NBA Free Agency 2016: Latest Rumors and Signing Predictions for Top Stars

It seems there won't be a happy medium with 2016 NBA free agency.

Those who built expectations for the 2016 NBA draft can relate. Either Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram was going to come off the board first, and no team was going to make a major trade, or something crazy would happen.

This summer the Association offers a similar dilemma. It seems either Kevin Durant ditches the Oklahoma City Thunder and major rebuilders such as the Los Angeles Lakes and New York Knicks strike it big, or it's a ho-hum affair setting the table for Part 3 between Golden State and Cleveland.

The ever-present rumor mill suggests the market could swing either way, so let's take a look at the latest whispers.

DeMar DeRozan

DeMar DeRozan didn't shock anyone when he opted out of his contract with the Toronto Raptors. Guys who are 26 years old and averaged 23.5 points have to do what's best for them financially, on the chance it's the only shot they get at a major deal.

Whether Toronto will give him the deal is the question.

The Raptors finally managed to shed the playoff-choker label with DeRozan leading the way, as the team bested the Indiana Pacers and Miami Heat before taking the eventual champion Cleveland Cavaliers to six games.

Now the Raptors have to find a way to keep it all together after a successful draft in which the front office added Utah big man Jakob Poeltl. According to ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon, DeRozan will make this easy on the team by not taking visits elsewhere: "DeMar DeRozan does not plan to schedule meetings with other teams at the start of free agency, opting to focus on working out a contract to return to the Eastern Conference finalists, a source told ESPN.com."

This is an interesting turn of events. DeRozan has been quite adamant in his desire to stick with the Raptors, no matter what. But he could hit the market and get a max deal, maybe even by going to his hometown Lakers after he played college ball at USC.

Such theories seem to have cooled, though. If DeRozan was going elsewhere, the rumors market would have picked up on visits by now one way or another. But it seems he has stuck with his word, and it makes plenty of sense for him to stick with a contender rather than chase status as the star player in a big market that is still years away from competing for a title.

Maybe DeRozan joins the Lakers or another team after his new contract expires. But right now there's no reason to predict him going anywhere other than Toronto.

Prediction: DeRozan re-signs with the Raptors.

Kevin Durant

The Lakers and Washington Wizards can go ahead and kill off any ideas they might have had about Durant.

So says a new rumor from USA Today's Sam Amick, who revealed those two franchises won't even sniff a meeting with Durant.

"Despite years of speculation about Durant possibly signing with his hometown Washington Wizards or the Los Angeles Lakers, a person with knowledge of his situation told USA Today Sports that those two teams are not expected to land a meeting with the former MVP," Amick wrote.

The Wizards always seemed like an interesting idea because of how Durant would team with John Wall and Bradley Beal, but it's still hard to see Durant going to the Eastern Conference and, perhaps more importantly, throwing away years of chemistry-building with Russell Westbrook.

Los Angeles never made a ton of sense either. The trio of D'Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram and Julius Randle offers plenty of upside and intrigue, but Durant discarding yearly title contention to help a young team grow only makes sense if one thinks he's after a better, LeBron-type shoe deal in a bigger market.

This isn't to suggest Durant won't make the rounds. Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical noted sources saying he will meet with the Thunder, Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs.

But when it comes to prediction time, the best bet is Durant sticks with the Thunder. He's not a guy to abandon a team or chase a bigger market, and he's absolutely not a guy to leave satisfied after missing the Finals because his team blew a 3-1 lead.

The Thunder have already shown Durant a commitment to improving by acquiring guard Victor Oladipo in exchange for Serge Ibaka in a trade with the Orlando Magic. On paper, the Thunder have already improved their title chances next year and just need Durant to splash his signature on the page, which he will.

Prediction: Durant re-signs with the Thunder.

Hassan Whiteside

Hassan Whiteside will leave the Miami Heat if the cash isn't right. Point blank. Period.

Who can blame him? Whiteside was the No. 33 pick in the 2010 NBA draft and spent two years wasting away with the Sacramento Kings before the Heat turned him loose over the past two seasons. Now he's already 27, and his chances of nabbing two major deals over the course of his remaining career don't seem outstanding.

According to ESPN's Marc Stein, the Lakers are ready to open up the checkbook for Whiteside:

It's easy to see why, based on a graphic from ESPN Stats & Info:

This was predictable and inevitable, as Whiteside looked like one of the game's best centers after averaging 14.2 points, 11.8 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game.

According to the Miami Herald's Barry Jackson, Whiteside wants to remain loyal if possible: "That friend said Whiteside prefers to stay with the Heat if all things are equal financially."

This is tricky. Miami already has to deal with the contracts of Goran Dragic and Chris Bosh, not to mention getting the cash Dwyane Wade wants and the unknown factor around Bosh. Feel free to add in the fact the Heat might like other free agents.

Whiteside, given the beginning of his career, seems like the type of player who would love to join an up-and-coming team in one of the biggest markets and get the credit as the guy who was the breaking point in the major turnaround.

There's uncertainty around the Heat, both in how the team will contend in a suddenly deep Eastern Conference that boasts the champs and whether it can afford Whiteside. It's the opposite in Los Angeles, where the only way to go is up and money isn't a question.

Prediction: Whiteside signs with the Lakers.

All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.