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NBA Free Agency starts today at 6:30 PM ET. We predict where the top five players at each position go.

Point Guards
5.Ricky Rubio 2018-19 Team:Utah Jazz New Team:Indiana Pacers
4.Tyus Jones 2018-19 Team:Minnesota Timberwolves New Team:Phoenix Suns
3.D’Angelo Russell 2018-19 Team:Brooklyn Nets New Team:LA Lakers
2.Kemba Walker 2018-19 Team:Charlotte Hronets New Team:Boston Celtics
1.Kyrie Irving 2018-19 Team:Boston Celtics New Team:Brooklyn Nets

Shooting Guards
5.JJ Redick 2018-19 Team:Philadelphia 76ers New Team:Philadelphia 76ers
4.Danny Green 2018-19 Team:Toronto Raptors New Team:LA Lakers
3.Jeremy Lamb 2018-19 Team:Charlotte Hornets New Team:Orlando Magic
2.Malcolm Brogdon 2018-19 Team:Milwaukee Bucks New Team:Chicago Bulls
1.Klay Thompson 2018-19 Team:Golden State Warriors New Team:Golden State Warriors

Small Forwards
5.Kelly Oubre Jr. 2018-19 Team:Phoenix Suns New Team:Phoenix Suns
4.Khris Middelton 2018-19 Team:Milwaukee Bucks New Team:Milwaukee Bucks
3.Jimmy Butler 2018-19 Team:Philadelphia 76ers New Team:Houston Rockets
2.Kevin Durant 2018-19 Team:Golden State Warriors New Team:Brooklyn Nets
1.Kawhi Leonard 2018-19 Team:Toronto Raptors New Team:LA Clippers

Power Forwards
5.Jabari Parker 2018-19 Team:Washington Wizards 2018-19 Team:Washington Wizards
4.Nikola Mirotic 2018-19 Team:Milwaukee Bucks New Team:Boston Celtics
3.Julius Randle 2018-19 Team:New Orleans Pelicans New Team:Phoenix Suns
2.Tobias Harris 2018-19 Team:Philadelphia 76ers New Team:Philadelphia 76ers
1.Kristaps Porzingis 2018-19 Team:Dallas Mavericks New Team:Dallas Mavericks

Centers
5.Marc Gasol 2018-19 Team:Toronto Raptors New Team:Toronto Raptors
4.Brook Lopez 2018-19 Team:Milwaukee Bucks New Team:LA Lakers
3.DeMarcus Cousins 2018-19 Team:Golden State Warriors New Team:Golden State Warriors
2.Al Horford 2018-19 Team:Boston Celtics New Team:Dallas Mavericks
1.Nikola Vucevic 2018-19 Team:Orlando Magic New Team:Boston Celtics

Week Opponent Predicted Record (W/L)
1 Tulsa Win 1-0 (0-0) Big Ten
2 Western Michigan Win 2-0 (0-0) Big Ten
3 Arizona State Win 3-0 (0-0) Big Ten
4 at.Northwestern Win 4-0 (1-0) Big Ten
5 Indiana Win 5-0 (2-0) Big Ten
6 at.Ohio State Loss 5-1 (2-1) Big Ten
7 at.Wisconsin Win 6-1 (3-1) Big Ten
8 Bye None 6-1 (3-1) Big Ten
9 Penn State Win 7-1 (4-1) Big Ten
10 Bye None 7-1 (4-1) Big Ten
11 Illinois Win 8-1 (5-1) Big Ten
12 at.Michigan Loss 8-2 (5-2) Big Ten
13 at.Rutgers Win 9-2 (6-2) Big Ten
14 Maryland Loss 9-3 (6-3) Big Ten

Big News
Kemba Walker will likely sign a four year one hundred forty-one million dollar deal on Sunday, once free agency begins, with the Boston Celtics. Walker was the Celtics’ number one free agent priority, as Kemba would replace Guard Kyrie Irving, who is likely headed to one of the New York teams (Knicks or Brooklyn Nets) or the LA Lakers. Boston can renounce the rights on Guard Terry Rozier, if they want to put Walker on a four year deal worth thirty-two million dollars starting in 2019-2020. The Celtics would still have their $4.8 million mid-level exception to use as they try to plug a center into their lineup next to wings Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum.

