Scotto: Most around the NBA believe Zach LaVine and James Harden will stay put where they are. I expect Bradley Beal to take the money from Washington after the way he gave that press release when he opted to get surgery. Regarding Kyrie Irving, if he decided to opt out, I previously polled executives about his trade value, and it wasn’t good since a lot of teams were scared of him. I’d imagine the same would go towards signing him, if he became a free agent. He’s enjoyed being a Brooklyn Net, his hometown team. I don’t get the sense he wants to go anywhere else.
Gozlan: Irving’s situation will be interesting. He hasn’t played in half the games this season. It’s still unclear if the (New York mandate) rules are going to change. Last season, he took time off during the season. Nobody has really discussed that he’s got a player option this offseason. We went from discussing him and James Harden as guys who’d take maximum extensions with Kevin Durant but didn’t. Now, what are the Nets really thinking? Do they want to commit a new contract to him? He could get a max deal if he opts out, or they can extend him if he opts in.
Scotto: I think, ultimately, as long as he and Durant want to stay together, Kyrie is going to remain with the Brooklyn Nets…
When I look at the next tier of free agents, Deandre Ayton may have to get an offer sheet from another team like Detroit or San Antonio. We’ve seen how Phoenix was hesitant to give him a max contract… Certainly, there were tensions behind the scenes when Ayton didn’t get that this offseason. I think that push comes to shove, he’s going to have to get that money elsewhere, at least that full max.
When it comes to the Charlotte Hornets and Miles Bridges, Charlotte wasn’t trying to extend him before the season when it was around the $20 million annual range. Now, he’s going to command more than that on the market most people think around the league.
Gozlan: For both guys, if they wanted to pursue max offer sheets, it’s about a projected $130 million over four years. Offer sheets have definitely become a lot less common over the past few years. A lot of restricted free agency has been settled with sign-and-trades if movement needs to happen. The last offer sheet we got was Bogdan Bogdanovic to Atlanta in 2020.
Scotto: What’s going to be interesting is Jalen Brunson’s free agency. A lot of people going into the trade deadline thought Dallas was going to have a tough time keeping both Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith with the looming luxury tax concerns. Finney-Smith has extended his contract in Dallas. Brunson is the top point guard who could potentially change teams this offseason. On our last HoopsHype podcast episode, I touched on how there’s a lot of smoke whether the Knicks have true interest in Brunson or if those rumors are based on the CAA relationship ties he has with Leon Rose, who represented his dad, Rick Brunson. The Knicks could use a point guard upgrade, and Brunson’s still young enough, where he fits with that core if the Knicks chose to go that route. Dallas will have to decide if they can match his market value with the luxury tax looming and maybe trade Spencer Dinwiddie, or sign-and-trade Brunson, if he breaks the bank.
Anfernee Simons will be a restricted free agent for the Portland Trail Blazers. Most people around the league think Simons will be retained by the Blazers.
After Simons, you’ve got Collin Sexton on our free agent list. You can make a case that he’s a wild card and can maybe get a prove it short-term type of deal compared to what he originally thought. When he was in extension talks with Cleveland, they were talking, depending on what side you ask for their perspective, big money. They were talking $20 million-ish or more (annually), as one side wanted. That didn’t get done. He got hurt, unfortunately, and he’ll be the biggest wild card this summer when it comes to free agency. I’ve touched on Cleveland wanting to retain him.
A couple of other guys stick out to me a little bit. Bobby Portis, who passed on some money previously to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks. He kind of surprised people when he did. Montrezl Harrell with the Hornets. They had their concerns with paying Miles Bridges previously. They’re now going to have to pay Harrell, too, if they want to keep him. The guy who’s boosted his value as much as anyone not named Anfernee Simons is Malik Monk on the Lakers. You can make a case for Jalen Brunson too.
Gozlan: There’s a way Charlotte can fit Harrell and a new contract for Bridges. If Bridges gets something in the $20-25 million range, they can still bring back Montrezl at around what he’s making. It would probably be between the full mid-level exception without avoiding the tax. Portis and Monk have some interesting similarities. Portis took a discount to stay with the Bucks in the past offseason. Part of it was probably with the possibility of earning more this offseason once he gains Early Bird rights. It would allow him to re-sign with the Bucks for a little more than the full mid-level exception… I’d imagine Monk would like to stay there (Los Angeles), if possible. They’re limited to offering him the taxpayer mid-level exception this offseason. If he accepts that, then maybe they do a one-plus-one deal where they can re-sign him with Early Bird rights next offseason. I think he can get an offer for the full mid-level exception of about four years and $44 million. A lot of teams have that to offer, and there’s not a lot of cap space out there.
