Latest posts by Colton Jones (see all)
- Jones: Some of this, some of that, some of the other - February 17, 2019
- Nuggets extend team president Connelly’s deal - February 15, 2019
- Walton’s status with Lakers reportedly not in doubt - February 13, 2019
If you thought the NBA’s free-agency period this summer was interesting/entertaining/intriguing, in the words of Bachman Turner Overdrive, “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” (circa 1974).
Sure, the drama, speculation, etc. surrounding LeBron James, Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins, Kawhi Leonard, DeMar DeRozan, DeAndre Jordan, etc. dominated the headlines for weeks this summer.
However, The Summer of 2019 has a message for The Summer of 2018:
“Hold my beer!”
The standout players who could potentially change teams next July should that be their want is downright staggering.
Here’s a list of the guys who will be unrestricted free agents come next July, should the decide to go in that direction (how about taking the first five names and taking on the world?):
Kevin Durant (player option for $31,500,000)
Kawhi Leonard (player option for $21,329,752)
Kyrie Irving (player option for $21,329,750)
Jimmy Butler (player option for $19,841,627)
Klay Thompson
DeMarcus Cousins
Kemba Walker
Al Horford (player option for $30,123,015)
Khris Middleton (player option for $13,000,000)
Eric Bledsoe
Tobias Harris
DeAndre Jordan
Hassan Whiteside (player option for $27 million)
Marc Gasol (player option for $26 million)
Goran Dragic (player option for $19,217,900)
Spencer Dinwiddie
Tyreke Evans
Jeff Teague (player option for $19 million)
Jonas Valanciunas (player option for $17.6 million)
Kent Bazemore (player option for $19,269,662)
Tyler Johnson (player option for $19,245,370)
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (player option for $13,000,000)
Allen Crabbe (player option for $18,500,000)
Julius Randle (player option for $9 million)
Trevor Ariza
Harrison Barnes
Thaddeus Young
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Ricky Rubio
Patrick Beverly
C.J. Miles (player option for $8.7 million)
Garrett Temple
Dwight Howard (player option for $5.6 million)
Nikola Vucevic
J.J. Redick
Marvin Williams (player option for $15,006,250)
Patrick Patterson (player option for $5,711,200)
JaMychal Green
Nerlens Noel (player option for $1,988,119)
Bismack Biyombo (player option for $17,000,000)
Terrence Ross
Taj Gibson
Aron Baynes (player option for $5,453,280)
Al-Farouq Aminu
Rudy Gay
Danny Green
Alec Burks
Markieff Morris
James Ennis (player option for $1,845,301)
Isaiah Thomas
There are also several excellent players headed toward restricted free agency next summer:
Karl-Anthony Towns
Kristaps Porzingis
Paul Millsap (team option for $30,500,000)
Terry Rozier
Larry Nance Jr.
Malcom Brogdon
Frank Kaminsky
Willie Cauley-Stein
Trey Lyles
Justice Winslow
Kevon Looney
Kelly Oubre
Delon Wright
Milos Teodosic
Gee there are some really horrible player option amounts there amongst some of those players. There really are some massively overpaid players on this list for the production they offer. When are NBA teams going to stop over paying some very average players?