Here’s who to keep an eye out for
NBA free agency is closing in and things will kick off on Friday, June 30. There are some huge names in this year’s free-agent pool and there are bound to be some big moves. We’ve already seen Bradley Beal dealt to the Phoenix Suns and Chris Paul sent to the Golden State Warriors, but we’re only scratching the surface.
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) June 25, 2023
James Harden
The biggest name set to test free agency is James Harden. He spent the last two seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, but there have been NBA rumors going around that he may want to return to the Houston Rockets. However, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently reported that the Rockets may no longer be in the running.
The 76ers may end up being the favorite to retain the superstar guard. He has been a good fit with Joel Embiid. There haven’t been many teams linked to Harden outside of Houston and Philadelphia. ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins recently pitched the idea of Harden returning to his hometown of Los Angeles to play for the Lakers, but that seems highly unlikely.
The Sixers are expected to offer James Harden a contract ‘considerably higher’ than his $35.6M player option 😳, per Brian Windhorst
(Via @GetUpESPN / h/t @Liberty_Ballers ) pic.twitter.com/sRMYM7UZoI
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 28, 2023
Kyrie Irving
Speaking of Los Angeles, Kyrie Irving is the other biggest name in free agency. He has been heavily linked to the Lakers, but there hasn’t been much traction in recent weeks. The fact that he was recruiting LeBron James to the Dallas Mavericks means that he’ll likely be willing to stay put. Irving’s stock has taken a hit in recent years so there won’t be a ton of teams lining up to sign him. He’ll be a very interesting player to watch in the coming days, so keep an eye out for any NBA news on this.
What are the Mavs going to do about Kyrie Irving?
He did his job in Dallas, that’s for sure pic.twitter.com/09RF6FTLig
— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) June 28, 2023
Khris Middleton
Khris Middleton is another fascinating player to watch. He’s a three-time All-Star and NBA champion, but his health is starting to decline. He missed much of the Milwaukee Bucks’ 2021-2022 playoff run with an injury and only played in 33 games last season due to injury. He can still be an effective player when healthy, but there are serious concerns about his health.
It’s hard to imagine a team will be willing to give him a max contract this offseason. The Bucks have been linked to Damian Lillard so whether or not he returns to Milwaukee could be determined by where other players end up.
All signs point to Brook Lopez, Khris Middleton and Jae Crowder staying in Milwaukee, per @TheSteinLine
“League sources say that Milwaukee is indeed in a promising position when it comes to re-signing both Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez…The Bucks are increasingly expected to… pic.twitter.com/IXnqZelMJT
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 28, 2023
Draymond Green
It’s hard to see a world where Draymond Green actually leaves the Golden State Warriors, but he is open to meeting with teams this offseason. He’s still an elite defender and will have plenty of teams interested in him. However, he’s such a perfect fit with the Warriors and the team just got rid of his archnemesis Jordan Poole. While he’ll entertain his options, he’ll almost certainly be back with Golden State.
How far can the Warriors go if Draymond Green returns? 👀 pic.twitter.com/5Yw3YAtYQE
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 28, 2023
Fred VanVleet
The last key free agent to keep an eye on is Fred VanVleet. He might be the best true point guard in free agency. The Toronto Raptors fired head coach Nick Nurse this offseason and it’s unclear what their bigger plan is going forward. If you like to bet on basketball, watch out for what the Raptors decide.
VanVleet is tough to get a gauge on due to the fact that he probably isn’t a max player. He’s very good and an All-Star, but does he deserve to be paid like players like Kevin Durant and Luka Doncic? Probably not but he’ll get the bag this offseason.
The Rockets are planning to ‘tempt’ Fred VanVleet with a contract starting at $40M per year, per @michaelgrange
“One league source told me the Rockets, armed with $60 million in cap room and no state tax in Texas, are going to tempt VanVleet with a two-year deal for $80 million… pic.twitter.com/pvRP66fm5U
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 28, 2023
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