Julius Randle, player option
As a key part of the Minnesota Timberwolves' great run in the Western Conference, there's a very real chance that Julius Randle elects to try and cash in this summer by opting out of the final year of his contract. If that were to happen, he'd emerge as one of the premier free agents to hit the market. He'd also be a major target for a sign-and-trade upgrade that a contending team may be eyeing. However, I'm not so sure teams should be jumping at the opportunity to target Randle this offseason.
While Randle has proven that he can make an impact on a good team, I'm not sure he's the right fit for every playoff-contending team in the league. Because team fit is so critical to his impact on the floor, I do believe many teams across the league should be bullish on the idea of adding Randle to their core this offseason. That doesn't mean Randle isn't a good player, but that there is so much that goes into Randle fitting on a team that it may not be worth the risk for most teams across the league.
Myles Turner, unrestricted
For the past two seasons, the Indiana Pacers have been one of the better stories of a home-grown team coming to age. They've made the conference finals in back-to-back years and will have a real shot at breaking through to the NBA Finals this season. One big question they have awaiting them in the offseason revolves around how much they want to keep this core intact. Myles Turner, a key part of their success over the last two years, is eligible to hit free agency. And he's in line for a huge payday.
When it comes to Turner, I simply believe that the most likely scenario for him and his free-agency outcome this offseason is that in a couple of years, he's going to look like a huge overpay. And for any team that is trying to win a championship, aside from maybe Indiana because of the continuity already in place, I feel like signing him to a huge contract is going to feel like a mistake a couple of years down the line. For that, I do believe teams should show some real hesitance in his free agency this summer.