NBA Free Agency 2016: Top point guards available in the market after the season

The 2016 offseason is an interesting time for the league, as a few NBA superstars will hit free agency and explore their options of either jumping ship to another NBA squad or staying with their respective ball clubs. With the expected increase in the salary cap because of the new TV deal for the league, teams will have the money to throw at the superstars and offer them unprecedented maximum contracts.

All eyes will be on the likes of Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant, Detroit Pistons centre Andre Drummond, Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal, Atlanta Hawks centre Al Horford and Miami Heat centre Hassan Whiteside, among other NBA stars, and which new destinations they will choose or if they'll stay with their current squads.

One position that appears to be thin—and lacking in superstar quality-- during this free agency period is the point guard position. However, with a reliable court general a must for any potential title contender, acquiring a PG (and stealing one from a rival) during the 2016 offseason could be the difference maker for a team that manages to land any of them.

Here are the top 4 free agent point guards in the 2016 free agency, their current teams, 2015-2016 season salary and how they are performing so far this season:

Brandon Jennings (Detroit Pistons)
2015-2016 salary: $8.34M (AU $11.63M)
2015-2016 stats (4 games): 8.8 points, 2.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 18.8 minutes per game

Coming off a major surgery (Achilles tear), the 26-year-old Jennings has the rest of the season to increase his value and earn that big contract. The Pistons already have their starting point guard of the present and the future in Reggie Jackson, who is delivering All-Star numbers this year.

Pre-injury and before acquiring Jackson, Jennings was averaging 15.4 points, 2.5 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 28.6 minutes. Clearly, Jennings is starting PG material but with Jackson around in Motor City he won’t have starting PG minutes and Detroit won’t give him the salary of a starter especially as they also have to take care of their star free agent in Andre Drummond in the 2016 offseason.

Jordan Clarkson (Los Angeles Lakers)
2015-2016 salary: $845,059 (AU $1.2M)
2015-2016 stats (33 games): 14.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 steals in 32.0 minutes per game

Among the top point guards available, the 23-year-old Clarkson is the player who will get a hefty raise after the current season. This year, he is earning just under a million but with his heady play that has locked him into the starting PG spot for the hapless and lottery-bound Lakers. Clarkson was a second round pick in the 2014 NBA Draft but the Lakers got the steal of that draft after the Filipino-American guard proved himself as a worthy starter especially this season.

Clarkson is a restricted free agent; he can sign with any other NBA team but the Lakers have the chance to match any offer sheet and retain his services. With D’Angelo Russell in the roster, it won’t be a surprise if the Lakers decide to let go of Clarkson, if the price tag in his free agency would be too high.

Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies)
2015-2016 salary: $9.6M (AU $13.4M)
2015-2016 stats (36 games): 15.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.3 steals in 32.0 minutes per game

Conley is perhaps the most intriguing prospect in this group. The 28-year-old PG has been consistent and steady in the last eight and a half nine years in the league averaging in double-figure scoring (except in his rookie year when he scored 9.4 points per game) and running the Memphis’ squad like a true court general.

However, the Grizzlies have not been able to beat their rivals in the tough Western Conference in the postseason and reach at least the NBA Finals. A change in scenery for Conley and a change in the lead PG for Memphis could be on the deck for the franchise if they don’t reach their goals of a title again this season.

Rajon Rondo (Sacramento Kings)
2015-2016 salary: $9.5M (AU $13.3M)
2015-2016 stats (33 games): 12.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 11.6 assists and 1.9 steals in 35.4 minutes per game

Rondo’s value around the league dropped to an all-time low after his rocky stint with the Dallas Mavericks. Signing a one-year deal with the Kings this season, Rondo has returned to form and is playing at an elite level worthy of being considered as one of the All-Stars in the league. Rondo leads the league in assists and second in total triple-doubles (4).

More importantly, his shooting has been steady (except the free throw line where he is still a 50 per cent shooter) and there appears to be zero on or off court issues with his teammates or coaches.

(All salary figures via spotrac.com and all stats via NBA.com)

Where will Jennings, Clarkson, Rondo and Conley play next season? Which rival squads will swoop in and steal them from their respective teams in the 2016 free agency? Share your thoughts in the comments section.