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Current NBA Free Agents

August 5th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Hoops Rumors’ up-to-date list of 2024 free agents is below. These are players who are eligible for restricted or unrestricted free agency after the 2023/24 season. The player’s 2024 age is in parentheses.

This list includes players who finished the season on an NBA roster or who played at least 10 games in 2023/24. It will continue to be updated throughout the offseason, so be sure to use it and our list of 2024 free agents by team as points of reference.

You’ll be able to access this list anytime under the “Hoops Rumors Features” menu on the right sidebar on our desktop site, or in the “Free Agent Lists” section of our mobile menu. If you have any corrections or omissions, please contact us.

Updated 10-31-24 (4:35pm CT)

Unrestricted Free Agents

Point Guards

Shooting Guards

Small Forwards

Power Forwards

Centers

Restricted Free Agents

Note: All of 2024’s restricted free agents have come off the board. You can view the details using our free agent tracker.

Player Options

Note: All of this year’s player option decisions have been made. They can be found here.

Team Options

Note: All of this year’s team option decisions have been made. They can be found here.

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NBA Teams With Open Two-Way Contract Slots

August 5th, 2022 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

A total of 18 NBA teams currently have both of their two-way contract slots filled, as our tracker shows.

That doesn’t mean those players will be locked into those slots for the rest of the 2022/23 season, or even until opening night, since two-way deals are low-cost contracts that don’t count against the salary cap, making them easy to replace. But it means those spots are unavailable for the time being.

That leaves 12 teams with at least one two-way slot available. Those teams are as follows:

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Houston Rockets
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Washington Wizards

The Hawks, Hornets, Mavericks, Rockets, Clippers, the Trail Blazers, and Wizards have fairly straightforward two-way situations at the moment — they’ve each filled one slot and have one open, with no reports indicating that any of those teams has reached an agreement on a two-way deal with a free agent or draftee.

The Nets and Bulls also have one two-way spot filled and one open, but each of them has a two-way qualifying offer out to a restricted free agent — David Duke for Brooklyn and Malcolm Hill for Chicago. If those players simply accept their QOs, neither the Nets nor the Bulls will have a two-way opening.

The Spurs also have one two-way player signed and one spot open, though a Shams Charania report last month indicated that undrafted rookie Jordan Hall will sign a two-way contract with San Antonio. If and when that happens, the Spurs will join the list of teams with both of their two-way slots occupied.

The Pacers and Pelicans are currently the only two teams that don’t have a single player on a two-way contract. A Charania report way back in June suggested that Dereon Seabron would sign a two-way deal with New Orleans, but it hasn’t officially happened yet.

The best candidate for a two-way contract with Indiana, meanwhile, could be 48th overall pick Kendall Brown, who is one of a handful of 2022 draftees still unsigned. Even if Seabron and Brown sign two-way pacts, the Pacers and Pelicans would still each have one slot available.

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Traded Second Round Picks For 2023 NBA Draft

August 5th, 2022 at 12:47pm CST by Luke Adams

We’re using the space below to keep tabs on each NBA team’s second round pick for 2023, continually updating it as necessary throughout the year. Our list of traded first round picks for 2023 can be found right here.

We’ve listed all 30 teams here, so even if a team hasn’t traded its second round pick, that will be noted. We’ll also provide details on protections for each traded pick, including what happens to the pick in 2024 if it doesn’t change hands in 2023.

Here’s the full breakdown on the status of each 2023 second-round pick:

Atlantic

  • Boston Celtics: Traded to Hornets or Wizards.
    • The Hornets will receive this pick if it lands between 31-45; the Wizards will get it if it lands between 46-60. Whichever team doesn’t receive this pick will instead receive the Celtics’ 2024 second-round pick.
  • Brooklyn Nets: Traded swap rights to Trail Blazers.
    • The Hornets will receive either their own 2023 second round pick, the Hawks’ pick, or the Nets’ pick (whichever is most favorable). The Trail Blazers will receive the second-most favorable of the three, and the Nets will receive the least favorable.
  • New York Knicks: Traded to Timberwolves.
  • Philadelphia 76ers: Own pick.
  • Toronto Raptors: Traded to Spurs.

