The free agency frenzy in the NBA usually happens at a fast and furious pace from the moment teams and players are allowed to agree to deals. That was the case again this year, with the majority of the players on the Top 75 Free Agents list walking off the board within the first 24 hours of the suspension. Since then, news of the free agency has been pouring in so fast as the entire league awaits its biggest move in the off-season.
Kevin Durant ordering a trade from Brooklyn Networks Hours before the free agency opens. The Nets are said to want a young star and at least three first-round picks for the star striker. The latest reports suggest that no deal is imminent, and it is possible that the Nets will keep Durant and Kyrie Irving until training camp. You can follow every rumor about Durant using our updated tracking tool.
You can keep track of every free agency signature with our live tracker. There may not be much free agency movement until Durant finally trades. With that in mind, here is a list of the best free proxies in 2022 that are currently still unsigned.
Ranked The Best Remaining Agents In The NBA In 2022
| Rank | player | Site | previous team | Writes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | player | Site | previous team | Writes |
| 1 | James Harden | J | Philadelphia 76ers | Unbound |
| 2 | Dender Eaton | c | Phoenix Suns | restricted |
| 3 | Colin Sexton | J | Cleveland Cavaliers | restricted |
| 4 | Caleb Martin | J | Miami Heat | restricted |
| 5 | montrezel harrel | c | Washington Wizards | Unbound |
| 6 | Carmelo Anthony | F | Los Angeles Lakers | Unbound |
| 7 | Isaiah Ruby | c | Oklahoma City Thunder | Unbound |
| 8 | Thomas Bryant | c | Washington Wizards | Unbound |
| 9 | Dennis Schroeder | J | Houston Rockets | Unbound |
| 10 | Hassan Whiteside | c | Utah Jazz | Unbound |
| 11 | Austin Rivers | J | Denver Nuggets | Unbound |
| 12 | Blake Griffin | c | Brooklyn Networks | Unbound |
| 13 | Juancho Hernángómez | F | Utah Jazz | Unbound |
*This list does not include Miles Bridges, who has yet to sign after being arrested for domestic violence before opening the free agency. It is a restricted free agent even Charlotte Hornets withdraw his qualified offer, as rumored. Read our explainer on the allegations Bridges faces.
Here are some notes on the most interesting free proxies that are still available.
- James Harden, J., Philadelphia 76ers: Harden is returning to the Sixers, but he’s still waiting for a new deal after the $47.3 million player option for next season was cancelled. Expect Harden to sign a multi-year agreement for less money annually but more guaranteed for the life of the contract.
- Dender Eaton, C, Phoenix Suns: Eaton has always been the coolest free agent this year, and that’s proven to be true. There seems to be a real rift between the Suns and the former first choice in general. With Phoenix chasing Durant’s trade, Ayton will likely remain unsigned until the KD is finally transferred. If he doesn’t go to Brooklyn in a sign and trade, he can sign directly with Indiana Pacers (who have plenty of room to max it out) or return to Suns on a long-term deal or qualifying one-year offer. Ayton will be only 24 years old next season, and he has already shown that he can be a reliable two-way center for the winning team. We’ll see if he finally gets the maximum contract that Phoenix didn’t want to give him.
- Colin Sexton, J., Cleveland Cavaliers: Sexton missed the remainder of last season after tearing his meniscus 11 games of the year. The 23-year-old was on his way to a big payday a day earlier as a microwave top scorer averaging over 24 points per game in the 2020-21 season. There is still supposed to be a strong market for Sexton’s services, but again it looks like he won’t sign until Durant and Irving’s futures contracts are settled. His perfect fit would be on a team with an oversized wing builder, so he can focus on scoring more goals than making games. Could the Mavs have an interest after losing Jalen Brunson to nicks?
- Caleb Martin, J., Miami Heat: Martin’s twin brother Cody has agreed to a four-year, $32 million deal with Hornets, and Caleb should look into a similar deal. Martin is a 6’5 winger who hit 41 percent of his three-pointers with Miami last season. He’s the best two-way winger on the market, and he’ll be just 27 years old next season.
- Carmelo Anthony, P, Los Angeles Lakers: Anthony just turned 38, but he was still instrumental in shooting the Lakers’ big winger last year, hitting 37.5 percent of his triples in nearly six attempts per game. Returning to Los Angeles is out of the question, but other teams may have an interest in a minimal deal whenever he remains unsigned.
- Isaiah Ruby, c, Oklahoma City Thunder: Roby is a big, mobile guy at 6-foot-8, 230 pounds who improved to 44 percent of a three-point shooter in 99 attempts last season. The 24-year-old has the right mix of size and athletic performance to get some real upswing if his skills continue to develop. He deserves a pilot for just about any team in the league.
We will update this list as the free agency continues.