Free Agent Forward Nikola Mirotic will be returning to the EuroLeague in which he rose into an NBA prospect with Real Madrid. The Forward started in the NBA in 2014-15, with the Chicago Bulls. Mirotic has since played with New Orleans and finished his NBA career so far with the Milwaukee Bucks. Mirotic will be signing with Barcelona to continue his basketball career.

Veteran Guard Darren Collison has retired at the age of thirty-one to focus on his faith, sources told ESPN.

Free Agency News

June 27
Free Agent Forward Kawhi Leonard is expected to let the Toronto Raptors make the final pitch to him in free agency after winning the title with Toronto just a few weeks ago. Leonard is also visiting with the LA Clippers and LA Lakers.

The Golden State Warriors are planning to offer Free Agent Guard Klay Thompson a five-year contract with $190 million to keep him in San Francisco.

Free Agent Forward Kevin Durant will only meet with four teams including the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, LA Clippers, and New York Knicks. Durant is also considering playing with fellow All-Star Forward Kawhi Leonard during this off-season.

The Denver Nuggets are going to excercise veteran Forward Paul Millsap’s $30 million player option to try to keep its team from last year’s second seeded team in the western conference.

Make sure to read about the Celtics’s offer for Kemba Walker. The Charlotte Hornets, presumably Walker’s former team, are considering options at guard like Emmanuel Mudiay, Elfrid Payton, Ish Smith, and TJ McConnell.

So until I go to camp (July 14-26) please give me suggestions on what college football teams to do schedule predictions. Once I leave for camp, there will be a college football schedule prediction post every day (those posts will be scheduled). They will come out at 11 AM CT every day. So in the comments section of this post only, I will be taking suggestions from y’all of who to do the next college football schedule predictions. I will also put a video up on cbhsports.com explaining this. For the NBA, I will be doing free agency posts that happen after the fourteenth once I get back so I can give full detail on those posts. So, when I am gone y’all will still have a post. For throwballnews, I will make a post on that over on that site, so make sure to go check it out, because it will come out the same day as this post.

Hey guys, Iowa is the final team in the ESPN’s pre-season top twenty-five. In the next post, I will tell you what I’m going to be doing with college football for the rest of the summer.

Week Opponent Predicted Record (W/L)
1 Miami (OH) Win 1-0 (0-0) Big Ten
2 Rutgers Win 2-0 (0-0) Big Ten
3 at.Iowa State Loss 2-1 (0-0) Big Ten
4 Bye None 2-1 (0-0) Big Ten
5 Middle Tennessee Win 3-1 (0-0) Big Ten
6 at.Michigan Loss 3-2 (0-1) Big Ten
7 Penn State Loss 3-3 (0-2) Big Ten
8 Purdue Win 4-3 (1-2) Big Ten
9 at.Northwestern Loss 4-4 (1-3) Big Ten
10 Bye None 4-4 (1-3) Big Ten
11 at.Wisconsin Loss 4-5 (1-4) Big Ten
12 Minnesota Win 5-5 (2-4) Big Ten
13 Illinois Win 6-5 (3-4) Big Ten
14 at.Nebraska Loss 6-6 (3-5) Big Ten

So, here it is. The Anthony Davis trade has been made final but not official. The trade will become offical by at least July 6. So here’s my analysis on the deal.

LA Lakers Receive
Forward/Center Anthony Davis

New Orleans Pelicans Receive
Guard Lonzo Ball
Forward/Guard Brandon Ingram
Guard Josh Hart
2019 4th Pick (Forward De’Andre Hunter, who was traded to Atlanta)
Two future first round picks

Washington Wizards Receive
Center Mo Wagner
Guard Isaac Bonga
Guard Jemerrio Jones

What the LA Lakers are getting:LA is getting Anthony Davis, arguably the top center in the game of basketball but we will give him the benefit of the doubt due to the usually injured Joel Embiid. Anyway, Davis can score from inside easily, and is rapidly improving on the perimeter. Davis is mobile on the defensive end, blocking every shot that comes his way. Davis attracts max free agents (now that the Lakers have $32 million to spend) or two-way role players to help LA pursue a championship.

