10 Available UFAs Who Played Major Minutes In 2016/17
The majority of the players still available on the unrestricted free agent market are unsigned for a reason. Many of those free agents are coming off down years or didn’t play all that much during the 2016/17 season — they had a negligible or negative impact on their respective teams last year, and aren’t expected to be major difference-makers next year either.
Still, several players still on the market were regular rotation players for their teams last season, and many provided steady and reliable production during those regular minutes. Some of those free agents are coming off lucrative contracts and may have entered July with aspirations of landing a mid-level type deal. At this point in the NBA offseason calendar though, most are unlikely to secure more than minimum salary contracts, which could make them intriguing bargains for teams still looking to fortify their rosters.
Here are the 10 remaining unrestricted free agents who saw the most action during the 2016/17 season, along with their total minutes played and minutes per game:
- Monta Ellis, Pacers: 1,998 (27.0)
- Tony Allen, Grizzlies: 1,914 (27.0)
- Matt Barnes, Kings/Warriors: 1,777 (24.0)
- Deron Williams, Mavericks/Cavaliers: 1,657 (25.9)
- Dante Cunningham, Pelicans: 1,649 (25.0)
- Shabazz Muhammad, Timberwolves: 1,516 (19.4)
- David Lee, Spurs: 1,477 (18.7)
- Jason Terry, Bucks: 1,365 (18.4)
- Randy Foye, Nets: 1,284 (18.6)
- Boris Diaw, Jazz: 1,283 (17.6)
Several players on that list are on the decline — Williams was a weak link in the Cavs’ rotation in the postseason, and guys like Barnes, Lee, Terry, and Diaw probably don’t have much left in the tank. Still, they all have NBA Finals experience, and could still be useful bench pieces for teams that aren’t expecting them to play 25 or 30 minutes per night.
Ellis and Muhammad, meanwhile, have holes in their games that will make teams hesitant to invest too heavily in them, but their scoring ability certainly makes them worth a roll of the dice on a minimum deal. The same can probably be said of Foye, who has struggled with his outside shot in the last couple seasons, but is still a 36.6% career three-point shooter.
Allen and Cunningham are perhaps the most intriguing names here. Allen earned a spot on the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team last season and is still viewed around the league as one of the game’s most tenacious perimeter defenders. That’s a valuable skill set for a contender. As for Cunningham, the 30-year-old has been a steady frontcourt piece for the Pelicans and Timberwolves over the last several seasons, and added a new wrinkle to his game in 2016/17, averaging 1.1 3PG with a .392 3PT%. If he continues to show that ability to stretch the floor, he’d be a fit for most clubs.
In addition to the players noted above, Gerald Henderson (23.2 MPG), Brandon Rush (21.9), and Andrew Bogut (21.6) are among the current unrestricted free agents who earned consistent minutes last season, but missed chunks of the year due to injury. Henderson remains injured and may miss the entire 2017/18 campaign, but Rush and Bogut should be players of interest for clubs still scouring the market.
Extension Candidate: Joel Embiid
During the weeks leading up to TNT awards show in late June, one of the biggest mysteries was whether Sixers big man Joel Embiid would be named Rookie of the Year despite playing in just 31 games. Embiid clearly posted the biggest numbers and displayed more talent than any other first-year player in his limited body of work.
Ultimately, voters decided Embiid didn’t play in enough games and handed the prize to Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon.
The Sixers have an even bigger decision to make — does 31 games in three seasons equate to a max contract extension or something close to it?
That’s the biggest dilemma currently hovering over the team’s management, as it must determine what approach to take with the oft-injured Embiid. Virtually from the instant he finally took the court, Embiid essentially removed all debate over which of the three power forward/centers the Sixers invested high draft picks on in recent seasons — Embiid, Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor — was the best of the trio.
Embiid averaged 20.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 2.5 BPG in those outings, even though the Sixers were being cautious about his minutes. In ESPN’s Player Efficiency Rating, Embiid finished fifth among all centers. Embiid, whose career was stalled two full seasons by right foot ailments, still suffered another significant injury.
He was shut down at the beginning of March with torn meniscus and a bone bruise in his left knee. He underwent arthroscopic surgery later that month and has reached the point in his recovery where he’s doing non-contract drills. He’s expected to be ready for training camp and GM Bryan Colangelo has said that he anticipates Embiid will be able to play back-to-backs this season.
