Just a year ago, there was so much hope about the summer of 2019.
Kevin Durant! Klay Thompson! Kawhi Leonard! Kyrie Irving! They would all be available and ready to balance out an NBA that had one mostly unbeatable superteam in the Bay Area.
While that’s still a possibility, so much has changed, including a deal that will send Anthony Davis to Los Angeles to pair with LeBron James. And if a certain set of circumstances happen in the coming weeks, it’s actually going to be a hugely disappointing offseason for NBA die-hards.
Let’s review: Durant could stay with Golden State — either by taking his player option or re-signing — while he rehabs after Achilles surgery. Thompson could stay with the Warriors too and he might not be back for months after tearing his ACL.
There are also reports that the Lakers could pursue Kemba Walker or Kyrie Irving (Kyrie and LeBron, reunited!). Getting either of those guards would mean a new powerhouse in the West as they form a trio with Bron and The Brow. So much for that whole “balance of NBA power” thing. The Lakers would be the new Warriors in the eyes of fans.
And what about Leonard? After he won a title with Toronto, he could stay in the North to defend it. There’s a possibility Walker re-signs with the Hornets and that other free agents who are a tier below the superstars– Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris — could stay with the teams they contended with. After all, the Philadelphia 76ers were one Leonard shot away from the Eastern Conference Finals. Why mess that up?
That would mean the best available free agent is Khris Middleton, and even he could stay with the Milwaukee Bucks, the presumed favorites in the East despite the Raptors winning it all last season. And while Middleton’s shooting and defense make him an intriguing option, especially if he’s given a bigger role elsewhere, in this scenario he could be the best available player and get a max contract from a desperate team that whiffs on the big names.
Yes, this is is dreaming up a worst-case scenario when June 30 is just under two weeks away, and maybe we knew this was shaping up when Durant clutched his leg in Game 5 of the Finals. But it could happen, and it would be lame if there’s little to no movement among the superstars and a new superteam in L.A.