Central

  • Chicago Bulls: Traded to Wizards.
  • Cleveland Cavaliers: Own pick.
    • The Cavaliers have the right to swap their own 2023 second-round pick for the Warriors’ pick.
  • Detroit Pistons: Own pick.
  • Indiana Pacers: Traded to Kings or Spurs.
    • The Kings will receive this pick if it lands between 31-55; the Spurs will get it if it lands between 56-60. The Pacers’ obligation to whichever team doesn’t receive this pick will be extinguished.
  • Milwaukee Bucks: Traded swap rights to Pacers.
    • The Bucks will receive the least favorable of the Cavaliers’ and Warriors’ 2023 second round picks. The Pacers will then receive either that pick or the Bucks’ own pick (whichever is more favorable).

Southeast

  • Atlanta Hawks: Traded to Hornets, Trail Blazers, or Nets.
    • The Hornets will receive either their own 2023 second round pick, the Hawks’ pick, or the Nets’ pick (whichever is most favorable). The Trail Blazers will receive the second-most favorable of the three, and the Nets will receive the least favorable.
  • Charlotte Hornets: Own pick.
    • The Hornets have the right to swap their second round pick for the Hawks’ or Nets’ pick.
  • Miami Heat: Traded to Thunder, Celtics, Pacers, Nuggets, or Hornets.
    • Details outlined at bottom of story.
  • Orlando Magic: Traded to Celtics (top-55 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Magic’s obligation to the Celtics would be extinguished.
  • Washington Wizards: Traded to Thunder, Nuggets, or Hornets.
    • Details outlined at bottom of story.

Northwest

  • Denver Nuggets: Traded to Bulls (top-46 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Nuggets’ obligation to the Bulls would be extinguished; if it changes hands, it will be forfeited due to the Bulls’ free agency gun-jumping penalty.
  • Minnesota Timberwolves: Traded to Grizzlies.
  • Oklahoma City Thunder: Own pick.
    • The Thunder have the ability to swap their own 2023 second-rounder for a more favorable pick. Details outlined at bottom of story.
  • Portland Trail Blazers: Traded to Celtics or Thunder.
    • Details outlined at bottom of story.
  • Utah Jazz: Traded to Hornets.

Pacific

  • Golden State Warriors: Traded to Cavaliers, Bucks, or Pacers.
    • The Cavaliers have the right to swap their own 2023 second round pick for the Warriors’ pick. The Bucks will receive the least favorable of the two picks. If the least favorable of the Cavaliers’ and Warriors’ picks is more favorable than the Bucks’ pick, Milwaukee will send it to the Pacers.
  • Los Angeles Clippers: Own pick.
  • Los Angeles Lakers: Own pick.
  • Phoenix Suns: Own pick.
  • Sacramento Kings: Own pick.

Southwest

  • Dallas Mavericks: Traded to Thunder, Celtics, Pacers, Nuggets, or Hornets.
    • Details outlined at bottom of story.
  • Houston Rockets: Traded to Thunder, Celtics, or Pacers.
    • Details outlined at bottom of story.
  • Memphis Grizzlies: Own pick.
  • New Orleans Pelicans: Traded to Hawks (top-45 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Pelicans’ obligation to the Hawks would be extinguished.
  • San Antonio Spurs: Traded to Pacers (top-55 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Spurs’ obligation to the Pacers would be extinguished.

While the conditions that apply to the majority of this year’s traded second round picks are relatively straightforward, there’s one quagmire involving the Mavs’, Heat’s, Wizards’, Thunder’s, Trail Blazers’, and Rockets’ selections.

The Celtics, Pacers, Nuggets, and Hornets will each receive one of those picks, while the Thunder will receive two, but the protections and swap rights are extremely complicated. Here’s our best attempt at breaking it all down:

The Thunder will receive the most favorable of the following 2023 second round picks:

  1. Their own pick
  2. The Wizards’ pick.
  3. The Mavericks’ pick.
  4. The Heat’s pick.

The Nuggets will get the second-most favorable of the following 2023 second round picks, while the Hornets will get the least favorable:

  1. The Thunder’s pick.
  2. The Wizards’ pick.
  3. The most favorable of the Heat’s and Mavericks’ picks.

The Celtics will get the most favorable of the following 2023 second round picks:

  1. The Rockets’ pick (top-32 protected).
  2. The Trail Blazers’ pick.
  3. The least favorable of the Heat’s and Mavericks’ picks.