With all the time Embiid has spent in the trainer’s room, it would be reasonable to assume that Sixers management would be reluctant to make a long-term commitment to him. Think again. Josh Harris, the team’s managing owner, told reporters in late June he’s focused on locking up Embiid before the October 31 extension deadline.
“Look, I’d just say we want Joel to be on the team for a long time,” Harris said at the time. “We want us all to grow old together. That’s the way I would put it.”
How much would Harris and the rest of the ownership group have to fork over to max out Embiid? The current projection for a five-year max would be $147.9MM, while a four-year commitment would entail $114.24MM in resources.
If the Sixers could have any reasonable expectation that Embiid will stay in one piece for a majority of the next five or six seasons, the investment would pay off handsomely. With a core trio of point guard and top overall pick Markelle Fultz, point forward and 2016 top pick Ben Simmons and Embiid, Philadelphia projects to be one of the Eastern Conference’s elite teams during that stretch.
It’s hard to think that way with the injury issues that Embiid has endured since the tail end of his brief collegiate career at Kansas. Embiid missed the NCAA Tournament as a freshman with a back injury, then underwent his first foot surgery a week before Philadelphia selected him with the No. 3 overall pick in 2014.
It’s been a long and ongoing process to get Embiid, who will make $6.1MM in the upcoming season, on the court since that point. If the Sixers decide to play it a little more cautiously, they could forego an extension to see how his health holds up and then extend a qualifying offer of $8MM next summer to make him a restricted free agent. Taking that approach would also allow the Sixers to see how Embiid’s talents blend with Fultz and Simmons.
The Sixers would then have the option of matching any offer sheet but would also risk the possibility of Embiid gambling on his future and signing the qualifying offer. That would allow him to be unrestricted the following summer.
A more likely scenario is that the Sixers offer Embiid a max extension, or something very close to it, but insist on contractual protections in case his major injury problems persist. The easiest way to do that would be to purchase disability insurance on Embiid but as ESPN’s Bobby Marks pointed out this spring, the Sixers probably won’t have that option due to his injury history.
Instead, as Marks suggested, Philadelphia could follow the approach the Nets took when they re-signed another injury-riddled center, Brook Lopez. Under the multi-year terms of that deal, Brooklyn’s contractual obligations would have been cut in half during the second year and down to 25% in the third year if Lopez had re-injured his right foot and wound up playing fewer than 60 games and averaging less than 15 minutes. The Sixers and Embiid’s representatives could hash out similar minimums in terms of games and minutes played.
If the Sixers take that route, negotiations on an extension could get very sticky and go down to the wire. Should Embiid agree to such a deal, he’d once again be gambling on his health while allowing the club to hedge its bets. Philadelphia also has to be careful not to risk alienating a player who could be a perennial All-Star for years to come.
That’s what makes Embiid’s potential contract extension one of the league’s most intriguing storylines right through training camp. He is the ultimate high-risk, high-reward Extension Candidate.
Community Shootaround: MVP Favorite
Russell Westbrook is the favorite to repeat as MVP, according to odds released by Bovada, an online gambling site.
Westbrook is listed as +350, which means a bettor who wagers $100 would get back $350 if Westbrook wins the award. Kevin Durant is close behind at +450, followed by Kawhi Leonard at +650. LeBron James at +750 and James Harden at +800 round out the top five.
Westbrook cruised to the trophy last season with a record-setting 42 triple-doubles. His production may fall this year with the addition of Paul George in Oklahoma City, but he could help his case if the Thunder improve on their 47-35 record.
Bovada lays odds on 39 candidates, ranging down to Dirk Nowitzki, Andre Drummond, Dwight Howard, Hassan Whiteside and Jeff Teague, who are all listed at +25,000. Among players who changed teams over the offseason, George and new Rockets point guard Chris Paul are tied for the best odds at +2,500.
Given the changes that have taken place across the league, who is you favorite to take home MVP honors for 2017/18? Please leave your comments below.
NBA Free Agents Who Have Joined Teams Overseas
Approximately 450 players finished the 2016/17 season on NBA rosters, but not all of those 450 players will find a spot on an NBA team in 2017/18. With rookies, undrafted free agents, and international signees poised to occupy at least a few dozen roster spots around the league this season, some NBA players will have to look elsewhere for work.
Some of those players will retire, and others will end up in the G League, while many will head overseas to continue their playing careers in some of the best non-NBA professional leagues around the world. Salaries generally aren’t as lucrative in those leagues, and they don’t provide the opportunity to compete against the world’s very best players.
