NBA free agency has dawned. Ask conventional wisdom, though, and she’d just as soon tell anyone dreaming of big movement this offseason to hit the snooze button again.
Whether Malik Monk (Sacramento) and Pascal Siakam (Indiana) set a trend by re-signing with their teams early in free agency remains to be seen.
Still, the landscape is surely altered because teams can negotiate with their players one day after the NBA Finals conclude. There are also various wrinkles to the league salary cap. Second apron, anyone?
In any event, big names abound. The following players are available, by definition: Let’s take a look at some headliners.
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Does James want to take his talents elsewhere this summer? He can do so by opting out of a $51 million player option in Los Angeles (deadline: June 29). The Lakers’ recent hiring of his erstwhile podcast pal, J.J. Redick, as coach and the swelling conjecture over LA drafting James’ son, Bronny, this week make a relocation seem unlikely, though.
Should James opt out, he’d be a more than safe bet to stay put. Reports already indicate the Lakers have a three-year maximum extension in the works.
Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers
Another Crypto.com Arena tenant, another big opt-out decision. George hasn’t pulled the trigger on a $48.8 million player option, and the Clippers would be foolish not to covet his services again.
George shined from the floor and as a defender before another early playoff exit for the Clippers. A number of organizations also itching for a postseason breakthrough, namely the New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder and Philadelphia 76ers, could be suitors. OKC, for one, could use a stabilizing veteran to complement its youthful core.
Recent trends in the LA front office suggest George might have to settle for a bit less money than the absolute max. His yearning to get back to his SoCal home base five years ago may suggest he’d be all right with that.
Isaiah Hartenstein, New York Knicks
We’ve heard about the player options; now onto the unrestricted-free-agent variety.
Hartenstein reinforced his worth during the Knicks’ run to the Eastern Conference second round as he filled a void left by injuries to fellow big men Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson. But taking on a starting role as a fill-in doesn’t guarantee the same security the following season.
Randle and Robinson’s return to health might signal a decrease in minutes for Hartenstein, who knows he can be a top big in the league. A shift in conferences and cultures might be afoot, as Oklahoma City craves an increased post presence and possesses the cap space to get a deal done.
DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls
The master of the midrange has been a rock for the middling Bulls the past three seasons, averaging at least 32.4 points while missing no more than eight games.
Despite Chicago’s perpetual standing in the playoff bubble, DeRozan has consistently expressed his interest in staying with the Bulls. However, reports that he turned down a lucrative, two-year extension last season and undoubted overtures from surefire contenders seem like hints toward change.
Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
It’s bittersweet for many in the Bay Area to ponder, but the Warriors were slow to renegotiate with the Splash Brother during the regular season as the franchise shifts further from its glory days.
Thompson played in 77 games on the heels of recent devastating injury woes but connected on a mere 38.7 percent of his 3-pointers, the second-lowest accuracy of his career.
OKC’s aforementioned cap space and veteran void could make him a candidate to stay in the West. The Orlando Magic, contenders in the jumble for top-four seeding in the East, might loom as a change-of-pace suitor for similar reasons.