The NBA season will be back before we know it. Thanks to an approved proposal by the owners, the 2020-2021 season is fixing to start around December 22 and last 72 games. Last season ended back in October. Thus, this off-season is going to be one of the quickest in NBA history. With that said, the start of the off-season is still set to be determined. Still, key NBA free agents will be looking for deals.
The NBA Draft is set for November 18th. Therefore, teams could retool their teams before the start of the next season. For teams such as the Phoenix Suns, Atlanta Hawks, and Minnesota Timberwolves, making the jump from pretender to contender takes pieces. These three free agents are going to be the best on the market.
Note: All of these players are considered unrestricted or restricted free agents. Some players have a player option, and with uncertainty around COVID-19, it’s unknown when or if they will exercise their option.
Three NBA Free Agents That Headline the 2020 Off-Season
Brandon Ingram – SF
Brandon Ingram chose the right time to have the best season of his career. Ingram’s 2020 season hit the jackpot, like on casinogurus.com, to receive a lucrative contract. Ingram was named the 2020 Most Improved Player of the Year. He made an All-Star appearance and averaged 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. Earlier in the season, Ingram scored 40 points against the Brooklyn Nets. He also had 49 points in an overtime win over the Utah Jazz.
The New Orleans Pelicans traded Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers for Ingram as the centerpiece of the package. It’s going to cost around $25 million per season to keep Ingram around. It will be interesting to see if the Pelicans want to spend that type of money on him.
Fred Van Vleet – SG
With Kawhi Leonard leaving the Toronto Raptors, someone was going to need to step up and score, and that’s exactly what Fred Van Vleet did last season. VanVleet averaged a career-high 17.6 points per game. In the playoffs, Van Vleet became the first Raptors player to record 30 points, eight three-pointers, and more than 10 assists in a game. He joined Damian Lillard, Stephen Curry, and Chris Paul to be the only players to ever do that.
In a thin market, Van Vleet is going to likely cost a team $20 million per season. That makes his tenure with the Raptors likely over unless he takes a discount, especially with Pascal Siakam likely getting a max deal in the coming years. Van Vleet has been linked to the New York Knicks, but other teams needing outside shooting will be in the mix.
Montrezl Harrell – PF
Montrezl Harrell was the winner of the 2020 Sixth Man of the Year Award after a breakout campaign. Harrell averaged 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. In 2019, he was a finalist for the Sixth Man of the Year Award after averaging 16.6 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. He ended up losing to teammate Lou Williams.
Harrell could probably be a starter on other teams, but he was a prominent player off the bench for the Los Angeles Clippers. However, his stock took a hit when he averaged just 10.5 points and 2.9 rebounds in a seven-game defeat to the Denver Nuggets. Make no question, Harrell is a solid role player and will be a top target by NBA teams.
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