Still, an NBA role player who decides to head overseas can often match or exceed his potential minimum NBA salary, and will have the chance to take on a much larger role for an international team. That’s why even some players who have had some NBA success and are still in their 20s – such as Brandon Jennings – have opted to make the jump overseas this offseason.
Listed below are the players who finished the 2016/17 season on an NBA roster and have since reached an agreement with an international team. Each player’s former NBA team is listed, along with his new team overseas, and a link to our story on his new deal.
- Brandon Bass, Clippers: Liaoning Flying Leopards (China)
- Rakeem Christmas, Pacers: Galatasaray (Turkey)
- Norris Cole, Thunder: Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel)
- Justin Hamilton, Nets: Beijing Ducks (China)
- Brandon Jennings, Wizards: Shanxi Brave Dragons (China)
- Ty Lawson, Kings: Shandong Golden Stars (China)
- Donatas Motiejunas, Pelicans: Shandong Golden Stars (China)
- Brian Roberts, Hornets: Olympiacos (Greece)
- Sergio Rodriguez, Sixers: CSKA Moscow (Russia)
- Kevin Seraphin, Pacers: Barcelona (Spain)
- Axel Toupane, Pelicans: Zalgiris Kaunas (Lithuania)
- Christian Wood, Hornets: Fujian Sturgeons (China)
Meanwhile, here are a few more players who are headed overseas after spending a good chunk of the 2016/17 season on an NBA roster — these players were waived by their NBA teams before the end of the year.
- Marcelo Huertas, Rockets (waived in February): Baskonia (Spain)
- Terrence Jones, Bucks (waived in April): Qingdao Eagles (China)
- Jordan McRae, Cavaliers (waived in March): Baskonia (Spain)
- Luis Scola, Nets (waived in February): Shanxi Brave Dragons (China)
- Hollis Thompson, Sixers (waived in January): Olympiacos (Greece)
- Note: Thompson also signed two 10-day contracts with the Pelicans in February and March.
Hoops Rumors’ 2017 Free Agent Tracker was used in the creation of this post.
Five Candidates To Be Waived With Stretch Provision
NBA teams have about two more weeks to apply the stretch provision to the 2017/18 cap hits for players they waive. After August 31, teams will no longer be eligible to stretch salaries for the coming season, and the stretch provision will only apply to future seasons on a player’s contract.
The stretch provision is a CBA rule that allows teams to stretch a player’s remaining salary across additional seasons. For July and August, the rule dictates that a team can pay out the player’s salary over twice the number of years remaining on his contract, plus one. So a contract with three years left on it could be stretched out over seven years. After August 31, only the future years on the contract can be stretched in that manner.
In practical terms, here’s what that means for a player who is earning $6MM in each of the next two years ($12MM total):
| Year | Current contract | Stretched by August 31 | Stretched after August 31 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017/18 | $6,000,000 | $2,400,000 | $6,000,000 |
| 2018/19 | $6,000,000 | $2,400,000 | $2,000,000 |
| 2019/20 | – | $2,400,000 | $2,000,000 |
| 2020/21 | – | $2,400,000 | $2,000,000 |
| 2021/22 | – | $2,400,000 |
In some cases, it can be advantageous to wait until September to waive a player and use the stretch provision. If a team isn’t close to the tax line and can’t clear additional cap room by stretching a player’s current-year salary, it may make more sense to be patient, since that extra immediate cap room wouldn’t be useful.
However, there are several teams around the NBA who may be motivated to waive and stretch players prior to that August 31 deadline. Here are five stretch provision candidates to keep an eye on during the next couple weeks:
Key 2017 NBA Preseason Dates
The most notable dates of the 2017 NBA offseason are behind us now that we’re through the draft and the free agent period. However, there are still a number of dates and deadlines to keep an eye on in the coming weeks and months before teams take the court again to kick off the 2017/18 regular season.
The list below doesn’t include every event or deadline that will take place prior to opening night on October 17, but these are several of the most important upcoming dates for teams and players.
Here’s the breakdown:
August 31:
- Last day teams can waive players and apply the stretch provision to their 2017/18 salaries. After August 31, teams can still use the stretch provision players who have multiple years left on their contracts, but their ’17/18 cap hits will remain unchanged.
September 5:
- Last day for teams to issue required tenders to unsigned second-round picks; those players become free agents on September 6 if not tendered.
September 26 (approximate; may vary by team):
- Training camps begin.