The Pacers will get the least favorable of the following 2023 second round picks:

  1. The Rockets’ pick (top-32 protected).
  2. The least favorable of the Heat’s and Mavericks’ picks.

Note: If the Rockets’ pick is No. 31 or No. 32, that would be the pick the Pacers receive instead.

The Thunder will get the leftover pick not claimed by the Celtics or Pacers. It could be one of the following three:

  1. The Rockets’ pick (top-32 protected).
  2. The Trail Blazers’ pick.
  3. The least favorable of the Heat’s and Mavericks’ picks.

Got all that?

Just to be sure, let’s apply all those conditions to a hypothetical draft order based roughly on current projections for the 2022/23 season. Let’s say the Rockets’ pick comes in at No. 33, the Thunder’s is No. 39, the Wizards’ is No. 40, the Trail Blazers’ is No. 42, the Mavericks’ pick is No. 49, and the Heat’s is No. 51.

In that scenario, based on the scenarios described above, the Celtics would receive Houston’s pick, the Thunder would keep their own pick and acquire Portland’s, the Nuggets would get Washington’s pick, the Hornets would get Dallas’ pick, and the Pacers would get Miami’s pick.

However, if we hypothetically bump Houston’s pick up to No. 31, it would be Indiana receiving that pick, while the Celtics would get the Blazers’ pick 11 spots later and the Thunder would get Miami’s pick (in addition to their own). In other words, the Pacers will be rooting for the hard for Houston to be a bottom-two team this season, while Boston and Oklahoma City will want to see the Rockets avoid that fate.

Information from RealGM was used in the creation of this post.

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Trade Rumors App For iOS/Android

August 5th, 2022 at 11:52am CST by Luke Adams

If you enjoy Hoops Rumors on your smartphone or tablet, be sure to check out our free Trade Rumors app!

Trade Rumors, available for iOS and Android, is the best way to consume our content on a mobile device. Here’s what it delivers, all for free:

  • All the articles from Hoops Rumors, MLB Trade Rumors, Pro Football Rumors, and Pro Hockey Rumors in an easy-to-navigate, eye-catching format. Swipe through stories to quickly consume all the news and rumors from our four sites. Not into all four sports? No problem – any sport can be easily removed.
  • Customize what you see. You can create feeds for any team or player across any of our sites.
  • Notifications. For any team or player, you can set up push notifications to ensure you always get breaking news instantly. Notifications can also be set up at the sport level.
  • Commenting. You can read and contribute comments on the app seamlessly.
  • Customer service. If you find a bug, we’ll fix it. If you have a feature request, we’ll consider it. The app is continually evolving and improving.
  • Did we mention Trade Rumors is a free app? What do you have to lose? Download it now!
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Community Shootaround: Should LeBron Sign Extension With Lakers?

August 4th, 2022 at 10:50pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Now that LeBron James is officially eligible to sign a contract extension that would keep him with the Lakers through the 2024/25 season, the question we’re positing today is: should he? Does it make sense to his basketball legacy for James to continue with the Lakers’ current personnel, or even a roster without the contract of embattled starting point guard Russell Westbrook?

Team president Rob Pelinka met with James and his agent Rich Paul today for what Paul called a “productive” discussion surrounding a possible extension for the 37-year-old vet. Due to the NBA’s Over-38 rule (outlined in our glossary), the 18-time All-Star is limited to signing, at most, a two-year extension with Los Angeles.

Though James enjoyed a strong individual statistical season during 2021/22, injuries limited the forward to just 56 games, marking the third time in his four seasons with Los Angeles that James has missed 26 or more games. Big man Anthony Davis appeared in just 40 games last year due to his own health problems.

