NBA free agency 2022 Ranking the top 25

NBA free agency is set to kick off soon. While deals dont become official until July 6, we will know where many of the free agents are going after teams begin negotiations at 6 pm ET on June 30. So who are the best players available?Ranking the top 25 of this cla s was a lot harder than I expected. There are some decent players at the top, but overall this isnt a good cla s. There also isnt much cap space out there for teams to throw around.That doesnt preclude player movement, though. Trades, including sign-and-trades with the players below, may be a bigger vehicle for flipping over rosters this season.For the purposes of this exercise, players that could technically become free agents but have close to zero chance of doing so are left off this list. Im looking at you, John Wall and Ru sell Westbrook.Without further ado, heres my list. 1. Zach LaVine | Status: Unrestricted free agent | Age: 27LaVine is coming off his second Eddie Goldman Jersey consecutive All-Star game appearance. Hes one of the most talented scorers in the league, averaging 24.4 points per game last season. While knee problems slowed him down, offseason surgery should remedy those i sues. Hes also hitting his prime.LaVine will be eligible for a five-year, $212 million contract from the Bulls. There was some early speculation that he could switch teams, but those rumors have fizzled out. Barring something shocking, he should sign that maximum deal with the Bulls soon after free agency begins.2. Bradley Beal | Status: $34.6 million player option | Age: 28Beal could become a free agent if he declines his player option. HoopsHypes Michael Scotto indicated that Beal was planning to do just that, although .Like LaVine, Beal is an ultra-talented scorer that is near his prime. His upcoming deal should pay him through his best years. He had a down year last season shooting the ball, hitting only 30 percent of his 3s. But his career average of 22.1 points per game on 37 percent shooting from 3 would help any team.Update: Beal has declined his player option3. James Harden | Status: $47.4 million player option | Age: 32Hardens player option will determine what happens with him. The chances are that he takes it and extends his contract with the Sixers, who gave up a lot to get him. But it would be hard for them to stomach paying him his full five-year maximum salary, which Taylor Gabriel Jersey would push him past the $60 million mark in his age 37 season. He could bolt if some other team with cap space decides to put the pre sure on the Sixers.Harden certainly isnt the player he was even three seasons ago. But hes still easily a top 20 player in the league. He had an up-and-down season where he struggled putting pre sure on the rim but still put up averages of 22.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 10.3 a sists. He remains an offensive force and a foul-drawing machine.Update: Harden has declined his player option4. Kyrie Irving | Status: $36 million player option | Age: 30Irving will opt into his $36.5 million player option to remain with the Nets for the final year of his contract, but that won't become official until he puts pen to paper. Irving has until Wednesday, June 29 at 5 p.m. ET to do so.Irving is still a top 10 offensive talent, despite his i sues. He had one of the most efficient 50-point games of all time last season. His jump shooting and shot creation remain elite.Update: Irving has picked up his player option5. Miles Bridges | Status: Restricted free agent | Age: 24Bridges scoring took a leap last season, averaging 20.2 points per game on a lot of self-created looks. The former 12th overall pick Walter Payton Jersey in the 2018 draft is coming off his rookie deal and should get a huge pay increase. I expect him to return to the Hornets and earn over $25 million annually.6. Deandre Ayton | Status: Restricted free agent | Age: 23Ayton is the best player that has a decent likelihood of switching teams. Other teams can offer him up to $131 million over four years.A player of Aytons caliber usually wouldnt be on the move, but Suns ownership doesnt want Allen Robinson Jersey to pony up to keep him. ESPNs Adrian Wojnarowski stated that they were very motivated to find a sign and trade deal for him.Ayton is turning only 24 years old in July and is already one of the better two-way centers in the league. His rim protection, midrange jumper, and scoring down low could help any team.7. Jalen Brunson | Status: Unrestricted free agent | Age: 25Brunson is an ultra-shifty scoring guard whose game is predicated on contact. Hes a smart but undersized defender and plays the best with the ball in his hands, which does pose some difficulty playing alongside Luka Doncic.The Mavs will have to go into the NBAs luxury tax if they choose to keep Brunson. He should earn over $20 million annually after a good playoff showing and get interest from multiple teams, including the Knicks who are rumored to have cleared ma sive cap space to go after him.8. Anfernee Simons | Status: Restricted free agent | Age: 23Simons was an extremely raw prospect when he was drafted back in 2018 with the 24th pick. He never cracked double-digits in scoring average in his first three years, but injuries to Portland's roster and a rebuilding year gave him a chance to show what he could do. He upped his scoring to 17.3 points per game on 40.5 percent shooting from 3, showing that he could at the very least put the ball in the basket.Simons still has a ways to go defensively, but hes young and has room to improve from an already-impre sive level. Given that the Blazers can match any offer, hes probably staying put.9. Collin Sexton | Status: Restricted free agent | Age: Pat O'Donnell Jersey 23One would think that a former 8th overall pick who has averaged 20.0 points per game in his four-year career should be an easy candidate to return to his team on a max salary.But Sextons offense has come at the price of middling efficiency. He needs the ball in his hands to score, and his career 3.3 a sists per game are nothing to brag about. He appears to try hard on defense, but his impact is a big negative.Sexton is still young enough to fix his weakne ses, and his shot creation along with the Cavs lukewarm interest (the two sides couldnt agree on an extension last offseason) should make him an appealing target despite those flaws.10. Mitchell Robinson | Status: Restricted free agent | Age: 24Robinson is yet another young guy from the 2018 draft cla s. The things he does well, like shot blocking, offensive rebounding, and dunking, he does really well. The things that he does poorly, like shooting jumpers (he has yet to attempt a 3) and free throws (he hit just 49 percent of them last year), he does very poorly.Robinson