October 1:
- Last day for a restricted free agent to sign his qualifying offer, unless his team agrees to extend the deadline. If an RFA is still unsigned after October 1, he remains restricted, but can no longer sign that one-year QO. [RELATED: Latest on unsigned RFAs]
October 14:
- Last day for players on fully non-guaranteed contracts to be waived and not count at all against a team’s 2017/18 cap. They must clear waivers before the first day of the regular season.
October 16:
- Last day of offseason.
- Roster limits decrease from 20 players to 15.
- Last day for teams to sign a player to a rookie scale extension. [RELATED: Players eligible for rookie scale extensions]
- Last day for teams to sign a player to a veteran extension in certain scenarios. Extension-eligible veteran contracts with more than one season remaining can’t be extended after October 16; designated veteran extensions can’t be signed after October 16.
- Last day for teams to complete sign-and-trade deals.
- Last day for teams to convert an Exhibit 10 contract into a two-way contract. [RELATED: Details on Exhibit 10 contracts]
October 17:
- Regular season begins. [RELATED: 2017/18 schedules by team]
Traded Second Round Picks For 2018 NBA Draft
The 2018 NBA draft is over 10 months away, but many teams have already traded their respective second round picks for that night, and more clubs are likely to do so before this season’s trade deadline.
We’ll use the space below to keep tabs on each team’s second round pick for 2018, continually updating it as necessary throughout the year. Our list of traded first round picks for 2018 can be found right here.
We’ve listed all 30 teams here, so even if a team hasn’t traded its second round pick, that will be noted. We’ll also provide details on protections or swap-rights for each traded pick, including what happens to the pick in 2019 if it doesn’t change hands in 2018. The conditions on certain traded second round picks can be complicated, so feel free to ask for clarification in the comments section if anything is unclear.
Here’s the full breakdown on the status of each 2018 second round pick:
Atlantic
- Boston Celtics: Traded to Thunder (top-55 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, Celtics’ obligation to Thunder is extinguished.
- Brooklyn Nets: Traded to Sixers or Hornets.
- Philadelphia will receive more favorable of Nets and Cavaliers picks; Charlotte will receive less favorable.
- New York Knicks: Traded to Sixers or Nuggets.
- Philadelphia will receive more favorable of Clippers and Knicks picks; Denver will receive less favorable.
- Philadelphia 76ers: Own pick.
- Toronto Raptors: Traded to Suns (unprotected).
Central
- Chicago Bulls: Traded to Knicks (unprotected).
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Traded to Sixers or Hornets.
- Philadelphia will receive more favorable of Nets and Cavaliers picks; Charlotte will receive less favorable.
- Detroit Pistons: Own pick.
- Indiana Pacers: Traded to Nets (45-60 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, 45-60 protected in 2019.
- Milwaukee Bucks: Traded to Nets (if it falls between 31-47) or Suns (if it falls between 48-60).
- If sent to Nets, Bucks’ obligation to Suns is extinguished; if sent to Suns, Bucks will send unprotected 2020 second-round pick to Nets.
- If sent to Nets, Bucks’ obligation to Suns is extinguished; if sent to Suns, Bucks will send unprotected 2020 second-round pick to Nets.
Southeast
- Atlanta Hawks: Traded to Clippers (top-55 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, Hawks’ obligation to Clippers is extinguished.
- Charlotte Hornets: Traded to Grizzlies, Magic, or Rockets.
- Memphis will receive most favorable of Hornets, Heat, and Grizzlies picks. Orlando will receive second most favorable. Houston will receive least favorable.
- Miami Heat: Traded to Grizzlies, Magic, or Rockets.
- Memphis will receive most favorable of Hornets, Heat, and Grizzlies picks. Orlando will receive second most favorable. Houston will receive least favorable.
- Orlando Magic: Can swap own pick for Lakers pick if Lakers pick is more favorable.
- Washington Wizards: Own pick.
Northwest
- Denver Nuggets: Traded to Lakers (unprotected).
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Own pick.
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Own pick.
- Portland Trail Blazers: Traded to Mavericks or Kings.
- Sacramento will receive more favorable of Trail Blazers and Kings picks; Dallas will receive less favorable.
- Utah Jazz: Own pick.
Pacific
- Golden State Warriors: Traded to Nuggets (unprotected).
- Los Angeles Clippers: Traded to Sixers or Nuggets.
- Philadelphia will receive more favorable of Clippers and Knicks picks; Denver will receive less favorable.
- Los Angeles Lakers: Traded to Nets or Magic.
