Al Horford could be the best fit for the Boston Celtics in free agency, while DeMar DeRozan could be heading to the Los Angeles Lakers, according to the latest NBA rumors.
Horford and DeRozan, two of the top free agents available in this year's class, could find a new team next season. Horford is playing in the final term of his five-year $60 million contract with the Atlanta Hawks, while DeRozan is expected to opt out of his four-year $38 million deal with the Toronto Raptors.
Horford has been linked to numerous trade and free agency buzz this season, but the most of the rumors center in a potential move to the Boston Celtics in the summer. According to CBS Sports' Ethan Skolnick, Horford could be a perfect fit for the Celtics, who have been in looking for a superstar that could help the franchise move forward.
"Al Horford might be a perfect fit in Boston," Skolnick said. "He's a perfect fit for any system. He's not a guy who demands a ton of attention. When he gets the ball he can do something with it, but he's not someone who's gonna stand up and scream 'I need 20 touches.' He's just a big upgrade on everything else that they [Celtics] have right now."
The Celtics have been looking for a superstar that could complete their quest back into the title hunt. They have not had a skilled big man since acquiring Kevin Garnett, which eventually led to Boston's 17th NBA title.
Horford seems to fit the bill with his all-around skills on both ends. His refined skills inside the paint and his perimeter shooting would surely take the Celtics into another level, and with the right pieces, to an NBA title.
Meanwhile, another team looking for a superstar to carry their franchise is the Lakers, who suffered yet another dismal season. The Lakers are in pole position to land one or two max contract players this summer, with the team having a projected amount of cap space worth $62.6 million enough for six guaranteed contracts and nine potential free agents, according to Real GM's salary cap-space analysis.
One of the names linked to the Purple and Gold is Raptors wingman DeRozan, who could be on his way to Los Angeles this summer, according to Stephen A Smith of ESPN.
During ESPN's SportsCenter, Smith commented on DeRozan's free agency plans while discussing Paul George's performance in Game 1 of the Indiana Pacers vs Toronto Raptors first round playoff series, claiming that the Raptors star is "enjoying his last days in Toronto, because he'll be leaving for Los Angeles in a few months anyway."
Smith's claims may be of pure rumor, but considering DeRozan's background of playing college basketball at USC and taking into account the chance to play for his hometown, such move makes sense.
Moreover, the Lakers are looking for the next face of the franchise, and with Kobe Bryant calling it quits, LA could look at DeRozan as the star who could carry the franchise back to their glorious days.
However, DeRozan has insisted he plans to stay in Toronto, where he became one of the league's perennial All-Stars.
"My whole mindset has always been this is home for me. I took pride in putting on this Toronto Raptors jersey since I've been drafted here and my whole goal was to get this team to the point where it is now," DeRozan told ESPN two months ago.
But despite his resolve to stay with the Raptors, there is a growing sense DeRozan could leave Toronto if the team fails to reach deep in the playoffs. If that happens, LA will surely be around lurking to sign their next superstar.