Surprise Landing Spots for NBA Players In the Rumor Mill
We could see a fair amount of player movement this NBA offseason, either via free agency or trades.
Chris Paul and Kyle Lowry could latch on to new contenders as free agents or look to cash in one last time as veteran mentors on rebuilding teams. LeBron James and Paul George both have decisions to make on player options that hover around $50 million. There's been a lot of chatter regarding Jimmy Butler and his contract extension (or lack thereof) with the Miami Heat as well.
If these players were to switch teams, which destinations are we overlooking or not talking about enough?
The following landing spots aren't the first teams we think of, but they would all make sense for the five stars involved.
Kyle Lowry: New Orleans Pelicans
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How He Gets There: Signs in free agency
A return to the Philadelphia 76ers should be on the table for Kyle Lowry. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Los Angeles Clippers could pursue the six-time All-Star as well.
To find out where Lowry may spend his future, we could take a look back into the past.
The New Orleans Pelicans were desperate to sign Lowry in the summer of 2021, hoping he'd make a Chris Paul-like impact on their young team. Lowry instead agreed to a three-year, $85 million sign-and-trade deal that landed him on the Miami Heat.
New Orleans has since used a point-guard-by-committee approach, with CJ McCollum, Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson all spending lots of time with the ball in their hands. If the Pelicans were successful in their pursuit of Lowry this time, he could become a steady table-setter and veteran influence for a team looking to make a run up the West standings.
While some contenders may only be able to offer Lowry a veteran-minimum deal, the Pelicans possess both the $12.9 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception and the $4.7 million bi-annual exception..
After facing off against Pelicans head coach Willie Green 13 times in his NBA career, Lowry could now play for the 12-year veteran.
Chris Paul: Detroit Pistons
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How He Gets There: Signs as a free agent after getting waived
Chris Paul technically isn't a free agent yet, although the Golden State Warriors figure to waive or trade the 39-year-old before his $30 million salary for the 2024-25 season becomes fully guaranteed in late June.
Paul will presumably want to join a championship contender to try to win a ring, since his lack of a title is one of the only blemishes on his Hall of Fame resume. However, some veterans at the end of their career join younger teams with cap space to cash in one last time, a la Joe Ingles with the Orlando Magic or Jeff Green with the Houston Rockets last summer.
Paul could always take the second route, get paid, and ask for a trade to a contender around the trade deadline.
The Detroit Pistons should be interested in the impact Paul could have on changing the losing habits of this young core. Head coach Monty Williams has spent time with Paul with the Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Hornets and could serve as a major recruiter for the 12-time All-Star.
Detroit can create up to nearly $68.5 million in cap space this summer and should be eager to add veterans after a nightmarish past few years. Giving Paul a one-year, $15 million-ish deal wouldn't affect the team's long-term finances, and he'd be valuable salary filler for a midseason trade if both sides eventually want to move on.
Paul won't get this kind of money from a contender directly, as even the non-taxpayer mid-level exception is projected to come in at $12.9 million. Reuniting with Williams, getting paid, planting winning habits in Detroit and then getting traded to a title contender during the season is a realistic scenario for CP3.
Paul George: Orlando Magic
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How He Gets There: Sign as a free agent (or opt-in-and-trade)
Paul George's two most likely options this summer appear to be a return to the Los Angeles Clippers or joining the Philadelphia 76ers as a free agent.
The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor reported that the Sixers are "looking for another star, but they also need players who can fill various roles. PG-13 is both, which is why sources familiar with Philly's strategy say he is the team's plan A in free agency."
If George has hesitation about playing on teams where the best player is continually hurt in the playoffs yet still wants a max deal, the Magic would be an ideal fit.
Orlando can create more than $66.6 million in cap space this summer, which would be enough to sign George to a max deal and still add another quality piece. The Magic nearly advanced to the second round of the playoffs this year, already have one All-Star in Paolo Banchero and possess a talented young core with Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, Wendell Carter Jr., Cole Anthony, Anthony Black and others.
Replacing Gary Harris in the starting lineup with George would make a huge impact on an offense that finished 22nd overall this season. If George turns down his $48.8 million player option to become an unrestricted free agent, the Magic should be waiting with an offer in hand.
Jimmy Butler: Golden State Warriors
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How He Gets There: Trade
Miami Heat president Pat Riley has already stated that the team won't trade Jimmy Butler, even if extension talks get rocky this offseason. Butler is eligible to sign a two-year, $113 million extension, but Miami doesn't appear eager to give it to the 34-year-old.
According to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, "two other teams that have made it known in league circles that they would be willing to trade for Butler and sign him to a max-level contract." If the Heat don't budge, we could see some real Butler-related unrest this summer.
The Golden State Warriors should be aggressive in their pursuit of win-now talent as they try to squeeze out one more title in the Stephen Curry era. They reportedly inquired about LeBron James at the February trade deadline, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne, so there's no reason why they wouldn't make a call about Butler now.
A deal constructed around Andrew Wiggins' contract and young talent (Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, etc.) and/or draft compensation should be enough for Riley and Co. to at least entertain a deal.
A core of Curry, Butler, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson (free agent) might struggle to stay healthy and motivated during the regular season, but this group would be a nightmare to go up against during the playoffs.
LeBron James: New York Knicks
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How He Gets There: Opt-in-and-trade
LeBron James has long been complimentary of the New York Knicks and Madison Square Garden. While the Knicks haven't been good enough throughout most of James' career for him to consider joining them, the 2023-24 season proved that this team is ready to win a championship.
James joining another major market and helping deliver a title to a Knicks team that hasn't won since the 1972-73 season would be another major boost for his legacy.
New York won't have the cap space to sign James outright unless he took a major pay cut, which means he'd have to pick up his $51.4 million player option and convince the Los Angeles Lakers to trade him to the Knicks.
The Knicks could build a package around Julius Randle, Bojan Bogdanović and Miles McBride to get them close to James' salary, giving the Lakers a balance of young and veteran talent back in return. They also have two first-round picks in this year's draft, as many as four in next year's draft and all of their own first-rounders moving forward, which they could use to sweeten their offer.
James would join a core of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo and Mitchell Robinson, and the Knicks could still re-sign OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein as well. Although James figures to re-sign with the Lakers, there's never been a better time for him to finally play in New York.
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