Top 10 hottest NBA limited free agents in 2021

We’re fast approaching the start of the 2021-22 year NBA with the Finals drawing to a close and Drafts and free agency just a few weeks away. Drafts attract the most attention right now, in part because it’s been one of the more highly anticipated draft classes for a while, and teams will feel there’s an opportunity to consolidate depth and add a rotating part for the future no matter where they are. picked in the first round.

However, the freelance agency that comes right after the Draft and the decision on who or what deals to do should always be done with the free agency plan in mind. For some teams that means hunting for big-name stars, while others will work more on the sidelines, but front offices have always had to focus on the big picture. For some teams, this summer will bring up some key decisions about players from the 2017 NBA Draft, who are free to become restricted free agents for the first time.

The limited designation means that their current teams have the final say on whether they are suitable for an offer or let them go, and some decisions will be more difficult than others. Here, we take a look at 10 of the most interesting restricted free agents this summer, with some locked to return (with the only question being at what price), while Others may be opened by other suitors if they are willing to pay a high enough price.

John Collins, Atlanta Hawks

With the Hawks already running to the conference finals and Collins playing a key role for Atlanta during that period, it seemed an easy decision for the Hawks to simply bring him back. The renewal talks, however, have made clear differences over where the team thinks Collins’s value lies and what Collins himself is looking for. Ownership says it wants Collins back but for the right price, and if there’s a team with a lot of limited space – like the Spurs – who are willing to pay the maximum for Collins (~4 years, $120 million). la) might be enough to make the Hawks falter.

I think Atlanta is close to having to fight Collins even if that happens, because letting him walk doesn’t open up any real opportunities to replace him and they simply can’t rely on Danilo Gallinari is a four-man full-time player. Atlanta is worried about having to pay for all of their young men and knows they will have to make some tough choices, but as Collins is a young man he doesn’t play superfluous positions with any young people. other than theirs, I don’t ‘don’t think he’s someone they could just walk away from.

Bruce Brown, Brooklyn Nets

The Nets must bring back Bruce Brown, which after this season has shown his immense value to the team, but the question is whether a team wants to make the Nets pay a substantial price for that opportunity. . There will be plenty of teams that see Brown as a versatile defensive connector that can unlock a lot of things for them, and while the Nets may not expect to break the bank against Brown before this season, he could would ask to keep a huge tax bill. That won’t make for any real tough decisions in Brooklyn, especially given how hard it will be for them to build depth with outside signings, but I can assure you some teams Others will want the Nets to pay a little more to keep their superteam intact.

Devonte ‘Graham, Charlotte Hornets

I think this is where things get interesting. Graham is clearly the third keeper in Charlotte right now after Terry Rozier and LaMelo Ball, and that could be a perfectly fine role for him. However, after showing off in 2019-20, he has seen his role as a creator drop significantly this season, and if he feels that’s what he should be doing, it should come as no surprise. However if he is interested in continuing. The Hornets will certainly want to keep him as that trio is a great upstream spin, but they also seem more willing to walk away if the asking price is too high as they have a greater need to settle where other. With reports Graham could join a day of sky-high pay, Charlotte may find herself having to make a very difficult decision.

Lauri Markkanen, Chicago Bulls

Markkanen is perhaps the most available RFA of the bigger names on the market this summer, as he simply has never found a consistent role in Chicago. It seems best for all parties to move on, but it remains to be seen what the actual market for Markkanen’s services is. The Finnish big man certainly offers an offensive advantage, especially as a shooter, but he leaves much to be desired at the defensive end. However, that shooting ability might intrigue someone and it would be quite shocking if the Bulls chose to match any kind of substantial offer if it came.

Jarrett Allen, Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs jumped into the James Harden deal and brought Allen a gem, but now they have to pay the price. Allen will have plenty of teams interested in him, and while the Cavs have no reason not to be a good fit for almost any offer, what he’s getting from Cleveland will set the bar for the series. upcoming expansion needed for their recent high draft picks pool – that’s the biggest reason why many expect Collin Sexton to leave this summer.

Talen Horton-Tucker, Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers love THT, so much so that they are said to be unwilling to part with him in commercial negotiations with Kyle Lowry, but now is the opportunity for the teams (as with Bruce Brown in Brooklyn) to lobby the sheets. big deal at Horton-Tucker in to see if the Lakers would take the opportunity or be willing to pay a hefty tax to keep their most attractive young player. We’ll see if any teams want to put pressure on LA with a big offer, and we’ll quickly find out how much they value the youth wing.

Duncan Robinson, Miami Heat

Everyone loves shooters, but when the market hits Robinson there will be a lot to say about how the alliance assesses the value of even an elite shooter, mostly one-sidedly. Robinson is an NBA-like shooter who goes beyond static catches and shots to hit shots with remarkable speed when moving away from serves and turns. The versatility of his finishing is important and makes him valuable, but less than one player can also create his own shots or who is also capable of defending. The Heat should be ready to fit almost anything for Robinson, but what makes him appealing from a league-wide perspective is what it can tell us about how the NBA views that type of player in the moment. .

Lonzo Ball, New Orleans Pelicans

Perhaps the RFA with the most overlap between “most available” and “most coveted”, Ball will have plenty of suitors and is unlikely to get taken in by the Pelicans as long as a fairly significant offer is made. out – especially after rumors surfaced that New Orleans was going after Kyle Lowry. There will be at least one team that believes their situation could be the one to exploit Lonzo’s full potential, building on the continued strides he’s made as a shooter in New York. Orleans and putting him in a competent defensive formation could keep him engaged in a way he hasn’t shown yet. Lonzo remains an incredible talent even if his unique combination of strengths and weaknesses doesn’t necessarily fit easily into the player patterns we’re familiar with. Teams like the Bulls, Knicks, and others all need a primary defender and want to compete with a younger character for more combinations for Ball, and opponents with a need for protection should at least have control check him.

Josh Hart, New Orleans Pelicans

Hart has made it clear that New Orleans is not a place he wants to be anymore, and where the market is volatile for him will be interesting. He is likened to a solid rotation wing, capable of defending multiple positions while also being a good feedback tree. What will make or break Hart forward is his jump, as his rookie New Year is a near 40% shot from three but has never come close to repeating that in the three seasons since. from that. If he can find that form of shooting again in a more suitable place, then he could be a Donte DiVincenzo-like asset to a good-value contender this season.

Zach Collins, Portland Trail Blazers

Collins has suffered another setback on the injury front, breaking his foot once again and it’s possible that the underfunded Blazers didn’t even renew him on a qualifying offer because they needed everything. positions in the lineup are available to try and make Damian Lillard happy. As such, Collins is an unmissable candidate for a team that has had time to be patient with him and hope that his injury history can be put into the past by sending him to a state of affairs. new situation. A team like the Hornets could consider offering him a smaller, two-year contract to give him a place to recuperate from a leg injury and hope that it pays off with a healthy second year where he suddenly became a bargain.