Listing the 5 best rebounders available in free agency during the NBA offseason
The 2022 NBA free agency is going to be quite exciting as there are some great players who will be available. The new league year starts on July 1, and this is when we should start seeing some big roster moves.
While there aren't many superstars in this year's NBA free agency, there are many players who could have a huge impact on their new teams.
Many of these players are fantastic rebounders, so let's check which free agents specialize in cleaning the glass!
Top 5 rebounders available in free agency
Hassan Whiteside (Unrestricted Free Agent)
Hassan Whiteside's NBA career has had a lot of ups and downs, but he's always been a great rebounder. The 33-year-old big man was incredible for the Miami Heat a few years ago, leading the league in rebounding and blocks.
Since then, his value has drastically dropped, but he is still a great player.
Whiteside averaged 7.6 rebounds with the Utah Jazz while playing 17.9 minutes per game. He has a career average of 10.8 rebounds, and there is no doubt he can be a solid contributor for any team that needs a rebounder.
Whiteside's value is not very high at the moment, but it won't be surprising if he gets another bigger contract in this year's free agency.
Mitchell Robinson (Unrestricted Free Agent)
Mitchell Robinson spent the first four years of his career in New York playing for the Knicks. This is where he's become one of the most dominant big men in the league, but his time in the "Big Apple" may have come to an end.
Robinson averaged 8.6 rebounds per game last season and has improved his glass-cleaning skills each year he's been in the league.
Mitchell Robinson with the CLUTCH block 💪 https://t.co/hbCuQUN2pR
Almost 50% of his boards come on the offensive end, which further increases his value as he creates a lot of second-chance opportunities.
Andre Drummond (Unrestricted Free Agent)
Since 2020, Andre Drummond has been on five different NBA teams. The big man keeps getting traded, despite his incredible rebounding skills, and we could see him join a new team in free agency.
Drummond is one of the most talented rebounders ever. He's had a couple of seasons where he averaged over 15 rebounds per game. His career-high in rebounding was 16.0 back in 2018, and he can still clean the glass better than most of the other players.
Despite being a fantastic rebounder, Drummond has no outside shot. This is why his market value isn't going to be very high in the upcoming free agency.
Jusuf Nurkic (Unrestricted Free Agent)
Jusuf Nurkic is one of the best big men in the NBA. His all-around skills make him one of the best free agents this summer, and he could get a contract for his services.
Last season, the 27-year-old recorded a career-high 11.1 rebounds per game. While most of these rebounds were defensive, he also averaged 3.0 offensive boards.
Nurkic is a decent passer for a big man and can impact the game in many different ways. After six years in Portland, Nurkic could possibly find a new team to play for. He will have many suitors in the upcoming free agency, and his next deal could be big.
Deandre Ayton (Restricted Free Agent) is one of the best rebounders in this year's NBA free agency
Like Nurkic, Deandre Ayton is a great player who can impact the game on both ends. He is one of the best two-way players in the league, but his time in Phoenix has probably come to an end.
After failing to agree to a maximum extension last year, Ayton wasn't happy with the Suns. He averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game last season, and his numbers could go even higher on a new team.
Phoenix is increasingly expected to engage in serious sign-and-trade talks centered around DeAndre Ayton 👀
(Via @TheSteinLine marcstein.substack.com/p/a-weekends-w…) https://t.co/bZIxWegWW8
There is a reason why Ayton was the first overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft, and it won't be surprising if he has a breakout year soon. However, the Suns are likely to match the offer sheet and re-sign the big man, as it would be a bad idea to just let him walk away for nothing.