(Photo Credit: NBA)

Getting Ready For The Start Of The 2019 League

Sunday marks the beginning of the 2019-20 NBA league year. Free agents can begin reaching verbal agreements with their suitors, and everything can become official after a one-week moratorium.

Let the games begin.

Here’s what we know, or what we think we know (because, well, you just never know):

• The Golden State Warriors standout Kevin Durant, who suffered a torn Achilles tendon in the NBA Finals, is reportedly opting out of his $31.5 million option with the club. He is likely to miss all of the upcoming regular season, but he could still miss it with the Warriors. He can sign a much bigger contract with the Warriors than he can with any other team, due to the NBA’s labor agreement. The New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets might be interested and the Los Angeles Clippers have also been mentioned. The Knicks might chase big man DeMarcus Cousins (Warriors) instead.

• The Houston Rockets have their eye on guard Jimmy Butler and would be willing to move Clint Capela, P.J. Tucker, and Eric Gordon to open up salary cap space. That would hinge on Butler’s willingness to remain with the Philadelphia 76ers.

• The champion Toronto Raptors would like to keep Kawhi Leonard, but the Knicks and others are also interested. Center Marc Gasol exercised his option to remain with the Raptors.

• The Dallas Mavericks may chase a couple of guards – Patrick Beverly of the Los Angeles Clippers and Kemba Walker of the Charlotte Hornets. The Boston Celtics also seem to have an interest in Walker.

Rumors and speculation. Speculation and rumors. We will know soon enough who is heading where.

 
 
Post By: Larry Weisman, a longtime sportswriter for USA TODAY, blogs for Twistity.com. Follow him on Twitter @MrLarryWeisman