The 2020 NBA free-agent class won’t have the star power of last year’s — when nearly half the league became available — but plenty of big names are set to hit the market. Even more could be offered in trade talks.
Will back-to-back MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo sign a five-year extension with the Milwaukee Bucks? What is the market for Toronto Raptors guard Fred VanVleet? Is Anthony Davis a lock to return to the champion Los Angeles Lakers?
Keep it here for the latest news, buzz and analysis throughout the free agency and trade season.
MORE: Trade Machine | Full FA list | More on free agency/trades
Nov. 17 update
1:08 a.m. ET:
The Milwaukee Bucks are set to acquire Sacramento Kings SG Bogdan Bogdanovic in a sign-and-trade that would send SG Donte DiVincenzo and PFs Ersan Ilyasova and DJ Wilson to Sacramento, sources told ESPN. The Kings would also send SG Justin James to Milwaukee.
Dec. 21 is the deadline for NBA MVP PF Giannis Antetokounmpo to sign an extension with the Bucks.
Nov. 16 update
11:37 p.m. ET: The New Orleans Pelicans are nearing completion of a trade with the Milwaukee Bucks that would send PGs Eric Bledsoe and George Hill plus three future first-round picks and pick swaps to New Orleans for SG Jrue Holiday, sources tell ESPN.
Dec. 21 is the deadline for NBA MVP PF Giannis Antetokounmpo to sign an extension with the Bucks.
11:26 p.m. ET: The Houston Rockets are finalizing a trade with the Portland Trail Blazers that would send SF Robert Covington to Portland for SF Trevor Ariza, a 2020 first-round pick (16th overall), and a 2021 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN.
Covington was traded to Houston midseason from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a trade that involved Clint Capela, while Ariza was traded to Portland midseason from the Sacramento Kings in a deal that involved Kent Bazemore. This deal will be completed after the draft.
8:57 p.m. ET: The trade sending All-Star PG Chris Paul and SF Abdel Nader to the Phoenix Suns and SF Kelly Oubre Jr., PG Ricky Rubio, PG Ty Jerome, SG Jalen Lecque, and a 2022 first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder is now official.
8:34 p.m. ET: Houston Rockets All-Star SG James Harden turned down an extension that would have paid him $50 million per year with Houston as he made it clear to ownership that he prefers a trade to the Brooklyn Nets, sources told ESPN. The Rockets have yet to engage in meaningful dialogue with the Nets on a trade.
8:33 p.m. ET: The San Antonio Spurs announced that SF DeMar DeRozan has exercised his player option for the 2020-21 season. DeRozan has been with the Spurs since 2018, and he averaged more than 20 points per game for a seventh straight season in 2019-20.
7:54 p.m. ET: The Chicago Bulls will not extend a qualifying offer to SG Shaquille Harrison, which will make Harrison an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Harrison spent the past two seasons in Chicago.
5:05 p.m. ET: Milwaukee Bucks center Robin Lopez is declining his player option and will become a free agent this offseason. Lopez signed with Milwaukee last season to back up his twin brother, Brook Lopez.
1:24 p.m. ET: The Oklahoma City Thunder are finalizing a deal to send Chris Paul and Abdel Nader to the Phoenix Suns for Kelly Oubre Jr., Ricky Rubio, Ty Jerome, Jalen Lecque and a 2022 first-round pick, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
9:26 a.m. ET: The Detroit Pistons are trading guard Bruce Brown to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Dzanan Musa and a 2021 second-round pick, sources told ESPN.
The 2021 second-round pick will be via the Toronto Raptors, sources said.
Nov. 15 update
9:44 p.m. ET: In an expected move, Los Angeles Lakers PF Anthony Davis has declined the player option of the final year on his contract and will be a free agent this offseason, multiple sources told ESPN.
The Lakers will present several contract options to Davis and his representation.
5:27 p.m. ET: Houston Rockets SG James Harden has considered the Brooklyn Nets as a top trade destination, sources told ESPN.
