NBA Free Agency 2015: Start Date, Top Rumors, Predictions and More
Starting Wednesday, July 1, NBA teams can officially sign free agents. An offseason widely presented as a prelude for next year's colossal haul contains several top available options, even if some of them are formalities.
Although players can't officially sign on the dotted line until July 10, everyone is working tirelessly behind the scenes to pounce once the window opens. With that, rumors will run wild about what will occur later this week and throughout the summer.
Before breaking down some early gossip, let's run through a primer predicting where the class' top free agents will land.
Top Free Agents/Predictions
| LeBron James | SF | Cleveland Cavaliers | UFA (Player Option) | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| Marc Gasol | C | Memphis Grizzlies | UFA | Memphis Grizzlies |
| Kawhi Leonard | SF | San Antonio Spurs | RFA | San Antonio Spurs |
| LaMarcus Aldridge | PF | Portland Trail Blazers | UFA | San Antonio Spurs |
| Kevin Love | PF | Cleveland Cavaliers | UFA (Player Option) | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| Jimmy Butler | SF | Chicago Bulls | RFA | Chicago Bulls (Match Lakers' Offer Sheet) |
| Tim Duncan | PF | San Antonio Spurs | UFA | San Antonio Spurs |
| Dwyane Wade | SG | Miami Heat | UFA (Player Option) | Miami Heat |
| Draymond Green | PF | Golden State Warriors | RFA | Golden State Warriors |
| DeAndre Jordan | C | Los Angeles Clippers | UFA | Dallas Mavericks |
| Goran Dragic | PG | Miami Heat | UFA (Player Option) | Miami Heat |
| Paul Millsap | PF | Atlanta Hawks | UFA | Boston Celtics |
| Danny Green | SG | San Antonio Spurs | UFA | Dallas Mavericks |
| Brook Lopez | C | Brooklyn Nets | UFA (Player Option) | Brooklyn Nets |
| Wesley Matthews | SG | Portland Trail Blazers | UFA | Portland Trail Blazers |
Early Offseason Rumors
LeBron James: Part Three
Yep, it's happening again. ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst opened the inevitable floodgates on LeBron James opting out of his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Basketball fans have become so fatigued by the never-ending cycle that few are taking much stock in the greatest player on the planet entering free agency. James will become a free agent for the third time in six years, and he'll likely take another spin next summer. Windhorst explained the four-time MVP's likely course of action:
"While the team does not have salary-cap space or own James' Bird rights, it is able to offer him a contract up to the max of around $22 million per year under league rules. James is expected to eventually repeat his actions of last July and sign a one-year contract with a player option for the 2016-17 season that will allow him to become a free agent again next summer when the salary cap and max salaries take a jump.
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Based on the deal he could net next year, as relayed by ESPN Stats & Info, this plan makes financial sense for the superstar:
In his first year back in Cleveland, James carried the Cavaliers to the NBA Finals, where they took the triumphant Golden State Warriors to six games without Kevin Love and only one game from Kyrie Irving. Along with Love, most of the roster will enter free agency, which will force the Cavs to appease James with every offseason move to make sure he stays.
James will realize the brand damage associated with leaving his hometown a year after making his heroic return. He's simply maximizing his earnings while leveraging his free agency to call the shots this summer.
Prediction: James signs another short-term contract with Cleveland with opt-out clause for next year.
Knicks Searching for Bigs
The New York Knicks are setting their sights high, but they'll likely have to settle for solid contributors to hold the fort down. Losing 65 games dilutes Madison Square Garden's allure, but that doesn't mean everyone will shy away from the Big Apple.
On Monday, ESPN's Chris Broussard reported the Knicks were going to meet with top big men LaMarcus Aldridge and DeAndre Jordan. A front office can dream, but both stars will get recruited by prominent contenders with cap space to spare.
ESPN's Marc Stein linked New York with a more realistic target in David West:
Stein elaborated on the club's interest, painting the 34-year-old power forward as a feasible fallback plan:
This comes days after Bleacher Report's Jared Zwerling portrayed the pairing as close to a foregone conclusion after West declined his player option with the Indiana Pacers:
A smart veteran with a balanced offensive game, he seems to fit the mold set by team president Phil Jackson. West would also ease the immediate burden off rookie Kristaps Porzingis, the 19-year-old first-round pick who shouldn't be expected to deliver much next season.
Yet the Knicks' heavy interest in West points to Carmelo Anthony playing small forward despite his offensive game flourishing as a stretch 4. They also must temper expectations after West averaged his lowest point tally (11.7) last year in a decade.
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports threw a potential wrinkle in this connection, calling the Knicks front-runners to sign Greg Monroe. That would give them a whole bunch of space-eating bigs who shoot mid-range jumpers. Let's see how that goinks.
Prediction: West signs one- or two-year deal with Knicks.
Spurs' Summer Plans
The San Antonio Spurs have a lot on their plate this summer. As they wait for word on whether Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili will stick around or retire, they'll also focus on retaining Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green.
Taking care of Leonard, the 2014 NBA Finals MVP and reigning Defensive Player of the Year, is first on the to-do list. According to CBS Sports' Ken Berger, the two sides are expected to agree on a five-year extension for the max. Even if Leonard doesn't sign, the Spurs will match whatever offer is extended to the restricted free agent.
After Leonard, things get trickier. Berger provided a status update on the Spurs' veterans, as well as their interest in adding Aldridge and worry of losing Green:
"With Leonard in the fold, the Spurs will immediately focus their attention on unrestricted free agent LaMarcus Aldridge, and there's a legitimate chance he ends up joining the five-time champions, said a person familiar with the situation. The expectation is that Duncan will be back for his 19th season, and that Ginobili will return at a deeply discounted rate, sources said. Ginobili will announce his intentions in a column he will write for an Argentine newspaper.
If there's a fear among Spurs executives, it's that they won't have enough room left to retain Danny Green, who has attracted interest from the Mavs, Blazers and Pistons, sources said.
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Landing Aldridge would take some nifty cap maneuvering, starting with Duncan and Ginobili taking sizable pay cuts if they return. It would also make it nearly impossible to keep Green, a vital proponent of San Antonio's success.
Having averaged 11.7 points per game this season, Green may not look like an essential piece to the puzzle. Yet the 28-year-old shooting guard ranked eighth in three-point shooting (41.8) and effective field-goal percentage (56.6), per Basketball-Reference.com. Taking into account his stout defense, his 4.1 value above replacement player (VORP) matched Leonard's rate.
Yet stars rule the NBA, so the Spurs will make every effort to acquire Aldridge, whose 23.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game last year make him the perfect heir apparent to Duncan.
Prediction: Leonard signs long-term max extension; Duncan and Ginobili sign team-friendly deals; Aldridge signs with Spurs; Green goes to Mavericks.
