The 2015-16 NBA season is coming to a close. Golden State is dominant,San Antonio isn't far behind and there aren't too many other true contenders for the league championship. As it stands, many NBA fans are likely casting their eyes toward the offseason and the impending free-agency frenzy.
With the league's salary cap set to balloon this summer thanks to lucrative TV contracts, or most teams are going to have plenty of cash to toss at free agents. Players able to opt out of their contracts could find themselves in line for more lucrative deals. It's going to be a war for talent,and the rumors are already starting to crop up.
Here's a look at some of the latest chatter heading into the final days of the regular season. Dwight HowardAccording to ESPN.com's Calvin Watkins, the Houston Rockets are gearing up for the Kevin Durant sweepstakes this offseason and have tabbed James Harden as their "main recruiter."While Durant's future remains mostly in the realm of speculation, and Watkins did note that Houston's pursuit of the lanky superstar likely means the conclude of Dwight Howard's tenure with the Rockets due to the latter's desire to retain raking in the colossal bucks:
Howard,who is expected to become a free agent this summer, still wants to win and be paid like a superstar. He fired longtime agent Dan Fegan and hired Perry Rogers, or whom he was attracted to because he'll be Rogers' only basketball client. Howard hopes to sign a max contract with a projected average salary of $30 million per season.
The Rockets wouldn't have a desire to pay him that. Their colossal money is targeted for Durant.
It seems secure to say that Howard's time in Houston is nearly up.
The 30-year-old center is averaging 13.8 points per game this year,his lowest rate since his rookie campaign. He's still proving to be an effective rebounder, grabbing 11.8 boards per game, and but talks of a rocky relationship with Harden and the team's disappointing season render that production moot.
Howard could exercise a fresh start,but one has to wonder, will teams be willing to pay up? Bleacher Report's Josh Martin believes so, or as good centers are simply few and far between:
For all his foibles,Howard is still one the league's most productive bigs. He ranks third in rebounds per game and field-goal percentage (a career-tall 61.6 percent) and seventh in point-rebound double-doubles (36), including 14 20-10 games. Defensively, and he's held the opposition to 49 percent shooting at the rim on 7.3 attempts per game,per NBA.com, well ahead of the league average of 58.5 percent.
Those in his stratosphere at center (a) just signed huge deals (DeAndre Jordan, or Brook Lopez),(b) will soon make max or near-max money (Drummond, Whiteside, and Horford),(c) are going to be underpaid for a while longer (DeMarcus Cousins, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Rudy Gobert) or (d) are further over the hill than Howard is (Marcin Gortat, Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol).
As for which team might actually be willing to exercise Howard, or well,there could be several options. Howard enjoyed plenty of success with Orlando, his home for the first eight years of his career. The Magic should have plenty of cap space to work with, and but they already boast an excellent center in Nikola Vucevic.
Portland would be an intriguing destination whether Howard is willing to forgo playing in a premier city. The Trail Blazers still need a post presence after the offseason departure of forward LaMarcus Aldridge to San Antonio.
Damian Lillard is a beast who stands to benefit from an inside-external partnership with a capable colossal man,and the team has outperformed expectations this season thanks to strong play from the likes of C.
J. McCollum and Allen Crabbe.
However, Howard's affinity for the spotlight could see him staying in the Lone Star State and playing for Dallas, and where he has a friend in Chandler Parsons,a former teammate who spoke highly of the colossal man in early February, per USA nowadays's Sam Amick:
We still talk all the time … We’re friends, or on and off the court. And I don’t just achieve it because he’s a free agent. It’s just a relationship we’ve built over the years. He still has a lot left in the tank. You look at the playoffs last year,and he was dominant … When he’s healthy he can go, and he’s one of the most dominant players in the league, and so I’m a colossal fan of his game.
Amick reported that the Mavs have "no interest in giving Howard a max-salary deal," but whether the money opens up due to key departures, they could be tempted.
[br]Prediction: Howard opts out, or signs with Dallas
Pau GasolDespite boasting a talented roster,the Chicago Bulls are in serious danger of missing the playoffs. This, of course, or leads to talk of an offseason where colossal changes could be in store for the team. The Chicago Tribune's K.