After L.A. traded much of its depth to secure the services of max-salaried point guard Westbrook in the summer of 2021, the Lakers were counting on their new “big three” to win with sheer talent, surrounded mostly by veterans on minimum contracts. The erratic availability of the team’s two best players, plus a disappointing (but mostly healthy) season from Westbrook, doomed the club to an underwhelming 33-49 record. The Lakers did not perform well enough to even qualify for a play-in game. This marked a precipitous fall for the team, which won the title behind stellar performances from James and Davis, surrounded by quality role players, in 2020.

While he is no longer the same defender he was during his Cavaliers and Heat prime, James remains a powerhouse on offense. Beyond his excellent ability to muscle his way inside the paint and an elite passing touch, James has also developed into a decent volume long-range shooter. Last season, he averaged 30.3 PPG, his highest total since 2005/06, plus 8.2 RPG, 6.2 APG, 1.3 SPG, and 1.1 BPG. The 2022 All-NBA Third Teamer posted shooting splits of .524/.359/.756.

The Lakers have pivoted from their 2021 team-building approach. First, L.A. fired its championship-winning head coach Frank Vogel this summer, opting to replace him with former Bucks assistant Darvin Ham. In addition to the team’s three highly-paid stars, Los Angeles is set to bring back wing Talen Horton-Tucker, guard Kendrick Nunn, athletic forwards Stanley Johnson and Wenyen Gabriel, and second-year shooting guard Austin Reaves. Nunn missed the entire 2021/22 season, which would have been his first with the Lakers, due to a knee injury. He claims to be fully recovered at this point.

New Lakers additions like mid-level signing Lonnie Walker IV, centers Damian Jones and Thomas Bryant, and swingmen Troy Brown Jr. and Juan Toscano-Anderson seem to suggest the Los Angeles front office is looking to youth, defense and athleticism over experience and shooting to complement its three stars. The team also drafted rookie guard Max Christie out of Michigan State with the No. 35 pick and signed intriguing undrafted rookies Scotty Pippen Jr. and Cole Swider to two-way contracts.

As for the fate of Westbrook, the Lakers have reportedly received overtures from the Knicks, Jazz, and Pacers. Los Angeles has also had conversations about a potential swap of Westbrook to the Nets for Brooklyn’s own embattled point guard, Kyrie Irving. All of those teams would want at least one and perhaps two future first-round picks to take on Westbrook.

Following a recent split with Westbrook, longtime agent Thad Foucher appeared to indicate that the root of their break-up stemmed from his belief that the point guard should remain with the Lakers, rather than seeking out a trade. Westbrook has since signed Jeff Schwartz to represent him, and one wonders if this new duo will work to relocate Westbrook away from his hometown team this year.

The Lakers would be well-served to offload future assets if they are part of a larger package that will help them also move on from Westbrook. No longer his peak athletic self, the 33-year-old nine-time All-Star proved to be an awkward on-court fit with James as both thrive on the ball and Westbrook, a poor shooter and apathetic cutter, fails to provide much value off it. James and the Lakers could significantly benefit on the floor if the team opted to bring in, say, Pacers veterans Myles Turner and Buddy Hield in exchange for Westbrook and future draft picks.

Even if such a transaction happened, would that – in combination with the club’s new additions and, hopefully, a healthier James and Davis – be enough to effectively move the needle and help Los Angeles return to something approaching title contention, after two straight disappointing seasons? Given the All-Star duo’s time served in the league and injury history, this writer is skeptical.

The West is looking loaded this year, with the reigning champion Warriors poised to hit the ground running, the veteran-laden Nuggets and Clippers finally set to have all their stars healthy, and clubs like the Grizzlies, Suns and Mavericks hoping to continue to build on their recent playoff runs.

James has won four Finals MVP awards and four titles with three different clubs. He has led his teams to 10 Finals appearances all told, including eight straight from 2011-18. There’s no question that, as he enters the twilight of his career, the 6’9″ forward would like to at least have a chance of adding to his championship pedigree and Hall of Fame legacy.

Would James be better served by holding off on agreeing to a Lakers tenure beyond 2023? This way, he could let the team court him in unrestricted free agency instead, where he would be able to simultaneously take stock of what the rest of the league has to offer. At present, only a handful of clubs are expected to have the necessary cap space to sign a player to a maximum contract next summer, though that could certainly change were James to become available.

