Top 10 Restricted Free Agents

2022 NBA Free Agency will begin in less than a week. There are big names that can sign offer sheets awaiting their current team to match.

The free agent market is plentiful as it always seems to be in NBA offseasons. The biggest free agents are Kyrie Irving (Player Option), Bradley Beal (Unrestricted), James Harden (Player Option), Zach LaVine (Unrestricted), and Russell Westbrook (Player Option). For this breakdown, however, we are focusing on the restricted market, meaning the players who can sign offer sheets with other teams, but their current team can match any offer to retain the player.

NBA Free Agency is set to begin on June 30th at 6:00 PM ET.

We've created a list of the top ten available restricted free agents, along with a few players who just missed the cut but would be great pickups for teams.

Honorable Mentions

Josh Okogie, Minnesota Timberwolves

2022 Stats: 2.7 PTS, 1.7 REB, 0.5 AST 40.4 FG%

The numbers are bad, and they are out of context. In 2019-20, Josh Okogie averaged 8.6 points per game on 42% shooting. He was a talented second-year player who played 25 minutes per game. He had very limited playing time on a much improved Wolves team in 2022, only playing 10.5 minutes per game. Perhaps a new team would allow him to thrive off the bench in a small role. It doesn't seem like Minnesota would be heavily obliged to match an offer by another team if Okogie elects to test the market.

Jose Alvarado, New Orleans Pelicans

2022 Stats: 6.1 PTS, 1.9 REB, 2.8 AST, 1.3 STL, 44.6 FG%

Alvarado made a name for himself with his sneaky steals in the backcourt on several occasions, and the stats back up his nickname of Grand Theft Alvarado. He is an energy guy on defense that any team with roster flexibility would love to attain. Surely New Orleans would retain him at the right price.

Eric Paschall, Utah Jazz

2022 Stats: 5.8 PTS, 1.8 REB, 0.6 AST, 48.5 FG%, 37.0 FG3%

Eric Paschall saw a role decrease yet again last season as he moved on from the Warriors into a limited bench role with the Utah Jazz. He played just 12.7 minutes per game as opposed to the 27.6 minutes played during his All-Rookie season with the Warriors in 2019-20. An improved three point shooter last season, Paschall can be a fringe rotation player for a team that needs at-will offense near the end of the bench.

Bol Bol, Orlando Magic

2022 Stats: 2.4 PPG, 1.4 REB, 0.4 AST, 55.6 FG%

Any team that wants to test out the Bol Bol experiment would make fans happy. Unfortunately, injuries stopped him from playing last season after he was traded to Orlando, and it is unclear whether he has intentions of testing the market. We've seen glimpses of his potential, and maybe a young Orlando team will want to keep all the youth they can.

Facundo Campazzo, Denver Nuggets

2022 Stats: 5.1 PTS, 1.8 REB, 3.4 AST, 1.2 STL, 36.1 FG%

Facu is perhaps the only Nugget who can compete with Jokic for most impressive passes. His production in the limited 18.2 minutes played for Denver last season was impressive, opening the eyes of several other teams who need a second or third string floor general.

Photo Courtesy of Charlotte Observer

10. Cody Martin, Charlotte Hornets

2022 Stats: 7.7 PTS, 4.0 REB, 2.5 AST, 48.2 FG%, 38.4 FG3%

Cody Martin saw his minutes increase by 10 last season, and with it his production increased accordingly. Steve Clifford will change the rotations as he returns to coach Charlotte, and it's unclear how big a role Martin will have on the team. Whatever the case, he's a perfect energy scorer off the bench for any team.

Photo Courtesy of Steph Chambers/Getty Images

9. Mo Bamba, Orlando Magic

2022 Stats: 10.6 PTS, 8.1 REB, 1.2 AST, 48.0 FG%, 38.1 FG3%

Mo Bamba had his best NBA season in 2022, starting all but two of his 71 games played. It was good to see him stay healthy for the majority of the year as he failed to play in more than 50 games in two of his first three seasons. The Magic have decisions to make in their frontcourt as they tested out starting both Bamba and Wendell Carter Jr. alongside each other. Both scored well, with Carter averaging 15 points per game. If Mo Bamba elects to test the market, it may be because of a desire to be the main Center on a team, as he played 5 minutes less than Carter during the season. It will be interesting to see what kind of contract would be proposed in an offer sheet with another team. Whether or not the difference is negligible to Bamba, the Magic will have lots of young talent to plug into various rotations as they continue their rebuild with Paolo Banchero as the next big experiment for Orlando.

Photo Courtesy of The Associated Press

8. Lonnie Walker IV, San Antonio Spurs

2022 Stats: 12.1 PTS, 2.6 REB, 2.2 AST, 40.7 FG%

Is Lonnie Walker IV committed to the teachings of Coach Pop or will he listen to offers from other teams? The answer is probably both, but whether he'll pull the trigger on signing an offer sheet is one of the under the radar stories of the early offseason. It's unlikely that his role will increase by a lot considering the incredible talent of the guys ahead of him, and San Antonio's front office probably wouldn't match any above average deal he receives. As a great slashing, screen and drive threat, he will draw interest from teams who need to bolster the back end of their second string.

