11 Through 20 (D’Angelo Russell through Nikola Mirotic)

Previously, I ranked the top ten players set to hit the free agent market this summer, in what promises to be a transformative offseason. Today, I’ll list 10-20. Next week, I breakdown players 21 through 30.

11. D’Angelo Russell – Restricted – Brooklyn Nets:

2018-19 was viewed by many in Brooklyn as a make-or-break year for Russell, as he was coming off a relatively disappointing debut season with the Nets. Well, Russell, who just turned 23, has exceeded even optimistic of expectations this season, posting career-highs in points, assists, 3-pointers, eFG%, and PER, as well as a career-low in turnover rate. He was named to the All-Star team for the first time and is in the running for the Most Improved Player Award. The question now is how much are the Nets willing to pay to keep him Brooklyn? The maximum the Nets can offer is $158 million over five years, but it would be very difficult to justify overpaying to that extent. Because Russell is restricted, it’s possible Brooklyn simply waits for another team to offer a four-year deal in the neighborhood of $90 million, and then matches that deal.

12. Nikola Vucevic – Unrestricted – Orlando Magic:

Nikola Vucevic is another player enjoying a career year at the perfect time. He is one of three players (along with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Anthony Davis) averaging at least 20 points, 12 rebounds and four assists per game this season. In addition, according to Basketball-Reference, he is on pace to become the first player in league history to average at least 20/12/4 in addition to one block and made 3-pointer per game for a full NBA season. Vucevic has also been impressively consistent his entire career. He has recorded 25+ double-doubles in seven consecutive seasons, which is the longest active streak in the league. Although the Magic drafted center Mo Bamba with the sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft, they decided not to trade Vucevic at the deadline. It will be interesting to see how committed they are to keeping Vucevic as a franchise cornerstone in Orlando.

13. DeMarcus Cousins – Unrestricted – Golden State Warriors:

It’s very difficult to predict what kind of offers Cousins might receive on the open market in July. After settling for a one-year, $5.3 million deal last offseason due to the complications surrounding his Achilles injury, Cousins has looked solid for the Warriors since returning to action back in January. His offensive production is undoubtedly impressive, but he seems a step slow defensively (and he didn’t have a step to lose). Nonetheless, it only takes one team offering a significant payday, and Boogie will likely look to cash in after being forced to take a massive pay cut in 2018. With so many teams having excess cap space to lavish on free agents, Cousins could end up securing a lucrative offer from an organization that strikes out on the top-tier talent.

14. Julius Randle – Player Option – New Orleans Pelicans:

The Lakers let Randle walk last offseason, as they were looking to clear cap space. The Pelicans scooped him up at a discount, and he’s had a breakout campaign in New Orleans. Randle is one of only six players this season averaging more than 20 points, eight boards and three assists, while shooting over 50% from the floor. (The other five are LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Karl-Anthony Towns, Nikola Vucevic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.) Now that it’s only a matter of when, not if, the Pels part ways with Anthony Davis, New Orleans may be motivated to bring back Randle, as they reportedly view him as a potential building block headed into an uncertain the future.

15. Marc Gasol – Player Option – Toronto Raptors

Gasol’s player option for 2019-20 is worth $25.6 million. Although he would have to take a significant pay cut in terms of annual salary if he opted out, at 34 years of age, he may be looking to cash in with one more multi-year contract. While Gasol has slowed down noticeably, he’s still a solid, productive player on both ends of the floor. In 2017-18, he led the Grizzlies in points, rebounds, assists and blocks, and became just the third player in NBA history (Kevin Durant twice, Draymond Green) to record at least 300 assists, 100 three‐pointers and 100 blocks in the same season. After being traded to the Raptors last month, he is still trying to find his footing in Toronto.

16. Malcolm Brogdon – Restricted – Milwaukee Bucks:

If you asked all the scouts in the league whom they consider the most underrated player in the NBA, you’d hear Brogdon’s name quite a bit. He’s not only effective, he’s also remakably efficient. Coming into this season, Steve Nash was the only player to ever shot above 50% from the floor, 43% from downtown and 93% from the charity stripe over the course of a full NBA campaign. Brogdon is currently converting 50.9% of his field goal attempts, 43.6% of his 3-pointers and a league-leading 93.2% of his free throws. His Net Rating this season is an extraordinary +11.9, which is the second-highest NetRtg in the NBA the league this season. Earlier this month, the Bucks signed Eric Bledsoe to a four-year, $70 million extension. It will be interesting to see if they are willing to do what it takes to hold onto Brogdon as well. The smart money says they plan to keep their promising core intact.

17. Paul Millsap – Team Option – Denver Nuggets:

The Nuggets hold a $30.5 million option on Millsap for 2019-20. While Denver values Millsap’s all-around contributions, that’s a very hefty price to pay for a player that is already 34 years old and ranks fourth on the team in scoring; he is averaging fewer than 13 points per game for the first time since his sophomore season back in 2007-08. However, that doesn’t preclude the Nuggets from re-signing him should they feel the price is right in July.

18. Brook Lopez – Unrestricted – Milwaukee Bucks:

After a disappointing 2017-18 season in Los Angeles, when he seemed to get lost in the shuffle out in Laker Land, Lopez had to settle for a one-year, $3.4 million deal with Milwaukee last offseason. Unsurprisingly, he’s enjoyed a fantastic bounce-back season with the Bucks, and is an ideal fit playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo in coach Mike Budenholzer’s uptempo offense. Remarkably, BroLo is on pace to become the first player in NBA history to average more than two blocks and more than two made 3-pointers per game. Milwaukee would undoubtedly love to bring him back, but he’s going to seeking a significant pay raise.

19. Hassan Whiteside – Player Option – Miami Heat:

Whiteside has a $27.1 million player option for the 2019-20 season. Should he chose to opt out and test the free agent market, there are reasons teams will shy away from him. For instance, his production has been frustratingly inconsistent at times, and he’s bumped heads with the Miami coaching staff and front office on more than a few occasions. Lastly, traditional, back-to-the-basket bigs have been devalued in today’s positionless NBA. However, his on-court numbers are undeniably impressive. Dating back to the start of the 2016-17 campaign, Whiteside is averaging 19.0 points (on 55% shooting), 16.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per-36 minutes. He’s also one of only 12 players to post a PER north of 22 in each of the last three seasons. The 11 other players in this club have made multiple All-Star appearances and have been consistently named to the All-NBA teams.

20. Nikola Mirotic – Unrestricted – Milwaukee Bucks:

Mirotic has bounced between three teams over the last 13 months and has not been able to establish himself for one NBA organization. Having just turned 28 years old, and squarely in his prime, he’ll look to remedy that situation this summer via a lucrative, long-term contract. Late last season for the Pelicans, Mirotic was playing the best basketball of his career, as New Orleans pushed towards the playoffs. Excelling as a stretch-4, he averaged 25.8 points, 12.0 rebounds and 4.0 treys over the final five games of the 2017-18 season. Then, in the nine games the Pels played in the playoffs, Mirotic averaged 15.0 points, 9.6 boards and 1.3 blocks, while shooting 48% from the floor and 43% from downtown. He was putting up similar numbers this year before being bit by the injury bug and then getting re-routed to Milwaukee.