NBA Rumors: Latest Buzz Surrounding Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and More
Four teams remain in the hunt for the NBA title, but the rest of the league has already turned its attention to the offseason and free agency.
A long list of high-profile free agents could lead to plenty of drama over the summer. Between All-Stars and other impact players moving around the league, the results of the next few months could alter the landscape of the NBA for years to come.
Although each team will have a longer wish list than a kid writing to Santa Claus, the strategies going forward will be important.
Here is a look at the latest buzz surrounding top teams and the free agents they are planning to target.
San Antonio Spurs
It's hard to believe a team that won 67 games and has multiple future Hall of Famers on the roster is in need of an infusion of talent, but that is the case for the San Antonio Spurs after their elimination in the second round of the playoffs.
The futures of Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili remain up in the air, but in any case, the squad has to get younger. ESPN's Marc Stein provided some potential options for the Spurs:
You can expect 30 teams to go after Kevin Durant, a seven-time All-Star and four-time scoring champion. Even with Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge filling the two forward spots, you can always figure out a way to make it work when you have that much talent.
However, the more intriguing name might be Mike Conley. The Memphis Grizzlies star has been one of the most consistent point guards in the game over the past three years, averaging 16.2 points and 5.8 assists per contest during that stretch.
As good as Tony Parker has been over the past decade, the 34-year-old veteran had a quiet year, as his 11.9 points per game were his lowest since his rookie season.
Meanwhile, Conley is considering a return to the Grizzlies but will wait to make sure the organization is headed in the right direction, according to ESPN.com.
"We need to be committed to doing the things, whatever it may be and however hard the decision may be, to do the right things in order to get us where we need to go," he said in April.
Adding another elite option at point guard could be the difference for San Antonio as it attempts to match the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference.
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets are usually willing to be aggressive in free agency, and this year will be no different.
Sean Deveney of Sporting News provided a list of noteworthy targets for general manager Daryl Morey:
"A person familiar with the organization told Sporting News that landing Hawks star Al Horford is the Rockets' top-line goal in free agency, and Ryan Anderson also would be a possibility. Also, expect Morey to be creative when pursuing sign-and-trade deals involving star players like Blake Griffin, Jimmy Butler or Carmelo Anthony, should they become available.
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Targeting about half of the All-Star Game lineup isn't necessarily a bold move, unless you can bring in at least one of those men. With that said, the possible addition of Al Horford is an interesting one.
Horford might not be the elite rebounder that Dwight Howard is, but he could represent an all-around upgrade at the center position. While Howard has seen his scoring average drop in five of the last six seasons, Horford remained a solid weapon with 15.2 points per game this past season. He also developed an outside shot this season to increase his versatility on the floor.
Meanwhile, Howard has not lived up to his billing as a three-time Defensive Player of the Year in recent seasons. This is the main reason his 6.6 win shares this season did not match up against Horford's 9.4 win shares, per Basketball-Reference.com.
The Rockets have been looking for someone to pair with James Harden for the past few years, and Horford could be the answer.
After a disappointing 2015-16 season, this potential move could get the organization back on track.
Miami Heat
After a surprisingly good season for the Miami Heat, there are plenty of questions about what will happen with the roster going forward.
The first issue regards the health of Chris Bosh, who might be forced to retire because of his blood clots, according to ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst. If he is unable to return, the Heat are looking at an offseason with few certainties.
According to Basketball-Reference.com, the only other returning players under contract are Goran Dragic and Josh McRoberts in addition to rookies Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson and Briante Weber.
Assuming the team figures out a way to lock up Dwyane Wade, the biggest question mark will be the future of center Hassan Whiteside. While the team has gotten away with paying little for incredible production over the last two years, it will likely have to break the bank to keep him this time around.
As Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald noted, the front office is unsure of its plan of attack:
"There will be considerable debate inside the Heat over the next six weeks about how much to offer Hassan Whiteside when free agency begins July 1.
The Heat values him but someone who has spoken to the team's front office said he believes the Heat will try to convince him to take something less than the max deal he almost assuredly could get elsewhere.
Whether the Heat will go to the max, if Whiteside balks at something less, remains to be seen.
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Jackson also explained that Kevin Durant "is Miami's No. 1 priority in free agency," and any decision regarding Whiteside will come after there is a better read on the Oklahoma City Thunder star.
Like with the Spurs, adding Durant would be a dream for the Heat, but their offseason plans shouldn't depend on acquiring him. Instead, the Heat have to focus on a more realistic option, which includes re-signing a player who has made a major impact on their roster.
After finishing with 11.8 rebounds and an NBA-best 3.7 blocks per game, Whiteside is worth the money.
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