It's only been two days, but the 2023 NBA free agency period has certainly delivered a plethora of content.
Some players decided to stay put and run it back with their previous teams. Such was the case with Kyrie Irving, who reportedly agreed to a three-year deal to stay in Dallas after the team collapsed late last season and missed out on the play-in tournament entirely.
Kyle Kuzma was one of the most sought-after unrestricted free agents, too, given his impressive all-around growth as a two-way forward. However, he also re-signed with the Washington Wizards on a reported four-year deal worth $102 million.
Brook Lopez didn't alter the center market either after reportedly agreeing to a two-year deal worth $48 million to continue on with the Milwaukee Bucks.
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But some players, like Fred VanVleet and Bruce Brown, started new chapters after agreeing to lucrative deals.
So, who are some early winners and losers as the third day of the 2023 NBA free agency period looms? Let's dig into it:
Winner: Los Angeles Lakers
This is probably the last (and best) year to optimize the LeBron James-Anthony Davis window for one more title. The Lakers made it to the Western Conference Finals this past season in large part due to adding better 3-and-D players to the mix at the trade deadline, plus young off-the-dribble creators who could relieve pressure off James.
Los Angeles then attacked those profiles in free agency. Gabe Vincent, 27, came over from the Miami Heat and agreed to a three-year, $33 million deal after steadily improving as a guard in South Beach, most notably helping them reach the NBA Finals. Veteran two-way forward Taurean Prince, 29, agreed to a one-year, $4.5 million deal and is a knockdown 3-point shooter from the corners.
They then bought low on Cam Reddish and Jaxson Hayes -- two 23-year-olds who were top-10 draft picks in 2019 -- with the hopes of extracting high rewards. Note they did a similar move by bringing in Malik Monk on a cheap one-year deal in 2021-22, though he left to Sacramento on a more lucrative contract after a strong spell in Southern California.
D'Angelo Russell's reported two-year, $37 million contract probably is the head scratcher of the bunch given his playoff disappearances the last few times he's played in the atmosphere, but maybe they can use that $18.5-million-per-year figure as a salary filler in a trade down the line. Plus, you'd arguably rather pay a 27-year-old Russell that salary than $13 million a year on 29-year-old Dennis Schroder, which we'll delve into later.
All of this, plus Los Angeles retained 25-year-old restricted free agents Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura on longer deals. They seem to have a younger core in place in the post-LeBron era, whenever that will be.
Loser: Houston Rockets
When you have so much money and you don't know how to spend or use it, chances are you'll waste it. Welcome to the 2023-24 Houston Rockets...and beyond. Houston entered the free agency period with nearly $60 million in projected cap space, per Spotrac, meaning it had significant funds to dole out and improve the roster after another mediocre season.
So far, the Rockets' primary additions have been Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks and Jock Landale. Even more mindboggling, they reportedly gave VanVleet $43 million over three seasons, Brooks $80 million over four seasons (fully guaranteed) and Landale $32 million over four seasons (only Year 1 guaranteed).
VanVleet, 29, shot 39% from the field last season, a figure worse than his average salary. Brooks averaged 14 points per game and also shot 39% from the field, which is part of why the Memphis Grizzlies did not want to bring him back "under any circumstances" so they could improve. Landale has only started five games with two different teams the last two seasons, so an unproven backup who will be 28 in October just received a similar salary to that of Kevon Looney and Al Horford.
They also traded promising young forward K.J. Martin to the LA Clippers for two second-round picks and agreed to pick up soon-to-be 37-year-old Jeff Green on a one-year, $6 million deal.
Maybe new head coach Ime Udoka has a plan, but a lot of these moves reek of overpays. Let's see if Houston will have a problem this upcoming season -- or maybe they become a surprise team.
Winner: Phoenix Suns
The Suns roster depleted after they acquired Kevin Durant from Brooklyn midseason, then that amplified when Bradley Beal arrived via trade from Washington during the offseason. With a lack of draft capital and cap space in free agency, Phoenix had to nail this period. And it did so rather quickly.
On the first day the window opened, the Suns reportedly agreed minimum deals with Keita Bates-Diop, Drew Eubanks, Chimezie Metu and Yuta Watanabe. They also retained Damion Lee and Josh Okogie. That's quite a solid mix of versatile depth all in their prime, with Durant, Beal, Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton supplying the starpower.
New head coach Frank Vogel has worked his magic on players of these profiles before, so it wouldn't be surprising if Phoenix is as good on the court as it is on paper. Getting the rotations right will be pivotal.
Loser: Toronto Raptors
The Raptors kept a largely same core from its playoff defeat in 2021-22, then tried to claw up the standings with a late push in 2022-23 but ended up losing in the play-in tournament.
Then Nick Nurse left for Philadelphia in the offseason, prompting Darko RajakoviΔ's hire. And, as aforementioned, VanVleet secured a massive bag with Houston that left a glaring hole at the point guard position for Toronto.
Toronto has been notorious with opting for lengthy two-way wings to play positionless basketball and not playing many pure point guards or centers. That philosophy had to change at some point, which it partially did last year when the Raptors acquired center Jakob Poeltl from San Antonio, who re-signed with Toronto on a four-year, $80 million deal.
But they replaced VanVleet with the aforementioned Schroder, who agreed to a two-year deal worth nearly $26 million. Whichever way you look at it, it's a downgrade. It wouldn't be surprising if the Raptors do just well enough to qualify for the playoffs, but struggle to really make an impact in the postseason barring refinement to the roster.
Jalen McDaniels for the reported two-year, $9.3 million deal is a solid get, but he's just one of many of those profiles already on the roster.
Loser: Philadelphia 76ers
This section is largely contingent on what happens with James Harden. Will he really be traded on that $35.6 million option? Or will he end up staying at least one more season with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey?
Whichever route they choose, it might not be good enough, though that statement depends on the return for Harden. The reason here being both the short- and long-term outlook appears bleak in Philly. Apart from one run with Houston, Harden has not been the guy to be a top-two player on a title-winning team. Also, Maxey reportedly won't be extended this summer; what does that say about Philly's confidence in him?
Georges Niang, Shake Milton and Jalen McDaniels, as aforementioned, all departed elsewhere. None have been good enough to lift the 76ers, while the sole reported addition thus far has been soon-to-be 35-year-old Patrick Beverley.
Beverley's fit makes sense, and he's a bargain coming at $3.2 million for one season, but the 76ers just need way more talent to move the needle in Joel Embiid's prime years. If Philly underperforms yet again this year, it wouldn't be shocking if teams start poking around Embiid's situation.
