The NBA free agent class for this summer has top names like LaMarcus Aldridge, Marc Gasol and Greg Monroe and those players could be targets for teams like the LA Lakers, San Antonio Spurs, Knicks, Boston Celtics, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat on the market.
Gasol and Aldridge are two of the biggest names hitting the market and both are expected to at least consider staying with their current teams. Pro Basketball Talk reported one player saying it was "50-50" about whether Aldridge will sign in Portland, while Gasol has said to the media that he has not considered anything in free agency yet.
The Knicks and the Lakers will be chasing Gasol and Aldridge as well as Greg Monroe and a team like the Spurs also could be in the mix. According to Zach Lowe of Grantland, the Spurs have the chance to offer max contracts to either Gasol or Aldridge this summer and the team "might get a (meeting) with Aldridge" in free agency. Aldridge is looking for max money and while the Blazers likely will offer him a huge deal, they also have Damian Lillard to worry about signing in the future.
Aldridge put up numbers in line with his career best this season with 23 points and 10 rebounds per game and he should be a major target on the market. The Blazers will do their best to keep him, but the Knicks will be able to offer him a boat load of money and so can the Lakers. Gasol was once considered to be the top target for the Knicks, but New York reportedly will focus on the younger tier of free agents like Monroe and Reggie Jackson.
The Knicks, Lakers and Celtics all have major money to spend and they could drive up the price on some of those players as they negotiate deals. According to Pro Basketball Talk, the Spurs could be a wild card in free agency, as Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili may retire, opening up some major cap space for the team. Gasol and Aldridge have both been mentioned as potential targets and this comes as the team is likely to keep Kawhi Leonard with a contract extension.
Pro Basketball Talk reported earlier in the season that the Spurs could be a "top target" for Gasol is Duncan retires, which is expected after the season. The Sporting News reports that the Spurs could offer a max deal to Gasol, as he is a perfect fit for the system they run and they type of team they have. The team has Leonard coming into restricted free agency and they plan on keeping him with a deal. Gasol and Aldridge could be the two biggest targets for the Spurs this offseason.
