NBA Free Agency 2018: 20 best players available

NEW ORLEANS, LA - MARCH 22: Isaiah Thomas #3 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts before a game against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on March 22, 2018 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) /

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This 2018 NBA free agent class is incredibly loaded with talent. While it remains to be seen how much movement there will be, meet some of the stars who could be available.

This summer, some of the biggest stars in the NBA could be finding new homes. LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Paul George — three of the best wing players in the league — could all be free agents. DeMarcus Cousins and Chris Paul, representing exceptionalism at opposite ends of the positional scale could be on the move as well. Throw in a deep group of restricted free agents and there is the possibility for all sorts of talent reshuffling. Here are the 20 best players who could be free agents this summer.

20. Rajon Rondo

There’s certainly an element of a legacy pick here in putting Rondo on this list instead of other players who have more upside or are more consistent, but as he showed yet again in the Playoffs, Rondo, when engaged, can still be one of the better point guards in the NBA. The problem is that the words “when engaged” are really doing a lot of work in that last sentence. It’s hard to predict just when Rondo will be compelled to care and also to ascertain what it takes to make him care consistently. Rondo is notoriously difficult to deal with at times, often unpredictable and unmanageable, failing to give his complete effort on a night to night, or even week to week, basis. However, when the spotlight shines brightest, and his team plays on national television or in the Playoffs, Rondo seems to turn back the clock to his Celtic prime, looking like one of the craftiest and smartest guards in the NBA. Signing him is a risk, though, and it will be intriguing to see which teams will find pursuing him a risk worth taking.

The Pelicans may try to retain Rondo simply because they have so little financial flexibility and also because Rondo is likely to come cheaper than other, more consistent, options. He’s proven so volatile over the course of his career that it’s difficult to imagine many teams wanting to pay big money for him or enter into a protracted bidding war for his services. If you want Rondo to play as well as he can, I think the answer is simple, though; you just have to ensure that as many of your team’s games are on national television as possible.

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