As the popularity of sneaker culture is at an all-time high, many people in this culture know if you miss out on a huge sneaker going to a reseller is your best chance at getting that sneaker. I can hear everyone’s groan in unison because of the sometimes outrageous price asked for sneakers, but reselling has become a viable business and with connections, you could make a small fortune.
That is why so many consignment shops and sneaker boutiques have popped up in so many communities because if there is money to be made business will follow. Now imagine opening up a sneaker boutique in the year 2020 months before a pandemic. Sound like bad timing right, but what if I told you this business was able to bloom due to the fact this boutique is on wheels.
Let me introduce you to Gavin aka Sneaker Gazer a young entrepreneur bringing exclusive and upscale sneakers and fashion to the streets of New Orleans with the help of his mobile boutique under the name No Reservations.
The beginning of Gavin’s journey has just begun, putting a new spin on a booming business making his store accessible at the end of anyone’s driveway.
As a new series at Sneaker Reporter entitled Kicking It With, I felt it would be great to sit down and talk to people like Gavin. Those who are doing new and exciting (non-traditional) things within the sneaker community.
Where does the name Sneaker Gazer come from?
– I’m going to keep it 100 with you I wasn’t going to do this sneaker stuff really. I went to a camp in 8th grade or something like that where you have to come up with a business. I’ve always liked shoes so, why not resell Jordan’s? I remember looking at Stock X, Goat, and I didn’t know sneaker reselling was so serious it’s a real hustle. So the name came from a name generator to get a good grade on the presentation we were doing and be done with it. It just kinda stuck I guess
So you went online and used a name Generator to create the name Sneaker Gazer?
– That’s exactly what I did. I didn’t know if it would stick but, a lot of rappers use the same thing. So if they did to come up with a fire name, why can’t I.
Your inspiration for creating this business was to be your own boss, Do you think having the ability to watch your parents run their own businesses gave you the confidence to start this venture of having a sneaker boutique?
– Most definitely, just seeing and being around that my whole life, because my parents had businesses before I was born. My parents never worked for anyone so that all I know. Having my mom around because she didn’t have to work a 9 to 5 being out all day was really important to me. (Parent ran a few Subway franchises and have their own water company in New Orleans)
What some business advice you’ve received from your parents?
– They told me to always be confident in what I’m selling. When I first started it was difficult because of how much sneakers are selling for. I kind of felt guilty in a way but they told me to be confident in my product and don’t lowball myself.
What is the goal for your sneaker boutique on wheels? Do you want to have the same name recognition in the sneaker community as a Flight Club, Keith, or Stadium Goods?
– Not really because what I’m doing or my intentions is to be able to go on the road to different music festivals and big events all around the country. Bring that upscale sneaker shopping experience to anybody.
What do you believe is the biggest advantage of having a mobile boutique compared to the traditional brick and mortar stores?
– A huge advantage that I have over a brick-and-mortar store is not having too much overhead. It’s a lot less expensive, with no rent or bills. Gas is my only expense. When opening up a store you have to get sneaker accounts which is like a year-long process and I didn’t have the patients for that. I already had a lot of inventory so we just put our sneakers in there (The Van) and started moving.
When it comes to reselling what are some resources to set the price of your sneakers?
– Yea anybody in the sneaker game would tell you that what we all use (StockX). We use StockX, Goat, and eBay. We don’t sell on those sites but that what we use to set a market price.
Has the effect of the pandemic helped or hurt your business?
– I started in March when the pandemic first started, we were all out of school and everything. So I’d say it boosted my business because most people who were in quarantine couldn’t go to Footlockers and different stores to get the sneakers. I took it upon myself to stock up on the sneakers and through social media, if people wanted a shoe they would hit me up and I would then bring them the sneaker without them having to leave their home.
The video that brought you to my attention was your Kickin’ video with Curren$y, In this series on YouTube you’ve talked to many people known throughout New Orleans. Whose someone you hope to collaborate with within the near future and why?
