NBA Free Agents 2019: Rumors, Predictions for Kawhi Leonard, JaVale McGee, More
On Sunday night, the first wave of NBA free-agent decisions occurred at a furious pace.
While it may seem like most of the notable free agents are off the board, there are still a good amount of players available.
Kawhi Leonard headlines the pack of players yet to make a decision about his future, as he sat out the initial period to meet with teams.
With the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors in play for his signature, Leonard's decision could tip the scales when determining the title favorite for the 2019-20 season.
The other available free agents will not have the same impact on title contention, but they could end up being nice role players for playoff sides.
NBA Free-Agent Rumors and Predictions
Kawhi Leonard
According to Yahoo's Chris Haynes, Leonard chose not to partake in any free-agent meetings Sunday.
Haynes reported that Leonard will not be rushed in making his decision, which will come down to the Lakers, Clippers and Raptors.
Leonard's decision will impact the direction those three franchises go in this offseason, as he is the primary target for all of them.
The one downfall that comes with waiting for Leonard is other free agents might not be available by the time he makes his decision, given how rapidly deals were made Sunday night.
The Lakers have space for one max player to join Anthony Davis and LeBron James after doing some roster gymnastics to open up cap room.
If the Lakers sign Leonard, they would have a loaded front end of the roster and would have to scramble to find cheap players to fill the rest of their roster spots.
Since most of the high-profile free agents have already agreed to deals, the Lakers would likely not bring in another max player.
The same can be said about the Clippers and their two potential max spots. If they miss out on Leonard, they will be forced to go after lower-tier free agents to fill out their roster.
If Toronto is able to keep Leonard, it would be viewed as the top title contender out of the Eastern Conference, but if it fails to secure his long-term signature, the Raptors could fall behind Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Brooklyn and others in the Eastern Conference hierarchy.
The Raptors and Clippers would present Leonard with the chance to be the star of the team, while he would be third in the spotlight at times with the Lakers.
But if the allure of joining a super team alongside Davis and James is what intrigues Leonard the most, he should follow that and sign with the Lakers.
Prediction: Leonard takes a few days to make decision, signs with Lakers.
JaVale McGee
According to Haynes, JaVale McGee will meet with the Detroit Pistons Monday.
The 31-year-old is coming off the best statistical season of his career with the Lakers, as he averaged 12 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
McGee's uptick in production makes him an intriguing lower-tier free agent with loads of experience to add to a playoff team.
If he signs in Detroit, McGee would be valuable depth behind Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin in the frontcourt.
Although the Pistons will not be the top team in the East, they have a squad capable of qualifying for the playoffs, and the potential addition of McGee amplifies that possibility.
Haynes also reported that McGee was scheduled to meet with Houston Sunday when free agency opened.
Just like he would be in Detroit, McGee would be a bench player for the Rockets with Clint Capela and PJ Tucker occupying the starting spots in the frontcourt.
Houston feels like an odd fit for McGee based off its playing style, but he could clean up on the boards on three-points shots and help the Rockets with their success on second-chance opportunities.
While the opportunity in Houston may seem intriguing, McGee's better shot at more minutes comes in Detroit, where he would be relied on more to produce in all facets of the game.
Prediction: McGee signs with Detroit.
According to Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times, Danny Green and the Clippers talked Sunday.
But the Clippers are far from the only team after Green, as ESPN's Tim MacMahon confirmed a report from colleague Brian Windhorst that the Dallas Mavericks are interested in him.
MacMahon added that all indications about Green's decision are that he will wait until Leonard finds a home.
That strategy is smart on Green's part because if Leonard goes back to Toronto, he would probably follow suit with an opportunity to repeat as NBA champion awaiting him.
Green has played with Leonard in San Antonio and Toronto, so it would not be a surprise to see him land in the same destination as the star forward.
Green's podcast co-host Harrison D. Sanford reported Green is expecting to hear from seven teams, including the Lakers and Raptors.
The Lakers link is intriguing because Green would be a valuable veteran piece for the new-look team to have on their roster alongside Leonard, Davis and James if the best-case scenario comes to fruition.
Green averaged 10.3 points, four rebounds and 1.6 assists per game last season, all of which would be terrific complementary numbers for the Lakers in their quest to fill out their roster.
If Green wants to play with Leonard, he might have to take less money to play with the Lakers because of how they have to fill out the back end of their roster, but it could be worth it with a championship in sight next season.
Prediction: Green follows Leonard to the Lakers.
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Statistics obtained from Basketball Reference
