NBA Rumors: Ideal landing spots for the 8 best remaining free agents
By Colin Cann
NBA Rumors: Exploring the best possible landing spots for the top eight remaining free agents still on the open market
Nearly two weeks into NBA Free Agency, there are still plenty of big-name free agents that haven’t found a home. The expectation – and hope – is that will change over the course of the next few days.
But what are the best possible landing spots for the best remaining free agents? We explore.
Isaiah Thomas
New Orleans Pelicans
Shortly after LeBron James announced he would sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, Rajon Rondo announced he would do the same. He left a gaping hole in the Pelicans depth chart. Unless they choose to start Ian Clark or slide Jrue Holiday back to the 1, they need a new starting point guard.
Clark has had trouble creating for others, he is more suited as a 3-point option. Holiday has no issue creating for others but as he’s shown he is better situated as an off-ball weapon and secondary ball handler. Sharing the backcourt with Holiday would mask some of Thomas’s serious defensive issues. Holiday was 1st team All-Defense last season, a perfect backcourt mate for IT. It would be like playing with Avery Bradley again, albeit a more high usage Bradley.
Thomas would have to know his role on the team from day one. This will not be the Boston Celtics, he will not be asked to score 30 a night. They have Anthony Davis for that. Instead, Thomas will have to have more of a pass-first mentality. Nobody will expect him to put on his best Rondo impersonation. He’ll still need to maintain his aggressiveness but more of his drives should end in passes to Davis or Holiday than in attempts for himself.
There are a few point guard options for New Orleans to choose from, but none of them have a resume like Isaiah Thomas. With almost no market for a starting point guard, he will likely only demand the veteran’s minimum. No other team can offer New Orleans combination of playing time and importance to the team. While still giving him a chance to make the playoffs.