– I said this in my Q&A, P.J. Tucker for sure before I started selling sneakers I played basketball my whole life so it was like both worlds just kind of met it clicked. As someone, I look up to P.J. Tucker is some who embodies both the sneaker world and the basketball world.
As far as the people you’ve interviewed, who was the most impactful or gave you the best piece of advice?
– Probably Curren$y, I’ve known him for a really long time because we don’t live that far from one another. We’ve always chopped it up a lot when I was younger he would just give me advice, then in the interview, he gave me some tips and stuff that you can’t ignore. He’s a legend.
What is your advice for anyone starting their journey in the sneaker resell business?
– You’ve got to understand that you won’t get your hands on every single shoe but, stay positive. When I first started I would get discouraged a lot when I would hit on the Snkrs app (who doesn’t) or any website and I would question myself “Do I really want to do this? Is it worth it ?” Now I’m starting to see my hustle payoff, so you just got to keep the positivity up.
If anyone wants to catch up on everything the Sneaker Gazer currently doing check him out on Instagram and subscribe to his Youtube channel. Thanks Again to Gavin for seating down with me for the first of many Kicking It With: features and come back next week to read up on our next guest.
Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson has suffered a torn right Achilles tendon. Thompson tore his Achilles after a workout he had in southern California on November 18, an MRI confirmed yesterday in Los Angeles. The all-star shooting guard has now been ruled out for the upcoming 202-2021 NBA season set to start on December 22nd. This is a devastating blow for the Warriors given that this will be the second straight season that Klay has missed due to injury.
Thompson was coming off a torn ACL injury to his left knee that he suffered in the NBA Finals in June of 2019. His rehab had been going according to plan he was gearing up to play his first game in over a year with the start of the 2020-2021 season. Thompson had been working out in the southern California area for the past few months rehabbing and training. Thompson was playing with several NBA players in Los Angeles during an open gym and felt pain in the calf area when he landed on his leg, sources told ESPN’s, Ramona Shelburne. All reports show no sign that Thompson’s rehab process had any real setbacks outside of the normal soreness that comes with rehabbing a knee injury. He had been attacking his rehab process as rigorously as he attacks his shooting workouts and now he is going to have to start the process over again. The Warriors were very optimistic that their star sharpshooter was going to come back full strength to help them compete in a revamped Western Conference. The Warriors are tasked with filling the void of losing one of the best shooters and two-way players in the NBA.
Prior to his torn left ACL, Klay Thompson had been one of the most reliable players in the whole NBA. In the era of load management, Thompson never missed more than 9 games in a single season due to injury before the 2018-19 season. He was a constant for the Warriors, they could always count on his consistent defensive ability and the ridiculously efficient shooting. We saw it on full display at the beginning of the 2019-2020 season where the Warriors just didn’t look like the team we’ve gotten used to seeing. Golden State not having the splash brothers in the backcourt together and healthy just doesn’t even seem like Golden State but this is just going to be the harsh reality that the warriors will now have to deal with.
The only good news for Golden state this time around is that they are in a better position this year to stay afloat in the western conference than they were at the start of last season. The Warriors have a healthy Steph Curry and Draymond Green coming back to provide the Warriors with the veteran and playoff experience. They also got a promising young talent in James Wiseman with the 2nd overall in this year’s draft.
However, the most notable signing for the Warriors happened late last night as they will absorb the contract of Kelly Oubre Jr. At 24 years old, Oubre is approaching his 5th season in the NBA. He was traded to Oklahoma City earlier this week in a deal that sent Chris Paul to the Phoenix Suns. He averaged 18.7 points and 6.4 rebounds for the Suns last season. He showed promise for the Suns but after they went 8-0 in the NBA bubble without him, he became their assets to acquire Chris Paul. With the timing of this signing, it’s clear that the Warriors will look to Oubre to provide the boost they need at the shooting guard position without Thompson.
