3 key questions as NBA free agency kicks off
The NBA's offseason, some argue, is just as exciting as the actual season. Free agency is set to begin on Sunday evening at 6 p.m., and while several major storylines are close to solidified — Kyrie Irving to the Brooklyn Nets, Kemba Walker to the Boston Celtics, and Klay Thompson returning to the Golden State Warriors among them — here are three pressing questions surrounding this year's crop of free agents.
Will there be a new dynamic duo? — Kawhi Leonard, fresh off his MVP performance in the NBA Finals for the Toronto Raptors, is reportedly considering joining forces with Golden State's Kevin Durant. If that happens, the two would reportedly sign with the New York Knicks or the Los Angeles Clippers. Durant is likely to miss most or all of next year with an Achilles injury, but that doesn't seem likely to stop either team from trying to lock up two of the game's elite talents.
Will the Lakers sign a max player? — The Los Angeles Lakers cleared up enough space to sign a player to a max contract to team up with LeBron James and the recently-acquired Anthony Davis. Leonard seems like their top target, but it's also possible the Lakers will look to distribute that money to multiple players instead. That could mean someone like prodigal son D'Angelo Russell, who was recently displaced by Irving in Brooklyn, could head back out West to suit up again for the team that drafted him.
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What about Jimmy Butler? — After Leonard and Durant, All-Star Jimmy Butler is probably the biggest remaining name on the market. Butler is reportedly taking meetings with the Houston Rockets and Miami Heat, but there's also a solid chance he remains with his current team, the Philadelphia 76ers. He's been loosely connected to the Lakers, as well.
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Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
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