Among the journalists who follow the NBA, John Hollinger has a particularly interesting profile since after having been one of the pioneers of advanced stats, notably creating the PER, he worked for ESPN before becoming vice-president of basketball operations for the Grizzlies. between 2012 and 2019.
Back in journalism since, at The Athletiche is thus particularly well placed to analyze strategic developments among the leaders of the various franchises in the league.
All-Stars who no longer move to “free agency”
His last column is therefore extremely interesting as he details the use of the “cap space” (i.e. the salary margin that can be used to recruit players from another team) during this free agency 2023. Indeed, so far , the teams that wanted to attract an All-Star on the “free agent” market generally took the same historical path: it was a question of generating a maximum of salaries to obtain the salary margin, in order to offer a maximum contract to the out-of-contract players.
In 2019, seven All-Stars had changed teams this way: Kawhi Leonard (Clippers | Raptors), Kevin Durant (Warriors | Nets), Kyrie Irving (Celtics | Nets), Kemba Walker (Hornets | Celtics), Jimmy Butler (Sixers – Heat), Al Horford (Celtics | Sixers) and D’Angelo Russell (Nets | Warriors).
But this summer, there was only one: Fred VanVleet, who went from the Raptors to the Rockets.
Already few All-Stars were available on the market, those who were (Kyrie Irving, Khris Middleton, Draymond Green, etc.) preferred to return to their respective franchises.
As John Hollinger notes, franchises that had “payroll” this summer didn’t rush to opposing stars. Apart from the Rockets, who used it “the old fashioned way”, all the other teams used different strategies. The Pistons thus used their “cap space” to get their hands on Joe Harris and Monte Morris, the Thunder used it to recover the contracts of Davis Bertans and Victor Oladipo, while signing Vasilije Micic, when Indiana took advantage of it to recruit Bruce Brown and get his hands on Obi Toppin.
More advantageous extensions… and more transfers under contract
One would think that the arrival of the new collective agreement, much more punitive for the spending teams, is the main explanatory factor for this relative calm among the superstars but, according to John Hollinger, it is rather the long-term effects of the old collective agreement that are being felt. Indeed, the NBA had favored contract extensions there, with in particular the arrival of the “supermax”. A strategy that was intended to allow teams to keep their stars, and thus prevent small markets from being looted.
But little by little, the players and their agents adapted, signing these more advantageous contract extensions… but suddenly demanding a lot more exchanges while being under contract.
This explains why the two biggest “free agents” of the summer are in fact not “free agents”. James Harden thus preferred to activate his “player option” before claiming an exchange with the Sixers, when Damian Lillard is under contract until 2027 with the Blazers (the last year is a “player option”).
July 1 is no longer the date for business in the NBA and the franchises have understood this, like Bruce Brown’s contract with the Pacers. The back has signed for $ 45 million over two years at the Pacers, but his second year is a “team option” that his team can therefore refuse to activate. This therefore makes him an overpaid player in the short term but transferable very easily this season or the one after. A perfect contract… if a superstar comes to ask for his transfer and it is necessary to balance the wages?