The Warriors will absorb Oubre Jr., and his $14.4M salary into their $17.2M trade exception once deal is done. https://t.co/GcLaIlnwNF
Even with acquiring an established replacement for Klay, having Steph and Draymond both back healthy, and some young talent around them, don’t set your expectations too high for the Warriors this season. The Warriors have just had a lot of roster changes over the past two years and there is just no evidence that this is even a playoff team anymore. Their roster as currently built can defiantly compete in the West and maybe sneak into the playoffs but missing one of the top two-way players in the league is just too large of a blow to have the same championship expectations. Unless the Warriors get Klay back for the playoffs they simply don’t have enough to get past the best of the West and get back to the NBA finals.
If 2020 has provided anything, it’s been a flurry of things out of the blue, things the human mind couldn’t come to fathom thinking of at first insight. Chalk up this tumultuous NBA season to the list of “I didn’t see that coming,” too. A Pandemic and social injustices disrupting an otherwise usual season initially, rescheduling of seminal NBA moments in the regular season, and a whole singular location for the NBA playoffs, all firsts (and hopefully lasts) for the 78-year old league.
With everything being adjusted on the fly as it has been since March 11 – the day the regular season was suspended over concerns of the COVID-19 health crisis – the fight to achieve some normalcy was an uphill battle, but ultimately a battle won and conquered in negotiation between commissioner Adam Silver and the rest of the Player’s Association. A season was safely finished, a championship was rewarded in alternate circumstances, albeit, and Wednesday night’s draft signifies a new calendar year with no interruptions in sight.
But even then, this draft is as microcosmic as 2020 itself. It’s almost like if you were to throw this year’s draft and free agency into some sort of mathematic simulator, and instead of bringing out a simple, succinct solution to your problem, you’d be getting about 100,000+ different outcomes, and each one would come with a variety of situations where teams trade up and down for draft capital, star players or money. I’d be sitting here idly if I were to imagine all outright possibilities of this year’s offseason.
So for brevity reasons, I’ll go the route of predicting how this draft goes among the teams involved in the draft lottery without any major trades (for the moment being, at least). Minnesota was graced with the first overall pick via a luck of the draw in September’s Draft Lottery and are likely to select Anthony Edwards.
For what seems like the first time in a decade, the healthy Warriors are looking to get right back into the title picture with the second overall pick, and in that scenario, anything goes. They could either acquire a James Wiseman or send ripples through the NBA universe by trading the pick to a suitor in exchange for a game-breaking All-Star. And I could very well be way off on what happens on draft day since all picks aren’t surefire realities.
Now, without further jibber-jabber, here is SneakerReporter’s (shortened) 2020 NBA Mock Draft for your reading pleasure.
With the first pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, The Minnesota Timberwolves select…Anthony Edwards, G/F, Georgia. – Assuming Minny doesn’t trade the pick away (and that’s a BIG assumption), this is perhaps the most logical selection with little to no objection. Additionally, Edwards will be a central piece the T’Wolves wish to build around alongside former first and second overall picks Karl Anthony-Towns and D’Angelo Russell. All of his intangibles just scream “upside”. Take your pick: His 6’5 frame and NBA-ready body, borderline elite scoring skills that make him a first-day starter, and his title as the best prospect in this draft, make it a given Edwards steps on the stage and shakes Silver’s hand as the first pick in the draft.
With the second pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors select…James Wiseman, C, Memphis – Golden State would rather go fit and need here rather than talent at other positions because frankly, they don’t quite need it at starting spots they’re already ample in. Once again, do they decide to keep this pick, plugging in the 7-footer with a 9-foot-6 wingspan here who displayed league-ready attributes in his short time under Penny Hardaway does more positive than detriment for a team that needs an exceptionally-skilled piece at the five who doesn’t need to take over the offense as a focal point of the offense.
That being said, Wiseman averaged over 19.7 points and 10.7 rebounds in his three games in Memphis and is certainly capable of providing an entirely new dimension of athletic rim protection, paint presence alongside Draymond Green, as well as off-ball scoring – something Steve Kerr will greatly appreciate in his diverse motion offense sets.