We want to know what you think. Should James opt to extend sooner rather than later, so that the Lakers could be more inclined to package future draft equity in trades for current help? Should LeBron even opt in at all? Where should he go if he does walk in 2023?

Alternately, if James does return to the Lakers, should he just sign a one-year deal with a player option for the second season, in the hopes of aligning the timing of his free agency with the first season his son Bronny James becomes NBA-eligible? Head to the comments section below to weigh in!

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Traded First Round Picks For 2023 NBA Draft

August 4th, 2022 at 9:40am CST by Luke Adams

The 2023 NBA draft is still over 10 months away, but a number of teams have already traded away their first round picks for ’23, and more clubs may do so before this season’s trade deadline.

We’ll use the space below to keep tabs on each team’s first round pick for 2023, continually updating it as necessary throughout the year.

We’ve listed all 30 teams here, so even if a team hasn’t traded its first round pick, that will be noted. We’ll also provide details on the protections for each traded pick, including what happens to the pick in 2024 if it doesn’t change hands in 2023.

Here’s the full breakdown on the status of each 2023 first round pick:

Note: Teams marked with an asterisk (*) have traded away their 2024 first round pick (either unprotected or with protection) and can’t freely trade away their 2023 first rounder due to the Stepien rule.

Atlantic

  • Boston Celtics: Traded to Pacers (top-12 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Celtics would send the Spurs a 2023 second round pick.
  • Brooklyn Nets (*): Traded swap rights to Rockets.
    • The Nets will have either their own first round pick, the Rockets’ pick, or the Sixers’ pick. They’ll receive the Sixers’ pick if it’s the most favorable of the three; otherwise, they’d get the second-most favorable pick of the three. The Jazz will receive the least favorable of the three.
  • New York Knicks: Traded to Trail Blazers (top-14 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Knicks would send the Trail Blazers the Pistons’ 2024 second-round pick, either the Timberwolves’ or Knicks’ 2026 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable), and the Knicks’ own 2027 and 2028 second-round picks.
  • Philadelphia 76ers: Traded to Nets or Jazz.
    • The Nets will receive the Sixers’ first round pick if it’s the most or second-most favorable of the Sixers’, Nets’, and Rockets’ 2023 first rounders. If it’s the least favorable of the three, the Jazz will receive it.
  • Toronto Raptors: Own pick.

Central

  • Chicago Bulls: Traded to Magic (top-4 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Bulls would owe the Magic their 2024 first round pick (top-3 protected).
  • Cleveland Cavaliers: Traded to Pacers (top-14 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Cavaliers would send the Pacers their 2025 second round pick and the Lakers’ 2026 second round pick.
  • Detroit Pistons: Traded to Knicks (top-18 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Pistons would owe the Knicks their 2024 first round pick (top-18 protected).
  • Indiana Pacers: Own pick.
  • Milwaukee Bucks: Traded to Rockets or Clippers (unprotected).
    • The Rockets have the ability to swap the Bucks’ pick with the Clippers’ 2023 first rounder (top-six protected).

Southeast

  • Atlanta Hawks: Own pick.
  • Charlotte Hornets: Traded to Spurs (top-16 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Hornets would owe the Spurs their 2024 first round pick (top-14 protected).
  • Miami Heat: Own pick.
  • Orlando Magic: Own pick.
  • Washington Wizards: Traded to Knicks (top-14 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Wizards would owe the Knicks their 2024 first-round pick (top-12 protected).

Northwest

  • Denver Nuggets: Traded to Hornets (top-14 protected).

    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Nuggets would owe the Hornets their 2024 first round pick (top-14 protected).
  • Minnesota Timberwolves: Traded to Jazz (unprotected).
  • Oklahoma City Thunder: Own pick.
    • The Thunder have the ability to swap their pick with the Clippers’ 2023 first rounder.
  • Portland Trail Blazers: Traded to Bulls (top-14 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Trail Blazers would owe the Bulls their 2024 first round pick (top-14 protected).
  • Utah Jazz (*): Own pick.

