The Absolute Best 40 NBA Free Agents in 2019 Ranked

“They just need shooting.”

“They just need shooting.”

“They just need shooting.”

A commonly-used phrase about a rare commodity. Shooting does not exist in excess in the NBA. It may seem prominent in the conversation surrounding the Association and in importance, but it does not exist commonly in actual games. This is because shooting comes in many different forms and most teams require the kind that is most infrequently found. Teams need shooters who can shoot off the dribble or shooters who are absolute marksmen off the ball. The first is quite possibly the hardest thing to do in the NBA and the second is hard to find without prominent and gaping holes in that player’s game.

Shooting will remain at the forefront of conversation and necessity until there is no longer a line that indicates one shot is worth more than the other. This means free agency is a mad dash to uncover shooting that fits these criteria without overspending to possess as much as they need. There are clearly other factors that lead to free agency decisions, but the one factor that rings loudest is shooting. That trait is what this list will acknowledge when ranking this class of NBA free agents from best-to-worst.

This does not mean the list ignores age, potential, defense, rebounding, or ball handling. It simply means players who can shoot in the different ways teams need them to are more malleable and therefore a “better” free agent. They can fit better onto more teams than their poorer shooting peers. Here is that list:

ONE – THREE

Sometimes a “Big Three” seems to just spring up naturally in the league. This free agent class is packed with talent and the top is filled with possibly the best player in the world at this point in time, one of the best scorer’s in NBA history (who just so happens to be 7 feet tall), and the second-best shooter of all time.

FOUR – SEVEN

Khris Middleton is not only the exact shooter every team is looking for but he is also just 27, plays solid defense, and can be inserted into almost any team and be a great fit. As for star power, he does not fill as many commercials or star in as many movies but his flexibility allows him to be a more alluring free agent. Tobias Harris has many of the same attributes as Middleton; shooter, 26-years-old, malleable. However, his lack of defense and relatively new status as an absolute sharpshooter puts him underneath the ball handling and more consistent stars.

EIGHT – FOURTEEN

Finding big men that can be put in almost any lineup and find success is the third-most valuable and sought after commodity in the NBA right now. Lateral quickness, floor spacing, and a high IQ all coming from the center position is what every team is looking for and Al Horford offers all of it. He is a switch happy big man that can hit threes and is widely considered a brilliant player.

via GIPHY

This type of mobility is an absolute necessity in the NBA and that is why, despite his age, Horford should still be one of the ore desirable NBA free agents.

D’Angelo Russell is one of the best off-the-dribble shooters in the NBA. He attempts four per-game on 36% shooting. This may not sound prolific, but when compared to the players surrounding him (Bojan; two per game on 12% shooting, Brogdon; .9 per game on 17% shooting) he appears to be some type of demi-god. The variation in 3-point shooting seems to be lost on the masses. Russell takes more difficult shots because of his role. He may not have a sparkling true-shooting percentage, but what his off the dribble shooting does for his team is simply more important than the other guards on this list. He is also only 23-years-old, contributed to a playoff team, and is a far better passer than advertised. His defense needs work and his shot selection can be spotty but arguing D’Angelo Russell should lead this list of stars should not be an asinine thought.

FIFTEEN – FORTY

The rest of the big men finally join the fold as the guards with the highest upside, best shooting, and the highest chance to be a lead or secondary ball handler dissipate. Marc Gasol deservedly leads the list as him and Serge Ibaka successfully led a frontcourt to an NBA championship. The biggest question mark with bigs in 2019 is, “can he remain on the floor as the game picks up speed and more shooting is needed in the playoffs?” Gasol’s answer was a swift yes.

Brook Lopez and Julius Randle are two big men that are ideal fits for many teams. However, they do two very different things. Randle offers ridiculous athleticism, defensive mobility on-ball, and will never be run off the court due to his lack of athleticism. On the flip side, he can not shoot. He also has a very difficult time when he is not guarding the main ball handler. Meanwhile, Lopez offers Kyle Korver-esque shooting as a behemoth human being that blocks two shots a game.

The rest of the list is riddled with injury question marks (DeMarcus Cousins), specialists (JJ Redick), and tertiary ball handlers that should never be more than that (Thad Young). The most important part of picking NBA free agents this low on the list is choosing the player that is either a specialist in the category the team needs or picking the player that has the highest chance of having the fewest holes in their game.

In the silly season, it is a race for the best and the best is often the player that can shoot the best.