
NBA free agency kicks off tonight. Which team is looking to make the biggest splash?
NBA free agency kicks off tonight at 6 pm. Is your favorite team going to make a splash?
NBA free agency kicks off tonight at 6 pm. The offseason already started with a bang, with Russell Westbrook getting traded to the Lakers to form a new big three. It's expected that the big names like Kawhi Leonard and Chris Paul are going to stay with their respective team, even though they optioned out of their current contract.
Kawhi Leonard has declined his $36M player option for next season and becomes a free agent, per source. Now, the expectation is that Leonard will negotiate a new deal to stay with Clippers. @ChrisBHaynes first on declining option.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 1, 2021
Chris Paul has until midnight ET to decide on his $44M player option, but there’s optimism that if he does decide against picking it up that he and the Suns can reach a new deal when free agency opens on Monday night, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 1, 2021
Even though the big names are expected to stay, there are still a lot of good players on the market. Here are a few teams that are expected to make a splash when the free agency period opens up at 6 pm today.
Chicago Bulls
The Bulls made a surprising trade at the trade deadline last season when they acquired Orlando's All-Star center, Nikola Vucevic. Although Chicago didn't make the playoffs, they have a solid core to build around with Lavine and Vucevic. They have a few solid young players in Coby White and Patrick Williams.
It was rumored that Lonzo Ball is expected to be interested in the Bulls once free agency opens up.
Watching NBA TV’s free agency special. Well respected @ChrisBHaynes reports unless there’s a major “hiccup”, sources tell him Lonzo Ball intends to work out a contract with the Bulls. Pelicans are going hard after free agent PG Kyle Lowry.
— Mark Schanowski (@MarkSchanowski) August 1, 2021
Is a trio of Lavine, Vucevic, and Ball good enough to make the playoffs in the East? Either way I like this move for Chicago. They get a young point guard who improved his shooting drastically in the past few years. The Bulls also need to worry about Zach Lavine's upcoming extension, as he becomes a free agent next summer.
Miami Heat
After a disappointing season, you know Pat Riley is going to make moves to improve this roster. After Miami picked up Goran Dragic's option, Woj tweeted that the Heat are intrigued to package Dragic and Precious Achiuwa in a sign and trade to Miami for Lowry's services.
Lowry's long been intrigued with joining Heat star Jimmy Butler and the Miami organization, and now Miami's maneuvered to have two key elements of a possible sign-and-trade package – Goran Dragic and Precious Achiuwa -- to offer Raptors once talks can ensue at 6 PM, per sources. https://t.co/MrpMhhB7aJ
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 2, 2021
Other teams like the Pelicans and Sixers have also been linked to being interested in Lowry. The Heat also need to decide whether or not they want to bring back Duncan Robinson. Early reports are saying Robinson can get up to $16 million in the open market, but he is a restricted free agent. The Heat can match any offer he gets. Remember when the Heat said no to Rockets for James Harden because they refused to add Tyler Herro and Robinson in any deals? Lol.
New York Knicks
Ahhhh, the New York Knicks. They are my third, and final team to look out for this free agency. After making a surprise run to the playoffs and finishing fourth in the East, Leon Rose and company are looking for ways to improve this roster. With the most money in cap space going into free agency, they certainly have the flexibility to make a move. The question is, are they going to make a move?
They can go the free agency way and give money to players like Kelly Oubre or Spencer Dinwiddie. Or they can trade for a player like Collin Sexton or .... Damian Lillard. If I were the Knicks, I'd try to trade for Sexton. He's a young guard who has shown some promise to be a three-level scorer in this league. Seeing some of the reports, it seems like he won't cost as much as people think he would. The only problem is he is a free agent next year, so an extension is likely this offseason if the Knicks pull the trigger.
It's won't be a Knicks free agency if they weren't linked to the biggest stars so I'll drop some photoshops below.



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