Easssssssy Talkers! My people! What’s up?! Welcome back to another Easy Talk article and today I will be talking about the NBA free agent market… Now this will get very confusing due to some player’s being restricted and unrestricted free agents in 2017 and 2018… A lot of them have ‘player options’ and, Of course I will explain what everything mean’s and go through the hottest names on the market and, decide where they go… Player’s like KD and Curry will not be mentioned since ideally, they will most likely re-sign with their respected team. This is now made into a few part’s so today’s edition is Tier A and Thursday will be Tier B type players. Enjoy!
Unrestricted free agent
An unrestricted free agent (UFA) is free to sign with any team, though some unrestricted free agents have options on their existing contracts that, if exercised, may impact their choices.Team Option
A team option grants the original team the right to keep a player for another year.Player Option
A player option grants the player the power to decide whether to stay for another year or become a completely unrestricted free agent.Restricted free agent
A restricted free agent can sign an offer sheet with any team, but the player’s original team can retain him by matching the terms of that offer. The original team is said to have the “right of first refusal.”
Gordon Hayward//Utah Jazz//Small Forward//Player Option
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(21.9ppg, 5.4rpg, 3.5apg, 1.0spg)
- Hayward is coming off a career year posting new-high average’s when it comes to points, rebounds, 3-point percentage, field goal percentage, and all the free throw categories. He owns a player’s option for this summer and, his contract officially ends in 2018. Utah might not be the most sexiest place but, the one thing that keeps player’s around is simply the fact that the team drafted him and took the chance even though he was drafted with the 9th pick overall. He is only 27 entering his prime year’s and might be able to get better… Utah doesn’t necessarily have the best core but, they do have something… down low they have Rudy Gobert who is a future All-Star besides that, they do have Rodney Hood is good defensively and can add more to his offensive game. George Hill had an career year but, he might not be the answer. Other team’s in the running our the Boston Celtic’s, and Miami Heat. Both do have good core players… we already know about Boston’s deal… #1 seed in the East, defensive minded coach in Brad Steven’s (who coached Hayward at Butler), player’s like Isiah Thomas and Al Horford who are ready to win now… C’s our one piece away (maybe) and that piece can be Hayward. The Miami Heat our interesting because, they came out of no-where as the dark horse to sign Hayward. Just like the Celtic’s they have a descent core of players… Hassan Whiteside, Gordan Dragic, and Dion Waiter’s if they doesn’t decide to opt out… The Heat almost made the playoffs last year with those 3 player’s alone. Another theory is that D-Wade can be back in 2018 or, even 2017 if the Bulls decide to trade him so that would add to the roster.
Prediction: Stay’s loyal with the Utah Jazz
Blake Griffin//L.A. Clippers//Power Forward//Player Option
(21.6ppg, 8.1rpg, 4.9apg, 1spg)
- Blake is a tricky free agent because, we don’t know what the Clipper’s direction is for the future… at this very moment the Clipper’s are in win-now mode. Nevertheless Griffin has improved his game every year… from dunking on people non-stop to adding a mid-range, to his 3-point shot that doesn’t always go in… nevertheless he isn’t a one trick pony anymore but, he has been derailed by injuries the last two years and a suspension. I think Blake know’s he can opt-out and make a ton of money but, then again I believe he owe’s much more to the Clipper’s. With that being said we know what Griffin can do and only at the age of 28, he has a lot left in the tank… We know what the Clipper’s are offering with CP3 and DeAndre but, like previously stated… we don’t know what the Clipper’s are going to do… J.J Reddick is a free agent and so is Jamal Crawford. Other team’s in the race again be Boston and Miami.
Prediction: Blake stays with the Clip’s and they try once again to use the core they have now to win.
Chris Paul//L.A. Clipper’s//Point Guard//Player Option
(18.1ppg, 9.2apg, 5.0rpg, 1.9spg)
- CP3 is now CP-(32) years of age… but, he will still be in high demand for any team wanting a true floor general. He does own a player-option so, once again what will the Clippers do? We don’ know their direction but, one thing we can say about CP3 is that he is still that dude in 2017… His shooting fell off a little bit and honestly he never played elite defensive but, his bright spots outshine his flaws. A true floor general/leader who will happily pass first will make any team better but, it will have to come at a big price… Some say Paul has enough money and he will likely go and find a championship… I don’t think so… I’m not saying he is greedy but, the Clippers are expected to give him the 200 million dollar contract he is rumored to want. The only true other teams in the mix to sign will be the San Antonio Spurs… I don’t believe for the long-term/money wise… (even though it wouldn’t be a lengthy contract and NBA teams have money to spend) because, the Spur’s will have Tony Parker coming back from injury and love Patty Mill’s… They did get swept in the playoffs but, Kawhi Leonard was injured and besides that the Spur’s use their no-name players to reach 61 wins this season. Besides the Aldridge signing the Spur’s build through the draft and maximize their player’s unlike most teams.
