As we head into the dog days of the summer, the NBA calendar has slowed down as well. A lot of team personnel and players went on vacation after the Las Vegas Summer League, as it is the last time for them to get away until things pick back up for training camp in September.
The league is also waiting to see what will happen with a few All-Stars that have been on the trade block. Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz and Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets have both been mentioned in a ton of trade rumors and until those deals are consummated, transactions will be few and far between.
That has left some players waiting for their next opportunity. For this point in August, the free agency pool in the NBA is pretty strong. There are several veterans still available that could easily step into the rotation of teams around the league.
Arguably the best player available is Collin Sexton. He is a restricted free agent, which has played a big part in him not being signed yet. The Cleveland Cavaliers would like to have him back, but with no real competition to sign him away, are taking their time.
They want Collin Sexton to come back at their price, which has a sizable gap between what Sexton and his reps are looking for. It has been reported that a holdout could occur into training camp, as Klutch Sports clients usually end up getting what they want.
Dennis Schroder remains available as he has become more well known for the money he turned down from the Los Angeles Lakers in 2021 than for things he has accomplished on the court. Schroder declined a reported four-year offer worth north of $80 million, expecting to make more as a free agent.
A deal of that size never came as Schroder signed a one-year deal with the Boston Celtics for $5.9 million. He is likely looking at a similar deal this offseason despite proving he can be one of the best sixth men in the NBA.
Another guard to keep an eye on is Isaiah Thomas. His career was derailed by hip injuries as he was once an MVP candidate with the Celtics and infamously said they would have to back the Brinks truck up for him. He has been playing on 10-day deals in recent seasons, and the only team that has been linked to him this season is the Charlotte Hornets, with whom he finished the 2021-22 season out.
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In the frontcourt, there are numerous veterans available whose best days are behind them. LaMarcus Aldridge and Blake Griffin, who both played with the Nets last season, are waiting to sign. They may have to keep waiting as teams likely aren’t knocking down their doors.
Of the two, LaMarcus Aldridge likely has the most to offer as long as he is medically cleared to play. He remained one of the best mid-range shooters in the NBA last season. Blake Griffin provided a few spark minutes in the postseason but looks nearly finished as a regular rotation player.
Montrez Harrell is another player that turned down a lot of money, as the Hornets offered him a huge contract in 2020 but he opted to sign with the Lakers. He eventually landed with the Hornets, as he was traded there by the Washington Wizards last season.
He has some off-the-court issues to iron out but continues to be a spark plug off the bench for whatever team he is playing with. Harrell is a rebounding machine and efficient scorer on the second unit but his lack of impact defensively makes him difficult to trust in the postseason.
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