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NBA Free Agency: Top 10 2016 Free Agents

By Ryan Blackburn

Apr 25, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) waits to be introduced prior to action against the Dallas Mavericks in game five of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 25, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) waits to be introduced prior to action against the Dallas Mavericks in game five of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /
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NBA free agency will pay these 10 players handsomely for their services. Who will be doing the paying?

Apr 25, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) waits to be introduced prior to action against the Dallas Mavericks in game five of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 25, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant (35) waits to be introduced prior to action against the Dallas Mavericks in game five of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports /

NBA Free Agency is usually a whirlwind and this year should be no different.

The 2016 free agent class is centered around one superstar, one formality and various players who have either hit their ceilings or still have untapped potential.

If the playoffs have taught fans anything so far, it’s that having the best player in the series is a good indicator for who will advance. While most of the top seeds are likely to advance, Paul George has given the second-seeded Toronto Raptors a scare, as the Indiana Pacers trail the series 3-2.

Damian Lillard has led the the fifth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers into a 3-2 series lead over the fourth-seeded Los Angeles Clippers, who are now without Chris Paul and Blake Griffin for the remainder of the series at the very least.

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George and Lillard have carried their teams into the playoffs and each has a legitimate case as a top-10 player. While there are two top-10 players in this class, there are many other players who would rank in the top 30 or so, making the class both big on star power and deep across the board.

In the NBA, paying the piper is the only way to acquire the top tier of players. With a larger than normal amount of cap space due to the money injected from a new TV deal, many franchises have the freedom to explore offering large deals to desirable players. The ramifications will be felt for every player hitting free agency this off season.

Here are ten players, including a couple of honorable mentions, who can change the entire dynamic of a team and it’s potential trajectory for years to come.

Next: Honorable Mentions