Prediction: Even thought the Spur’s could use him… CP3 will resign with L.A. for the max and just like Blake Griffin, try to win right now with the core they have now…(and maybe LeBron Jame’s joins them in a year or two…)
Kyle Lowry//Toronto Raptors//Point Guard//Player Option
(22.4ppg, 7.0asp, 4.8rpg, 1.5spg)
- Kyle Lowry join’s CP3 in the 30 and older point guard club at 31 yeas old… Besides the age he enjoyed a career year for the Raptors in many category such as; points, assist, and 3-point percentage. Not many option’s lay in the grasp for Lowry… sure contender’s could use a veteran point guard but, Lowry doesn’t offer the best track record as an elite point guard specifically for the price tag he is shooting for. Toronto would love to bring him back because, besides what I just said… Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are top-notch together in the back court… and the Raptors are a pretty stable team trying to win now. Other teams interested our his hometown Philadelphia 76’er’s… but does that make sense for either of the partners? 76er’s surely are young and want to see what their young team can do and need to give the player’s every minute to develop… now the opposite side of that argument would be the Raptors, wanting a veteran point guard to hold down the fort for the young guys… make’s sense but, does it for Lowry? I don’t think so.
Prediction: There is a chain reaction going on with my predictions… Lowry will stay put in Toronto and like everyone else, try to win now with the core put in place.
Paul Millsap//Atlanta Hawks//Power Forward//Player Option
(18.1 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 3.7 apg, 1.3spg, 0.9bpg)
- Millsap, enjoyed another solid season with the Atlanta Hawk’s after losing almost his whole team the year before.. (Jeff Teague, Al Horford, and Kyle Korver) and sharing the paint with Dwight Howard. Lowry and Millsap share some of the same problems… age and no interest. He is 32 but, still produce’s and sure team’s would love to sign him but, I don’t know about the money… either a contender would sign him or, a young team for his veteran leadership… most unlikely. As of 3 weeks ago Millsap, opted out of his 21.4 million dollar option this year and became a free agent. But a month ago according to the ‘Associated Press’, they released this statement a month ago… “The Hawks’ win totals have slipped two straight years. The team could enter free-fall mode if unable to re-sign Millsap. The power forward, who averaged 18.1 points and 7.7 rebounds, was the top producer on a roster that received disappointing returns from $70 million investments in Dwight Howard and Kent Bazemore. Millsap said he wants to stay with the Hawks. “I want to be here,” Millsap said. “I think talks have been pretty good. … It’s something me, my agent and my family have got to sit down and talk about.”
Prediction: As said by the ‘Associated Press’ Millsap wanted to opt-out of his contract only to re join the Hawk’s for more money.
Jrue Holiday//New Orleans Pelican//Point Guard//Unrestricted
(15.4ppg, 7.3asp, 3.9rpg, 1.5spg, 0.6bpg)
- Woo-woo we got our first unrestricted free agent… Jrue Holiday is a serviceable point guard who can do it… He is only 27 year’s old but, durability is always the issue… Coach Alvin Gentry did come out and say ‘signing Holiday was the #1 goal this summer”…but, Holiday does hold some interest from a few teams such as his current team, Dallas Maverick’s, and the New York Knicks. We all know the monster deal that brought over DeMarcus Cousin’s to the Pelican’s to play with Anthony Davis, so that might be enough to keep Holiday around… The Maverick’s came out and said they are making it an option to sign Holiday… the Maverick’s seem old because, of Dirk but besides him they did trade (steal) Nerlens Noel from the 76’er’s and have a young Harrison Barnes to go along with Westy Matthew’s… not bad! and last but, not least the New York Knick’s… I’m saving the joke’s for later but, they do have a descent core and been trying to find there point guard of the future for a while. (Derrick Rose talk will be in another tier). Next to Melo (for now) they do have Porzingis, whatever you think of Courtney Lee and an aging Joakim Noah… again not bad but, probably better places to go due to everything going on in New York.
Prediction: Ya’ll are probably mad and want to see some super-team’s forming but, I don’t see that being the case… Holiday re-signs for a lot of money with the Pelicans.
***This was part 1 (Tier A) of the NBA free agency… Thursday will be part 2 (Tier B) with name’s such as… Serge Ibaka, Danlio Gallinari, Dwyane Wade, and etc…don’t forget tomorrow will be WWWL! So be on the look out!***
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