NBA Free Agents 2018: Latest Rumors and Predictions for Market's Biggest Names
The post-superstar moves in NBA free agency are where teams quietly improve by leaps and bounds.
While the globe obsessed over where LeBron James would go and if Kawhi Leonard would really force his way out of San Antonio, other teams like the Indiana Pacers made stellar under-the-radar moves in an effort to improve.
These changes will show on the court, and given the talent still available on the open market, more teams should still follow the same example.
While there is still one major name likely heading to market soon, he better fits with the second wave these days. But second wave no longer means a wave fans can ignore.
Marcus Smart
While the Boston Celtics were likely distracted by much bigger names in free agency—and perhaps still are—the front office was perhaps driving a wedge between itself and an important piece.
Marcus Smart has made it known he wants to stay with the Celtics, yet he hasn't felt the same sort of love from the front office.
According to a source who spoke with Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald, Smart is "disgusted" by the "crickets he's hearing."
"He would have thought there would have been some kind of three-to-four-year deal from them to show they're interested," the source said. "But the qualifying offer is the only one he has received, and there's been no talk since free agency opened. He's most disappointed that there has been no reaching out from their end."
An impasse between the two sides always seemed like a possibility, though, as Jackie MacMullan of ESPN.com reported back in May that there was a sizeable gap between what the Celtics would pay and the sort of contract Smart wanted.
At this point though, it doesn't seem like Smart will get the money he seeks if he's still on the market. A 24-year-old guard known for his defense is more likely to fly under the radar, which could work in favor of the Celtics in a big way.
Look for the Celtics to match any offer, provided a big-money one doesn't come in late.
Prediction: Smart re-signs with the Celtics
Isaiah Thomas
The first whisper of Isaiah Thomas joining the Orlando Magic seemed like a great idea. Not revolutionary, but both parties needed each other.
But it isn't going to be so simple.
The Orlando Sentinel's Josh Robbins reported that despite a meet between the two parties, it doesn't mean they sat down to talk about the wording of a contract:
In reality, any traction on a deal between the two sides likely died when the Magic showed up in a random-feeling trade between three teams, netting them Jerian Grant, according to Yahoo Sports' Shams Charania.
Grant, a 6'4", 205-pound point who is only 25 years old, fits better in a rotation with D.J. Augustin than Thomas.
As for Thomas, Orlando was a good opportunity to act as a leading scorer and leader outright before heading to the market again. What he lacked in size and defense would have been compensated for by one of the NBA's lengthiest lineups.
Thomas, coming off a year in which he played for two teams and didn't do much with the Los Angeles Lakers, is going to have a hard time gaining any serious traction on the market. At this point, Orlando at least bringing him in to compete makes the most sense, as he could still scratch out a rotational role in a lineup suiting his skill set.
Prediction: Thomas signs with the Magic
Carmelo Anthony is the "major name" hinted at in the intro.
Anthony is a modern legend and a guy who mustered averages of 16.2 points and 5.8 rebounds per game on 40.4 percent shooting from the floor last year, the lowest mark of his career, in an odd role with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
It's a long way of saying Anthony is right where he belongs on the market and still has plenty of value as a rotational player. According to Adrian Wojnarowski and Royce Young of ESPN.com, the value isn't there in Oklahoma City, as he's likely to become a free agent while his reps work on getting him out of town.
The question has always been which friend Anthony would join on the open market. He has a house in Los Angeles and could look to join James and the Lakers. Or he could swerve everyone and go join Chris Paul and the Houston Rockets.
The latter option seems closer to materializing:
Anthony can't go wrong either way, though where he wants to go could depend on his mindset. The Lakers might offer more playing time, though he'd still fall behind young guys like Brandon Ingram in the pecking order. In Houston, he'd fall directly behind Paul and James Harden, who will soak up the majority of the looks.
While it might give Rockets head coach Mike D'Antoni a few headaches, Anthony coming off the bench seems like a quality move for both parties. He's still a consistent scoring option in the right situation, and being publicly recruited by a friend doesn't hurt matters. Plus, it would give him a shot at a title on a team that came close to pulling off an upset last year had Paul not suffered an injury.
Prediction: Anthony signs with the Rockets after joining the market
