The NBA finals are all over now that the Miami Heat are champions for the second straight season and after winning Game 7 against the San Antonio Spurs, the Heat and every other team are now looking forward to the free agency period, which begins on July 1.
There are a number of big questions heading into free agency, the biggest being where Chris Paul and Dwight Howard will sign. There are other high profile free agents, including Monta Ellis, Nate Robinson, Matt Barnes, JJ Reddick, Kyle Korver, Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap and many others. The Celtics and Clippers have been talking on and off about trading their stars with DeAndre Jordan and draft picks going for Kevin Garnett and Doc Rivers, but recently things broke off.
The New York Knicks are going to look to get better and the Spurs also have big questions with Manu Ginobili and whether he will get re-signed. Howard is expected to get offers from the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks and possibly the Golden State Warriors, while Paul is expected to remain a Clipper. There have also been discussions about a sign and trade with the Clippers for Howard involving Blake Griffin, but so far that has not been looking like something realistic.
The draft will be a big deal for many teams, including the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have the number one pick, while the Orlando Magic, Washington Wizards and Orlando Magic follow. The Oklahoma City Thunder have a top 12 pick after the James Harden trade, while the Los Angeles Lakers are in the second round and may try to trade up. Nerlens Noel is expected to be the number one pick, but with so many questions, trades are likely. Some of the top players include Alex Len, Ben McLemore, Trey Burke and Otto Porter as well as Victor Oladipo from Indiana.
NBA Offseason Schedule:
--NBA Draft is June 27
--Free Agency Starts July 1