Harden is a former teammate of Nets SF Kevin Durant from their time with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the two have discussed the possibility of teaming up in Brooklyn with PG Kyrie Irving.
The Houston and Brooklyn front offices have yet to discuss a trade; Houston is telling teams it wants to “run it back” with Harden, and it is unclear how far Brooklyn is willing to go to get him.
11:08 a.m. ET: The Los Angeles Lakers are in advanced talks with the Oklahoma City Thunder on a trade for guard Dennis Schroder, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The deal is expected to include the Thunder acquiring the Lakers’ pick at No. 28 in Wednesday’s draft. Lakers guard Danny Green has been a focus of the discussions.
The trade can be completed at 12 p.m. ET Monday, as teams have been informed that the league’s moratorium will end then, sources told ESPN.
Nov. 11 update
11:43 a.m. ET: Houston Rockets All-Stars James Harden and Russell Westbrook have expressed concern about the direction of the franchise in the wake of the departures of head coach Mike D’Antoni and general manager Daryl Morey, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon. Neither former MVP has requested a trade from Houston at this point.
Nov. 10 update
8:30 p.m. ET: The Phoenix Suns have had discussions about acquiring Chris Paul from the Oklahoma City Thunder, sources told ESPN. Talks have been ongoing and continued to gather traction, but there is no deal imminent. The Thunder have given star players such as Paul George and Russell Westbrook input on trade destinations in the past and have shown a willingness to work with Paul on a trade now, sources said.
Oct. 28 update
1:27 p.m. ET: Former Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey is finalizing a deal to become the Philadelphia 76ers‘ president of basketball operations, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. A formal announcement is expected as soon as this week.
Oct. 23 update
6:55 p.m. ET: Miami Heat president Pat Riley said Friday that the team’s goal this offseason is to “take care of the players that we have.” That list includes free agents Goran Dragic, Jae Crowder, Meyers Leonard and Derrick Jones Jr. Miami also wants to remain flexible ahead of a 2021 free-agent class that could include superstars such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
All-Star Bam Adebayo is also extension-eligible as he enters the final year of his rookie deal.
“Once we get all the numbers and we get everything down, we get the schedule, we know when the dates are and what the rules are in everything, once we get all of that, we’re going to remain fluid,” Riley said. “And whatever presents itself to us, we’ll look at it.”
Oct. 21 updates
3 p.m. ET: During the introduction of Indiana Pacers coach Nate Bjorkgren, team president Kevin Pritchard discussed the biggest offseason question remaining for the franchise: the future of two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo, who can become an unrestricted free agent after next season.
“[Oladipo] feels good about the team. He’s talked to me about how he thinks this team can be very good,” Pritchard said. “We hear a lot of things, but until it comes to me, I don’t really worry about that.”
Oladipo is entering the final year of four-year, $85 million deal.
11:34 a.m. ET: The Minnesota Timberwolves, who don’t yet see a clear choice for their No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, are closely evaluating all situations, including trade scenarios, before coming up with a set plan on draft night, ESPN’s Eric Woodyard reports.
“For us, we typically study the draft from 1 to whatever number we feel like is a draftable player,” Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gersson Rosas said. “And we’ll evaluate those guys for trade scenarios, trade back, trade out, for undrafted free-agent opportunities, for minor league opportunities, so we really beat up the draft board as much as can all the way up until the draft.”
Minnesota also holds the 17th and 33rd picks in the Nov. 18 draft.
MORE: Everything to know for the 2020 draft
Oct. 12 update
2:18 a.m. ET: Following the Los Angeles Lakers’ title-clinching win over the Miami Heat in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, Anthony Davis addressed his impending free agency.
“I had a great time in L.A. this first year. This has been nothing but joy, nothing but amazement. Over the next couple of months, we’ll figure it out. I mean, I’m not 100 percent sure, but that’s why my agent [Rich Paul] is who he is, and we’ll discuss it and figure it out,” Davis said.
Davis is expected to opt out of his $28.8 million contract for 2020-21 and could receive $32.7 million next season if the salary cap stays at $109.1 million, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Source:ESPN