- Brooklyn will receive less favorable of Magic and Lakers picks; Orlando will receive more favorable.
- Phoenix Suns: Traded to Grizzlies (top-55 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, Suns’ obligation to Grizzlies is extinguished.
- Sacramento Kings: Can swap own pick for Trail Blazers pick if Blazers pick is more favorable.
Southwest
- Dallas Mavericks: Traded to Bucks (top-55 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, Mavericks’ obligation to Bucks is extinguished.
- Houston Rockets: Traded to Sixers (unprotected).
- Memphis Grizzlies: Will own most favorable of Hornets, Heat, and Grizzlies picks. Orlando will receive second most favorable. Houston will receive least favorable.
- New Orleans Pelicans: Own pick.
- San Antonio Spurs: Own pick.
Information from RealGM was used in the creation of this post.
Traded First Round Picks For 2018 NBA Draft
The 2018 NBA draft is over 10 months away, but several teams have already traded their respective first round picks for that night, and more clubs are likely to do so before this season’s trade deadline.
We’ll use the space below to keep tabs on each team’s first round pick for 2018, continually updating it as necessary throughout the year. Our list of traded second round picks for 2018 can be found right here.
We’ve listed all 30 teams here, so even if a team hasn’t traded its first round pick, that will be noted. We’ll also provide details on protections for each traded pick, including what happens to the pick in 2019 if it doesn’t change hands in 2018.
Here’s the full breakdown on the status of each 2018 first round pick:
Atlantic
- Boston Celtics: Own pick.
- Brooklyn Nets: Traded to Cavaliers (unprotected).
- New York Knicks: Own pick.
- Philadelphia 76ers: Own pick.
- Toronto Raptors: Traded to Nets (lottery-protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, lottery-protected in 2019.
Central
- Chicago Bulls: Own pick.
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Traded to Lakers (top-3 protected).
- Detroit Pistons: Traded to Clippers (top-4 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, top-4 protected in 2019.
- Indiana Pacers: Own pick.
- Milwaukee Bucks: Traded to Suns (top-10 protected and 17-30 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, top-three protected and 17-30 protected in 2019.
Southeast
- Atlanta Hawks: Own pick.
- Charlotte Hornets: Own pick.
- Miami Heat: Traded to Suns (top-7 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, unprotected in 2019.
- Orlando Magic: Own pick.
- Washington Wizards: Own pick.
Northwest
- Denver Nuggets: Own pick.
- Minnesota Timberwolves: Traded to Hawks (lottery-protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, lottery-protected in 2019.
- Oklahoma City Thunder: Traded to Timberwolves (lottery-protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, lottery-protected in 2019.
- Portland Trail Blazers: Own pick.
- Utah Jazz: Own pick.
Pacific
- Golden State Warriors: Own pick.
- Los Angeles Clippers: Own pick.
- Los Angeles Lakers: Traded to Sixers or Celtics (Boston receives it if falls between Nos. 2 and 5; otherwise, Philadelphia receives it).
- Phoenix Suns: Own pick.
- Sacramento Kings: Own pick.
Southwest
- Dallas Mavericks: Own pick.
- Houston Rockets: Traded to Hawks (top-3 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, top-3 protected in 2019.
- Memphis Grizzlies: Own pick.
- New Orleans Pelicans: Traded to Bulls (top-5 protected).
- If not conveyed in 2018, top-8 protected in 2019.
- San Antonio Spurs: Own pick.
Information from RealGM was used in the creation of this post.
What’s Next For Unsigned Restricted Free Agents?
An unusually high number of notable restricted free agents remain unsigned as August nears its halfway point, and the rumor mill has been quiet on those players as of late. After the league-wide free agent spending spree in the summer of 2016, many of these RFAs likely entered free agency this year anticipating huge paydays, and were disappointed to see many potential suitors use up their cap room quickly.
Here’s the current list of restricted free agents still on the board:
- JaMychal Green (Grizzlies)
- Alex Len (Suns)
- Nikola Mirotic (Bulls)
- Nerlens Noel (Mavericks)
- Mason Plumlee (Nuggets)
The updates on those players have been few and far between over the last month or so. Early in free agency, Green’s agent seemed pessimistic about his client remaining in Memphis, suggesting that the Grizzlies seemed to be going in a “different direction.” However, with no offer sheet yet in hand, Green still looks like a decent bet to stay with his current team.
