NBA Restricted Free Agents: Who Will Sign Where?

The NBA restricted free agent class is loaded with talent this offseason. Here’s a look at the Top Players and where they might sign.

NBA Restricted free agents

There are a handful of restricted free agents in the NBA this offseason, and with the way the market has played out so far, it’s anyone’s guess as to where they’ll ultimately sign. Here’s a look at some of the top names on the list and where they might end up.

Brandon Jennings, G, Detroit Pistons
Jennings is perhaps the most intriguing name on this list. He’s coming off a season in which he averaged 15.5 points and 6.5 assists per game but he shot just 37.5 percent from the field and 31.2 percent from three-point range He’s still just 26 years old, though, so there will be plenty of teams interested in seeing if he can rebound offensively. The Pistons have already said they’d like him back, but it remains to be seen if they’re willing to match any offers he receives from other teams. Potential landing spots: Detroit Pistons Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic

Greg Monroe, F/C, Detroit Pistons
Monroe is one of the more sought-after big men on the market thanks to his rebounding ability (he averaged 10.5 per game last season) and scoring touch (15.9 points per game). He’s not much of a rim protector (0.4 blocks per game), but his offensive skills make him a valuable commodity nonetheless. Like Jennings, Monroe is a native of Michigan and has said he’d like to stay with the Pistons if possible. However, given their financial situation and their need for a true center, it’s looking more and more like Monroe will be playing elsewhere next season. Potential landing spots: Los Angeles Lakers Portland Trail Blazers Charlotte Hornets

Eric Bledsoe, G, Phoenix Suns
Bledsoe is one of the best point guards on the market thanks to his elite defensive abilities and his steady offensive production (17 points and 5 assists per game last season). He’s also just 25 years old and has shown that he can stay healthy despite his diminutive stature (he’s just 6 feet tall). The Suns have said they want to keep Bledsoe long-term, but it remains to be seen if they’re willing to match whatever offer he receives from another team — especially given their financial situation. Potential landing spots: Phoenix Suns , Milwaukee Bucks , New York Knicks

Who Will Sign Where?

The NBA’s restricted Free agency period began on July 1, and there are a few big names still on the market. Here’s a look at where some of the top restricted free agents might sign.

Offensive Star Anthony Davis is the most sought-after restricted free agent and he is expected to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers The Lakers can offer him a five-year max contract worth more than $100 million.

High-scoring guard Bradley Beal is another major restricted Free Agent and he is expected to re-sign with the Washington Wizards The Wizards can offer him a five-year max contract worth $128 million.

Defensive specialist Andre Drummond is also a restricted free agent and he is expected to sign with the Detroit Pistons The Pistons can offer him a five-year max contract worth $127 million.

The Market for restricted free Agents

With the July Moratorium behind us and free agency winding down, most of the big names have found new homes. But there are still a few unsigned restricted free agents out there. Here’s a look at where some of them may end up:

D’Angelo Russell: The Nets have until Oct. 16 to sign Russell to a contract extension If they don’t, he will become a restricted Free Agent next summer. It’s unlikely that they will let him go that easily, so expect Russell to be in Brooklyn for the foreseeable future.

Jabari Parker: The former No. 2 overall pick has had trouble staying healthy throughout his career, but when he’s been on the court, he’s been productive. He averaged 15.2 points and 5.8 rebounds in 51 games for the Bulls last season. The Bulls have already said they are not interested in re-signing him, so Parker will likely be moving on to another team. The Knicks have been rumored as a possible landing spot.

Jordan Clarkson: Clarkson is an electric scorer off the bench and he proved last season that he can still be productive even when coming off the bench. He averaged 16.9 points per game for the Cavaliers last season and shot 38 percent from three-point range. Expect him to sign with a team looking for bench scoring, such as the Houston Rockets or Portland Trail Blazers

The Top Restricted Free Agents

The top restricted Free Agents this offseason are Kyle Kuzma of the Los Angeles Lakers Bogdan Bogdanovic of the Sacramento Kings and Marcus Morris of the Boston Celtics All three players are coming off of career-best seasons and will be looking for big paydays.

