Top 5 remaining NBA free agents after an insane round of free agency signings

Modified Jul 11, 2023 10:11 GMT

The first week of free agency saw the majority of free agents re-sign with their respective teams or agree to new deals.

Kyrie Irving, Draymond Green, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, Austin Reaves, Cameron Johnson, Kyle Kuzma, Russell Westbrook and Jerami Grant stayed with their respective teams, while Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brook bolstered Houston Rockets' roster.

There are still several NBA free agents available in the market. In this article, we focus on the top five.

#5 - PJ Washington

PJ Washington is one of the best free agents in the market. His usage and scoring went up on a Hornets team that was severely shorthanded for most of the 2022-23 season.

The versatile forward can fit virtually anywhere. However, he said in April that Charlotte is "exactly where" he wants to be.

If Washington can't get an offer sheet from the San Antonio Spurs, then he has little leverage beyond signing the $8.5M qualifying offer and becoming an unrestricted free agent next summer.

#4 - Ayo Dosunmu

After a promising rookie campaign in 2021, Ayo Dosunmu took a step back in his second NBA season. In spite of that, he remains one of the top NBA free agents who is yet to find a team.

His scoring efficiency and assist percentage both dropped significantly, as Lonzo Ball's injury forced him into a starting role for the Chicago Bulls from the start of last season.

Coming off the bench, Dosunmu averaged just 6.5 points and 1.8 assists while shooting 33.3 percent from three.

At 6-foot-5, he has decent size for a combo guard. With a 37.6 3-point percentage last season, it seems he can operate as a floor spacer in lineups with ball-dominant wings or bigs.

#3 - Will Barton

Will Barton, one of the top remaining NBA free agents, had a rough first season away from the 2023 NBA champions Denver Nuggets. He logged 40 games with the Washington Wizards, averaging just 7.7 points in 19.6 minutes per game. He was bought out in February and signed with Toronto, where he averaged 4.5 points in 13.2 minutes over 16 games.

Last season, Barton posted a career-worst 37.9 field goal percentage and his average points (6.8) and minutes per game (17.7) were the lowest since 2013-14. On the contrary, he had been a double-digit scorer playing around 30 minutes per game over his seven-plus seasons in Denver.

#2 - Kelly Oubre Jr.

Barring a return to Charlotte, Oubre Jr. will be changing teams for the fifth time in six seasons. The 27-year-old forward, who is one of the top remaining NBA free agents, is actually coming off the best season scoring-wise after averaging 20.3 points on a 43.1/31.9/76.0 shooting split in his second year with the Hornets. He, however, played only 48 games due to hand surgery.

While his defense has rarely been a calling card, Oubre's size (6-foot-7 with a 7-foot-2¼ wingspan) and athleticism make him a solid defender.

In the right role (the seventh or eighth man in a good team), he can be a difference-maker.

#1 - Christian Wood

Wood is probably the best of the remaining NBA free agents available in the market. He most likely won't be getting a free-agent deal similar to the three-year, $41 million contract he received from Houston in 2020.

Following an offseason trade to Dallas, Wood started only 17 of 67 games for the Mavericks. He averaged 16.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 25.9 minutes, shooting 51.5% from the field and 37.6% on 4.2 3-point attempts.

After an injury cost him eight games, he never made another start and averaged just 20.8 minutes. Now, a team in need of some outside shooting and a little shot-blocking can probably secure Wood for a bargain.