NBA Free Agency

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Next summer, if and when Kevin Durant re-signs with the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency, it won’t necessarily be because they give him the best chance to win. Instead, it might be out of fear for what Russell Westbrook will do—or, rather, say—if he were to leave. Durant is chilling with Team USA at [...]

Andre Drummond will earn almost $3.3 million next season, his fourth, which is not insubstantial. It’s just going to look like chump change compared to what he’ll earn in 2016-17. The almost-22-year-old is eligible to sign an extension with the Detroit Pistons. If he doesn’t ink one, he’ll become a restricted free agent next summer. [...]

Sam Hinkie, you dog, you. Despite boasting oodles of cap space in each of the last two summers, the Philadelphia 76ers haven’t been free-agency players. They’re trying to build from the ground up and from within, and not only does that mean they’re not in the market for outside talent, but they’re not in the [...]

Nicolas Batum has yet to even set foot on the hardwood for the Charlotte Hornets and already there’s talk of him wanting to play elsewhere. Like, in Toronto, for the Raptors. Unless Batum decides to sign an extension with the Hornets (unlikely), he’ll reach unrestricted free agency next summer, at which point he’ll be one [...]

Tristan Thompson isn’t leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers. Because, you know, duh. But also because LeBron James says so. LeBron did one of those things where he answers a question or 80 on Twitter Tuesday evening. One fan was curious about the scuttlebutt surrounding Thompson, a restricted free agent, who has yet to re-sign with the [...]

Anthony Davis values stability. And, apparently, lower-seeded playoff berths. But mostly the stability thing. The New Orleans Pelicans haven’t changed much this offseason, much to the delight of their franchise cornerstone. They re-signed Davis to what is, as of now, the richest contract in NBA history, and they canned head coach Monty Williams in favor [...]

LaMarucs Aldridge is now a member of a the San Antonio Spurs, but he’s also fresh off the free-agent carousel, a ride that included two meetings with the Los Angeles Lakers. Why two? Because the first one didn’t go well. That was the story at least. But then Aldridge held a second meeting with the [...]

When you know you’re wrong, you know you’re wrong, and J.R. Smith knows he’s wrong. Sort of. Rather than opting into the last year of his contract that would have paid him well north of $6 million next season, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ volume chucker elected to hit unrestricted free agency, probably thinking that he, like [...]

The Dallas Mavericks’ loss looks like it’ll end up being JaVale McGee’s gain. Whiffing on DeAndre Jordan in free agency has left the Mavs to shift their course and try putting together a competitive unit on the fly. They traded for Zaza Pachulia from the Milwaukee Bucks, and they essentially lucked into Deron Williams. Charlie [...]