What the New Orleans Pelicans are getting:New Orleans is getting three young pieces to go alongside tenured guard Jrue Holiday, and rookie phenom Zion Williamson. Guard Lonzo Ball will step into the point guard role as a great distributer and excellent defender. Forward Brandon Ingram will give you a scorer every night and an improving defender. Guard Josh Hart gives you a perimeter shooting and improving perimeter defense to use off of the bench. The two future first round picks will help New Orleans keep improving and help them get into the playoffs in the next few years.

What the Washington Wizards are getting:There isn’t much to say about what Washington is getting. Wagner, Bonga, and Jones are guys that will help setup the Wizards’s rebuild once star Guards Bradley Beal and John Wall are off the roster.

Who won the trade?:All three teams got better for the future as every team got what they needed. But if I had to pick a winner, it would be the New Orleans Pelicans. Putting young pieces next to Zion Williamson makes it a major win for this team.

The Los Angeles Lakers have found a way to get $32 million in cap space for a max free agent or multiple role players. Los Angeles shipped Center Mo Wagner, Guard Isaac Bonga, and Guard Jemerrio Jones to the Washington Wizards to make the Anthony Davis trade, a three team deal. Anthony Davis also waived his $4 million trade bonus, which will create the cap space for the max contract. My analysis on the final trade and ripple effects will be out tomorrow.

The Big East offically announced the University of Conneticut’s return to the conference. UConn was apart of the conference from 1979 (where it was a charter member) to 2013. The league said the year of entry will be determined at a later date. UConn will participate in 20 of the Big East’s 22 sports. Notably, the football program will either be in a different conference, an independent, or downgrade to the FCS level. UConn’s women’s basketball program leaves the American Athletic conference with no losses in conference. UConn will leave the AAC for its roots, where it became a perennial basketball power, both men’s and women’s.

The UConn Board of Trustees accepted an invitation on Wednesday to move basketball and most other sports teams (not including football) back to the conference they were a charter member of. UConn rejoins the Big East officially! As I said in a previous post, UConn will be moving their football team either to a different conference, the independents, or downgrade to the FCS level because the Big East does not sponsor football. UConn will make their move to the Big East in the 2020-2021 school year.

ESPN’s top grad transfer Kerry Blackshear Jr. (formerly of Virginia Tech) committed to Florida last night. The forward chose Florida over Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, or a potential return to Virginia Tech. Blackshear entered the transfer portal in mid April after former Virginia Tech Head Coach Buzz Williams took the same job at Texas A&M. At the same time, Blackshear put his name into the NBA Draft, but took his name out hours before the deadline. Blackshear joins ESPN 100 recruits Omar Payne, Scottie Lewis, and Tre Mann to make Florida the biggest competitor to Kentucky in the SEC next season. The top returnee for the Gators is 2018-19 All-SEC Freshman Team Guard Andrew Nembhard will lead the offense for the Gators. Blackshear Jr. averaged almost fifteen points and seven and half rebounds.

Oklahoma State hired Cannen Williams as an assistant coach on Wednesday. It does have significance because the number two recruit in the 2020 ESPN 100 happens to be Cannen’s brother, Point Guard Cade Cunningham. This will help Oklahoma State to get the five-star point guard.

All information according to ESPN.

June 21
Phoenix Suns Guard Tyler Johnson has exercised his $19.25 million player option for next season.

Miami Heat Center Hassan Whiteside will opt in to his $27.1 million player option for the 2019-2020 season.

June 24
The Atlanta Hawks have traded wing Kent Bazemore for Portland Trail Blazers wing Evan Brown.

June 25
The Houston Rockets are trying to recruit Free Agent wing Jimmy Butler (Played for the 76ers in 2018-19) to push the Philadelphia 76ers for a sign and trade deal. They are trying a sign and trade because of not having enough cap space for Butler to sign a max contract.

June 26
Golden State Warriors Forward Kevin Durant has declined in $31.5 million player option to become an unrestricted free agent. Durant is supposedly looking at the Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, and New York Knicks to sign with.