With the third pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, The Charlotte Hornets select…LaMelo Ball, PG, Australia – The Hornets were one of the last teams to set up a workout with LaMelo Ball in front of coaches and executives, and if Edwards goes off the board early, plan B for James Borrego and Michael Jordan’s Hornets is just as good as anyone’s plan A. Standing at 6-foot-7, Ball is by far the most impressive prospect there is in the draft and can see things and thread needles like no one else can at his age.
If you’ve been aware of the Ball family, you know that it’s been a wild ride for LaMelo. As the understudy to older brothers Lonzo and LiAngelo, the once bushy-haired teenager has matured in front of fans’ eyes as his travels have ranged from the most convenient places around the world. Starting at his humble beginnings in Chino Hills, California as a blossoming high school prospect, he’s gone off to the unbeaten path in his journey to the NBA.
When he denounced his amateur status in high school after his personal sneaker dropped on the BBB site in 2017 and was subsequently deemed ineligible to play for Chino Hills, He had to chase his league dream some other way. His father kept his son prepared for the NBA by opening up a Big Baller Brand-sponsored Junior Basketball League generated to create positive press for him and LiAngelo, and then shipped both of them off to Lithuania as members of BC Vytautas in which they not only developed their games against professional athletes twice their age but did so while filming it for their FaceBook reality TV series Ball in the Family.
A trip back to the states meant another taste of prep high school ball in Ohio at Spire Academy for the youngest Ball, who was in the midst of a growth spurt. And then a move was made with his own development interests in mind: Ball signed with the Illawarra Hawks in the uber-competitive National Basketball League in Australia. Usually, we’d see the 18-year old go over to a professional league and struggle with the transition to playing against grown men. However, LaMelo wasn’t usual and showed the world that his skill set is one of a kind. Top-tier shot creation and excellent dishing abilities contributed to his noteworthy 17 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 6.8 assists in just 12 games in the NBL, a season cut short due to a foot injury.
So here he is after millions speculated and prophesized him falling short of his goal of making it to the NBA, ready and primed to be the second Ball brother taken in the first three picks of the NBA draft.
With the fourth pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls select…Obi Toppin, PF, Dayton – Drink it in, Dayton fans. Toppin is destined to be the first Dayton Flyer prospect to be ever taken in the top five of the NBA Draft. A former zero-star recruit caught eyes this past collegiate season during his senior campaign, posting averages of 20 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting an elite clip of 39 percent from deep as he reeled in National Player of the Year honors, and had the pandemic not happened, he would’ve taken the Flyers somewhere close to the Final Four.
Toppin is an intriguing prospect, and pro comparisons to the likes of Amare Stoudamire and Shawn Marion seem appropriate. He could very well be the best player taken off the board in this year’s draft, for what it is worth. A high-motor, high-usage tank of a slasher and paint beast is something almost any GM or coach can build around. And with his 6’9, 220-lb frame, Billy Donovan would appreciate having him as an integral piece to set the tone on both ends of the floor. Also, he’s a dandy to watch in the air in the open court, as he’s been known to throw down game-stopping slams that put his athleticism on center stage.
With the fifth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select…Deni Avdija, SF, Israel – Avdija will be the first International prospect taken in this year’s draft, and should Cleveland keep the pick here, I see no reason as to why they should look anywhere else than the Israeli point forward. Widely heralded for his immense knowledge of the game, Avdija’s playmaking skills resemble that of a less-skilled-but-just-as-much-upside Luka Doncic type of player. A jack of all trades, master of none, if you will.
The 6’9 forward has accomplished a ton in his career already: he’s won three Israeli League titles, was the winner of the FIBA U-20 Finals MVP last season and he was the Israeli League MVP this season with Maccabi Tel Aviv. Avdija isn’t necessarily exceptional at one distinct thing (if you had to pinpoint one thing, it’d probably be his passing ability) but is solid in all areas and as a day one starter, he’ll help Collin Sexton and Darius Garland get over the hump of being just prospects with potential to bonafide stars in the league.