Photo Courtesy of Michael Reaves/Getty Images

7. Caleb Martin, Miami Heat

2022 Stats: 9.2 PTS, 3.8 REB, 1.1 AST, 1.0 STL, 50.7 FG%, 41.3 FG3%

Caleb Martin became the glue guy for the Heat that the Hornets wish they could've had. His three point ability also cannot be overlooked. He improved his three point efficiency by almost 17 percent last season from the previous one, giving Miami yet another perimeter threat. Martin was the seemingly perfect fit for Heat culture (a real thing), and it wouldn't be surprising if he remains committed to the team. It would make sense for Miami to prioritize him more now than Gabe Vincent and Max Strus, who aren't free agents until next season.

Photo Courtesy of Detroit Free Press

6. Marvin Bagley III, Detroit Pistons

2022 Stats: 11.3 PTS, 7.0 REB, 0.8 AST, 50.4 FG%

Marvin Bagley's fit in Detroit was much better than the end of his tenure with the Kings, and the Pistons would love to keep him around the young core of talent they are developing with Cade Cunningham and company as well as their newest draft picks in Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren. The interesting aspect of Marvin Bagley staying with the Pistons is the possible addition of Deandre Ayton, who has been linked to Detroit in rumors swirling the internet the past couple weeks. Detroit has since backed up a bit in their commitment to chasing Ayton as they are happy to develop their aforementioned 2022 draft picks instead.

Photo Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports

5. Nic Claxton, Brooklyn Nets

2022 Stats: 8.7 PTS, 5.6 REB, 0.9 AST, 67.4 FG%

Nic Claxton is the prototypical old-school Center that the NBA doesn't see as much these days. He doesn't shoot threes, but his scoring ability at the rim is good enough to maintain a near-70 percent field goal clip. Brooklyn is surrounded by the drama of a possible Kyrie Irving departure, but needs to stay focused on keeping Claxton, who is an integral part of their roster. Teams will line up to sign if given the chance, and Brooklyn should consider paying him more than their competitors.

Photo Courtesy of Craig Mitchell/The Associated Press

4. Anfernee Simons, Portland Trail Blazers

2022 Stats: 17.3 PTS, 2.6 REB, 3.9 AST, 44.3 FG%, 40.5 FG3%

His stats may be inflated because of Damian Lillard's injury, but Anfernee Simons is a real talent in the NBA. He is the perfect backup point guard on a contender, and can get a good deal from teams who need help in terms of their second unit production. He may be able to get more from any younger team who needs a starting point guard, but it's unclear if GMs are ready to commit to Simons as the first option at the 1 spot, so he may be a perfect fit as a 6th man for a team trying to win it all. In any case, Simons deserves the bag this summer, and can take the next steps towards becoming a household name.

Photo Courtesy of Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images

3. Collin Sexton, Cleveland Cavaliers

*2022 Stats: 16.0 PTS, 3.3 REB, 2.1 AST, 45.0 FG% (*Only 11 games played)

The divorce of Sexland would be disheartening for a lot of NBA fans, and it is officially possible in a few days as Collin Sexton can begin looking for more money elsewhere. It wouldn't be surprising if Cleveland is more committed to Darius Garland, who had a superb season in 2022. The Lakers have been rumored to acquiring the talented point guard, but their situation with Westbrook complicates things. Sexton's agents will be getting a lot of calls from teams this summer, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him in a different uniform come October. His numbers will resemble his seasons prior to 2022 as he struggled before his season-ending injury, so teams can expect to have him averaging 20 points as a starter.

Photo Courtesy of Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

2. Miles Bridges, Charlotte Hornets

2022 Stats: 20.2 PTS, 7.0 REB, 3.8 AST, 49.1 FG%

Miles Bridges surprised almost everyone around the sport with his massive breakout year, averaging over 20 points per game on very efficient shooting. He will be the most coveted free agent outside of the #1 on our list, and deservingly so. He can start for any team in the league, or be a 6th man of the year candidate. He has a Jason Richardson-esque energy output with thunderous dunks that will surely turn him into a fan favorite on any team if he decides to leave Charlotte. The Hornets should offer him a huge contract extension, and MJ needs to consider this if he wants his team to have a solid future.

Photo Courtesy of Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images

1. Deandre Ayton, Phoenix Suns

2022 Stats: 17.2 PTS, 10.2 REB, 1.4 AST, 63.4 FG%

While the noise around the NBA treats the Ayton-Suns drama as irreparable, the team that was most willing to sign him in the Detroit Pistons backed up a little bit. This could mean either they know something we don't about Phoenix retaining the star Center, or that they are simply focused on developing their new rookies. Whatever off-the-court issues are present, Deandre Ayton is easily the most valuable player on the list of restricted free agents in 2022. He is the ultimate offensive center who his an unstoppable pick and roll threat. He has a lot more to prove, especially in the postseason, but maybe a fresh start will be all he needs to reach an All-Star level. After failing to reach a max deal with the Suns, other teams will be poised to sign Ayton for an amount that the Suns were previously skeptical about, making his RFA story one of the most intriguing.