NBA Free Agents 2016: Latest Rumors on Notable Stars Hitting Open Market
Kevin Durant is hitting the open market this summer.
You might have heard about it. KD is kind of a big deal.
But he isn’t the only one.
Sure, the 2013-14 MVP is the biggest star out there, but studs like Hassan Whiteside and Chandler Parsons will be the subject of much wooing from teams in need of bigs and/or wings.
Let’s take a look at the latest surrounding those guys below.
Hassan Whiteside
Before 2014-15, nobody knew about Whiteside.
He had been sent to the NBA D-League three separate times and bounced around from the Sacramento Kings to the Memphis Grizzlies.
Then the Miami Heat gave him his chance.
In just 48 games in South Beach during the 2014-15 season, the 7-footer averaged 2.6 blocks (second-most in the league) while scoring 11.8 points and grabbing 10 rebounds per game.
In 2015-16, Whiteside led the league in blocks by a landslide. He racked up an unreal 3.7 per game while DeAndre Jordan finished second with 2.3.
Now, after years of fighting for a roster spot, the 27-year-old is about to get paid.
Will he stay with the Heat, the team that believed in him when no one else did? Udonis Haslem thinks so, per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press:
Whiteside doesn’t sound so sure. While speaking to reporters on Saturday, he downplayed the loyalty factor, via ESPN.com’s Michael Wallace.
“I really don’t think it’s about loyalty. I think it’s just about the best situation for myself,” Whiteside said. “I didn’t say [Miami] wouldn’t be the best situation. … It’s not that I’m counting the Heat off, or I’m counting on another team. It’s just open.”
Open indeed.
According to ESPN’s Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne, the Los Angeles Lakers are interested in the big man:
What if?
Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com also reported that the Dallas Mavericks expect to meet with Whiteside “in the opening hours of free agency.”
Could that be a good sign? As relayed by Ethan Skolnick of the Miami Herald, Whiteside wants to have his mind made up by July:
Whiteside has launched himself into the conversation of the league’s top centers and top defenders. Expect the Lakers, Mavericks and others to do all they can to lure him away from the Heat.
Chandler Parsons
On Saturday, Parsons posted a picture of himself on the court cupping his ears:
Per MacMahon, it’s a symbol. He’s “all ears”:
MacMahon went into more detail in his online report, explaining that Dallas plans “to prioritize other targets” this summer.
Parsons averaged 13.7 points while shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from beyond the arc last season. He added 4.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists. He didn’t play in Dallas’ 4-1 first-round playoff series loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, as a knee injury ended his campaign on March 18.
He appears to be progressing, though. Take a look at him getting some shots up just a few weeks ago:
As Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram noted, Parsons is walking quite a tightrope by opting out of his deal, especially with his knee less than 100 percent:
Still, he’s a capable two-way player who is clearly willing to leave the Mavericks if the right team comes along.
Mike Leslie of WFAA Sports reported on Friday that the Lakers, Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Clippers will be in the chase for CP-25.
The Clippers would be an interesting fit. Parsons would get to play off Chris Paul and be provided with an immediate chance to win.
LAC would need to clear some room, so keep an eye out for money-cutting moves in the coming weeks.
