The NBA free agent class for 2015 is very top heavy and names like Marc Gasol and Greg Monroe are expected to be targets for numerous teams if they chose to leave the Memphis Grizzlies and Detroit Pistons, including the San Antonio Spurs and Boston Celtics in free agency this summer.
The NBA finals start on Thursday and with the NBA draft also coming this month, free agents still have plenty of time to line up their thoughts before hitting the market. According to Pro Basketball Talk, the San Antonio Spurs could be an active team in free agency this summer, as players like Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili could potentially retire, freeing up some major cap space.
Marc Stein reported earlier this year that Jimmy Butler could be a sneaky target for both of these teams, but it's more likely that they go after a player like Gasol. According to Gigantes, Gasol said that he "not thought about changing" teams yet this summer and that he is "not thinking about" free agency yet. Gasol said during the season that he enjoys playing in Memphis and most around the league think that he will remain if the Grizzlies give him a competitive offer.
According to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, Greg Monroe and Gasol are among the free agents that the Celtics want, with Kevin Love the top target if he hits the market. Monroe is coming off of a career year and he is expected to get a max contract on the market. The Pistons can give him the most money, while Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reports that Monroe going to the Knicks is all but a done deal. While that guarantee doesn't mean much now, the Knicks are expected to go after free agents hard and both Monroe and Gasol could be targets.
According to Sean Deveney of Sporting News, Gasol and LaMarcus Aldridge will be main targets for the Spurs if Duncan and/or Ginobili retires, as the team could make some major moves this summer if those changes happen. The report says that the team could consider a "trade for a draft pick" or signing a big name free agent like Gasol. The Spurs moves likely will depend on Duncan and Pro Basketball Talk reports that Aldridge, Gasol and Butler could be potential targets.
Peter Edmiston on Twitter reported that Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace thinks that Gasol will be back and that he "firmly" believes that he will sign in Memphis. Gasol has turned into one of the best big men in the league and he put up career numbers while making the All-NBA team. Gasol started the All-Star game and he averaged career best 17 points per game with seven rebounds and nearly four assists. The Knicks and Lakers are also expected to chase Gasol and they have money to spend along with the Celtics.
Aldridge and Gasol are expected to be targets for the Knicks and Lakers, with many in the NBA thinking that Aldridge is more likely to move than Gasol. Aldridge also had a very strong season and he has been an All-Star in the past and is expecting to get a max contract. Aldridge had the chance to sign an extension with the Blazers in the past, but he wanted to maximize his value on the market. Monroe did the same thing and that came after he turned down the chance to sign an extension with the Pistons as a restricted free agent.
