Been busy since mid-June? Did you take Stephen Curry‘s suggestion and go “night, night” after Game 6 of the NBA Finals? Just can’t remember what happened all the way back in July?
We’ve got you covered. Just in time for the start of the 2022-23 season, here’s everything you might have missed in the NBA offseason:
Who got paid?
Let’s start with the new members of the $200 million club:
Nikola Jokic: A low-stress five-year, $272 million extension that makes his commitment to the Denver Nuggets a total of six years and an NBA-record $304 million.
Bradley Beal: Signed for five years and $251 million with the Washington Wizards, but the sweetener was a rare no-trade clause that could be worth its weight in platinum at some point.
Karl-Anthony Towns: A four-year, $224 million supermax extension with a player option on the last year with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Devin Booker: A four-year, $224 million supermax extension without a player option in the last year with the Phoenix Suns.
Zach LaVine: A five-year, $215 million fully guaranteed deal with the Chicago Bulls, who weren’t scared off by his offseason knee surgery.
The future Hall of Famer division:
LeBron James: Unworried about the state of the Los Angeles Lakers, he extended for two years and $97 million, stretching his career earnings past $500 million and his contract past his 40th birthday.
Damian Lillard: He added two years and $121 million with the Portland Trail Blazers. He’ll make a whopping $63 million in the last year of his extended deal, the 2026-27 season.
James Harden: He took a surprising $14 million pay cut with the Philadelphia 76ers, opting out of a $47 million salary to take a two-year, $68 million deal with an option that will allow him to return to free agency in 2023.
Now the 2019 draft class extensions:
Zion Williamson: Five years and $194 million, but it comes with some injury protections for the New Orleans Pelicans that made it not fully guaranteed.
Ja Morant: Five years, $194 million with an escalator that will kick it to $231 million if he makes the All-NBA team this season (Williamson has a similar bonus). The big win for the Grizzlies was not including a player option in the last year.
Darius Garland: Five years, $194 million extension without a player option, locking him in with the Cleveland Cavaliers for next six seasons.
Tyler Herro: The Sixth Man of the Year got a four-year, $120 million deal from the Miami Heat with up to $10 million in possible bonuses.
RJ Barrett: Signed a four-year, $107 million deal with the New York Knicks in the middle of the Donovan Mitchell trade discussions. The signing became one of the more dramatic NBA moments of the summer.
Anfernee Simons: Four years and a flat $100 million from the Portland Trail Blazers.
Keldon Johnson: Signed for four years and $74 million in July, a deal that might have been more expensive had the San Antonio Spurs waited until the fall.
Jordan Poole: Got punched by teammate Draymond Green in practice but soothed by four-year, $123 million extension with bonuses that could make it worth up to $140 million. Signed the same day as teammate Andrew Wiggins, who agreed to a four-year, $109 million extension.
0:52
Tim MacMahon breaks down why Jalen Brunson chose to sign a four-year, $104M deal the New York Knicks.
Did any of the big-name free agents switch teams?
Jalen Brunson: A hotly debated four-year, $104 million deal with the Knicks. The NBA is investigating whether there was tampering with the former Dallas Mavericks‘ guard. Brunson’s father, Rick, is a Knicks assistant coach, and one of Brunson’s agents, Sam Rose, is the son of Knicks president Leon Rose. Proving tampering with family members involved seems a challenge.
And then there’s an asterisk*:
Deandre Ayton: Signed a four-year, $133 million offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers after more than a year of chilly contract talks with the Suns, who quickly used their matching rights to keep Ayton.
Who didn’t get paid (yet)?
Kyrie Irving: After long-term contract talks stalled, he asked the Brooklyn Nets for permission to seek sign-and-trade deals elsewhere in June. He got approval but later admitted he found few workable options, so he’s back in Brooklyn after picking up a $37 million player option.
Khris Middleton: He has a $40 million player option for next season with the Milwaukee Bucks, so he could be a free agent next summer if he chooses. He can sign an extension until June 30, but nothing happened in the preseason.
D’Angelo Russell: Earning $31 million in the final year of his deal. With other expensive stars on the roster, it might be difficult for the Timberwolves to keep him long term.
Fred VanVleet: Has a $23 million player option for next season. The Toronto Raptors are incentivized to eventually lock him up on a deal.
Who got traded?
Rudy Gobert: The Wolves went into the record books by sending four first-rounders and four players to the Jazz for the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, resetting the star trade market for the foreseeable future.
Donovan Mitchell: After talks with the Knicks failed to land what had been an expected deal, the Cavs jumped in with three unprotected first-round picks, two pick swaps and three players to land the 26-year-old All-Star with three years left on his contract.
Dejounte Murray: Looking to boost their position and help franchise player Trae Young, the Atlanta Hawks sent three first-rounders to the Spurs for the 2022 All-Star.
Malcolm Brogdon: Trying to boost their playmaking off an NBA Finals loss, the Boston Celtics used the combined salaries of five backup players plus their 2023 first-rounder to land Brogdan from the Pacers.
1:58
Adrian Wojnarowski details how the Cavaliers were able to put a package together to land Donovan Mitchell.
Who didn’t get traded?
Kevin Durant: Asked for a trade just before the start of free agency, sending the league into a frenzy. The Nets initially said they’d acquiesce, but their asking price in trade talks was so high that nothing gained traction. Durant, locked into a five-year deal he signed in 2021, had limited leverage and rescinded the request in August. For now.
Russell Westbrook: The subject of rumors all summer, the Lakers said all the right things publicly while considering options but ultimately didn’t make a deal. For now, he will remain their starting point guard.
Who got hired?
Darvin Ham: After interviewing for several jobs over the past few years, the Lakers hired Ham away from the Bucks and gave him a four-year contract.
Mike Brown: Got his fourth head-coaching job with the Sacramento Kings after six years as the lead assistant with the Warriors.
Will Hardy: The Jazz gave the 34-year-old, first-time head coach a five-year contract ahead of a major rebuilding effort after one season as an assistant with the Boston Celtics.
Tim Connelly: In rare general manager free agency, Connelly opted out of his contract as president of the Nuggets after a heavy recruiting effort by the Wolves. He eventually landed a five-year, $40 million deal with Minnesota that reportedly more than doubled his salary as well as provided a pathway to ownership shares in the future.
Who didn’t get hired?
Quin Snyder: In a move that portended the major shake-up coming for the Jazz, Snyder resigned after eight successful seasons. He is now the most desired coach on the basketball market.
Ime Udoka: After leading the Celtics to the Finals in his first year as a head coach, he was suspended for the season for breaking team rules and his future with the organization is in doubt.
Frank Vogel: Just two years after leading the Lakers to a championship, he was fired with a year left on his contract.
Who’s selling?
Robert Sarver: After the NBA completed a 10-month investigation into his behavior as owner of the Suns and the Phoenix Mercury, he was fined $10 million and suspended for one year. After several star players, the players’ union and sponsors applied pressure, Sarver announced he is voluntarily selling the team.
Source: www.espn.com