Pacific

  • Golden State Warriors (*): Own pick.
  • Los Angeles Clippers (*): Traded swap rights to Thunder.
    • The Clippers will have either their own first round pick, the Thunder’s pick, or the Bucks’ pick, whichever is least favorable. If the Thunder’s and Clippers’ picks both land in the top six, the Clippers would instead receive the second-most favorable of those three picks.
  • Los Angeles Lakers (*): Traded swap rights to Pelicans.
    • The Lakers will have either their own first round pick or the Pelicans’ pick, whichever is least favorable.
  • Phoenix Suns: Traded to Nets (unprotected).
  • Sacramento Kings (*): Own pick.

Southwest

  • Dallas Mavericks: Traded to Knicks (top-10 protected).
    • If this pick lands in its protected range, the Mavericks would owe the Knicks their 2024 first round pick (top-10 protected).
  • Houston Rockets: Own pick.
    • The Rockets have the ability to swap their pick with the Nets’ 2023 first rounder.
  • Memphis Grizzlies: Own pick.
  • New Orleans Pelicans: Own pick.
    • The Pelicans have the ability to swap their pick with the Lakers’ 2023 first rounder.
  • San Antonio Spurs: Own pick.

Information from RealGM was used in the creation of this post.

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NBA Maximum Salary Projections For 2023/24

August 3rd, 2022 at 8:08am CST by Luke Adams

Although a number of big-money free agent contracts have been completed since the 2022/23 NBA league year began, several of the most lucrative deals signed by players in ’22 have been contract extensions. And many of those extensions have been maximum-salary deals.

[RELATED: 2022/23 NBA Contract Extension Tracker]

Because those extensions won’t go into effect until at least the 2023/24 season and the NBA won’t finalize the ’23/24 salary cap until next summer, we can only ballpark what many of year’s maximum-salary contracts will look like based on the league’s latest cap estimates.

When the NBA confirmed its salary cap data for the 2022/23 season on June 30, the league also updated its cap projection for the ’23/24 campaign, estimating a $133MM cap. That estimate has since risen to $136MM. We’re basing our figures on a projection of $136,021,000, which would be the maximum allowable increase.

Listed below are the early maximum-salary projections for 2023/24. The first chart shows the maximum salaries for a player re-signing with his own team — a player’s previous club can offer five years instead of four, and 8% annual raises instead of 5% raises. The second chart shows the maximum salaries for a player signing with a new team.

A player’s maximum salary is generally determined by his years of NBA experience, so there’s a wide gap between potential earnings for younger and older players. Unless they qualify for a more lucrative extension by meeting certain performance criteria, players with no more than six years of NBA experience are limited to a starting salary worth up to 25% of the cap. For players with seven to nine years of experience, that number is 30%. For players with 10 or more years of experience, it’s 35%.

Here are the the early max-salary projections for 2023/24:

A player re-signing with his own team (8% annual raises, up to five years):

Year 6 years or less 7-9 years 10+ years
2023/24 $34,005,125 $40,806,150 $47,607,175
2024/25 $36,725,535 $44,070,642 $51,415,749
2025/26 $39,445,945 $47,335,134 $55,224,323
2026/27 $42,166,355 $50,599,626 $59,032,897
2027/28 $44,886,765 $53,864,118 $62,841,471
Total $197,229,725 $236,675,670 $276,121,615

The “6 years or less” column here is what the new extensions for Ja Morant, Zion Williamson, and Darius Garland will look like if none of them make an All-NBA team in 2023. All three players have Rose Rule language in their contracts, however, and could move up to the 30% max column (“7-9 years”) if certain criteria are met.

The 30% max column will also apply to players who reach the free agent market next summer with between seven and nine years of NBA experience under their belts. That would be Fred VanVleet‘s maximum contract with the Raptors, for instance, assuming he doesn’t sign an extension before then.

The third column (35%) will apply to the new super-max extension signed by Nuggets star Nikola Jokic. Sixers center Joel Embiid also previously signed a super-max extension that will begin in 2023/24, though his deal is for four years, so it’d be worth a projected $213,280,144 instead of the projected $276MM+ that Jokic will earn over five seasons.

