NBA Free Agency 2020: Latest Rumors on Serge Ibaka, Jerami Grant, More
In an offseason that has been filled with uncertainty, there's now more clarity regarding the NBA calendar. For weeks, teams knew the 2020 NBA draft would be taking place Nov. 18, but it had yet to be decided when free agency would begin and when they could really begin shaping their rosters for the 2020-21 season.
However, it's now reportedly been agreed that the free-agency negotiation period will begin on Nov. 20 at 6 p.m. ET.
Teams already know most of the players who will be available, and there's sure to be further rumors about potential moves that might be imminent.
Here's some of the latest buzz surrounding the market as the start of free agency finally nears.
Lakers Interested in Signing Ibaka?
1 of 3
The Los Angeles Lakers will be looking to win a second straight NBA title in 2021, but they're unlikely to have the same roster they had when winning the championship last month.
One potential target for the Lakers heading into the offseason? Veteran forward Serge Ibaka. According to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, executives around the league believe Los Angeles will try to sign the 31-year-old Ibaka, who is an unrestricted free agent after spending the past four seasons with the Toronto Raptors.
"From a personnel standpoint, he is exactly the kind of combo big guy that team needs," an NBA general manager told Deveney. "They have had interest in him before, and they will again. ... If he is willing to accept what the Lakers can afford to give him, I know they would want him."
Ibaka is coming off a strong 2019-20 season in which he averaged a career-high 15.4 points and 8.2 rebounds in 55 games (27 starts) while shooting 51.2 percent from the field.
Whether Ibaka stays in Toronto or heads to Los Angeles, he'll likely have a solid chance of competing for another NBA title after he won with the Raptors in 2019. It will be interesting to see what the 11-year NBA veteran does at the next stage of his career.
Cavaliers Showed Interest in Grant
2 of 3
Jerami Grant was impressive in the NBA bubble at Disney World once the 2019-20 season resumed back in July. The Denver Nuggets forward averaged 15.6 points in seven seeding games, then averaged 11.6 points in 19 playoff matchups during the team's run to the Western Conference Finals.
It was a fun performance to watch unless you were the Cleveland Cavaliers.
According to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, the Cavaliers "were prepared to take a run" at Grant this offseason, as the 26-year-old could become an unrestricted free agent if he declines his $9.3 million player option for 2020-21 with the Nuggets. However, Fedor noted that Grant's strong play at the end of the season "likely pushed him out of [Cleveland's] price range."
Grant is a six-year veteran, but the 2019-20 season was his first with the Nuggets after he was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder in July 2019. If he declines his option, there's a decent chance he could make more money than he's set to next season. It's just not likely to come via an offer from the Cavs.
Cleveland could be looking to add a post player this offseason as Tristan Thompson is an unrestricted free agent. It's possible Thompson will return to the Cavs, but if not, they'll have to find another player to replace his production.
What Will Pistons Do in Free Agency?
3 of 3
This could be an important offseason for the Detroit Pistons. They own the No. 7 overall pick in the 2020 draft and will hope to sign free agents to get closer to making them competitive again in the future.
ESPN's Zach Lowe recently wrote that one obvious fit for the Pistons would be top free-agent point guard Fred VanVleet, but Lowe noted that "their interest in a VanVleet megadeal in the $20 million-per-year range is unclear." Instead, Detroit may be taking a different approach to its offseason.
"Detroit has telegraphed to other teams that it would rather operate as a dumping ground for unwanted salaries, hoarding picks in the process, sources say," Lowe wrote.
It's a strategy that makes sense for the Pistons, as they could continue to build a foundation for the franchise's long-term future. Plus, the 2021 free-agent market is likely to be a lot deeper and have more talent than this year's class, so Detroit could wait to make big signings while taking this approach.
No matter what the Pistons do, they're looking to get back to being competitive after missing the playoffs nine of the past 11 seasons and having not won a postseason game since 2008.
