Top 5 NBA stars in the summer of 2022
1. Zach Lavigne. 27 years old
Previous club: Chicago
Last season’s salary: $ 19,500,000
Agent type: unlimited free
Last season’s stats: 24.4 points, 4.5 assists and 4.6 rebounds per game
Interest from NBA clubs: “Chicago”, “Dallas”, “Lakers” and “Portland”
And here is the best free agent this summer. His next contract will most likely be the maximum, and the number of clubs that want to get an Avalanche is considerable. Most likely, the defender will sign a new agreement with “Chicago”, but whether he will stay at the club or become part of the sign-n-trade – only time will tell.
2. Bradley Bill. 28 years old
Previous club: Washington
Last season’s salary: $ 33,724,000
Agent type: player option
Last season’s statistics: 23.2 points, 6.6 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game
Interest from NBA clubs: “Washington”, “Lakers” and “Portland”
Choosing between ambition and big money, Bill, who not so long ago wanted almost a third of the league, will prefer the second. According to the latest information, the star defender will reject the player’s option for 36.4 million and sign a new deal with “Washington” for 248 million dollars, which will make Bradley one of the highest paid basketball players in the entire NBA.
3. Deandre Eaton. 23 years old
Previous club: Phoenix
Last season’s salary: $ 12,633,000
Agent type: limited free
Last season’s stats: 17.2 points, 1.4 assists and 10.2 rebounds per game
Interest from NBA clubs: “Detroit”, “Indiana”, “Atlanta”
Last fall, a conflict arose between Ayton and the Suns – the club did not offer the first peak of the 2018 draft maximum contract extension, which greatly offended the center, who refused to sign with the club from Arizona for a smaller amount. Now Deandre enters the market, where he will try to get the maximum money from someone else – for example, from the “Pistons”, who were attributed significant interest in the bahamian. And he will get almost one hundred percent: it is unlikely that any of the general managers with a place under the salary ceiling will give up the chance to fight for a very young player of a very high level.
Phoenix is unlikely to agree to give its third (or perhaps even second, if we remember the age and history of Chris Paul’s injuries) star for nothing – so, with an extremely high probability, any proposal from Ayton will repeat. Even if it permanently spoils the relationship between the basketball player and the organization, the bigman can then be easily exchanged for someone more loyal and necessary to Monty Williams at a convenient time for the “Suns”.
4. Jalen Branson. 25 years
Previous club: Dallas
Last season’s salary: $ 1,802,000
Agent type: unlimited free
Last season’s stats: 16.3 points, 4.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game
Interest from NBA clubs: “New York”, “Detroit” and “Indiana”
Jaylen really shone brightly only in the playoffs of 2022. He was able to fully replace Luka Doncic, who was then injured. Even during his performances in the NCAA, the defender proved that he is a real play-off fighter. “Dallas” has big problems with overloading the bill and because of this they are unlikely to be able to save Branson at a time when “New York” offers 100 million for 4 years.
5. PJ Tucker. 37 years old
Past club: Miami
Last season’s salary: $ 7,000,000
Agent type: unlimited free
Last season’s stats: 7.6 points, 2.1 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game
Interest from NBA clubs: “Philadelphia”, “Miami” “Brooklyn”
Not the most stellar, but definitely one of the most popular free agents this summer. The Milwaukee NBA champion, despite his respectable age, has held another very solid playoff, and will be in incredible demand among clubs that consider themselves contenders for the title.
Adding to the intrigue of the situation is the fact that Tucker is already 37, he got the desired ring, so money and / or long-term guarantees in his case may be more important than the strength of the team that recruits him. No one will be able to get PJ on a veteran minimum – he did not give up almost seven and a half million from “Heath” for the next championship to sign with the conditional “Lakers” for three.