🏀 EB Free Agency Primer

The draft is behind us, and free agency is on the horizon! Isn’t it nice that we still have stuff to talk about even after the season is over? Cause, you know, talking’s kind of our thing. Let’s get to it!

(PSST… we’ve been looking for things to do since basketball ended. Has anyone discovered any new hobbies recently? Bird watching? Pin collecting? Puzzles? If you have any suggestions, please hit our line.)

Today’s Lineup

Free Agency Primer: Will this summer shift the balance of the league? 🤔

Who’s Got The Dough? This Western Conference team apparently wants to sign everyone… 🚀

Unsung FAs: These guys will be pivotal signings, even without demanding a huge contract. ⭐

But first, some trivia:

Free Agency Primer

We’re less than a week away from this summer’s free agency period, and it’s safe to say we’re absolutely stoked. Here’s everything you need to know:

The Big Names

This summer’s top-end talent pool is relatively shallow compared to years past, but we still have big names with some even bigger decisions to make.

• James Harden seems to be on the fence between staying in Philadelphia and returning to Houston.

• Fred VanVleet declined his player option a few weeks ago, making him an unrestricted free agent. A reunion with Toronto isn’t totally impossible, but it certainly seems like VanVleet will be finding a new home. Chicago, Miami, and Houston are three options to keep an eye on.

• Khris Middleton just opted out of his $40 million player option. Our gut tells us he’ll return to Milwaukee on a longer-term deal, but if a team with big money comes in with a monster offer, who knows?

• Draymond Green is an unrestricted free agent, but picturing him without a Warriors uniform on just feels odd, right?

• All is quiet on the Kyrie Irving front, but it looks like a long-term deal with Dallas may be on the way.

Of course, these are only a couple of the big names. Guys like Kyle Kuzma, Nikola Vucevic, and Jerami Grant are also set to make some major money!

Who Has Cash?

Money makes the world (or in this case, the NBA) go ‘round, so here’s a look at the teams who have the most spending power this summer.

They’ll Have One of Everything, Please!

The Houston Rockets have more than $60 million in cap space, and they seem dedicated to tapping into that reserve this summer. With first-round draft picks Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore waiting in the wings, Houston already has the makings of a solid offseason. Signing either a star free agent or a few high level role players could transform this team in preparation for their 2023-24 campaign.

Unsung Free Agent Targets

We’re fans of the guys in the shadows here at Enjoy Basketball, and this free agency class has a bunch of those type of dudes. None of them are going to get a $100M contract, but they’ve all proven their ability to be a quality contributor somewhere around the league.

• Dennis Smith, Jr: The 25 year-old guard had a career resurgence in Charlotte last season, as he proved himself as a premier defender and a pretty solid bench distributor who can also still do this. Though Charlotte will likely attempt to retain Smith, other teams will undoubtedly be calling.

• Shake Milton: Like Smith in Charlotte, the Philadelphia 76ers likely want to keep Milton around. But with a few other Sixers needing new deals as well, it looks more and more likely that Milton will find a new home. He’s a microwave scorer who took advantage of big minutes in Philly when he got them, and he might be able to thrive in a larger role elsewhere.

• Drew Eubanks: With Jusuf Nurkic out for a solid chunk of last season, Eubanks (nicknamed the Shaq of Troutdale, or maybe the Trout of Shaqdale?) filled in and impressed, posting the best full-season numbers of his career. Eubanks won’t be a flashy signing wherever he goes, but he could provide some all-important center depth down the stretch for a team in playoff contention.

Frozen Moments

• That’s just nasty, Chelsea Gray. The Aces are quite simply a powerhouse.

• Scoot Henderson wearing his own jersey in public is a huge green flag.

• Gradey Dick’s Donald Duck impression is… pretty good.

What We’re Enjoying

Watching Movies With The Sound Off (10th Anniversary) by Mac Miller: We thought this was a typo at first, because it being ten years since Watching Movies dropped just doesn’t make any sense.

The tenth anniversary edition of Mac Miller’s masterpiece of an album includes new cover art and the (official) release of The Star Room (OG Version). Every day is a good day to listen to this album, but with the new reissue you have one more extra reason. RIP Mac ❤️

Signing Off

They’re playing the music, which means it’s time for us to go. Thanks again for rocking with us today! We say we appreciate you a lot, but that’s because… well, we really appreciate you.

Do something kind for someone this week just because you can. Don’t expect anything in return, and don’t do it for credit—just do it! Make the world a little more friendly. Talk soon!

-Quinn Everts

Trivia Answer: The first ever unrestricted free agent was Tom Chambers in 1988!

Before you go…