The NBA off-season is now entering into full swing as the NBA Draft took place just a few days ago. We are entering a rather quite period in the off-season, following the draft but before free agency. Nonetheless, there are still many eventful things taking places, most notably the extending of qualifying offers for players, the accepting or declining of team and player options, and the decision on opt out clauses in contracts. This free agent class is stacked full with talent and there are many players capable of turning teams into contender. While LeBron James and his decision will get a majority of the attention, there are still plenty of other big name players to keep an eye on.
LeBron James
When listing the biggest free agents of this years class, The Kings name should immediately come to mind. James recently announced that he would opt of of his contract with the Miami Heat and become a free agent once again. This immediately led to headline news and left many teams scrambling to prepare a pitch to LeBron. Of course, there were many rumors circling this news, ranging from possible destinations to reasons why LeBron wasn't happy with Miami. The general thought is that LeBron was unhappy with Miami's unwillingness to spend money to improve the team this past year and that LeBron might be more open to joining another team that’s more open to spending than Miami. Plus, with the declining age of both Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, it would make sense for LeBron to want to move on to a younger team.
One common rumor is that the Big Three will opt out of their contracts and take pay cuts so Miami can improve the roster. However, a recent report states that LeBron will be expecting a max contract from the Heat, a 5 year, $130 million contract. This is nearly completely opposite of what had been reported earlier, making for an intriguing storyline to follow. While every team would love to have LeBron, there are only a few that are capable of taking on the financial responsibility. There is a report that the Houston Rockets would be ready to make an all out push to sign LeBron, essentially creating a new Big Three with James Harden and Dwight Howard. Other potential landing spots are the Lakers, Clippers, and Warriors.
Carmelo Anthony
The second best free agent on the open market, Anthony is another franchise changing talent available to the highest bidder. After very limited success in the playoffs, and an aging and financial restrained roster, Anthony decided to move on from the New York Knicks. While he hasn't ruled out returning to New York, he certainly has some better suitors. The Bulls have been reportedly very interested in Melo, and it seems like a perfect fit. As one of the best offensive players in the NBA, Melo would complement the defensive oriented Bulls roster perfectly. Plus, he would remain in a weak Eastern Conference and would elevate the Bulls to championship potential. Another potential landing spot was Miami. It was reported that the Big Three would restructure their contracts to make room for Carmelo to join them. However, a report that LeBron will be seeking max money seems to rule out that possibility. The final team mentioned as a legitimate option is the Houston Rockets. The Rockets would be willing to make an all out push to acquire Anthony, if they strike out on signing LeBron. The Lakers could be another potential landing spot, as they have plenty of cap room to sign Anthony and provide him with ample talent.
Kyle Lowry
Lowry is coming off the best season of his career, one which should have netted him an All-Star appearance. As the best free agent point guard in the NBA, Lowry is expected to have plenty of suitors, and none have been more prevalent than the Miami Heat. The Heat are looking to upgrade the roster around the Big Three, and point guard is a big need for them. While originally it seemed the Heat would sign Lowry, there were reports that Miami and Toronto were working on a sign a trade for the talented point guard.
However, these reports have been denied, and it seems that we are back to where we started. Besides the Heat, the Rockets seem like very possible candidates to land Lowry, as they are looking to upgrade at the point guard position. Lowry has stated that he wants to play for a championship, so it seems unlikely that he would be willing to go to a place that isn't ready to compete. It might also suggest that he is willing to take a pay cut to sign with a contender.
Pau Gasol
Gasol is one of the more veteran free agents, but he certain has a lot to offer a team. One report that has surfaced recently is that the New York Knicks are attempting to pair Gasol and Carmelo in New York. The Knicks would hope to sign the longtime friends by providing them the opportunity to play together. It seems unlikely given the financial status of the Knicks.
Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade
With a majority of the attention on LeBron James, people seem to forget about the other members of the Big Three. While they haven't received the attention that LeBron has, and have been heavily criticized, they still hold a lot of value. While many people believe they will go by whatever LeBron does, Bosh and Wade could bring a lot to another team. Wade, who has played his entire career with Miami, seems the most unlikely to leave, regardless of what LeBron does. Bosh however, can still be a very valuable member to a franchise and he has received a lot of attention on the market. The Lakers are reportedly very interested in signing Bosh and have hopes of pairing him with another superstar through free agency.