NBA Free Agency Live Deal Tracker: Grading every signing made worst to best
By Staff
The 2023 offseason promises plenty of chaos and drama. Keep up with every signing in our NBA Free Agency and see how we grade each deal.
Many of the biggest lingering questions of the 2023 offseason will be answered on the trade market but NBA Free Agency still holds the potential to dramatically reshape the power structure of the league. Huge names like James Harden, Khris Middleton, Kyrie Irving, Draymond Green can re-up with contenders or create new ones by swapping teams.
The action, officially, opens at 6 p.m. ET on Friday, June 30, when teams and players can begin negotiations. We’ll likely get a flurry of announcements in the immediate aftermath but it could days or even weeks for all the dust to settle. And while we’re waiting, we already have seen a few potential free agents take themselves off the market by signing extensions with their current teams.
As all the action unfolds, we’ll be tracking every signing, offering instant analysis and grading each deal. Bookmark this page and follow along.
Pre-NBA Free Agency extensions:
Bulls decide to keep Nikola Vucevic around
Contract: Three years, $60 million
Analysis: Vucevic was better last season than in his first full season with the Bulls but this deal still has disaster written all of it. Vucevic will be 35 by the time the deal ends and presumably much less effective. In the meantime, the Bulls are all but locked into a core that wasn’t good enough to make the playoffs last season. Even if they decide to pivot they’ll have a very hard time trading him on this contract and in terms of the actual number it appears they may have been bidding against themselves. What are we doing here folks?
Grade: F
Naz Reid is staying with the Timberwolves
Contract: Three years, $42 million, player-option in year 3
Analysis: The Wolves kept Reid out of free agency by inking him to this three-year extension. It allows them to keep one of the best young bigs on the market at a very reasonable price but it does create a frontcourt logjam that could increase the pressure to trade Rudy Gobert or Karl-Anthony Towns.
Grade: B+
NBA Free Agency signings: Worst grades
Reggie Jackson re-signs with Nuggets
Contract: Two years, $20 million
Analysis: Denver using what little money it could spend to re-sign Reggie Jackson after he was essentially out of the rotation last season is a bit strange. Jackson bounced from the Clippers to the Nuggets after having his contract bought out and he never really popped in Denver’s high-powered offense. Who was Denver bidding against here?
Grade: D
Lakers land Jaxson Hayes
Contract: Two years, figures TBD
Analysis: Hm. The Lakers need backup center help, sure. Jaxson Hayes is toolsy and worthy of intrigue. There aren’t many athletes like him, endlessly long and bouncy. When locked in, Hayes can absolutely eviscerate shots at the rim and he’s a more-than-capable lob threat on the offensive end. That said, he doesn’t have all the fundamentals down on defense and the offense is extremely limited outside of dunks.
Grade: C
Dennis Schroder signs with Raptors
Contract: Two years, $26 million
Analysis: A lot of money for Dennis Schroder, who was almost out of the league before his resurgent campaign with the Lakers. Still, with Fred VanVleet out the door, he’s primed to field productive minutes in the Raptors’ starting five. Schroder is a slippery downhill driver with a real penchant for finishing at the rim. His lack of 3-point volume, however, is a concern given Toronto’s well-established spacing issues.
Grade: C
Jerami Grant re-signs with Blazers
Contract: Five years, $160 million
Analysis: Jerami Grant had a step-forward offensive year scoring 20.5 points per game, but his defense took a step backward. This feels like an overpay for a team desperately holding onto any sense of relevancy. Grant will have to step forward as an authentic No. 2 option — if not No. 1 if Damian Lillard is traded — for Portland moving forward.
Grade: C
Nuggets land DeAndre Jordan
Contract: Figures and terms TBD
Analysis: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. DeAndre Jordan doesn’t have much left in the tank, but he’s fine as a bench warmer who can occasionally spike lobs or swat shots.
Grade: C+
Magic land Joe Ingles
Contract: Two years, $22 million
Analysis: Bit of a head-scratcher given the perceived market for Joe Ingles’ services, but the fit is strong. He’s a heady vet who can splash 3s and connect dots with his passing. In 15-20 minutes per game, Ingles is the kind of steady hand and veteran leader who could pay dividends for a young Magic team.
Grade: C+
Cam Reddish signs with Lakers
Contract: Two years, figures TBD
Analysis: Sure. Cam Reddish has flashed ample upside as a smooth shot-maker and quality wing defender, but he rarely puts all the pieces together. He’s a mixed bag who’s worth the gamble on a small contract.
Grade: C+
Mavericks land Seth Curry
Contract: Two years, figures TBD
Analysis: Seth Curry is one of the best shooters in the NBA. He has experience in Dallas, more specifically with Luka Doncic, and his contract has bargain potential relative to his skill level. That said, a smaller guard who can’t defend will have very limited utility in Dallas given the circumstances of that perimeter rotation.
Grade: C+
Derrick Rose signs with Memphis Grizzlies
Contract: Two years, $6.5 million
Analysis: Derrick Rose can still provide some punch as a slasher and finisher offensively, plus he’s presumably a good vet to have around Ja Morant in the locker room. He’s a considerable downgrade from Tyus Jones in the backup point guard spot, but the Grizzlies’ options were limited on that front.
Grade: C+