2020 NBA free agency has seen most of the top players reach agreements quickly, so let's look ahead: What comes next?

1. Toptradetargets,surprisingteamsand
boldpredictions
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NBAfreeagency:Toptradetargets,
surprisingteamsandboldpredictions

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2020 NBA free agency has seen most of the top players reach agreements
quickly, so let's look ahead: What comes next?
Will marquee stars such as Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo sign
with their current teams on lucrative extensions? Which teams have the
potential for a surprising outcome this season? And will superstars James
Harden and Bradley Beal be moved before the season?
Our NBA experts talk about the big trade targets to watch and provide their
bold predictions.
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3. 1.BesidestheGiannissituation,whatareyouwatching
mostclosely?
Tim MacMahon: How the Rockets handle James Harden's desire to be dealt
to the Brooklyn Nets. The Rockets insist that they haven't given up on winning
back Harden's heart -- and the series of moves that resulted in high-scoring
center Christian Wood's arrival in Houston were an aggressive, expensive
attempt to improve the roster -- but the organization is bracing for life after The
Beard. Houston can't afford to be bullied into a bad trade, and time is on the
team's side, with Harden under contract for two more years.
Bobby Marks: Who is the next player to sign a rookie extension? The obvious
choice is that Miami's Bam Adebayo would join Jayson Tatum, De'Aaron Fox
and Donovan Mitchell in the $163 million club. However, the Heat have made it
clear this offseason, with the contracts for Avery Bradley, Goran Dragic, Meyers
Leonard and Maurice Harkless, that preserving cap space in 2021 is a top
priority. An Adebayo extension would likely take them out of the 2021 chase for
a max player in free agency. Other names to keep an eye on: Derrick White of
the San Antonio Spurs and John Collins of the Atlanta Hawks.
Kevin Pelton: Which Los Angeles team wins the battle for minimum-salary
players. Both the Clippers and Lakers are hard-capped after using their non-
taxpayer midlevel exceptions, and they have multiple spots to fill. We'll see
which team can recruit better players interested in seeking a championship
while playing in Los Angeles.
Jorge Sedano: I'm curious to see how the situation with Victor Oladipo and
the Indiana Pacers plays out. In 2017-18, he averaged 23.1 points, 5.2 rebounds,
4.3 assists and 2.4 steals and won the league's Most Improved Player award.
Oladipo's comeback from a knee injury thus far has been uneven, but if he can
return to his pre-injury form, a contender should look to make a move for him.
The question is whether Indiana will sell low soon or hold on until the trade
deadline for a shot at a better return.
Tim Bontemps: What happens with Rudy Gobert in Utah. It has been a good
offseason for the Jazz, between reaching a deal with Jordan Clarkson, bringing
back old friend Derrick Favors and securing Donovan Mitchell with a max
contract extension. But with Gobert one year from unrestricted free agency, the
final piece of Utah's offseason will be trying to get Gobert signed to a contract
extension to keep him with the franchise long-term. If they can't reach an
agreement, Gobert will become an intriguing trade target.
AndrewD.Bernstein/NBAEviaGettyImages

4. 2.Whichtradetargetdoyouexpecttomove,eithersoonor
beforethedeadline?
Bontemps: While the backcourt duos in Houston (Harden and Russell
Westbrook) and Washington (John Wall and Bradley Beal) have garnered the
most attention, they're unlikely to go anywhere. I'll go a rung lower and say the
obvious player to be traded is George Hill, who hasn't technically been traded to
the Oklahoma City Thunder yet because of contract stipulations. A combo guard
with length, defensive ability, a quality shooting stroke and a reasonable
contract, Hill is all but certain to become the latest player the Thunder flip into
another first-round pick sometime between now and the deadline.
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Pelton: Likewise, I think Hill is going to be an interesting player to watch. His
combination of shooting and playmaking makes him an ideal contributor on a
contending team. I like the fit for the LA Clippers, but adding Hill would almost
certainly mean trading Patrick Beverley or Lou Williams.
Marks: Spencer Dinwiddie. I have the Brooklyn guard as a likely candidate
because of his expiring contract. (He has a player option for 2021-22.) The Nets
gave $72 million to Joe Harris, and they're already over the projected $136
million tax threshold in 2021. Bringing back Dinwiddie on a long-term contract
($15 million-$16 million) would see them pay a substantial tax penalty.
MacMahon: John Collins? I don't predict that with full confidence, but
Collins' fit or lack thereof with the Hawks has certainly piqued interest around
the league. Danilo Gallinari, Atlanta's prized free-agency acquisition, needs to
play primarily power forward at this stage of his career. The Hawks have traded
for a starting center (Clint Capela) and used the No. 6 overall pick on another
big man (Onyeka Okongwu) this year. It'd make more sense for the Hawks to
shop Collins rather than pay him.
Sedano: The San Antonio Spurs have been too quiet this offseason. There were
rumblings about DeMar DeRozan to the Los Angeles Lakers, but that move
never came to fruition. Plus, LaMarcus Aldridge is heading into a contract year.
I think there is a chance that they can both move to contending teams before
the deadline.