2. Big market destinations
For the first time in what seems like a very long time, big markets are becoming the premier destinations for star free agents. The Nets aren’t the traditional big market franchise in the “Big Apple”, but they are still in a big market just as is. The New York Knicks were considered a good landing spot for Durant and Kyrie at the outset of the offseason.
However, the fact that teams like the Lakers, Knicks, and Nets, were all considered solid destinations for Kyrie and KD shows that there is still interest in landing with traditional big market franchises. LeBron James and Anthony Davis instantly upgraded the title odds for the Lakers in another traditional big market too.
What this cycle of free agency also proved was that players care a lot about how teams are ran from the top-down. KD and Kyrie might’ve selected the Nets over the Knicks due to the known dysfunction around James Dolan and the ownership and front office at Madison Square Garden.
If the Chicago Bulls can get their act together at the top, then this could become a solid landing spot come either the 2020 or 2021 offseason. The 2020 free agency cycle doesn’t appear too fruitful right now, but 2021 could be. Get this roster together and eliminated the dysfunction in the front office and the Bulls could hit the forefront of NBA landing spots.