The summer of 2016 free agency market may not be as crazy as others have been in the past due to the small number of big names that are expected to be free agents. Kobe Bryant may be playing his last season in 2015-16, Mike Conley most likely won’t leave Memphis and the same can be said for Dwyane Wade in Miami. Roy Hibbert, Joe Johnson and Joakim Noah are all former All-Stars that are expected to hit free agency but they won’t command huge contracts.
While all eyes are set on Kevin Durant and what he may do next there is one other big name that is expected to test the waters of free agency. Atlanta Hawks big man Al Horford could be the second best free agent in a market that could see 20 teams able to offer him a max contract.
Given what the Hawks did this summer, by letting DeMarre Carroll walk but fighting to keep Paul Millsap, there’s no definite way to think about how Atlanta will go about Horford’s impending free agency.
While we all speculate what could be, Horford has elected to shut down any chatter before it begins.
Following from Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Al Horford, entering final year of his contract, says he will wait until after season to discuss any new deal. Wants focus on season.
— Chris Vivlamore (@CVivlamoreAJC) August 18, 2015
The Dominican big man won’t want to talk about his free agency but that doesn’t mean everyone else will stop. Kevin Durant is the top free agent in 2016 and Horford is most likely second on that list unless another big name makes himself available for free agency.
Will the Hawks be able to keep Big Al after this season? They will be hard pressed to have another 60 win season in part due to the loss of Carroll and the improvements other Eastern Conference teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat and Toronto Raptors made.
The Hawks are better off trying to lock in Horford early but his lack of excitement to discuss a new deal isn’t a great sign going forward.
