NBA Free Agents 2018: Rumors, Predictions for Paul George, DeAndre Jordan, More
Friday came and went, with names like Paul George and LeBron James officially hitting the NBA open market.
There's no telling where things go from here, as LeBron James' decision to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers (or fool everyone and stay) is far from the only domino in need of a smack. He's not the biggest, either, not with the Kawhi Leonard-San Antonio Spurs drama serving as the headline act.
For players like George and the guys mentioned below, sometimes sitting a rung lower on the ladder is simpler. They aren't facing as much pressure when it comes to possibly finding a new home, but they will still have a massive impact on how the NBA changes in the coming years.
Headlined by George, here is a look at the top rumors making the rounds after Friday's wave of news.
The Dallas Mavericks may finally land DeAndre Jordan.
Three years ago, Jordan and the Mavericks went through the whole verbal-agreement fiasco before the star center went back to the Los Angeles Clippers anyway. In a weird bit of karma, he then watched as Chris Paul and Blake Griffin left.
Now the last man standing, Jordan chose to opt out of his deal, and he'll be the Mavericks' top target in free agency:
According to Stein, the Clippers and Mavericks had talked about a trade sending Jordan to Dallas anyway before he opted out. And for those wondering, Jordan has been an active part of this situation, with ESPN's Tim MacMahon reporting "hard feelings from three years ago have been forgiven."
Not that the Mavericks have much of a choice coming off a 24-win season and needing to build around guys like Dennis Smith Jr. and Luka Doncic. Last season, Jordan averaged 12.0 points, 15.2 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game and once again led the NBA in field-goal percentage.
For Dallas, landing a George or James isn't feasible, so it looks like they'll take the route traveled by the Los Angeles Lakers lately, drafting well and wooing mid-tier free agents. Given his talent, Jordan is one of the best possible ways for the Mavericks to take a meaningful step forward this offseason.
Prediction: Jordan signs with the Mavericks
Jabari Parker
Given all the major names and drama, it was easy to forget Jabari Parker was one of the guys who could be changing teams this offseason.
Certain NBA teams didn't forget.
A restricted free agent, Parker is the recipient of a healthy dose of under-the-radar interest. According to NBA reporter Gery Woelfel, the Philadelphia 76ers, Sacramento Kings and Utah Jazz are all interested parties, meaning one of the three might be willing to offer Parker the max at four years and $108 million.
It's no guarantee the Milwaukee Bucks will match and keep Parker, though they have an advantage they could choose to use by offering him a five-year deal worth $146 million. But the fact the Bucks and Parker couldn't come to an extension agreement before this makes it unpredictable as to how the team will act if a massive offer comes into play.
Part of the hesitation on Milwaukee's part may stem from Parker's injury history, as he played in 25 games as a rookie and only 51 and 31 over the last two seasons. He's still averaging 15.3 points and 5.5 rebounds with 49-percent shooting for his career with huge upside, but a team as talented as the Bucks and eyeing long-term extensions for other players down the road might not want to commit so much cap to a possible risk.
Still 23 years old, Parker is going to find himself in a good financial situation either way. But with playoff contenders like Philadelphia and Utah ready to cough up huge contracts, this looks like a potential turning point for the Bucks, and how they handle the situation will decide much about their future window of contention.
Prediction: Parker re-signs with the Bucks
Paul George
Once again, all signs point toward George wanting to go home and play for the Lakers.
But like when the Indiana Pacers shipped him to the Oklahoma City Thunder, it's never so cut and dry.
As expected, George opted out of his contract with the Thunder, per ESPN.com's Adrian Wojnarowski. But the possible LeBron-George pairing seemed to take a hit when Sam Amick of USA Today reported "pessimism in James' camp" concerning whether George would actually leave the Thunder, which makes sense considering the team returns Russell Westbrook and now Carmelo Anthony, who opted into his contract.
George himself has weighed in on the matter recently in a revealing chat with Dwyane Wade during My Journey, as captured by The Oklahoman's Brett Dawson:
"I want to be a champion. In a way, it's like, I want to come here, I want to play for the home team and put a Laker jersey on. That's always gonna be something that I want to fulfill. But at the same time, it's like, what's the best move, though? I know who I am as a player. I just want to help the team win. And I feel comfortable doing so with Russ [Westbrook]."
For George, competing for a championship might heavily lean on what other players do—and he might not be the facilitator. James, for example, is keeping out of things on the Cleveland end:
George could go join James on the Cavaliers and help dominate the Eastern Conference, but James has to want to stick around. He could also go join the Lakers, but whether Magic Johnson and the front office can swing a trade for Leonard or bring a king to town remains to be seen.
The hindsight game will be fun with this one, as James is clearly monitoring George's situation, and the trade of a disgruntled superstar in San Antonio could set off a spree of league-altering fireworks. For George, the matter comes down to waiting for the right moment to make a move, whatever it may be.
Prediction: George signs with the Lakers
