NBA Free Agency 2023: Dissecting Latest Rumors Following Heat vs. Nuggets Finals

The Denver Nuggets' defeat of the Miami Heat in the 2023 NBA Finals served as the unofficial official opening of the offseason.

While the smell of celebratory champagne is still wafting through the hoops world, front offices around the Association are plotting paths to bring a celebration to their town next season.

The upcoming draft opens one door to potential upgrades, but the free-agency period following shortly thereafter is when many teams will make their most significant upgrades of the summer.

With the market nearing its actual opening, let's break down the latest buzz surrounding some of the top players up for grabs.

Executives Skeptical Heat Will Stomach a Massive Luxury-Tax Hit

AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee

Miami Heat guards Max Strus (31) and Gabe Vincent (2) congratulate each other after a play during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

The Heat can attribute a not insignificant portion of their playoff success to overlooked and undervalued contributors like Caleb Martin, Max Strus and Gabe Vincent.

There's just one challenge stemming from that success, though: A few of these players won't be undervalued much longer. Not financially, at least.

Both Strus and Vincent are heading into unrestricted free agency, and each could exit it with an eight-figure annual salary in hand. Theoretically, the Heat could bring both back, but the cost could be astronomic.

As B/R's Eric Pincus relayed, paying both Strus and Vincent at the non-taxpayer mid-level exception rate of a $12.2 million starting salary could see "the Heat's payroll...quickly balloon to $205 million with a massive $152 million luxury tax."

That's a staggering figure, and one Pincus reported rival executives are "highly dubious" Miami would be willing to pay. The Heat could conceivably cut costs in an effort to keep them, but they're also on the lookout for star players. It's possible (if not probable) Miami could be forced to choose between Vincent and Strus.

Tre Jones Has an Important Supporter in San Antonio

AP Photo/Eric Gay

San Antonio Spurs guard Tre Jones (33) and San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons in San Antonio, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Tre Jones has spent his first three seasons with the San Antonio Spurs. It's possible he'll head elsewhere for his fourth NBA go-round since he's about to enter restricted free agency.

Then again, the fact he's a restricted free agent means the Spurs will have the option to match any offer sheet he signs with another team. And he reportedly has a very important fan within this franchise: longtime head coach Gregg Popovich.

"Though Popovich is hands-off these days when it comes to personnel moves, I've been told that he has stated a strong preference that the team re-signs Tre Jones," LJ Ellis reported for SpursTalk.com.

If Popovich wants Jones back, all other interested suitors should probably explore alternative options. The Spurs have the power to keep him, and it's unlikely he'll command the kind of coin that would make them think twice about it. This season was his first as a full-time starter, and his numbers were solid (12.9 points on 45.9 percent shooting, 6.6 assists against 1.6 turnovers) but not spectacular.

Raptors Return Possible for Fred VanVleet, but Not a Lock

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TORONTO, CANADA - APRIL 12: Fred VanVleet #23 of the Toronto Raptors stands for the national anthem before the game against the Chicago Bulls during the 2023 Play-In Tournament on April 12, 2023 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Toronto Raptors are starting fresh this offseason by replacing longtime head coach Nick Nurse with first-time NBA skipper Darko Rajakovic. The big question is whether they're also starting over with this roster, since they could pivot toward a youth movement centered around last season's Rookie of the Year, Scottie Barnes.

One expected domino dropped recently when guard Fred VanVleet declined his $22.8 million player option to enter unrestricted free agency, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. While VanVleet "hasn't ruled out" a return to Toronto, Wojnarowski notes that VanVleet is now "one of the most prominent guards in the marketplace and an immediate target of teams with cap space and several contenders who'd welcome discussions on sign-and-trade scenarios."

VanVleet, who averaged 19.3 points and a career-high 7.2 assists this past season, won't be hurting for suitors. He's been both an NBA champion and an All-Star, and he makes an impact as a scorer, shooter, table-setter and point-of-attack stopper. Virtually any club with a void in the backcourt should arguably give him a look.

With interest likely through the roof, it's tough to picture him staying in Toronto. The Raptors won only 41 games and couldn't escape the play-in tournament this season despite avoiding catastrophic injury issues. That might signal that it's time for both the team and VanVleet to move on.