NBA Rumors: Rounding Up Latest Buzz on 2016 Free Agents and Team Draft Plans
The Cleveland Cavaliers taking down the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals is a good indicator of just how important this time of year is for NBA franchises.
Those Cavaliers are the perfect mesh of drafting and free agency working out well to build a championship contender. It's an extreme example, of course, but one can see why this period is so hyped and always littered with rumors.
Right now, it's all about critical upcoming free agents and possible draft plans, which may or may not include trades. This is an especially exciting time of year, as every fanbase has optimism and hopes its team can evolve into the next Cavaliers.
Here's the latest to know.
The Harrison Barnes Price Tag
Seemingly out of nowhere, Harrison Barnes of the Golden State Warriors has helped turn himself into a hot commodity should the journey take him such a route.
A restricted free agent, Barnes has exploded this season to average 11.7 points, 1.8 assists and 4.9 rebounds per game, the first two numbers career bests.
Given his age (23) and finally blossoming skill set, it's not a shock to see Barnes' name come up when talking about free agency. It's especially not surprising to see the Washington Wizards as one of the top teams mentioned because they almost took him instead of Bradley Beal in the 2012 draft, according to J. Michael of CSNMidAtlantic.com.
However, Michael reported Washington isn't one of the teams ready to pony up the cash:
"If Barnes hits the market and is allowed to leave (he rejected a $64 million extension before the 2015-16 season began), he'll get similar money to Beal. Based on what CSNmidatlantic.com has been told, however, the Wizards won't be one of those teams in the running at that pricetag.
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No shock the Wizards don't have an interest; after all, they have to worry about getting Beal a max deal to keep the backcourt with John Wall alive and well.
Perhaps more interesting is Barnes' alleged cost. He's young and improving, but one has to wonder how much his positive role has to do with playing on a team as dominant as the Warriors and if it will translate to other franchises where he has to carry more of the load.
The question mark makes for one of the more interesting parts of the offseason.
The Nicolas Batum Situation
Another surprising player set to perhaps make some major noise in free agency is 27-year-old guard Nicolas Batum.
Batum spent the first seven years of his career with the Portland Trail Blazers but saved his best for last this past season as a member of the surprising Charlotte Hornets. There, Batum averaged 14.9 points, 5.8 assists and 6.1 rebounds per game.
The strong performance has the Hornets wanting to bring him back, though his off-court contractual situation has the potential to run right into the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
According to FIBA.com, though, few seem too worried about the train going off the tracks: "However, it is understood that the French player and the Hornets will quickly agree terms on a new deal and that could could give France enough time to obtain insurance for Batum and allow him to take part in some of the OQT games."
Charlotte wanting Batum back isn't something new, as one can gleam from a nugget by the team itself:
The question is whether the allure of somewhere else would appeal to Batum. It's also worth keeping in mind how much plans can change between now and free agency. Charlotte would like to keep growing and get back to the playoffs, but the front office has more than just Batum to think about this summer.
Batum returning seems likely. But the likely thing doesn't always pan out, so it remains to be seen if the French team will have Batum to lean on when it matters.
New York's Draft Plans
New York Knicks president Phil Jackson wants in on the draft.
This is one of the poorly kept secrets surrounding this summer. New York hopes to draw a superstar talent to town via free agency but has holes to fill for every spot on the roster not occupied by Carmelo Anthony or Kristaps Porzingis.
It's more a question of how the Knicks plan to do this and what sort of draft-day approach Jackson should use to attempt to wrestle a pick from another team.
ESPN.com's Ian Begley provided some insight on the situation:
"The Knicks plan to acquire a pick in June's draft. The best-case scenario would probably be a late first-round pick but second-round is more likely. The club has shown interest in several players in recent weeks, including Indiana guard Yogi Ferrell, who has a workout scheduled with the club next month. New York also interviewed Kansas guard Wayne Selden at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago and has expressed interest in him as the draft approaches, according to league sources.
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The two names mentioned make plenty of sense.
Yogi Ferrell was a senior at Indiana last year and stands as one of the purest point guards in the class. He averaged 17.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game last year while shooting 42 percent from deep.
Wayne Selden boasts a similar story after three years with Kansas, the last being his breakout season in which he averaged 13.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists. More of a score-first guard, Selden wouldn't have a problem breaking into New York's lineup.
New York seeking out backcourt help and depth isn't a surprise given its status as the weakest space on the roster after Jose Calderon and Arron Afflalo started last year. Now those faithful to the franchise have two strong names to watch moving forward.
For the Knicks, it's just a matter of getting there.
All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
