NBA Free Agents

The NBA is prospering. Its popularity continues to boom on a worldwide basis and the money is rolling in.

On Friday, the money starts rolling out.

The NBA’s salary cap is increasing by 34 percent, to $94 million. As NBA teams must pay, at a minimum, 14 players, it’s not a stretch to say salaries are going up. Way up.

So many questions in free agency can only be answered when the primo free agent, Kevin Durant, decides where to take his talents. He’s interviewing teams in New York on Friday, after giving his current employer, the Oklahoma City Thunder, a meeting on Thursday in Oklahoma City. Waiting in line: The Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers.

Teams can negotiate with players and agree on deals, but nothing may be signed until July 8. Still, once Durant moves (or doesn’t – his entire nine-year career has been with OKC), some teams will be handcuffed.

Take the Heat. They’d like to re-sign guard Dwyane Wade, but that will cost at least $20 million a year. If they sign Wade, he and Chris Bosh would account for about half of their cap. If they sign Durant, who will get more than Wade, what happens to Wade, who has spent his 13-year career in Miami? And how can the Heat retain shot-blocking center Hassan Whiteside, who has also made it clear he’s making a business decision, which means no hometown discount.

LeBron James also is theoretically on the market. He opted out of his $24 million deal with the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers but has said he will not leave. Pay the man, Cleveland.

Some others to watch: Dwight Howard, formerly of the Houston Rockets; Al Horford (Atlanta Hawks), Mike Conley (Memphis Grizzlies), Chandler Parsons and Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks).

Free agency should be renamed. Think of it as expensive agency. It’s going to be a wild ride with mega-contracts. 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman