NBA Free Agency 2020: Predictions for Anthony Davis and More Top Stars
NBA free agency starts this week, but the biggest stars of this year’s class of potential signees will surely resign with their current teams.
The NBA draft will take place Wednesday, and free agency will begin Friday at 6 p.m. ET. This will give everyone a limited amount of time to put together their rosters and finish up their pending contract negotiations.
Heading into the 2020-21 NBA season, the market is full of strong role players. However, there are fewer star players who can change the trajectory of struggling teams. Big names like Anthony Davis and Brandon Ingram will have to decide whether to take their chances during an unpredictable free-agent period or reach a satisfying deal with their respective organizations before training camp begins in less than two weeks.
Many players will likely opt for shorter deals because only a handful of teams have available cap space. That also means we won’t see as many massive contracts as we have since the new television deal went into effect in 2016. As such, it’s safe to assume most prospects will exercise their option or sign a short-term contract in hopes to earn a more lucrative deal over the next two years.
Anthony Davis: Los Angeles Lakers
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Anthony Davis is undoubtedly the biggest star in this year’s free agency period. The 27-year-old forward averaged 27.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.4 blocks in 21 postseason games en route to his first NBA Championship win with the Lakers. So, it seems like a forgone conclusion that he will return to Los Angeles.
According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Davis reportedly plans to "opt-out of his $28.7 million player option to become an unrestricted free agent." However, opposing teams shouldn’t get their hopes as many insiders expected him to decline his current contract.
The question isn’t whether he will ink a new deal with the Lakers at this point; it’s how long he will sign on for. Davis will probably negotiate a two-year contract and re-enter free agency when he can ask for twice as much as his current one is worth.
The Chicago native could also sign a long-term backload contract, which would give Los Angeles room to make some more acquisitions in the coming weeks. At any rate, expect Davis and LeBron James to attempt to repeat in the upcoming season.
Brandon Ingram: New Orleans Pelicans
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Brandon Ingram had a fantastic season for the Pelicans, providing 23.8 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists. The 2020 Most Improved Player also made his first All-Star game appearance in what turned out to be a breakout year.
Ingram is a restricted free agent. Although he and New Orleans haven’t agreed on a contract extension yet, it’s on a matter of time before they offer him a max deal. At just 23 years old, he’s too valuable to pass up on and they will look to keep him around for the next four years or more.
The Pelicans are projected to be among the five teams with the most practical cap space. So, there isn’t much of a chance that he will test the open market. Furthermore, the other four teams—New York, Atlanta, Sacramento, and Detroit—aren’t as close to making it to the playoffs in the next two years.
As Zion Williamson and Lonzo Ball continue to develop, New Orleans is the best fit for Ingram. A new coach in Stan Van Gundy could also bring a new outlook to this young up and coming team. So, this seems like a no-brainer for both parties.
Gordon Hayward: Boston Celtics
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Although an ankle injury forced Gordon Hayward to miss most of the playoff this year, he still returned to form this season. The 30-year-old scored 17.5 points and grabbed 6.7 rebounds a game. In 52 regular-season games, his shooting percentages are where he looked the most impressive, recording 50–38–85 season.
Hayward didn’t perform as well during the postseason, but he still seems poised for a big payday and he will have plenty of suitors if he chooses to opt-out of his contract.
During a recent episode of The Mismatch podcast, Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer reported that the New York Knicks are interested in the Celtic forward if he becomes this weekend.
However, it’s hard to imagine Hayward would leave $34.2 million on the table. The Knicks have the cap space to offer him a big contract, but next year’s free agency period seems much more enticing because he will have more options. For that reason, he will likely exercise his player option and remain in Boston.
There are rumors that the Celtics could package him into a trade, but most of the teams that could take on his contract don’t have much to offer.
