NBA Free Agency 2020: Latest Predictions for Joe Harris, More Top Guards
The 2021 free-agent class could be filled with top-tier players. This year's market may not be quite as star-studded, but there are still plenty of talented players whom teams will be pursuing in free agency, which is expected to begin shortly after the 2020 NBA draft Nov. 18.
Among the available players will be numerous strong guards. That includes prolific three-point shooter Joe Harris and top point guard Fred VanVleet. DeMar DeRozan could also hit the market should he decide to decline his 2020-21 player option with the San Antonio Spurs.
Will these players head back to their former teams, or could they end up going somewhere else to try to make impacts? With free agency approaching, here are predictions for where these top guards will end up.
Joe Harris
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Harris has spent the past four seasons with the Brooklyn Nets, becoming a key starter over that time. After leading the NBA with a three-point percentage of 47.4 in 2018-19, the 29-year-old followed that up with another strong campaign, averaging a career-high 14.5 points in 69 games while shooting 42.4 percent from behind the arc.
But the Nets never got to play at their potential this past season. Kevin Durant missed the entire year while recovering from an Achilles injury, and Kyrie Irving was limited to 20 games because of a shoulder problem. If Harris returns to Brooklyn, there's a solid chance he will be part of a team that has the potential to make a deep playoff run.
The Athletic's John Hollinger recently wrote that Harris' "most appealing option" will likely be to re-sign with the Nets for more than the mid-level exception.
"Harris will be very popular, with the biggest factor working against him being the lack of contending teams with cap space," Hollinger wrote.
Expect Harris to return to Brooklyn and be a key part of the lineup in what should be a successful 2020-21 season for them.
Prediction: Harris re-signs with Nets.
Fred VanVleet
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VanVleet helped the Toronto Raptors win the NBA title in 2019 and then thrived in his first season as a full-time starter. He averaged 17.6 points, 6.6 assists and 1.9 steals in 54 games, boosting his value as he heads to the free-agent market this offseason.
It's possible that VanVleet returns to the Raptors, as the 34-year-old Kyle Lowry is entering the final year of his contract, so VanVleet could take on an even bigger role after that. But there will surely be other teams trying to lure VanVleet from Toronto.
One of those teams is expected to be the New York Knicks. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News recently reported that they are among those with interest in the Wichita State product. And it makes sense, as the Knicks are likely to add a starting point guard at some point this offseason, whether it's via free agency, a trade or the draft.
VanVleet could provide a much-needed boost to New York's backcourt and add some experience to a lineup that is likely to feature plenty of young players. He's proved he can be a valuable asset to a franchise, and he knows what it takes to win a championship.
He's likely to have plenty of suitors, but the prediction here is that the Knicks will outbid them and sign VanVleet this offseason.
Prediction: VanVleet signs with Knicks. =
DeMar DeRozan
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DeRozan has a $27.7 million player option with the Spurs for the 2020-21 season. But there have also been rumors of the 31-year-old shooting guard wanting out.
According to The Athletic, an anonymous agent said DeRozan "doesn't like San Antonio and doesn't want to be there." So it's possible that his second season with the Spurs may have also been his last.
Another scenario that could unfold may be DeRozan accepting his player option but then getting traded. And there's one possibility that could make sense for not only DeRozan and the Spurs but also another team that could get involved.
The Atlanta Hawks are open to trading down from the No. 6 pick in the draft, according to ESPN's Zach Lowe, in favor of adding veteran talent. If the Spurs were looking to trade up from No. 11, they could deal DeRozan and get a better prospect in the draft.
Atlanta has a solid young core, including Trae Young and John Collins. By adding DeRozan, who averaged 22.1 points in 68 games for the Spurs last season, the Hawks could get a scoring boost in the backcourt that helps them to make a push for the playoffs.
Prediction: DeRozan opts in, gets traded to Hawks.