Kyle Kuzma averaged 22.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game for the Lakers last season. He is a versatile scoring threat who can play both inside and out. Kuzma is just 24 years old and has shown steady improvement since entering the league. The Lakers are unlikely to let him go without a fight and will likely match any offer he receives from another team.

Bogdan Bogdanovic averaged 14.1 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game for the Kings last season. He is an excellent shooter (41% from three-point range) and a capable playmaker. At 27 years old, Bogdanovic is in his prime and should command a high price on the open market. The Kings have already said they intend to match any offer he receives from another team.

Marcus Morris averaged 19 points and 5.4 rebounds per game for the Celtics last season. He is a physical defender who can also score inside and out. Morris is 29 years old and has been a key player for the Celtics over the past two seasons. The Celtics are unlikely to let him go without a fight and will likely match any offer he receives from another team.

The Most Intriguing Restricted Free Agents

The Most Intriguing Restricted free agents

There are a handful of restricted free agents that will be worth watching this offseason. Here are the most intriguing names:

D’Angelo Russell (PG, Brooklyn Nets) – Russell is coming off a breakout season in which he averaged 21.1 points and 7.0 assists per game. The Nets will have to decide if they want to shell out the big bucks to keep him around long-term.

Jusuf Nurkic (C, Portland Trail Blazers) – Nurkic was excellent after being traded to the Blazers, averaging 15.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.2 blocks, and 1.9 assists per game. He’s just 23 years old and has a lot of upside. The Blazers will have to decide if they’re willing to pay him big money to stay put.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (SG, Los Angeles Lakers) – Caldwell-Pope had a down year offensively, but he’s still one of the better perimeter defenders in the league. He’s just 24 years old and has plenty of room to grow as a player. The Lakers will have to decide if they want to keep him around long-term or let him walk in free agency

The Best Value Restricted Free Agents

Fourteen of the NBA’s restricted free agents have yet to sign an offer sheet with another team or agree to a new deal with their current squad.

The New York Knicks’ Damyean Dotson, Los Angeles Lakers’ Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Utah Jazz’s Derrick Favors Toronto Raptors’ Fred VanVleet, Indiana Pacers’ Domantas Sabonis and Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo are the best value restricted free agents remaining. All six players are young, talented and still have room to grow. They also figure to come relatively cheap since they are restricted and their teams can match any offer sheet they sign.

The Darkhorse Restricted Free Agents

Every summer, NBA restricted Free Agents sign offer sheets with other teams, giving their current team the opportunity to match the offers and keep them. While most of the attention in free agency is on the unrestricted free agents who can sign anywhere they want, the restricted Free Agents can often have a significant impact on the league as well. Here are three darkhorse restricted Free Agents who could sign big offer sheets this summer.

1. Malik Beasley, SG, Denver Nuggets

Beasley was a first-round pick by the Nuggets in 2016 and has shown steady improvement in his three years in the league. He averaged 16.7 points per game last season while shooting 35.9 percent from three-point range. Beasley will be just 23 years old when he signs his next contract and has tremendous upside. The Nuggets would love to keep him, but they may not be able to match a big offer sheet from another team.

2. Luke Kennard, SG, Detroit Pistons

Kennard was also a first-round pick, going to the Pistons in 2017. He’s been a solid role player for Detroit, averaging 11 points per game while shooting 37 percent from three-point range. Kennard is just 22 years old and has shown steady improvement in his two years in the league. The Pistons would like to keep him, but they may not be able to match a big offer sheet from another team.

3. Derrick Rose PG, Minnesota Timberwolves

Rose had a renaissance season with the Timberwolves last year, averaging 18 points per game while shooting 48 percent from the field. He’s been injury-prone throughout his career, but he stayed healthy last season and proved that he can still play at a high level. The Timberwolves would like to keep him, but they may not be able to match a big offer sheet from another team

The Restricted free agent market by Position

The restricted free agent market is always an interesting one to watch. Every year, there are a handful of players who receive top offers from other teams, only to have their current team match the offer and keep them in place. This year’s class is no different, with a number of impact players set to hit the market. Here’s a look at the restricted free agent market by position:

Point Guards:
The point guard position is always one of the most hotly contested in free agency This year, there are a number of talented restricted free agents available, including Jrue Holiday Eric Bledsoe, and Kyle Lowry All three are sure to receive significant interest from around the league, but it’s unclear where they will ultimately land.

