. Draymond Green, Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks remain one of the best teams in PBSL, and rightfully so — all it takes is one glance at their roster and last year's standings to understand why. Draymond Green has been one of the team's better roleplayers this season, improving to 9.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.8 assists over the course of 29 minutes of play. Although he's a valuable player to the franchise with high potential, the Hawks may actually allow him to walk this season given their current spending rate and what sort of offers Draymond is expected to receive. The Hawks would love to bring him back, but only if it's on their terms—and perhaps more importantly—for the right price.
04. Andre Drummond, Denver Nuggets
Talented big men are a commodity in today's PBSL, which makes it no wonder why Andre Drummond is an important asset for the Denver Nuggets, one of the most talented teams in the west. Last season, Drummond averaged 5.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.8 blocks per 32.8 minutes — some pretty impressive numbers for a big man who's only 22 years old. He may not be an offensive force on the Nuggets, but with players such as Jrue Holiday and Klay Thompson on the team, Drummond easily earns his worth as a defensive juggernaut. Denver should be looking to keep Andre around; but if a team makes an offer too steep, I wouldn't be surprised if Denver declines to match and pursues an alternative option.
05. Khris Middleton, Atlanta Hawks
Khris Middleton is one of the more interesting players on this list, mostly because I just smoked a bunch of weed and his case for RFA is particularly intriguing given the circumstances. On one hand, he's a valuable asset to have: He's a great all-around player who's a capable scorer; but on the other hand it's going to cost Atlanta if they wish to keep him around. Ultimately, Atlanta will likely match any offers for Middleton unless they're too step. If a team is willing to offer Middleton an extremely generous offer, I wouldn't be surprised if the Hawks decided to decline to match and looked elsewhere for a more affordable alternative. Ultimately, it may come down to what happens to Draymond Green, the other Hawks RFA, that decides Middleton's fate (or vice versa).
06. Kent Bazemore, New York Knicks
Kent Bazemore may not be as good as Klay Thompson at the moment, but he has the potential to be something very special in this league. He's not expected to become an elite player by any means, but that doesn't mean he can't be a quality shooting guard. If the Knicks wish to improve from last season, it'll be vital that they match any offers for Bazemore, who'll likely be the recipient of many.
07. Bradley Beal, Dallas Mavericks
Despite having a forgettable season, the Dallas Mavericks were able to acquire Bradley Beal in a trade which took many by surprise. Beal is one of the better scoring prospects in the league, and is known for his downtown shooting abilities as well as his [gradually] improving jumpshot. Still just 22 years old, he's continued to improve with each season thus far, and many believe that the sky may be the limit for him. There's a reason why the Dallas Mavericks went out and acquired Bradley Beal, so expect them to match any offers they may receive for him. He's clearly in their long-term plan, so I don't see him leaving anytime soon.
08. John Henson, New York Knicks
If the Knicks wish to win their division again, you would think that keeping John Henson around would be a smart idea, right? If they're smart, the Knicks will consider all their options before making any drastic decisions. There are a myriad of other players out there who currently entice New York's front office, and since Henson is bound to receive numerous offers this offseason from team's desperately needing a big, it might make more sense for them to look elsewhere if Henson is going to cost them too much.
09. Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings
As previously reported by HoopsHype, Harrison Barnes remains one of the most overlooked restricted free agents heading into this offseason. Having already established himself as one of the Kings' best team players, he's quickly becoming one of the better two-way prospects in the league — so expect the Kings to keep him around (that is, unless they have something crazy in the works). Since Barnes is a cheaper alternative to some of the other forwards out there, he's bound to receive a myriad of offers this RFA period. Still, expect the Kings to match those offers.
10. Jared Sullinger, Philadelphia 76ers
What exactly is Scott doing with the Philadelphia 76ers? Nobody really seems to know aside from the man himself, who lead his Philadelphia 76ers to a 25–57 record last season with hopes of a brighter tomorrow. If Scott is truly dedicated to his rebuild, he'll try to build around players such as Sullinger, who may not be a superstar, but is definitely a serviceable role player.
11. Patrick Beverley, Chicago Bulls
Make no mistake about it: Patrick Beverley is quickly becoming a primetime point guard. He has all the tools necessary to succeed in this league: He can shoot, he can facilitate the ball, he can defend the perimeter, and he has a pretty nifty haircut. Even though he's 27, he's still the exciting type of player you'd want to build around, so it's important that Beverley remains a Chicago Bull for the next few seasons if they wish to contend sometime soon. Don't expect him to be going anywhere anytime soon.
12. Thomas Robinson, Washington Wizards
Thomas Robinson is an ideal defensive player: he rebounds efficiently, defends the post effectively, and bosses others around in the paint. He may be somewhat one dimensional at the moment, but his defense is so good that the Wizards should be willing to pay him a pretty penny for his services.
