Top NBA free agents (50-41): Will Minnesota retain Derrick Rose?
Welcome to theScore's list of the top 50 NBA free agents for the summer of 2018.
Rankings
50-41 | 40-31 | 30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1
Cap room will be scarce this summer, which means several playoff teams will need to strike gold on some bargain free agents to fill out the rotation.
Most of the unrestricted free agents on this list won't go for more than the bi-annual exception (worth $3.5 million), but they could easily pay dividends in the right situation. Luc Mbah a Moute was a solid 3-and-D player on the Houston Rockets this year, while Anthony Tolliver has always been a serviceable role player capable of helping a contender.
Bigger contracts will be needed to sway some of the restricted free agents listed below, but that's a matter of paying for potential. Mario Hezonja and Dante Exum have lost the luster that buoyed them as draft prospects, but a change of scenery could unlock their talents.
50. SF/PF Jeff Green, 31 - UFA
| PPG | RPG | APG | MPG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10.8 | 3.2 | 1.3 | 23.4 |
Prior to this season, Green was anything but an efficient basketball player, but playing with LeBron James has its perks. He finished the year with a career-high effective field-goal percentage of 52 and averaged 16.7 points and 4.8 boards per 36 minutes. Green still possesses underrated athleticism for someone turning 32 before the start of next season.
49. SF Mario Hezonja, 23 - UFA
| PPG | RPG | APG | MPG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9.6 | 3.7 | 1.4 | 22.1 |
Hezonja finally looked like an NBA player this season, providing Orlando with solid minutes from the wing. He hasn't developed into a consistent shooter yet, but his confidence is increasing after more than doubling his points per game average from last season and shooting four percent better from three. The Magic declined his team option, likely ending his tenure with the team that drafted him.
48. PG Derrick Rose, 29 - UFA
| PPG | RPG | APG | MPG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.4 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 16.8 |
Rose continued his disaster streak after signing with the Cavaliers. He struggled to stay on the floor thanks to more injuries and disappeared in late November to contemplate his career. The good news is, after eventually ending up in Minnesota under Tom Thibodeau's guidance, Rose was more than playable during the Timberwolves' short-lived playoff run, and by no coincidence, Tyus Jones is suddenly on the trade market. It wouldn't be surprising if Rose chooses to play for his former coach once again.
47. PG Dante Exum, 22 - RFA
| PPG | RPG | APG | MPG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.1 | 1.9 | 3.1 | 16.8 |
Exum underwent shoulder surgery in October, forcing him to miss the majority of the season before returning for Utah's late playoff push. The former fifth overall selection's injury history is a definite concern, but his potential is still untapped. It's hard to imagine he receives a contract big enough to scare the Jazz away.
46. SF/PF Anthony Tolliver, 33 - UFA
| PPG | RPG | APG | MPG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8.9 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 22.2 |
Tolliver has bounced around the league throughout his 10 seasons, becoming a serviceable power forward who can drill 3-pointers at a high rate. The 33-year-old shot 43.6 percent from three for the Pistons last year. He will likely continue signing for the minimum and playing an effective role for a club that desires a team-oriented big man.
45. SF/PF Luc Mbah a Moute, 31 - UFA
| PPG | RPG | APG | MPG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.5 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 25.6 |
Mbah a Moute was a crucial part of the Rockets' defense this past season, and at age 31, he's developed into a nice 3-and-D player. Given Houston's possibly grand offseason free-agency designs, it may not be able to afford to keep him.
44. PF Nemanja Bjelica, 30 - RFA
| PPG | RPG | APG | MPG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6.8 | 4.1 | 1.3 | 20.5 |
The 30-year-old Bjelica has developed into a nice rotation stretch big after three seasons in the NBA. He shot a career-high 45 percent from deep in 2017-18 and possesses some playmaking savvy.
43. SG/SF Marco Belinelli, 32 - UFA
| PPG | RPG | APG | MPG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12.1 | 1.9 | 1.9 | 24.3 |
Beli turns 33 in March, but the 11-year veteran is still a sharpshooting maestro. Three-point shooting is always in demand, and therefore, so is Belinelli.
42. PF/C Montrezl Harrell, 24 - RFA
| PPG | RPG | APG | MPG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 17.0 |
Harrell is exactly the sort of player who could see an offer sheet from somewhere. The 24-year-old just finished a breakout season with the Clippers, posting a 24.7 PER off the bench. A ball of energy who can soak up minutes at power forward or center, Harrell has shot 64.2 percent from the field in three NBA seasons.
41. PF/C Ed Davis, 29 - UFA
| PPG | RPG | APG | MPG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.3 | 7.4 | 0.5 | 18.9 |
For eight NBA seasons - the last three with the Portland Trail Blazers - Davis been solid, if unspectacular. He's only started 12 of 205 games in a Blazer uniform but was third on the team in rebounding this past season. Davis recovered nicely from a torn labrum that cost him a big chunk of 2016-17 and he's still on the right side of 30.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)