Thompson, Durant To Stay, Irving, Butler, Leonard Predicted To Leave In 2019

While this summer mainly focused on the free agency of LeBron James and Paul George, the coverage in 2019 will be more evenly distributed as a number of high-profile players could be available in the market.

The 2019 free agent class is headlined by the likes of Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, Kyrie Irving, Kawhi Leonard and Jimmy Butler, all of whom would be monumental signings for teams with cap space.

And with the rumors and reports about their future already in full swing before the 2018/19 season has even begun, an ESPN panel predicted where they would end up next summer.

Kevin Durant

Durant signed a one-plus-one deal earlier in the summer, similar to last year, as he wanted to keep his options open as well as have "power" and "control" over his Golden State Warriors' future. That means if he does not exercise his player option after the upcoming season, he will become an unrestricted free agent.

After next season though, the reigning champions will be able to obtain his Bird rights, allowing them to exceed their salary cap and offer Durant a five-year, $219 supermax deal due to him playing in the Bay Area for three consecutive seasons.

But there are also rumors that Durant may want a change of scenery and that could reportedly involve a move to either the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers or even a shock return to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

However, 69.7 percent of the ESPN panel believe Durant will stay with Golden State as Adam Reisinger explains below. 24.2 percent though, believe a move to New York is likely.

"The majority of our panel sees him staying with the Warriors, with the bright spotlight of Madison Square Garden as a potential lure.

Two low-percentage options are the most intriguing. KD back to OKC? There's almost no way to make that work under the cap -- not to mention the years of hurt feelings that would have to be set aside -- but it'd be amazing to see. KD to LA to team up with LeBron? That'd be a seismic NBA shift."

Kyrie Irving

Rumors started to emerge about Irving's future with the Boston Celtics after he refused to sign a new deal this summer.

At this point, the New York Knicks are the favorites, with the team having the cap space to add a high-profile player as well as the lure of Madison Square Garden. 46.9 percent of the ESPN panel seem to think that's where he's going next as well, with the added bonus of him getting to play in front of his home area fans, being a West Orange, New Jersey native.

However, 43.8 percent also believe he could stay at Boston, especially if the Celtics live up to their post-LeBron billing as the Eastern Conference favorites and make the 2019 NBA Finals.

Jimmy Butler

Coincidentally, there were reports that Irving wanted to leave for the Knicks in order to play with Minnesota Timberwolves star Butler.

The ESPN panel also believe that the Knicks are favorites for Butler's signature with 42.4 percent of the votes, however, it remains to be seen how they would be able to sign more than one high-profile player unless they get creative with their roster. This is also all the more unlikely if Durant were to move there as well.

However, there are a number of teams interested in Butler and the Lakers are second favorites with 21.2 percent of the votes. Minnesota were given just 12.1 percent of the votes in retaining the former Chicago Bulls player.

Kawhi Leonard

While he wasn't a free agent this summer, Leonard dominated the headlines after wanting out of the San Antonio Spurs earlier this summer.

It seemed destined he would move to the Lakers, based in his native Los Angeles, however, the Spurs' demands were too steep for the 16-time champions as Leonard would eventually get traded to the Toronto Raptors with DeMar DeRozan going the other way.

Raptors president Masai Ujiri is confident he can sell the idea of a Toronto stay to Leonard when his contract expires next summer and while 27.3 percent of the ESPN panel believe it could happen, 57.6 percent see a move to the Staples Center being inevitable.

The Los Angeles Clippers meanwhile, got 15.1 percent of the votes.

Klay Thompson

A key component of the Warriors' success since 2015, Thompson will be a free agent next summer with rumors of a potential move to the Lakers.

However, Thompson is the most likeliest to remain in his team with 72.7 percent of the panel expecting a Golden State stay. The 28-year-old will also be eligible for a supermax deal next season if he gets into another All-NBA team.

But Los Angeles is not to be completely ruled out, as Thompson was born and raised there and with his father, Mychal, winning a pair of titles with the Lakers in the eighties, 15.2 percent of the ESPN votes went with the L.A. franchise.