Already hectic NBA off-season, now ready for free agency chaos
Chris Paul has already been traded twice this off-season and ended up in Golden State. Bradley Beal is now in Phoenix, John Collins was sent to Utah and Kristaps Porzingis is about to start over in Boston in a deal that sent Marcus Smart to Memphis.
They have new places to call home. It’s time to see if Kyrie Irving, Draymond Green, James Harden, Fred VanVleet, Khris Middleton and dozens of other players will also be moving in the coming days.
As evidenced by the many trades over the past few weeks, NBA teams aren’t waiting for free desks to move forward. But the real season of off-season player movement begins at 6pm ET on Friday, when teams are allowed to start talking to free agents – with the caveat that most deals don’t go official until July 6.
“Obviously money is a thing. I mean, that’s for everyone,” said Miami security guard Max Strus, a free agent now in line for a big payday, going up $1.8 million US this season up to possibly $12 million per year or more. “These are moments you work for, and these are opportunities that can change your life – so you can never get anything out of it. But I love playing basketball and that will always be the first thing for me.”
That’s part of why there have been some trades in the last few days. The Warriors gave up on Jordan Poole to bring Paul from Washington, in part because Paul’s contract expires in a year and Poole is on the books for four years (averaging over $30 million a year), and Atlanta sent Collins to Utah for Rudy Gay for similar reasons.
“I think a lot can be made of all the challenges that come our way, whether it’s an aging roster, the new CBA with some of the limitations there, anything else you can bring forward,” said Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. . “We’re aware of all those things. But we also feel like we’re in a great, great place, because we have a competitive owner that’s willing to spend…so we’re confident that we’re going to navigate through.”
There could also be more trades to come, with all eyes on Portland and whether Damian Lillard will eventually ask to be treated elsewhere – Miami or Brooklyn in particular – or stay with the Trail Blazers for a 12th season.
In the meantime, some huge deals will be made – some of which may reach $200 million.
Decisions for birds of prey
After Gary Trent Jr. had signed up for the final year of his contract with Toronto, the Raptors still have two unrestricted free agents pending starters VanVleet and Jakob Poeltl, each of whom can earn more than $20 million per season.
Philadelphia will probably have to make a big commitment to keep Harden alongside reigning MVP Joel Embiid or else he could walk out; Houston, one of Harden’s former teams, has long been mentioned as a possible suitor. Green turned down a $27.5 million option with Golden State to seek a longer deal. Milwaukee has decisions to make with both Middleton and Brook Lopez, two key members of their 2021 championship.
“Both guys are specifically the core of who we’ve been,” said Bucks general manager Jon Horst. “At the end of the day it’s about hoping to have them back. We’ve been really good and they’re a big part of that and we want to try and keep them.”
There is also intrigue in Dallas regarding Irving’s future.
Irving’s talent is beyond question. He averaged 27 points in 20 games with the Mavericks after being traded there for last season’s long run. For his career, he averaged 23.4 points, is an eight-time all-star and won a title in Cleveland in 2016 with LeBron James.
Still unclear: how many years and how much money Dallas will pledge to keep him.
“Obviously he’s someone we’ve already told everyone we want to re-sign and are excited about,” said Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison.
Reigning champions
The new champions also face a big decision.
Denver’s biggest problem with free desks is versatile guard Bruce Brown, who was great off the bench for the Nuggets during their run to the NBA title. All the Nuggets can offer Brown is a year for $7.8 million; other teams, such as the Los Angeles Lakers, may be willing to offer more. Denver may give Brown a longer, richer deal in the summer of 2024 – so it’s up to Brown to decide whether to bet on himself or get more money now.
During the team’s championship parade, Nuggets coach Michael Malone made it clear that Denver intends to keep Brown.
“Is Brucie B going somewhere? Hell no,’ Malone yelled, as the crowd roared in approval. “Hell no. Hell no. We’re taking this… back.”
The next few days will show if Malone is right.
