The Dallas Mavericks were bounced from the first round of the playoffs by the rival Houston Rockets, and it became painstakingly obvious that the Mavs need to add another really good player for them to become legitimate title contenders again. Here are five players we think they’ll make a run at on the open market:
PF LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland Trail Blazers
Aldridge doesn’t appear to be going anywhere, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be short on suitors. He’s averaging over 23 points and 10 rebounds per game while playing through a thumb injury that will need surgery in the offseason. Aldridge will get max offers from every team – the Spurs, in particular, are very interested in him – but the chance to be the star player in his hometown could be enough to get him to leave Portland.
SF Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs
Leonard is a restricted free agent, meaning the Spurs will be able to match any offer he gets on the open market, but when he wanted to work out an extension with San Antonio before the season started, but the Spurs were unwilling to offer him a max contract. Leonard will undoubtedly get that in free agency from several teams, so it’ll be up to the Spurs to match.
Dallas will try to structure their offer to Kawhi in a way that might scare San Antonio off, similar to how they lost Chandler Parsons to the Houston Rockets last year.
SG Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls
Butler is also a restricted free agent, and while the league’s Most Improved Player will obviously be offered a max contract by someone, Chicago will (probably) do whatever it takes to make sure he stays with the Bulls. That doesn’t mean Mark Cuban won’t throw everything they have at him, though, and the idea of being the next star in Dallas could be enough to lure him away.
PF Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
Green has emerged as a star in just his second season in the league, but his short and cheap contract from being a second-round pick will come off the books this offseason. Golden State is paying him just $915K this year, and Green is likely to receive a max contract on the open market. As much as the Warriors would like to keep him, they might not be able to afford it with Klay Thompson’s max extension kicking in next season.
PF/C Greg Monroe, Detroit Pistons
Monroe hasn’t wanted to commit to Detroit long-term, and he’ll be looking elsewhere in free agency. Several teams were connected to the Pistons center in sign-and-trade talks last year and trade rumors once again this year, and his evolving offensive arsenal and bruising work in the low post would be a perfect building block to work with going forward. Monroe isn’t a max player and would save teams some money while still getting a really productive big man.
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