With the sixth pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks select…Tyrese Haliburton, PG, Iowa State – Probably not a super flashy pick, but indeed a safe pick in this year’s draft for a positively building Hawks squad. Haliburton, a 6’5, 175-lb guard who was only a three-star recruit when he committed to ISU, produced quite efficient numbers of 15.1 points, 6.5 assists, and 5.9 rebounds as the first option on a stacked Cyclones team that was bound to make noise in the 2019-20 NCAA Men’s Div. 1 Tournament.
Haliburton has the foundations of becoming a solid two-way sharpshooter in this league, and a nice addition to a developing offense. He’s a well-versed pick-and-roll playmaker, spot-up shooter, and a lengthy disruptor on the other end and since this is the game of intangibles, another long body that Lloyd Pierce can utilize in lineups defensively with the likes of Cam Reddish and John Collins as well as behind or with Trae Young furthers the belief that the Hawks are next up to swipe a playoff spot.
With the seventh pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons select…Killian Hayes, PG, France – That’s now two-straight international prospects in a row that are going to be selected in this year’s draft. The Pistons need guard depth, and there isn’t a better prospect to look at than Killian Hayes to fit that need.
Being behind Derrick Rose will be key to his growth into a starting role as he won’t be ready right away to improve a team’s win percentage, but he’s certainly a trendy pick due to the league’s favoritism towards long 6’5+ guards and wings that can score at all three levels. Hayes is a project who has a game that is so uncertain if it can translate to the NBA but so promising if Detroit gets this pick right.
With the eighth pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks select…Patrick Williams, SF, Florida State – Though there are questions about Williams’ ceiling as a scorer, there is little doubt about his freakish athleticism and his tenacity on the glass and defensive end. The pairing of him and Mitchell Robinson to create a dually-gifted frontcourt in NYC just sounds enticing alone, but it is the “want to” and fearlessness to guard any position he showed at Florida State that attracted scouts across the league enough to secure himself as a top-10 pick. Being compared to OG Anunoby – another premier 3-and-D wing with athletic prowess – isn’t too inaccurate to describe Williams’ impact on games, as well.
With the ninth pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards select…Isaac Okoro, SF, Auburn – Pairing up last year’s first-round selection Rui Hachimura with this year’s potential first-rounder, Isaac Okoro could do a lot of good things for the team in the Nation’s Capital. Defensively, the one-and-done prospect who stands at 6’6 and weighs at 220 pounds held his own in the SEC as a defensive juggernaut and served as a reliable slasher in the 18-year-old out of Powder Springs, Georgia. His numbers at the collegiate level weren’t eye-popping (12 PPG., 4 RPG., 2 APG., 1 BPG.) but it’s the physical attributes worth sticking around to build with, as he could turn from a solid defender who can stay in front of any man into a valuable asset that can knock down open shots when presented the opportunity.
With the tenth pick of the 2020 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns select…Saddiq Bey, PG, Villanova – For the final pick in the top 10, the Suns stock up on some bench depth, and especially at the three since it has grown thin as a result of the groundbreaking Chris Paul trade that sent Ricky Rubio, Kelly Oubre, Ty Jerome, Jalen Leque and a 2022 first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Mikal Bridges is the outright starter in the Valley with Oubre in OKC, meaning that it’d be advisable for Phoenix to draft the two-year Wildcat that shot over 45 percent from deep as a sophomore.
Again, the theme of this draft, and many more drafts to come, will be lengthy wings that lock up all positions on all spots on the floor while showing the propensity to put up open jumpers and consistently knock them down. Bey fits the mold, which makes this pick the safe and logical decision here.
With the eleventh pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs select…Devin Vassell, SF, Florida State – Let me start off by saying that any evaluator or scout declaring Vassell as another 3-and-D prospect isn’t doing their job well enough, and is flat-out deciding not to integrate any critical thinking for this pick.
Now, on the surface level, Vassell accomplishes his role in a satisfactory manner shooting 42 percent from downtown and as a raw prospect in college, averaged a little under 13 points, 5 rebounds, and an assist off 49 percent shooting. Take a deeper dive, however, and you’ll find that Vassell is one of the more polished shot creators and secondary rim protectors in this entire draft class.