Plumlee, meanwhile, may not have as clear as role as the Nuggets initially envisioned when they acquired him, since the team nabbed Paul Millsap in free agency. Denver gave up a lot in the trade for Plumlee and presumably still wants to bring him back as Nikola Jokic‘s backup at center. But with Millsap making approximately $30MM annually and Jokic due for a mega-deal of his own as soon as next summer, the Nuggets may be reluctant to invest heavily in Plumlee as well.
As for Len, Mirotic, and Noel, there has been little indication that they’re going anywhere — all three of their respective teams still have a ton of cap flexibility, and could comfortably match virtually any offer sheet they’re dealt. Those offer sheets just don’t seem to be out there right now, since almost every team with the ability to make a big offer has its own RFA to worry about.
Besides Phoenix, Chicago, and Dallas, there are a small number of teams that could make an aggressive offer for a restricted free agent. The Sixers are really the only other club with a significant amount of leftover cap room, and based on their one-year agreements with J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson, it appears Bryan Colangelo and company want to avoid multiyear commitments that would compromise their 2018 cap space.
So what’s next for these restricted free agents? October 1 is the next key date to watch. That’s the day that each RFA’s qualifying offer will expire. Up until that point, any of those five players could accept the qualifying offer and play on a one-year deal, opting to try his luck at the open market again in 2018 as an unrestricted free agent. Green, Len, Mirotic, Noel, and Plumlee all figure to still be looking for longer-term deals, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see one or two of them signs that QO.
If an RFA situation remains unresolved beyond October 1, the player is still restricted, but no longer has the option of accepting his qualifying offer. With the regular season fast approaching at that point, players don’t have much leverage, and a situation can go south in a hurry.
A year ago, it was December before Donatas Motiejunas finally found an offer sheet, but that lucrative four-year deal with the Nets fell through after Houston matched it — the Rockets and Motiejunas couldn’t agree on incentive details, the forward skipped his physical, and the two sides eventually parted ways. Motiejunas, who later signed for the minimum and is now out of the NBA, could act as a cautionary tale this fall for RFAs who don’t yet have a deal when training camps begin.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
2017’s Top 10 Free Agent Deals By Guaranteed Money
On Sunday, we examined this offseason’s top 10 free agent deals in terms of average annual value. That list included players like Kevin Durant and J.J. Redick, who signed short-term deals but will earn more money during the 2017/18 season than all but a handful of this year’s free agent signees.
In terms of overall guaranteed money though, those deals for Durant and Redick don’t rank among this summer’s top 10. All of the new contracts that include the most total guaranteed money are multiyear pacts, with many of them running for four or five years.
This year’s top 10 free agent contracts in terms of total guaranteed money are listed below, with the help of our Free Agent Tracker and salary information from Basketball Insiders.
Our numbers below incorporate player options, but not team options or non-guaranteed salary. The thinking: If a team waives a player before the end of his contract, he’s guaranteed to receive his player-option salary, but not team-option or non-guaranteed money. Players whose contracts include final-year player options are marked with an asterisk.
Here’s the top 10:
- Stephen Curry (Warriors): $201,158,790 (five years)
- Blake Griffin (Clippers): $171,174,820 (five years)*
- Jrue Holiday (Pelicans): $131,100,000 (five years)*
- Gordon Hayward (Celtics): $127,829,970 (four years)*
- Otto Porter (Wizards): $106,524,978 (four years)*
- Kyle Lowry (Raptors): $93,000,000 (three years)
- Tim Hardaway Jr. (Knicks): $70,950,000 (four years)*
- Serge Ibaka (Raptors): $65,000,000 (three years)
- Danilo Gallinari (Clippers): $64,762,737 (three years)
- Paul Millsap (Nuggets): $61,000,000 (two years) — Third year is team option
As was the case in our list of top 10 free agent deals by annual value, Curry sits at No. 1, and his overall guarantee really hammers home how massive his new deal is. While Curry’s new deal tops $200MM, only four other free agents signed for more than $100MM in guaranteed money, and the gap between Curry’s contract and the 10th-biggest deal exceeds $140MM.
It’s also worth noting that leading up to free agency, there was a belief that maximum salary contracts would be prevalent, with players like Holiday, Lowry, Millsap, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope all viewed as candidates to sign for the max. Ultimately, only Curry, Hayward, and Porter got true maximum salary contracts — Griffin’s deal fell a little short, while players like Lowry, Millsap, and Caldwell-Pope couldn’t even get the max on shorter-term pacts.