Week Opponent Predicted Record (W/L)
1 at.USF Win 1-0 (0-0) Big Ten
2 Central Michigan Win 2-0 (0-0) Big Ten
3 Bye None 2-0 (0-0) Big Ten
4 Michigan Loss 2-1 (0-1) Big Ten
5 Northwestern Win 3-1 (1-1) Big Ten
6 Kent State Win 4-1 (1-1) Big Ten
7 Michigan State Loss 4-2 (1-2) Big Ten
8 at.Illinois Win 5-2 (2-2) Big Ten
9 at.Ohio State Loss 5-3 (2-3) Big Ten
10 Bye None 5-3 (2-3) Big Ten
11 Iowa Win 6-3 (3-3) Big Ten
12 at.Nebraska Win 7-3 (4-3) Big Ten
13 Purdue Win 8-3 (5-3) Big Ten
14 at.Minnesota Win 9-3 (6-3) Big Ten

Week Opponent Predicted Record (W/L)
1 Northwestern Win 1-0 (0-0) Pac-12
2 at.USC Loss 1-1 (0-1) Pac-12
3 Oregon Loss 1-2 (0-2) Pac-12
4 Oregon State Win 2-2 (1-2) Pac-12
5 at.UCF Win 3-2 (1-2) Pac-12
6 Washington Win 4-2 (2-2) Pac-12
7 Bye None 4-2 (2-2) Pac-12
8 UCLA Win 5-2 (3-2) Pac-12
9 Arizona Win 6-2 (4-2) Pac-12
10 Bye None 6-2 (4-2) Pac-12
11 Colorado Win 7-2 (5-2) Pac-12
12 at.Washington State Win 8-2 (6-2) Pac-12
13 California Win 9-2 (7-2) Pac-12
14 Notre Dame Win 10-2 (7-2) Pac-12

MVP:Giannis Antentokounmpo,Forward,Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis led his team to a sixty-win season and into the eastern conference finals while having his most productive season in his career.

Rookie of the Year:Luka Doncic,Guard/Foward,Dallas Mavericks
Doncic’s ability to score is incredible. Expect Doncic to be an all-star in this league very soon.

Sixth Man of the Year:Lou Williams,Guard,LA Clippers
Williams keeps having great production off the bench and will probably win his second straight sixth man of the year award tonight.

Defensive Player of the Year:Rudy Gobert,Center,Utah Jazz
Gobert is an incredible perimeter defender, blocking shots consistently and just keeping oppposing offenses out of the paint. I am predicting Gobert will win his second straight defensive player of the year award tonight.

Most Improved Player:Pascal Siakam,Forward,Toronto Raptors
Pascal Siakam helped Toronto reach its first NBA title by being stingy on the defensive side and being a great second or third option for Toronto’s option, greatly improving his numbers from 2017-18.

Coach of the Year:Mike Budenholzer,Milwaukee Bucks
Budenholzer led the Milwaukee Bucks, headed by potential league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, to a sixty-win season that topped the eastern conference. Budenholzer should get most of the votes for this award and win it with relative ease tonight.

Philadelphia 76ers wing Jimmy Butler is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he opts out of his player option. Let’s look at some potential fits for Butler and then choose where Butler will most likely end up.

Philadelphia 76ers-Butler would stay in Philadelphia and help this team make an NBA Finals run again in 2020. If Kawhi Leonard goes out west to LA, this would make a wide-open eastern conference with Milwaukee and Philadelphia at the top of it.

Brooklyn Nets-If Butler were to leave the sixers for an atlantic division rival, Butler would get the benefit of playing in a big media market and would join a young and improving Nets team in the NBA Finals conversation in the eastern conference.

Houston Rockets-If the Rockets add Jimmy Butler, they could and probably should be the favorite to win a wide open western conference. Butler would most likely team up with star guard James Harden as Houston would’ve probably had to have traded veteran point guard Chris Paul to create cap space.

New York Knicks-This move would be made by the guard if fellow star free agents (possibly Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, Kevin Durant) would go to the “Big Apple”. This would improve Butler’s brand and he could potentially be a secondary ball handler behind the likes of potential free agent lands Kyrie Irving or Kemba Walker.

Los Angeles Lakers-If LA creates enough cap space by reworking the Anthony Davis deal, they should either pursue a plethera of role players or go with a max free agent like Butler. So, while it is unlikely, Butler could land in Los Angeles and play with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

Prediction:I predict that Butler will be a Houston Rocket and make them a favorite to be in the NBA Finals.

Raptors Forward Kawhi Leonard will become an unrestricted free agent by declining his $21.3 million player option for the 2019-2020 season. Toronto is the only team that can offer him a super max contract which is five years, $190 million. According to many sources, Leonard is seriously considering re-signing with the Toronto Raptors but his hometown LA Clippers are in full pursuit for him as well.