2023 NBA Free Agents: Rumors, Predictions Based on Late-Season Buzz
As some teams gear up for the 2022-23 NBA playoffs, others are already eyeing the upcoming offseason. Free agency doesn't start until July 6, but you can bet that team decision-makers and players are already plotting their next moves.
Several quality players, including Kyrie Irving, Jerami Grant, Dillon Brooks, Nikola Vučević and Brooks Lopez are scheduled to hit the open market. Several others, including James Harden, Kristaps Porziņģis and Fred VanVleet have player options and could become available.
Here, we'll dive into some of the latest NBA free-agency buzz and make a few predictions about some of this year's top players who will or could be available.
Kristaps Porziņģis and Kyle Kuzma
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The Washington Wizards can be counted among the teams already looking ahead to next season. At 34-43, Washington is a long shot to even make the play-in tournament. The Wizards may need to make some changes to their roster if they hope to be contenders in 2023.
Along the way, though, Washington will have to decide the futures of two of its top stars. Porziņģis and Kyle Kuzma are both entering option years.
According to The Athletic's Shams Charania, Washington is already working on an extension for Porziņģis.
"Porziņģis and the Wizards have been serious discussing a new deal in which he would opt out of his $36 million player option for the 2023-24 season and sign a new long-term deal, those sources say," Charania wrote.
According to Charania, Kuzma is also on track to decline his player option, but there is "mutual interest" between Washington and Kuzma on a new deal.
It will be interesting to see what sort of deals the Wizards can offer, as Washington is projected to be $13 million over the salary cap, according to Spotrac. It's hard to see Porziņģis departing since he and the Wizards are already talking about a new contract. Kuzma could be much more willing to test the open market.
Prediction: Porziņģis re-signs with Washington, Kuzma departs in free agency.
James Harden
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While the Wizards aren't likely to be oozing effective cap space, the Houston Rockets will be. They're projected to have a league-high $72.6 million in cap room this offseason. According to ESPN's John Granato, Houston is looking to make significant changes.
"Yesterday, I got some insight in the Rockets organization. Bringing in veterans? They're going to do that," Granato said on The Bench podcast. "...They are going to emphasize defense [a lot] more. They're disgusted with this, not lack of effort, but lack of ability, quite frankly."
If the Rockets are looking to improve in a hurry, a reunion with Harden could make a lot of sense. Harden may be 33, but he's still quite capable of being a high-level contributor. This season with the Philadelphia 76ers, he's averaging 21.3 points, 10.9 assists and 6.2 rebounds.
The 76ers, of course, are hoping to chase a championship this year. While leaving a legitimate contender to return to Houston might seem illogical, it's something Harden is considering, according to Sam Amick and Kelly Iko of The Athletic:
"Houston is widely expected to pursue the 13-year veteran point guard if, as is expected, he declines his player option for the 2023-24 season. And even more surprisingly, sources with knowledge of Harden's outlook say he's as serious about a possible return now as he was when he left town."
Harden is still searching for his first NBA title, though perhaps winning isn't his biggest priority at this point in his career. Of course, the decision to opt out and return to Houston will be a lot easier for Harden if the 76ers win it all this season.
Regardless, if he wants to go back, and the Rockets want him back, our guess is that it will happen.
Prediction: Harden opts out and signs with Houston.
Kyrie Irving
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Like the Wizards and the Rockets, the Dallas Mavericks are likely to miss the postseason. This wasn't the expectation when Dallas made a deadline deal to acquire point guard Kyrie Irving and pair him with superstar Luka Dončić.
Irving, however, has seemingly accepted that his latest team just isn't good enough to win a championship this year.
"This was for the long term, and this was for something that's bigger than ourselves, and we can't just be a championship team overnight," Irving said, per Shandel Richardson of FanNation. "...So I think I've wrapped my head around that aspect of it. I'm at peace with it."
Irving may be looking at his partnership with Dallas as a long-term thing, but that doesn't mean it will be. The 31-year-old will be a free agent this summer, and it's fair to wonder if the Mavericks want to retain him.
While Irving has been a solid player since arriving in Dallas—he came into Saturday's game averaging 26.1 points, 5.9 assists and 5.2 rebounds—he hasn't drastically improved the team.
Re-signing Irving would be a costly move, and if he hasn't transformed the Mavs into a contender this year, why would Dallas assume he can next year? The prediction here is that the Mavericks look to try something different, while Irving is left searching for his fifth NBA team.
Prediction: Irving does not re-sign with Dallas.
*Salary cap information via Spotrac.
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