The 6’7, 200-lb wing has shown the willingness to pull up from mid-range, put the ball on the floor to initiate pick-and-roll actions, and display a high motor evident in his defensive effort. He’ll fit right into Gregg Popovich’s motion offense and mesh with scorers like DeMar DeRozan and Derrick White both as a ballhandler, hard screen setter, and cutter. This could be the pick that gets the Spurs back into the playoffs since they were on the outside of the playoffs for the first time in 23 years looking in after a failed qualification for the play-in tournament inside the Lake Buena Vista bubble.
With the twelfth pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select…Aaron Nesmith, PF, Vanderbilt – With the recent news of Bogdan Bogdanovic’s emigration to Milwaukee and Buddy Hield’s trade to Denver going through Tuesday afternoon, Sacramento will need all the shooting help they can get right now. Aaron Nesmith fits two needs for the Kings right now: outside shooting and an interior presence towering at 6’6. Makes the most sense to not look further than the Vandy product.
With the thirteenth pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Pelicans select…Kira Lewis Jr., PG, Alabama – Jrue Holiday being dealt in a massive trade to Milwaukee only means that the Pels have no other option to find an immediate replacement at the starting guard spot. Enter Kira Lewis Jr., the speedy 6’3 guard who is a blur in transition is an explosive driver with the ball in his hands and is also an efficient shooter with a quick release.
While he’ll have time to work on his halfcourt scoring game, he has all the makings of a starting point guard someday. That call to meet that potential may come sooner than later with their guard situation but Lewis will have plenty of assistance around him with former first-overall pick Zion Williamson and this year’s Most Improved Player award winner Brandon Ingram there to help the 19-year-old right away.
With the fourteenth pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics select…Onyeka Okongwu, C, USC – If the South California big man falls this far, Boston wouldn’t waste the chance to take quite arguably the best prospect available for both team fit and overall talent. On some draft boards, it wouldn’t be unprecedented to see Okongwu being picked earlier than his superior in Wiseman as the best big man in this class.
The only detriments pertaining to him – and these could be possible reasons as to his descent into the first round – are his underdeveloped offensive game, which can, like anything else, be worked on as well as him being undersized to fit the traditional build of a center. It’s his defense that has turned eyes. An instinctive mind to anticipate when to come over as help defense, mixed with a nose for shot-blocking almost immediately turns the Celtics from a fringe competitor just on the outskirts of a conference finals berth (again) to a favorite in the East with all the star power they already have in Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kemba Walker.
We all know the story about how one little fight changed the life of a kid from West Philadelphia. It’s time to celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and what better way to do it than a reunion show.
Earlier this year pics of Will Smith and his co-stars of the classic sitcom service on Instagram. We all knew it was a reunion of some sort but did believe we’d get a front roll to sit into their discussion.
This Thursday the reunion show will be going live on the streaming platform HBO Max, which houses the original show and could be an indicator that the dramatized remake has found a home.
From talks of Will Smith’s bad acting throughout the first season, the impact of losing James Avery (Uncle Phil), to Will having a sit down with Janet Hubert (first Aunt Viv). This is a very big deal since it’s been publicly known why she was replaced, the friction between Will and her in later seasons.
Will Smith and Janet Hubert during the reunion
This reunion looks to be a great opportunity to catch up with some of our favorite characters and learn the behind-the-scenes story’s. Watch the trailer below and catch the reunion on HBO Max this Thursday.
With the NBA season officially set to begin on Dec 22, 2020, and the Free agency and The NBA Draft happening this upcoming week it’s important to remember exactly what players are available in this unique offseason and how the NBA could look drastically different come the 2020-21 season. This year’s free-agent market is not quite as top-heavy but it does have some names that will surprise ppl if they land in the right spot. Let’s look at the Top 30 Free agents that could potentially change the NBA landscape as we know it.
