Carmelo Anthony, Dennis Schroder, and more: five best NBA free agents remaining on the market

The 2022 NBA free agency is basically wrapped up with most teams already looking forward to training camp. Big names have long since been signed, however, there are still some decent bargain-bin targets available for teams looking to fill out their rosters.

Here are the top five NBA free agents still remaining on the market.

Dennis Schroder – Houston Rockets (unrestricted NBA free agent)

It wasn’t too long ago that Dennis Schroder was a Sixth Man of the Year finalist for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Back in the 2019-2020 season, he averaged 18.9 points and 4.0 assists per game on an efficient 46.9/38.5/83.9 shooting split for the Thunder.

He was then sold high in a trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he later turned down an 84-million-dollar contract extension. Things have gone downhill for Schroder ever since as he has started to bounce around the league, landing on the Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets.

Now, with the 2022-2023 NBA season starting next month, Schroder still finds himself without a team.

Yes, he does have some flaws in his game. He’s a fairly inconsistent shooter (34.4 three-point percentage last season) and he isn’t a pure playmaking point guard. However, Schroder’s still a proven shot-creator and secondary playmaker with good speed, and he’s only turning 29 this week.

So teams in need of a backup guard like the Dallas Mavericks or Charlotte Hornets should consider taking a chance on him for cheap.

Carmelo Anthony – Los Angeles Lakers (unrestricted NBA free agent)

10-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony is obviously a long way past his prime, a time when he was one of the NBA’s premier wing scorers. However, he’s settled into a nice role as more of a three-point specialist and third or fourth scoring option over the past few seasons.

Anthony put up an average of 13.3 points per game and shot 37.5 percent from the tree last season. So statistically, he was the Los Angeles Lakers' fourth-best scorer and shooter even at the age of 38.

Anthony may struggle on the defensive end, but he’s still a pure scorer and could give a title contender a nice scoring boost off the bench.

Some teams that make sense as possible fits for Anthony include the Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, and Boston Celtics. As long as expectations are tempered and his workload isn’t too high, there’s no reason the six-foot-seven shooter shouldn’t be able to find a home.

LaMarcus Aldridge – Brooklyn Nets (unrestricted NBA free agent)

Like Anthony, LaMarcus Aldridge is a long way removed from his prime as a seven-time NBA All-Star and elite post scorer.

Age and injuries have got the better of him in recent times, and he was only able to play 47 games for the Brooklyn Nets last season.

However, in the games he did play, Aldridge was very productive, averaging 12.9 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game on 55.0 percent shooting.

He was also still one of the NBA’s top mid-range shooters at 55.8 percent on 206 mid-range attempts. Aldridge's lateral speed may not be there anymore, but he still has a lot of skill offensively.

Any team considering signing Aldridge just has to consider whether he can hold up for 10-15 minutes a night. If he can, then Aldridge should be able to play a good role as a backup stretch big for a contender.

Teams in need of a backup center like the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Phoenix Suns should keep Aldridge’s name on their lists.

Hassan Whiteside – Utah Jazz (unrestricted NBA free agent)

Hassan Whiteside has had an up-and-down NBA career with him going from relative obscurity to a double-double machine during his days with the Miami Heat. However, inconsistency always prevented him from reaching his peak.

Many fans have accused Whiteside of being lazy and putting up empty stats. He also can’t space the floor or defend in space.

However, it’s clear Whiteside still has great rebounding and shot-blocking abilities. Last season for the Utah Jazz, Whiteside averaged 8.2 points per game, 7.6 rebounds per game, and 1.6 blocks per game on 65.2% shooting.

Whiteside may be getting old now at age 33 and isn’t an exciting name. But any team in need of a traditional backup big man should consider his services. Teams like the Brooklyn Nets and Phoenix Suns could make sense for Whiteside.

DeMarcus Cousins – Denver Nuggets (unrestricted NBA free agent)

Four-time NBA All-Star DeMarcus Cousins was once considered one of the most dominant big men in the NBA during his time with the Sacramento Kings. Unfortunately, nowadays he's probably more known for his temper and tendency to rack up technical fouls.

But Cousins still has the skill to be a productive backup big man in the league. Last season, Cousins served as a stabilizing presence behind MVP Nikola Jokic for the Denver Nuggets. He averaged 8.9 points per game and 5.5 rebounds per game while shooting 45.6 percent from the field and 32.4 percent from three.

Cousins’ stats don’t jump off the page, but he only played 13.9 minutes per game. His per-36 stats looked more like his prime numbers with averages of 23.1 points per game, 14.4 rebounds per game, and 1.1 blocks per game.

The Nuggets also had a record of 22-9 in games Cousins played compared to a record of 26-25 when he was out. If Cousins can continue to keep his head straight, there should be a place in the league for the skilled low-post bully. Previously mentioned contenders in need of another big like the Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets, and Phoenix Suns could all consider signing Cousins.

Overall, there are clearly no league changers still available in free agency. Every player left available is there for a reason whether it’s due to old age, injuries, below-average shooting, poor defense, etc.

But all these players can still contribute in their own way. So if they find the right fit maybe we’ll get the chance to see them making a difference for a team come playoff time.