Shooting Guards:
There are several good Shooting Guards available in this year’s free agent class including Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis. Jennings is coming off a strong season with the Detroit Pistons while Ellis had a bit of a down year with the Dallas Mavericks It will be interesting to see where both players end up signing.

Small Forwards:
The small forward position is not as deep as some of the other positions in this year’s free agent class but there are still a few good players available. Notable restricted free agents include Paul George and Gordon Hayward Both players are sure to receive interest from around the league, but it’s unclear where they will ultimately sign.

Power Forwards:
The Power Forward Position is always one of the most hotly contested in free agency This year’s class features a number of good players, including David Lee Pau Gasol and Zach Randolph. All three players are sure to receive significant interest from around the league, but it’s unclear where they will ultimately sign.

Centers:
This year’s crop of restricted free agent centers is not as strong as some of the other positions in this year’s class, but there are still a few good players available. Notable restricted free agents include Roy Hibbert and DeAndre Jordan. It will be interesting to see where both players end up signing.

The Impact of the New CBA on Restricted Free Agents

The new Collective Bargaining Agreement between the National Basketball Association and the players’ union includes several provisions that will impact the way restricted free agents are able to sign with new teams. In the past, teams were able to match any offer sheet a restricted free agent signed with another team, but under the new CBA, they will only be able to match offers if they exceed a certain amount. This could lead to more restricted free agents signing with new teams, as they will no longer be beholden to their current team’s decision on whether or not to match an offer.

In addition, the new CBA also includes a provision that will allow teams to sign their own restricted free agents for up to five years, even if they have already signed a maximum contract with another team. This could lead to more players staying with their current team, as they will be able to receive a longer and more lucrative contract by doing so.

The Impact of the New CBA on Restricted Free Agents

Predictions for Where the Top Restricted free agents Will Sign

It’s that time of year again: the NBA offseason free agency is always one of the most exciting times of the year, as big-name players often change teams, creating new title contenders. This year’s free agency class is filled with talented players, many of whom are restricted free agents Restricted Free Agency works a bit differently than unrestricted free agency when a player with less than seven years of experience in the league becomes a free agent their original team has the right to match any offers they receive from other teams. This can often lead to players signing one-year “prove it” deals with their original teams, as they bet on themselves to play well enough to earn a bigger contract next offseason.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some predictions for where some of the top restricted free agents will sign this offseason:

1. Marcus Smart (SG, Boston Celtics)
Smart is coming off a strong season for the Celtics, one in which he averaged 10.2 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game while shooting 36 percent from three-point range. He is a Valuable Player for Boston due to his defensive versatility and Three-point shooting he can guard multiple positions and is a good floor spacer for an offense that often relies on stars Kyrie Irving and Jayson Tatum to create shots. It’s unlikely that another team will make a strong enough offer for Smart that the Celtics would be unwilling to match it, so expect him to stay in Boston on a short-term deal.

2. Malcolm Brogdon (PG, Indiana Pacers)
Brogdon had a breakout season for Indiana last year, winning the Most Improved Player Award after averaging 16 points, 7.5 assists, and 4 rebounds per game while shooting 42 percent from three-point range. He is an excellent shooter and playmaker and would be a valuable addition to any team; however, it’s unlikely that another team will make him an offer that the Pacers aren’t willing to match given their recent acquisition of star point guard Caris Levert from Brooklyn. Thus, Brogdon is likely to sign a short-term deal with Indiana this offseason.

3. Derrick Rose (PG, Detroit Pistons)
Rose had something of a resurgence last season with Detroit after being out of the league for several years; he averaged 18 Points per game while shooting 48 percent from the field and 37 percent from three-point range. He isn’t quite the player he once was but proved that he can still be an effective offensive option when given minutes; expect him to sign elsewhere this offseason on a minimum contract or veterans’ minimum deal as he looks to rebuild his value around the league