NBA Rumors: Durant On The Move, Executives Preparing For 2019 Free Agency

The 2019 NBA free agency roster is shaping up to be one of the biggest in recent memory with a number of top players of the current generation up for grabs.

As much as the focus is on the new NBA season which is just about five games old – there is equal focus on the unrestricted free agents that will be available to interested franchises next summer. And Kevin Durant is leading the pack as possibly the most in-demand unrestricted free agent.

The Golden State Warriors small forward is certain to enter free agency next summer and has already been linked with moves to the Los Angeles Lakers and the New York Knicks. Many are predicting this will be his last season with the reigning back-to-back champions especially if they win their third straight NBA championship, which they are favorite to do.

Apart from Durant, there are a number of other players that are among the top-5 or top-10 in the league that will be available, namely, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler and DeMarcus Cousins. And ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has revealed the NBA executives of a number of teams are already focusing their attention to the free agency market in 2019.

Windhorst said Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis’ names are being bandied about despite the former recently committing to re-signing with the Boston Celtics when he enters free agency next summer and the latter, currently tied to the New Orleans Pelicans not becoming a free agent until the summer of 2020.

“Many believe the Golden State Warriors are going to win the title again and will still break up in some way next season. This is essentially a referendum on Kevin Durant's upcoming free agency, not so much Klay Thompson's, though some executives also wonder what will happen with Draymond Green,” Windhorst said.

“Many believe multiple top free agents will relocate next summer. This would include Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Jimmy Butler (for now) and DeMarcus Cousins. But there are two more names on executives' lips: Anthony Davisand Kyrie Irving.

“Davis isn't a free agent until 2020, but some teams already are mulling trade packages if Davis passes on an extension the New Orleans Pelicans can offer him next summer. This is the option that raises goose bumps among a handful of teams that think they might have a chance at landing Davis,” he added.

“As any college coach will tell you, a verbal commitment is just that. Also, the Celtics probably will be willing to make the five-year offer to Irving, but that's not in stone at this point with Irving's history of injuries and many months to go,” Windhorst explained talking about Irving’s verbal commitment to Celtics. “Plenty of executives have the magnet with Irving's name on it slapped in the "UFA" (unrestricted free agent) column on their whiteboards.”

However, it is still October and the speculation and rumors are likely to continue well into the latter part of the regular season and probably into the post-season. At the moment, there is no certainty with regards to any of the potential moves, but one thing is certain, the 2019 free agency is going to be one not to watch out for.