An ESPN panel was asked where they think some of the top-projected free agents of 2019 might end up next summer. The results were interesting, with the panel making a prediction for five players: Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, Kevin Durant, and Klay Thompson.
As we explored earlier this summer, both Irving and Butler have reportedly expressed interested in playing together, and the panel obviously took that into consideration, predicting both players to suit up for the Knicks next season. However, the Celtics were a close second for Irving.
Interestingly, the Lakers were the second-highest voted selection for both Butler and Thompson, and the first-place selection for Leonard by a wide-margin. Meanwhile, both Thompson and Durant are projected to return to the Warriors.
We have more from around the league:
- Bovada has come out with their latest odds for next season’s MVP award, with LeBron James the favorite to win the award at 10/3. Anthony Davis is at 4/1, with Giannis Antetokounmpo at 4.5/1 and last season’s winner James Harden at 5.5/1.
- Only three players who began their career before the turn of the century remain playing today. Vince Carter and Dirk Nowitzki, who debuted in February, 1999 during the lockout-shortened season of 1998/99; and Jason Terry, who debuted later that calendar year during the 1999/00 season.
- Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders has created a list of players who he feels are prime candidates for a bounce-back season during 2018/19. The list includes Leonard, Markelle Fultz, Jabari Parker, Isaiah Thomas, Carmelo Anthony, and Danilo Gallinari.
Gordon Hayward and Kyrie are good bounce back candidates too.
Read something that will help keep Kyrie is Boston has a brand new state of the art practice facility. Before Ainge got Hayward and Kyrie, and before he tried to get Paul George, he tried to get Jimmy Butler, but he was with Chicago then and Boston didn’t have all they have now. Ainge has just said he doesn’t want to trade any starters. It looks like it would take Marcus Smart, Marcus Morris and the draft picks to get Butler. Ainge is stubborn.
The bounceback list is pretty obvious. The sorrywillnotbounceback list is the one for a GM to be on top of!
I wonder who would be on that list?
The all-nocomeback team.
5.Jah, Noel, Maker 4.Milsap 3.Jeff Green, Sol Hill 2.Lance 1.Reggie Jackson, Fultz.
Players here must have had expectations at some point, and a bad year last year.
Reggie Jackson has to be the worst starting point guard in the league.
Fultz is gonna really come good this year, IT will definitely do well in whichever roll he has to play, hopefully Melo will have a good season, cannot really see much coming from Jabari & Gallinari.
All Jabari and Gallinari has to do is surpass the amount of games played the previous seasons. I think numbers will stay the same all around. Jabari may avg a few more points and rebounds. Chicago is a dead end stop for now.
Boston would be a better team, one that I would like more to watch if they don’t keep kyrie, I don’t hate him at all, just don’t like his style of play, I like PG’s who pass first, don’t hog the ball & are not shot first.
I hope Jabari Parker has a good year, but having the injury history he has I doubt he will ever be the player he should have been.