Anthony Davis (player)
Brandon Ingram (restricted)
DeMar DeRozan (player)
Andre Drummond (player)
Gordon Hayward (player)
Danilo Gallinari
Mike Conley (early termination option)
Fred VanVleet
Montrezl Harrell
Davis Bertans
Christian Wood
Malik Beasley (restricted)
Serge Ibaka
Bogdan Bogdanovic (restricted)
Jordan Clarkson
Goran Dragic
Carmelo Anthony (player)
Tristan Thompson
Evan Fournier (player)
Aron Baynes
Derrick Favors
Marc Gasol
Jerami Grant (player)
Tim Hardaway Jr. (player)
Wesley Matthews
Marcus Morris
Paul Millsap
Kelly Olynyk (player)
Dario Saric (restricted)
Dwight Howard
Last Year Kawhi Leonard took up much of the free agency headlines and threw the NBA into a frenzy as he made his way off a 2019 NBA Championship in Toronto to LA when he teamed up with Paul George for the Clippers. A blindsided deal that seemingly happened overnight for the NBA created the title odd favorite. This year, don’t expect to see find that same excitement in free agency, in fact just get ready for teams to either add key piece/s to gear toward a championship or teams to show you they are just trying to rebuild. The excitement will be there, you’re just going to have to look for it.
Free agency is set to start on November 20 at 6 pm ET and teams will be permitted to contact free agents or their representatives at that time. Players will be allowed to officially sign contracts with teams starting Nov. 22 at 12:01 p.m. ET. As we have already seen this week, trade negotiations are already starting. Players and teams are positioning themself for free agency. It’s important to remember through all of this what teams are really gearing up to get certain free agents and what teams are just gearing up for something completely different than what we saw a season ago.
To understand where each player realistically might end up it just has to do with the amount that player is valued to make in this year’s market and the terms of their contract either being restricted or not. Instead of getting too deep into trying to explain that all that, what is more, important to know going into free agency week are the Top 10 FA most likely to stay where they are and the top 10 most likely to be on the move. So let’s break it down.
Top 10 Most Likely to Stay:
Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers – Davis did decline his option for the upcoming season however it’s most likely just to get a few more dollars from the lakers in a new contract. It would be hard to see AD leaving the Lakers and Lebron as they are coming off the duo’s first season and championship together.
Fred Vanvleet, Toronto Raptors – Vanvleet has already made it clear stating he wants to get paid this offseason. Rightfully so, the man played a huge role in the Toronto Raptors 2019 and the franchise first-ever NBA title. Without ever really having to pay Kawhi the raptors do have some money to play around with and it is going to come down to paying either Vanvleet or Ibaka and in most cases where I would say you pay for the size, I think Fred and the Raptors are more on the same page with this one. Expect the Raptors to pay their guy.
Brandon Ingram, New Orleans Pelicans – The former #2 overall pick has seemed to find a home in New Orleans. Appearing as an All-Star for the first time in his career this season there is no reason that New Orleans wouldn’t match any contract offer any team comes to him with. Look for the Pelicans to offer B.I a contract close to a max before any team can even try to get him.
Demar Derozan, San Antonio Spurs – Demar initially declined his option from the Spurs and it had everyone thinking he was going to get traded, and like we do so often when thinking about DeMar DeRozan lead us to think where he could help. Now although the Lakers did seem like a viable option for the 4-time all-star the money doesn’t make sense. With declining his 27 million dollar option I think the only place he ends up is back in San Antonio. He may even take less to give him the option to be tradeable this year to a potential better contender.
Montrez Herrell, Los Angeles Clippers – We all know things didn’t go as planned for the Clippers this year but Trez was one of this team’s most pleasant surprises. Averaging 18 pts and 7 rebs off the bench this year was enough for Herrell to win 6th man of the year. With that type of value, it would be crazy to see the clippers just let him go.
Andre Drummond, Clevland Cavaliers – The All-Star center told ESPN, “Yeah, it’s going to be hard to give up, so you can count on me being in Cleveland still. I definitely will be in Cleveland.”
Bogdan Bogdanovic, Sacramento Kings – it’s the kings they need the most talented players they can get and he plays well with Buddy Hield and D’Aron Fox.
