NBA Free Agency 2020: Latest Rumors on Lakers, Warriors, Heat, Bucks and More

There may be no free agency date set for the 2020 offseason, but that's not going to stop the rumor mill from getting started.

Here is a look at some of the latest buzz going on for contenders. 

Warriors Could Eye Dwight Howard

The Lakers roster was full of redemption stories, but none larger than Dwight Howard, who was seemingly on his way out of basketball before signing a non-guaranteed deal after DeMarcus Cousins' offseason knee injury.

Howard, both on and off the floor, was nothing short of a pleasant surprise for the Lakers. The four-time Defensive Player of the Year averaged 7.5 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 72.9 percent from the floor, seamlessly fitting in as one of the best bargains in basketball. When JaVale McGee struggled in the postseason, Howard stepped in and started seven games.

More importantly: Howard didn't provide many headaches in the locker room. Sure, there was the whole mask fiasco in the bubble, and he should probably keep his opinions on vaccinations to the professionals, but for Howard, this was a relatively uneventful season.

Dwight's career was teetering on the edge just as much for his lack of ability to get along with teammates as it was his declining skills. Those problems were nowhere to be found in his second stint with the Lakers.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported Howard's stint in L.A. rehabilitated him enough the Golden State Warriors could target him in free agency. The Warriors are expected to target a center either in the draft (potentially James Wiseman) or in the open market who could allow them to play more traditional lineups against bigger teams.

Howard would be a low-cost option if he chooses to leave the Lakers, who seem almost certain to try to re-sign him on a short-term deal.

Derrick Jones Drawing Interest From Several Teams

Derrick Jones Jr. may have found himself on the outside of the Miami Heat's rotation in the playoffs, but he's expected to be a commodity on the free-agent market.

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported the Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls are among the teams expected to reach out. Charania added the Cleveland Cavaliers and Charlotte Hornets are also planning to pursue the high-flying forward. 

Jones averaged a career-high 8.5 points to go with 3.9 rebounds per game in 2019-20 but saw his playing time disappear during the playoffs. He played only nine minutes in the Finals and was limited to 6.5 minutes per game overall for the postseason.

Finding a non-contender willing to give Jones extended time on the floor may be the only way he'll be able to develop into more than a dunker at the NBA level. Jones' playing time has been inconsistent throughout his career in Miami, but he's flashed some defensive acumen and has the athleticism to be a stopper on that end in the right situation.

There's next to no chance Jones returns to Miami next season, and for good reason. It's time to see if he's more than the occasional highlight dunk, and that's not going to happen on a team looking to compete for a championship.

Bucks to Pursue Bogdan Bogdanovic

Good luck.

Charania reported the Bucks are expected to pursue Bogdanovic in free agency, which is among the more ambitious plans for a playoff team this summer.

Bogdanovic is a restricted free agent, and the Bucks do not have the cap space necessary to give him anything more than a taxpayer exemption. That's not going to get the job done in a scarce free-agent market, so the Bucks would have to work out a sign-and-trade—another obstacle for a team that's almost certainly going to be in the tax when the new cap is set.

Bogdanovic is a good fit, but this seems like a pipe-dream acquisition unless the Bucks are going to make wholesale changes to their roster.