2017 NBA Free Agents: Latest Rumors and Predictions for Market's Buzzing Names
Right now, the NBA headlines have been dominated by the playoffs and by the draft lottery—the Boston Celtics are heavily involved in both, by the way. The 2017 NBA draft has also been part of the news landscape, as it's set to take place shortly after this year's Finals on June 22.
It's not, however, too early to be looking ahead to free agency. While the new league year isn't set to kick off until July 1—and teams cannot officially sign players until July 6—the free-agent discussions have already begun.
With big names like Gordon Hayward, Blake Griffin, Kevin Durant and even Steph Curry scheduled to hit the open market (though Curry will almost certainly remain in the Bay Area), this is shaping up to be one of the most exciting NBA summers in recent history.
With the free-agent buzz already underway, let's take a look at the latest news and rumors surrounding some of the market's biggest names.
Latest Free-Agency Buzz
Should the Clippers Dump Griffin?
Blake Griffin has played his entire NBA career with the Los Angeles Clippers. He's helped make the Clippers relevant in recent years, but his penchant for untimely injuries has also frequently hurt the team's chances of winning.
If it time for the Clippers to say "enough is enough" and allow Griffin to walk out the door? According to Colin Cowherd of Fox Sports, it most certainly is.
"I've got to tell you something: I'd move Blake," Cowherd said, per Nick Schwartz of FoxSports.com. "They’re not winning the championship [with this team], OK? As Blake gets less athletic...last night he had one three. Everything else was two feet away. I've already got the big guy inside! And I think we're overselling Blake Griffin."
It's easy to take Cowherd's comments with the proverbial grain of salt, as he often seems to personally dislike certain players. However, he isn't the only person who believes retaining Griffin cost more than the move is worth.
Former teammate Jared Dudley recently told TMZ Sports that the Clippers have a solid foundation for the future, but that the team should trade one of the big three. When pressed on which player the Clippers should part with, Dudley named Griffin.
Would the Clipper really consider moving on from Griffin? If so, why didn't they try dealing him before the trade deadline? According to Zach Lowe of ESPN.com, there were discussions with the Boston Celtics back before the deadline.
Obviously, Griffin wasn't dealt and he should be one of the biggest names to follow on the market. My guess is that the Clippers will put more effort into trying to retain Chris Paul and that Griffin will end up elsewhere.
Celtics Going After Gordon Hayward
The Celtics are in a unique position because they're sitting in the Eastern Conference Finals and they hold the No. 1 pick in this year's draft. However, this doesn't mean they aren't going to look to free agency to improve the team even more.
The target, according to The Vertical's Chris Mannix, will be forward Gordon Hayward.
Mannix said the following during an appearance on WEEI's Ordway, Merloni & Fauria:
"Gordon Hayward is the guy. That's who they are going to roll out the red carpet for and see if they can lure him away from Utah. They know the financial situation there. Gordon can make a lot more money staying with the Jazz, but they believe that the lure of Brad Stevens and the appeal of playing in the Eastern Conference and getting far, far away from the Golden State Warriors is going to be a luring to Gordon Hayward."
The Hayward-Stevens connection is definitely intriguing, and Boston would certainly give Hayward a tremendous chance at finally going deep in the postseason. With an average of 21.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, Hayward would obviously be a boon for the Celtics.
My prediction is that Boston goes hard after Hayward and lands him.
Could Durant Return to the Thunder?
Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder last offseason to join the Golden State Warriors. The two parties have Voltron'ed their way into a new superteam and the favorites to win the NBA title. The move made a lot of folks—including former teammate Russell Westbrook—a bit angry, but the question now is if the unholy alliance is to be short-lived.
Durant has a player option he could exercise, putting him back on the market in July. If he manages to get his ring, would Durant entertain the idea of returning to Oklahoma City?
Former teammate Kendrick Perkins could see Durant eventually rejoining Westbrook in OKC, as he stated on TNT (h/t Michael Lee of The Vertical):
It's important to note, of course, that Perkins isn't saying he believes Durant will return next season. While he may indeed opt out of his contract in order to test the market and chase the almighty dollar, my best guess is that Durant gets a taste of success with the Warriors and decides to return for at least one more run.
