2023 NBA Free Agents: Latest Rumors and Predictions for Kyrie Irving, VanVleet, More
The 2023 NBA offseason is very much on for the 14 teams who fell short of the playoffs.
A handful of franchises knew this was coming months ago. A few just had their postseason dreams shattered this week.
No matter how they got here, though, all find themselves in the same boat. They need to start mapping plans to a brighter future, whether that means climbing the ladder next season or making big steps forward further down the line.
That's why, if you listen closely enough, you can already hear the hum of the upcoming free-agency frenzy. We're here breaking down the latest buzz and using it to make predictions about the players involved.
Mavericks Confident They'll Keep Kyrie Irving
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The Dallas Mavericks took a massive risk with their deadline deal for Kyrie Irving and have seen zero return on that investment so far.
Dallas wilted down the stretch, fumbling its faint championship hopes and eventually landing in the lottery. The team was 29-26 before Irving debuted on Feb. 8; it went a disastrous 9-18 from that point forward.
But the Mavs, who desperately need a co-star alongside Luka Dončić, aren't scared off Irving. In fact, they hope to bring him back from unrestricted free agency and "feel really good" about their chances to do so, per ESPN's Ramona Shelburne (via ClutchPoints).
If Dallas wants to keep Irving, it probably can, but only if it pays up. He should command at least a near-max salary, and the Mavs might need a three-plus-year offer to get his signature. That feels doable given how badly Dallas needs top-level talent to pair with Dončić.
Prediction: Irving signs a three-year deal to stay in Dallas.
Major Changes Coming in Toronto?
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The Toronto Raptors had a chance to reset at the trade deadline and rebuild around Scottie Barnes. They went the opposite direction and paid for win-now talent, giving up a first-round pick (and more) for Jakob Poeltl.
You wonder if the Raptors would have done things differently had they known their deadline deal wouldn't change their fate. They fell into the 9-10 play-in tournament game and couldn't escape it, falling to the Chicago Bulls at home.
That could be the precursor to sweeping summer changes.
"I think everybody in the league knows that Toronto is going to be heading to a breakup," an opposing executive told Heavy Sports' Steve Bulpett.
That could mean a lot of things, but it's most pertinent to this discussion with the upcoming free-agency ventures of Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. If the Raptors plan on resetting around the 21-year-old Barnes, then re-signing the 29-year-old VanVleet wouldn't make much sense. And even the 24-year-old Trent might be out of the plans if his next contract becomes too pricey.
Prediction: VanVleet is sign-and-traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. Trent re-signs with the Raptors.
Lakers Like Jordan Clarkson, Could Make a Run at Him in Free Agency
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The Lakers landed Jordan Clarkson in a 2014 draft-night deal and rostered him for his first three-plus NBA seasons.
They reportedly have interest in bringing him back to Hollywood.
"The Lakers really wanted to see if they could shake him free there," an Eastern Conference executive told Heavy Sports' Sean Deveney. "... I would not be surprised to see the Lakers make another run."
Since leaving L.A., Clarkson has cemented himself as one of the league's best spark plugs and an ignitable scorer in general. This season, the Utah Jazz made him a nightly starter, and he responded by posting personal-best per-game averages of 20.8 points and 4.4 assists.
His shot creation would be helpful to have, but the Lakers probably don't need it as much as other suitors will, since they get plenty from LeBron James, Anthony Davis and D'Angelo Russell.
Prediction: Clarkson signs with the Orlando Magic.
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