It is nearly the end of June. Which only means one thing. SUMMER IS HERE! Where the weather is hot and everybody is outside having fun.
Except the front offices of the NBA. They have to stay inside and try to make their teams better. They need to go to their players and get some deals done. Ultimately forming their teams once again. Playoff teams need to find a way to make that next step up and tanking teams need to stop tanking, rebuild and become respectable again.
With that said. There are a lot of storylines that will shape this summer in the NBA. Here are the top 5.
1) What Will Happen With The “Big” Free Agents?
See what I did there? Mad Men got nothing on me! There have been a lot of opt outs thus far. Most of them are due to the cap reshape next year (I’ll cover that later) and some are due to players looking around, testing free agent waters. Four that will really shape the NBA for at least this coming season are big men DeAndre Jordan, Marc Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge and Kevin Love.
Now there have been reports of Kevin Love staying with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but I won’t believe it until I see it. That guy is a pathological liar that does not know what he wants. He clearly liked life in Minnesota because he was fulfilling his potential. But because he’s the third fiddle in Cleveland, they don’t utilise him like the T’Wolves did. So the closest he can find a balance, is at the Staples Center playing for the Lakers. (or the Clips if DeAndre bolts) if the Lakers have Love and get one more legit player, they can be back in the mix, and when Kobe retires, Love can share the keys to the franchise with D’Angelo Russell. That would be a deadly combination.
LaMarcus Aldridge has said he’s gone and it’s not surprising, with Batum gone and Matthews on the fence, that core four could be whittled down to just Damian Lillard, which is depressing because I like Lillard. No matter how much the Blazers say that he isn’t gone, we’re not stupid. There are many teams that want LMA. Most notably the San Antonio Spurs. He could literally just take over from Duncan, which is again depressing because I despise the Spurs with a white-hot passion.
DeAndre Jordan is an interesting one, he’s keeping very quiet on what he’s feeling. The Clippers are trying to spin the apparent beef between him and Chris Paul, which gives Jordan a good a reason as any to leave. The Clippers, Mavericks, the Lakers, Knicks and even the Milwaukee Bucks are in the running. Odds are that it’s a two-horse race between the Clippers and Mavericks, but that would be very interesting if he went to the purple and gold side of LA.
Marc Gasol has been fairly vocal when it comes to his free agency. He ruled the Lakers out as a destination recently, which leaves out two. Memphis and San Antonio. The Spurs have Duncan’s approval to go for Aldridge and Gasol, hoping to get one of them. I think he’ll stay with Memphis, they got a good thing there. Jeff Green really gave them a jolt lat in the season and if it weren’t for Conley’s injury they might have had a better chance at beating Golden State.
2) What Will Happen Between Dwyane Wade And The Miami Heat?
I want to say this as simple as possible. Dwyane Wade WILL NOT leave the Miami Heat, book it. Want to know why I’m so confident? Because Kobe Bryant got $20+ Million a year deal because he’s spent his whole career at LA! Unfortunately for Wade, Miami are not that mental. Imagine Wade asking a team he has never played for “Gimme $20 Million a year for 3 years”. They’d scoff at that statement. I’m sorry but it’s true, I love DWade. Wade County all day. But he is in a position where money will be hard to find. If he gets the deal he wants, I’ll be happy for him. He took the risk of taking less money and got two rings for his sacrifice. Go get your money DWade, I’m just saying that it won’t happen.
3) How Bad Do The Cavs Have To Do In The Offseason For LeBron To Leave Again?
This is a question I really love. Now I know Cavs GM David Griffin isn’t a mental case like Philadelphia GM Sam Hinkie. Griffin has earned his money, that move for J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert was a stroke of genius. But the Cavaliers have eight unrestricted free agents. I’m just wondering, as a hypothetical. What would it take for LeBron to go “I’m done, you lot blew it big time”? I think it would take a lot for LeBron James to bolt. Like if all the free agents left except Matthew Dellavedova and Kendrick Perkins. I’d leave in a heartbeat. But Tristan Thompson has the same agent as LeBron, Smith and Shumpert seem comfortable in Cleveland. I don’t think those three would leave. But boy isn’t it fun to dream?
4) What Will The Big Markets Have To Do To Become Top Dogs Again?
Weirdly enough. The big market team in the best position is actually the Boston Celtics. I know right?! But they made the Playoffs in spectacular fashion and they have Draft Picks that’ll give them a whole new team in 2-3 years. They’re in the best position out of the big market teams to get a Finals appearance. The others like the New York teams and LA Lakers, not so much. The Brooklyn Nets are continuing the sinking ship motion, the New York Knicks are trying to rebuild but nothing is good for the Knicks fans, and the Los Angeles Lakers still have a lot of work to do. D’Angelo Russell was a great start, but now they need help. They need people who will be able to deal with the franchise without Kobe. And there aren’t many of those people. The Chicago Bulls have a new coach in Fred Hoiberg. But that’s only the beginning, they need to decide whether they can deal with life without Jimmy Butler or not. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Jimmy Butler is their best player. Rose has his moments but Butler does it all, night after night. He wants a short-term deal but the Bulls want to lock him up, something has to give there.
5) How Will This Year’s Free Agency Affect Teams Next Year?
This year’s free agency is interesting strictly because of what’s going to happen next year. The Cap Space Reform. Salaries will skyrocket and people like LeBron James and Jimmy Butler notice this and are preparing accordingly. But some free agents aren’t looking for the big cash that’ll come in next season. Mentioning the 4 big men at the top of the article, none of them have mentioned that they’re looking for a short-term deal. Is it because they just want security? There can be a case made for all four just wanting security. Aldridge wants to go to a team that can challenge for a chip. Gasol is 30 and can’t exactly money grab anymore. Love is getting the reputation of a diva that says he wants a chip but clearly wants one with him leading. And DeAndre isn’t getting along with the guy that bosses the offensive part of his game.
This year’s free agency is either about security or getting ready to rack up the big bucks next year. They all have their reasons.
But man I can’t wait to see how these storylines will unfold during this NBA Summer.
