What to expect when you're expecting...fireworks (NBA offseason edition)

It has been a heck of an offseason in the NBA so far. We have seen a trade long in the making, with Anthony Davis being shipped out west to the Los Angeles Lakers for Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and draft picks. This trade was huge, but also marked the beginning of what is to be considered one of the biggest offseasons in NBA history. Only one offseason in recent memory can come close to comparing the amount of star power this free agent class has, and that was the offseason where Lebron James took his talents to South Beach. 

First of all, we have the reigning NBA Finals MVP, Kawhi Leonard. Though the Warriors endured untimely injuries, Leonard still dominated the series and willed the Raptors to their first ever championship. It has been rumored for months that Leonard would sign with a team out west, most likely the Clippers. Not so fast! Though they will have a meeting with him, the Raptors now look like the front runners to re-sign Leonard and keep their core team together for another championship run.

Then we have Kevin Durant. It is unfortunate that he sustained an achilles tear in the finals. He is arguably the best offensive player in the league and it was sad to see his season come to an end that way in the finals. All signs would point to him re-signing with the Warriors on a one-year deal, recuperating, then making another run at free agency. However, there are rumors abound that he will sign with the Brooklyn Nets or New York Knicks, even though he will most likely have to miss the entire season due to his injuries. Though I think the smart move is to sign with the Warriors, I do expect him to head east. 

Next we have Kyrie Irving. I think it is safe to say the drama-filled arrangement we had with him in Boston will finally be over. Though it looked like he gelled quite nicely with the team the first year he was traded to them, since then, it has been less than harmonious. I think Irving truly likes the spotlight and didn't feel like he got his due with the Celtics. Honestly, the Celtics played better without him anyways, making a run to the Eastern Conference finals two seasons ago, only to lose the Lebron-led Cavs. I truly believe that Irving will either sign with the New York Knicks or the Brooklyn Nets. 

Next we have Jimmy Butler. If you think that Kyrie Irving's story is filled with drama, then get a load of the Jimmy Butler saga. First he was traded to the Timberwolves from the Bulls for infighting. Next, he forced a trade from the Wolves to the 76ers due to...you guessed it...infighting. Now it looks like he will most likely leave the 76ers because he doesn't feel like he is getting the amount of praise he deserves. Don't get me wrong, Butler is one of the best defensive guards in the league and his offense is leaps and bounds better than it was when he first came onto the scene. However, he is looking for a max deal and I don't know how many teams will be willing to give him that referencing previous strife with teammates. I think Butler will sign with a surprise team or will go back to the 76ers on a max deal. 

Finally, we have Kemba Walker. Walker is arguably one of the best Point Guards in the league, yet hasn't received the recognition he truly deserves. His dribble-drive game is tremendous and his scoring ability is on par with some of the best scorers in all of the league. He has just been overshadowed by being on a poor Hornets team in his career. Walker is due to get a max contract, but has stated that he would take less to re-sign with the Hornets. One thing that is working against him is that the Hornets have never gone into the luxury tax since Michael Jordan has been running the team. He has also stated that his plan is to never go into the luxury tax. Signing Walker to a max deal would do so. Even though it is most likely that he will re-sign with the Hornets, the next best bet is that the Lakers clear some cap space and sign Walker to a huge deal, partnering Walker with Lebron James, Anthony Davis and Kyle Kuzma for a championship run. 

While there are plenty of other free agents that can make a huge impact on a new team, ie. Tobias Harris, Kris Middleton, Brook Lopez, DeMarcus Cousins, etc. the five I mentioned are the ones that could have the biggest impact on the entire free agency spectrum. It is already been an exciting offseason, but get your popcorn ready, because the offseason is about to have even more fireworks!

@jgullinese