A player signing with a new team (5% annual raises, up to four years):

Year 6 years or less 7-9 years 10+ years
2023/24 $34,005,125 $40,806,150 $47,607,175
2024/25 $35,705,381 $42,846,458 $49,987,534
2025/26 $37,405,638 $44,886,765 $52,367,893
2026/27 $39,105,894 $46,927,073 $54,748,251
Total $146,222,038 $175,466,445 $204,710,853

If a player changes teams as a free agent, he doesn’t have access to a fifth year or 8% raises. So if someone like Cameron Johnson were to sign an offer sheet with a new team next summer, he’d be limited to a four-year deal projected to be worth just over $146MM.

If a veteran free agent with between seven and nine years of NBA experience – wants to change teams in 2023, he would be able to sign a four-year contract worth up to a projected $175.47MM.

James Harden, Draymond Green, or another veteran with 10+ years of experience would be able to earn nearly $205MM across four years if they change teams as free agents in 2023. While it’s probably unlikely that Harden, Green, or any other 10-year veteran changes teams and signs a four-year, maximum-salary deal next offseason, it will theoretically be the first time in NBA history that a player could receive a $200MM+ contract while changing teams.

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Poll: Early 2023 Rookie Of The Year Predictions

August 2nd, 2022 at 9:25am CST by Luke Adams

When Scottie Barnes was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year for the 2021/22 season, it was the 17th time in the last 19 years that a top-six pick won the award.

The only outliers during that time were Michael Carter-Williams, who was the 11th pick in 2013 and beat out an uninspiring crop of rookies that included No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett; and Malcolm Brogdon, a 2016 second-rounder who won the award in a year in which the No. 1 pick (Ben Simmons) sat out with an injury.

Going back even further, only three other players drafted outside the top six since 1975 have earned NBA Rookie of the Year honors: Amar’e Stoudemire (No. 9) in 2003, Damon Stoudamire (No. 7) in 1996, and Mark Jackson (No. 18) in 1988.

In other words, it should come as no real surprise that the major betting favorites to win the award in 2023 are all top-six picks.

[RELATED: 2022 NBA Draft Results]

According to BetOnline.ag, Magic forward Paolo Banchero, this year’s No. 1 pick, is the current frontrunner (+250), which makes sense — Orlando is expected to finish in the lottery again this season and there aren’t many veterans on the depth chart standing in the way of Banchero earning a significant role from day one.

Thunder big man Chet Holmgren (+400) and Kings forward Keegan Murray (+400) are the next-best bets, per BetOnline. Holmgren and Murray were among the top two-way players in the 2022 draft class, which could help their respective Rookie of the Year cases. As Barnes’ win earlier this year showed, voters have become more inclined to weigh a player’s defensive contributions than they once were — it’s not just about which rookie averages the most points per game.

Rockets forward Jabari Smith (+800), Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (+800), and Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (+1000) round out the top six. After that group, Rockets forward Tari Eason, the No. 17 pick in the draft, has the next-best odds at +2000.

All three of Smith, Ivey, and Mathurin are in position to play major roles on rebuilding clubs, though guards like Ivey and Mathurin sometimes require some time to get their feet under them and learn how to score efficiently at the NBA level — slow starts from Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green last season cost them a chance at Rookie of the Year honors, despite strong finishes.

We want to know what you think. Which player is your early pick for Rookie of the Year in 2022/23? Are you taking a top-six selection, or is there a dark horse you believe can defy the historical odds and take home the award?

Vote in our poll below, then head to the comment section to weigh in with your two cents!

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Checking In On Remaining Restricted Free Agents

August 1st, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Of the players who finished last season on an NBA roster and didn’t have a contract for 2022/23, there are still dozens of unrestricted free agents on the open market. However, the number of restricted free agents is far smaller.

As our list of current free agents shows, there are just eight restricted free agents still unsigned — four who received standard qualifying offers and four who received two-way QOs.