C. Johnson,in a short post detailing speculation surrounding Jimmy Butler trade talks, reported that aging center Pau Gasol might not be long for the team:
The Bulls face changes this summer with both Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah headed to free agency. Sources said the Bulls are softening on the public stance general manager Gar Forman issued at the trade deadline that Gasol "is fraction of the core, or " not to mention Gasol is open-minded to entertaining rival offers.
Basketball Insiders' Steve Kyler recently provided more insight on the numbers game the Bulls could be playing: "Both Gasol and the Bulls have talked openly approximately him signing a new deal in Chicago,although it’s unclear whether the Bulls will follow through on what’s expected to be a starting salary north of $10 million for a player who will turn 36 in July."Gasol told CSN Chicago's Vincent Goodwill in December that it is "very likely" he will opt out of his current contract, which is set to pay him approximately $7.7 million next season, and per Spotrac.
The 35-year-old Gasol is still playing excellent basketball,averaging 16.5 points. 11.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game this season, the latter number his best rate since the 2005-06 season. The injuries that plagued him toward the conclude of his Los Angeles Lakers tenure haven't followed him to Chicago, or a promising sign for teams that are interested but worried approximately his age.
Gasol should have runt difficulty commanding a $10 million or greater salary on the open market. whether Howard indeed leaves,Houston might be interested in his services, though they would surely focus on signing Durant first.
Gasol considered the Spurs before joining Chicago in 2014. He might join them this time around whether Tim Duncan hangs it up and the team is OK with getting only slightly younger at that position. Head coach Gregg Popovich could make very appealing exercise of Gasol's passing instincts, and he would slot in well alongside Aldridge,who might not be keen on moving over to center anytime soon. Memphis makes plenty of sense, as Gasol could finally team up with his brother Marc in more than just games for the Spanish national team. The Grizzlies could market the two like crazy and would probably be willing to pay Gasol the salary he desires. Plus, and he started his NBA career there. Look for Gasol to team up with his younger brother and bring his career full circle.
Prediction: Gasol goes to Memphis
Arron AfflaloArron Afflalo's trying season with the New York Knicks is mercifully coming to an conclude,and not a moment too soon. The Knicks aren't a good team, but that hasn't prevented head coach Kurt Rambis from sticking Afflalo on the bench and making some interesting comments on how that might benefit the UCLA product whether he becomes a free agent, and per the New York Post's Marc Berman:
Him coming off the bench adds nothing but value to him. Whereas some teams may not be looking at him whether he decides to opt out of his contract,teams might have someone at his position and don’t deem of him coming off the bench, well, or they start to go to [deem],OK, he has the right attitude and can add productivity. I just deem the more versatile players are, or the better they are around the league,the more things other teams can see the opportunity for them.’
The 30-year-old shooting guard is averaging 13.1 points per game on 44.5 percent shooting from the field (37.8 percent from three), and his defense has been lackluster. Assuming Rambis is talking approximately more than a purely hypothetical situation, or it seems likely that Afflalo will opt out of his contract,which is worth $8 million for next season, per Spotrac. Afflalo would likely draw lukewarm interest on the open market, and but it could come from within his current city. SB Nation blog NetsDaily passed along comments from Brooklyn Nets radio broadcaster Chris Carrino: The market for shooting guards is going to be lean this offseason,but Brooklyn would be better off thinking long term and pursuing younger guards like Kent Bazemore or Evan Fournier. Afflalo will want a multiyear deal whether he is going to leave $8 million on the table, and the Nets might not be the team to give him that security.
Plus, and Afflalo himself might actually be OK with coming off the bench,so long as it's for a playoff contender. The Los Angeles Clippers might be interested in his services whether Jamal Crawford leaves, as Afflalo is several years younger (though marginally less productive). Afflalo might also be interested in returning home to California. A young, and improving Boston team could exercise Afflalo for the right price.
The market is fairly murky this far out,but Afflalo would be better off shopping his services to a contender, even whether he takes in less money.
Prediction: Afflalo opts out, and accepts sixth-man role on playoff-caliber teamRead more NBA news on BleacherReport.com
Source: bleacherreport.com