The great NBA free agent spending spree of 2017 is in the books. Now the attention turns to the future and which teams are in the best position to court free agents. Cap space will mean a lot more than it did before with a handful of teams set to offer a ton of money in order to turn their fortunes around. Available money, core players and the city destination are among the key factors for the teams on this list. Here is a closer look at the NBA’s top four up-and-coming free agent destinations.
Philadelphia 76ers
Joel Embiid, Markelle Fultz and Ben Simmons haven’t played a single game together and the 76ers are already at the top of this list. That core group of young players is among the best in the NBA and free agents will take notice. And don’t forget about Dario Saric. While he gets lost in the shuffle, there was a point and time in the season when Saric was considered to be one of the frontrunners for Rookie of the Year. He averaged 17.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.4 threes and 0.9 steals after the All-Star break.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia has the most cap space in the NBA. The 76ers sent a message to the rest of the association with a one-year, $23 million deal for J.J. Redick. The process will continue with Philadelphia hoping their core players can stay healthy and perform at a high level this season. If that happens, they could be an even more intriguing free agent destination next summer. With plenty of cap space, an exciting young core and a strong enough market the 76ers are a top up-and-coming free agent destination looking forward to 2018.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers don’t have the same young core that the 76ers have in place. However, Los Angeles does have Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram in place. They also have a ton of cap space and remain a premium destination in terms of the livability factor. And remember, it does look like Paul George and/or LeBron James will be making a move to Los Angeles next season. George has stated his intention to sign there while the general assumption – as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has reported – is that James will end up in the purple and gold too.
The Lakers have shown they aren’t afraid to make bold moves as they did with D’Angelo Russell this past summer. Team president Magic Johnson will push hard to add at least one star player next summer. It won’t be a surprise when the Lakers push hard for Paul George and Russell Westbrook in 2018.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets convinced Paul Millsap to join them this past summer. With Millsap, Jamal Murray, Gary Harris and Nikola Jokic under contract, Denver is in a good position with an attractive group of core players. While the Nuggets won’t have as much cap space as the first two teams on this list, they will have enough money to sign a star player. If they can sell the idea that Denver is ready to contend in the Western Conference then the Nuggets could end up being a top up-and-coming free agent destination in 2018. They are loaded with plenty of young talent.
Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee might have a bit tougher of a time convincing free agents it is a top destination in terms of the livability factor. However, the Bucks will have a ton of money to help their sales pitches along with a talented young core group. Giannis Antetokounmpo could be a top-10 player in the NBA this season. Malcolm Brogdon, Khris Middleton and Thon Maker will join him to give Milwaukee a solid young core. The Bucks might not be able to convince a player like George to sign with them. However, Milwaukee could be an excellent option for players like DeAndre Jordan, Wilson Chandler or Avery Bradley as potential free agents in the summer of 2018. The one thing holding this team back is that the city of Milwaukee isn’t as attractive as, say, Los Angeles.
The 2017 NBA futures are out. It’s been a wild offseason already, but keep an eye on the betting lines as they move around at Diamond Sportsbook! Get the latest NBA betting lines right here.
