NBA executives who spoke to Alex Kennedy of Heavy.com are split on how they feel about the 2023 free agent class. While one Eastern Conference exec referred to it as “very weak,” an East general manager suggested there should be a “strong group of rotational pieces” available this offseason. That GM added that we shouldn’t necessarily expect future free agent classes to be stronger than this year’s.
“This free agent class is a reflection of what future classes could look like with the new extension rules,” he said. “There will likely be even more extensions done moving forward with the new rules, which will water down the free agent classes.”
In a separate article for Heavy.com, Kennedy ranks the top free agents of 2023, while over at The Athletic, Danny Leroux considers which free agent will receive the most guaranteed money this summer. As Leroux observes, many of this year’s best potential FAs many not sign lucrative long-term contracts due to concerns about their age and/or injury histories. That group includes James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis, and Khris Middleton.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Frank Urbina of HoopsHype takes a look at a few free-agents-to-be whose playoff performances negatively affected their stock, including Kings forward Harrison Barnes, Nets guard Seth Curry, and Lakers teammates D’Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley.
- His comments about Ja Morant made the most headlines, but commissioner Adam Silver also discussed multiple other topics during his press conference prior to Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday. Silver spoke in support of the increased parity the NBA has seen in recent years (link via RealGM) and referred to the ongoing issues with regional sports networks as “a problem we have to fix” (Twitter link via Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files).
- A series between the Nuggets and Heat may not have been the Finals matchup that league advertisers fantasized about, but it’s great for the NBA, contends Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. As Krawczynski writes, Denver and Miami have been the two “best, most determined and precise teams” in the playoffs and will allow the league to “embrace the game over the glitz” in the Finals.
- David Aldridge of The Athletic argues that the Nuggets‘ and Heat‘s success this spring is proof that being patient – rather than reactionary – following postseason heartbreak can pay off in the long run.
I like discounts! Send dlo and beesley and mo bamba over to the jazz. Willing to include 2023 28 pick.
Will also include jones at 2.5m tpe to help get lakers under the super tax and or tax too.
Want Clarkson?
Send back lakers 2023 17
All works for clearing up teams rosters and now lakers can go and get max reid etc.
lots of cap space available maybe for ki?
What do you think?
Another teams junk came be another teams treasure.
Lakers will have to cough up something to Dallas for Irving.
If I was Dallas, and I didn’t want Irving, I’d sign him, then trade him at the earliest convenience. No way I let him walk after a draft pick was traded to acquire him. I’d also trade him to ditch Bertans if possible too.
Mavs could flip ki after signing. Send him to jazz with bertans.
Problem is the jazz will want that 10th pick
Mavs save cash or have cap and roster spot for something but bertans is a waste.
Send mcgee to jazz as well. Ratehr have gay and jones one expiring contracts.
I think we circle back in 7 years and hate the concept of parity in the NBA
It works in the NFL because that sport is more big business than sport to begin with and there’s also a ton more variance that naturally leads to parity anyways (I believe the avg career is like 2.9 years NFL wise)
Of all the 3 major sports (NFL NBA MLB) Nba easily has the least amount of variance baked in
Its also going to be super frustrating for the ever growing 2k market that likes to build winners on da compooooter
NBA wants parity because they make billions off of gm nba games. It creates interest and more fans follow players as they move around plus sell more gear over and over.
In theory yes, and that’s the NFL (King) model
I don’t think it plays out as smooth here for many different reasons
Players have always moved around, if anything there might be more restriction (once the FEW teams that have highly valuable draft picks use them up, then what? Free agency is already dead thanks to small market fear
I think like many things in the new CBA it was short-sighted….hope Im wrong tho on this one
The nba is already at an all time revenue high, sure you always want more but you have to weigh it against keeping a sustainable long term product that retains eyeballs..theres a lot of options in 2023 and moving forward
Interesting that you didn’t include the NHL as a major sport.
I don’t think the avg person could name 5 players that play in the NHL today….so No
All I can think of off the top of my head is
two Connor McDavid and Cale Makar. To be fair though outside of LeBron and maybe Curry and Giannis I don’t think the average person could name five NBA players.
I couldn’t name 5 players that play in the NFL…
Tom Brady still kicking?
NFL is a CTE sport and therefore probably will fold in our lifetime due to the 99% CTE rate, hence the money grab, or as you put it: “that sport is more big business than sport to begin with”. No one has been able to answer the question if a sport has a 99% CTE rate, how is letting your kids play it not a form of child abuse? For this single reason we should fold the NFL and eradicate college football, and just have our kids play basketball, baseball or soccer.
NBA and MLB don’t that that problem and are going to have a longer lifespan than the NFL and the NHL too, along with UFC and WWE. USA is going to have to outlaw CTE sports at some point, its lunacy to have “brain damage sports” that cause athletes to murder and suicide later. Do away with it all, we have other options.
Parity is good for business and good for the sport…
Having the finals be an unknown is far better than knowing who will make the finals barring injury…
The gamers will just have to get better at the maths involved in their future 2k franchises…
Didn’t see game one. How does a team play 48 minutes and get two free throw attempts? Last time I saw that was around 1972-73.
Interesting how GSW fully bottomed out after the 2019 Finals, was the worst team in the league in 2020, then won the 2022 title. Does that count as “reactionary”?
I really hope the Sixers bring back Seth.