NBA 2016-17 Season News and Updates: Can the Warriors Keep Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry? Top 2017 Free Agents to Watch Out For
GSW might lose either one of their "superteam" stalwarts next summer.
There is almost always something newsworthy in an NBA day. From the offseason until the trade deadline, reports are abuzz with the latest deals, signings and rumors.
When not engrossed with the daily events involving teams and players, avid followers of the league begin to discuss what the future holds. That said, sports columnists have started to release primers on the 2017 NBA free agency picture—almost two months before the 2016-17 season had even begun.
Teams are expecting an $8-million jump in next year's salary cap, which is set to reach $102 million. The luxury-tax line, meanwhile, may settle at $122 million, a bit lower than this season. With these numbers, teams would have more room to spend on top-tier talent. Players can also demand higher paychecks from teams scouting the market.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
With big names Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry possibly on the free agent block, General managers have a lot of tweaking and courting to do next summer.
Trouble in the Bay Area
Durant certainly ruffled a lot of feathers when he moved from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Golden State Warriors. Several teams made offers to the former Most Valuable Player, but he ended up signing with the championship they almost defeated in the Western Conference Finals last season.
KD signed a two-year, $54.3 million contract with the Warriors, including a player option for next year. This means Durant, like LeBron James before him, can choose to opt out of his contract and find a new team should he fail to win a championship.
In addition, the Warriors would not have his full Bird rights. If Durant would use his player option, the Golden State would have to give a much heftier contract.
To make that possible, however, they may have to cut their offers on their original superstar. Stephen Curry will be a free agent next summer, and his capacity to turn games around with tremendous shooting is something teams are salivating on. In fact, the San Antonio Spurs are reportedly planning to make a run for last season's unanimous MVP.
If GSW chooses to pay KD more than Curry, who had been one of the most underpaid players at his caliber, they could see their Messiah in the Alamo City come 2018.
A star-studded market
Besides the two top-tier talents, 2017 will also be the year Chris Paul and Blake Griffin would be hitting the free agent market. CP3 is still one of the top ten point guards in the league, capitalizing on his court vision and off-court leadership. Griffin, meanwhile, is an athletic power forward with some of the best dunks in the NBA highlight reel.
Invaluable stars Kyle Lowry, Paul Millsap, Gordon Hayward and Dwyane Wade will also be powerful options for struggling teams. Lowry took the Toronto Raptors to the Eastern Conference Finals, Millsap and Hayward led their respective teams wit consistent performances, and Dwyane Wade is Dwyane Wade.
Regardless, the NBA 2016-17 season could change a lot of factors in the free agency picture—something that fans can watch out for.
