As with every offseason, several NBA veterans have player options in their contracts that must be exercised or declined before free agency. Others have team options in their deals, which means their clubs must decide whether to keep them on their current contracts for next season or let them enter free agency.
This year is no different. Players such as James Harden, Kyrie Irving and Bradley Beal all have player options, and Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype made predictions about what might happen with each talent. Gozlan also predicted the outcome of every team option, which will impact players such as Ivica Zubac, Luguentz Dort and Hamidou Diallo.
Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- John Hollinger of The Athletic ranks the top free agent shooting guards using his BORD$ formula. While we’ve already relayed his top free agent point guards list, Hollinger also ranked the top small forwards, power forwards and centers for the upcoming free agency period.
- Johnathan Motley and Russian club Lokomotiv Kuban have officially parted ways, according to Sportando. Motley is expected to join Fenerbahce in Turkey. The 6’8 big man holds three years of NBA experience with the Mavericks and Clippers from 2017-20.
- Former Bulls guard Antonio Blakeney is receiving interest from Alba Berlin in Germany, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando reports (via Twitter). Blakeney appeared in 76 games with Chicago between 2017-19. Carchia reports Alba Berlin is also expressing interest in Ariel Hukporti, a 20-year-old center who recently played in the NBL.