Danillo Gallinari, Oklahoma City Thunder – Thunder looking to rebuild, one of the most reliable shooters and screeners in the league to help space floor and create with whatever young guys they throw out there with him.
Carmelo Anthony, Portland Trailblazers – Started a playoff game for the team last year and fills a void they need.
Tim Hardaway Jr., Dallas Mavericks – Need reliable wings to play with Luka and Kristaps. Proved his offensive efficiency and two-way player ability last year.
Top 10 Most Likely to Go:
Gordon Hayward, Boston Celtics – Hayward has been thrown around in trade rumors since the departure of Kyrie Irving. But his 34 million guaranteed makes him untradeable. He has just not played up to what the Celtics needed him to be when they signed him to the deal they did. Whether it is the injury or the changing teams around him Hayward just seemed to never find a real groove for the Celtics.
Serge Ibaka, Toronto Raptors – This could be an interesting offseason for Ibaka. We have already seen The Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers come out in expressing interest in the big man. It will be interesting to see what type of money Ibaka wants or if he wants to compete for another ring. I could see him taking a pay cut to potentially go to the Lakers or Nets and compete while he is at this good of a point in his career still.
Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz – Clarkson proved he is still an elite scorer and 3 point shooter last season for his time with the Jazz. He still has instant offense, and when put around the right offense he can create his shot taking pressure off some of the guys around him. Oddly enough, Jordan Clarkson just seems like one of the players the Knicks are going to drastically overpay this free agency and I don’t see Clarkson turning it down. Especially if the Knicks don’t hit with one of the top guys they want and do as poorly in the draft as always they will sign Clarkson late for a lot.
Goran Dragic – Dragic showed his value this postseason and while it’s hard for me not to see Miami re-signing Dragic, I just believe that they will make a push for other free agents and try to make trades that may involve Dragic being an assent for them in either the draft or as they try to acquire a different piece.
Tristan Thompson, Clevland Cavaliers – If the Cavs pay Drummond I don’t see Thompson and Drummond becoming the Cavs duo of the future, and with teams like Warriors, Bucks, Suns, Lakers, Celtics, and Heat all looking for bigs it makes sense for Thompson deciding parting ways with the Cavs.
Marc Gasol, Toronto Raptors – With showing that he is a championship-caliber center still with the ability to stretch the floor It almost makes perfect sense to me why Marc Gasol should end up in Golden State. He has the potential to stay and make the money he wants in Toronto but he’s at this point in his career Gasol knows what he brings to the table and wants to be on the best team he can play for. We will see if that ends up being the Raptors.
Paul Milsap, Denver Nuggets – With the emergence of Michael Porter Jr. the Nuggets won’t need the same production from Milsap and if they do resign Jerami Grant (which they should) Milsap becomes even less key of a piece.
Wesley Mathews, Milwaukee Bucks – Wesley proved he’s a valuable stretch the floor guy and he is capable of guarding well at this point in his career. Because his game fits so well with Giannis is makes a lot of sense that he would stay but I think because of the playoff collapse the Bucks are going to try and shake things up a bit and it won’t include Wes. Wes Could sneak in with a contender like the Lakers, Nets, or Golden State for the right price.
Aaron Baynes, Pheonix Suns – Baynes is another versatile big that a team could grab at a good value he’s a great pic and roll center that I could see ending up in a Golden State or Milwaukee depending on what each team does during the draft and before.
Dwight Howard, Los Angeles Lakers – Dwight is another center that will capitalize off off teams needing bigs this offseason.
Whether the Lakers resign him or not I expect Dwight to be a competitor next year after showing his defensive capability in this past postseason. His ability to guard Jockic might just make a Golden state realize he is the center that would best help them return to form.
With the third pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, The Charlotte Hornets select…LaMelo Ball, PG, Australia – The Hornets were one of the last teams to set up a workout with LaMelo Ball in front of coaches and executives, and if Edwards goes off the board early, plan B for James Borrego and Michael Jordan’s Hornets is just as good as anyone’s plan A. Standing at 6-foot-7, Ball is by far the most impressive prospect there is in the draft and can see things and thread needles like no one else can at his age.
