Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
NBA Free Agency didn’t get off to the fast start fans are used to seeing, but it didn’t take long for the chaos to ensue.
Among some of the bigger moves that have been reported are Paul George heading back East to join the Philadelphia 76ers, Klay Thompson leaving Golden State after 13 years to join the Dallas Mavericks (over the Los Angeles Lakers), and Isaiah Hartenstein signing a massive deal to join the Oklahoma City Thunder.
As for the players who stayed with their team, there were tons of big re-signings and extensions, including LeBron James with the Lakers, Jayson Tatum with the Boston Celtics, Donovan Mitchell with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Cade Cunningham with the Detroit Pistons.
With all that being said, there are still some talented players left on the free-agent market. So, we at Newsweek Sports wanted to come up with the best five left at this stage in the offseason that teams could still greatly benefit from adding.
Bey is still just 25 years old after being drafted in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft. He’s averaged double-digit points in each of his first four seasons in the league, including a career-high 16.1 points in 2021-22.
This past season with the Atlanta Hawks, Bey averaged 13.7 points and 6.5 rebounds across 32.7 minutes per game. He’s a career 35.2 percent shooter from deep.
Trent is a 3-and-D guy who’s averaged double-digit points in each of the last four seasons. He averaged 13.7 points per game while shooting 42.6 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from the 3-point line this past season. The three seasons prior, though, he averaged at least 15 points per game, including a career-high 18.3 points per game in 2021-22.
There were reports about the Golden State Warriors acquiring Hield in a sign-and-trade with the Philadelphia 76ers, but as of this writing, nothing has been finalized. So, Hield makes this list as the best 3-point shooter left on the market.
The 31-year-old averaged 12.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game while shooting 43.6 percent from the field, 38.6 percent from deep, and 88.1 percent from the free throw line last season. He’s a career 40 percent 3-point shooter while knocking down three triples a night.
Bridges missed the 2022-23 season after pleading no contest to felony domestic violence charges. He was then suspended for the first 10 games of 2023, but returned to Charlotte and appeared in 69 games this season.
The 26-year-old averaged 21 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 46.2 percent from the field, 34.9 percent from deep, and 82.5 percent from the free throw line. He’s 6-foot-7 and plays both forward positions.
DeRozan has been linked with many of the league’s contenders including the Lakers and Miami Heat, but at this point, nothing has come to fruition.
The 34-year-old is a six-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA Teamer who averaged 24 points, 4.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.1 steals across 37.8 minutes per game last season. He was also one of the best clutch scorers in the entire league, finishing second in Clutch Player of the Year voting behind Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry. He’s proven he can still play at a high level, and would be a great addition to almost any contender.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
