The major names are officially off the board. After Gordon Hayward joined the Celtics and Otto Porter Jr. came to terms with the Nets on an offer sheet (which the Wizards may match) on Tuesday, the top 10 free agents on our list are all off the board.
The next three players that are available on our list are restricted free agents. In a drastically reduced market, the restricted free agents have been hit the worst. Most of the marquee names not only haven't signed new deals with their teams, but haven't received offer sheets. This means that someone is going to get them for less than what was expected, and likely on discounts.
Here's a look at which role players and value guys are the next-best on the market:
Noel remains on the market, which is kind of surprising given how much Dallas needs him. The Mavs almost certainly match, but despite some rumors about the Hawks, it looks like they've played it the right way as he has not solicited an offer as of yet.
It also may show how little rim protectors are considered invaluable at this point, given Noel is considered to be one of the best in the league under 25. However, he comes with both injury and some maturity concerns. A team will convince themselves he's worth the risk, though, and it would be surprising if he's unsigned by the end of the week.
KCP has suffered more than any other player in this restricted free agency squeeze, and had I known the market was this way, I would have had him way higher in my rankings. The Pistons secured Langston Galloway as a backup option, putting more pressure on, and the Nets, even with their oodles of money, decided to go after Otto Porter first, instead. He could still get a max offer from Brooklyn if Washington matches as expected, but the value has gone way down on what Caldwell-Pope was expected to get.
Teams are clearly being careful since KCP is billed as a shooter, but shot a career-high just 35 percent from deep last year.
Whispers indicate that the Grizzlies are hesitant to go into double-digit millions per year for Green, and if that's the case, they can kiss him goodbye. Some team will aggressively sign him, he's too valuable. Green is a stretch four with great mobility, plays good defense and can shoot. (Trivia: Green was a better 3-point shooter than KCP last season.)
Green's agent has broadcast that he has multiple offers on the table and that the Grizzlies' offer wasn't sufficient. If Memphis loses him, it takes a steep tumble, especially after losing Zach Randolph Tuesday.