We’re already a month into the 2022 free agent period, but it’s possible that some of these restricted free agents will remain on the market for another month or two. Let’s take a closer look at the RFAs still available…

Standard RFAs:

It’s no surprise that Bridges remains unsigned. He was arrested just before free agency began and now faces multiple felony charges related to domestic violence. The Hornets will certainly be in no rush to re-sign him as the legal process plays out, and Bridges’ $7.9MM qualifying offer won’t expire until October 1, so he’ll be in no hurry to accept it either. If and when Bridges is back under contract, the NBA would have the option of placing him on paid administrative leave, pending an investigation.

The other three cases here look more like straightforward examples of how restricted free agency often works. In all likelihood, the Bucks, Cavaliers, and Spurs have made preliminary offers to Nwora, Sexton, and Wieskamp, respectively, and have encouraged them to explore the market to see if they can get a more lucrative offer sheet elsewhere. Until that happens, those teams are unlikely to bid against themselves by increasing their offers.

We know, for instance, that the Cavs have reportedly offered Sexton a three-year deal worth roughly $40MM. He’s believed to be seeking a salary closer to $20MM per year.

All three players would have the option of accepting their qualifying offers and heading into the season on a one-year contract, but that may be a more viable path for Sexton, who is coming off a lost season and has a QO worth $7.2MM, than for Nwora ($2.1MM). Wieskamp’s qualifying offer is also relatively modest ($1.8MM), but his NBA résumé is far more limited than Sexton’s or Nwora’s, so it’s unclear if he’ll get a better offer than that.

Two-way RFAs:

A report in early July suggested that Duke was hoping to earn a standard contract from the Nets, and following a Las Vegas Summer League in which he averaged 19.0 points per game in five appearances, there’s no reason to think his stance has changed. Brooklyn only has 13 players on standard contracts, so a promotion remains in play for Duke, but the team likely wants resolution on the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving sagas before locking in those back-of-the-roster spots.

Once Goran Dragic officially signs, the Bulls will have 15 players on standard guaranteed contracts and just one on a two-way deal, so they’d probably like to see Hill accept his two-way qualifying offer to fill that second slot.

It’s unclear what the Raptors‘ plans are for Johnson. The team has filled its two-way slots with new signees (Ron Harper Jr. and Jeff Dowtin) and there will be stiff competition for a spot on the 15-man regular season roster — the team already has 13 players on fully guaranteed contracts, plus three with partial guarantees and second-rounder Christian Koloko still unsigned. We’ll see if Johnson gets a chance to vie for one of those roster spots.

There may be a cleaner path for Thomas to earn a place on the Celtics‘ 15-man roster. Only 12 of Boston’s regular season roster spots are accounted for so far, so Thomas could get the chance to compete to be the 13th or 14th man. The team has already filled both its two-way slots with new additions (JD Davison and Mfiondu Kabengele).

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NBA Players With Trade Kickers In 2022/23

August 1st, 2022 at 12:19pm CST by Luke Adams

A trade kicker is a contractual clause that pays an NBA player a bonus when he’s traded. They’re one of the tools teams have at their disposal to differentiate their free agent offers from the ones put on the table by competing clubs — or to incentivize a player to sign an extension before he reaches free agency.

Sometimes the kicker is worth a fixed amount, but usually it’s based on a percentage of the remaining value of the contract. So, a player who has a 10% trade kicker is eligible for a bonus worth 10% of the amount of money he has yet to collect on his deal.

Regardless of whether a trade kicker is set at a fixed amount or a percentage, the bonus can’t exceed 15% of the remaining value of the contract. Most trade kickers are worth 15%, the highest percentage allowed.

A trade bonus must be paid by the team that trades the player, rather than the team acquiring him. The current Collective Bargaining Agreement also allows a player to waive his trade kicker as part of a deal, if he so chooses.

If you want a more detailed explanation of how trade kickers work, check out the Hoops Rumors Glossary entry on the subject.

Here’s a list of the NBA players who have active trade kickers for 2022/23, listed alphabetically, along with the details of those trade bonuses:

The following players have trade bonuses on their contracts, but those bonuses would be voided if they were to be traded during the 2022/23 league year, since they’re already earning this season’s maximum salary:

The following players have signed contract extensions that will include trade kickers, but those extensions won’t go into effect until at least the 2023/24 season:

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