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NBA Free Agency 2017: 20 best players available

By John Buhler

Mar 25, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) in the second half of the game against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center. Clippers won 108-95. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 25, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) in the second half of the game against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center. Clippers won 108-95. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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Many excellent NBA players will be hitting free agency, restricted or unrestricted, this summer. Here are the 20 best players that could be available.

While 2017 NBA free agency will not be as crazy as it was last summer with that massive spike in the salary cap, NBA free agency is always a good time because star players might switch teams.

Usually when a player hits unrestricted free agency, he is in his mid-to-late 20s and could be looking for his next big opportunity. For some, it’s about getting set financially for life. As for those that have already made bank, maybe going to a situation where it is theoretically easier to win a ring would be cool.

Whether it is restricted or unrestricted free agency, player option or team option, here are the 20 best players that could be available this summer. This is based on talent, replicability and just how available a guy is likely to be.

Jan 10, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay (8) after a play against the Detroit Pistons during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Detroit Pistons 100-94. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 10, 2017; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Rudy Gay (8) after a play against the Detroit Pistons during the fourth quarter at Golden 1 Center. The Sacramento Kings defeated the Detroit Pistons 100-94. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /
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Rudy Gay

Small Forward, Sacramento Kings

By opting out of the final year of his contract with the Sacramento Kings, small forward Rudy Gay is taking a big gamble on his NBA career in the quest to both make more money, but probably get to a better situation. While he has averaged 18.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game in his 10-year NBA career, Gay has never been an All-Star, as his play has never really translated to winning.

Gay had spent the last 2.5 years of his NBA career perpetually frustrated in Sacramento. Coincidence or not, both the Memphis Grizzlies and the Toronto Raptors got better after he was traded away from them. Memphis would reach its only Western Conference Finals in the same 2012-13 NBA season he was traded to the Raptors. After Gay’s 51 forgettable games with the Raptors, Toronto started to win Atlantic Division titles and Eastern Conference playoff series with great regularity.

That being said, it seems that Gay’s time in Northern California has changed his perspective on basketball. He will be 31-years old in 2017-18 and probably starts to covet playing in a winning situation. The only problems with that are Gay is primarily a mid-range player that is coming off a devastating ruptured Achilles’. If he thinks he is heading to a winning situation to play big minutes and get paid, Gay is sorely mistaken.

However if he is willing to pivot and be a sixth man of sorts coming off a playoff-caliber team’s bench, there could be high interest in teams looking for his guaranteed 15 points per game. Intrinsic motivation, a new start and possibly a new role would all be working for Gay. NBA teams will give him the benefit of the doubt this free agency cycle. That being said, Gay is running out of options to prove that he can be an impactful player on a winning team.

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