The NBA’s free agency period opened at 8am AEST on Saturday morning, and it hasn’t taken long for massive deals to be locked in.
In less than an hour, the biggest free agent was taken off the board, with Kyrie Irving agreeing a three-year, $126m USD ($189m AUD) deal to return to the Dallas Mavericks. The third year is reportedly a player option.
It’s not the only giant move so far.
Khris Middleton has agreed on a new three-year, $102 million ($A154m) deal to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks, the third year being a player option.
Four-time NBA champion Draymond Green looked set to leave the Warriors – where he has played his entire career – but instead signed a new four-year deal worth $100m USD ($150m AUD).
Jerami Grant has bagged a five-year, $160m USD ($240m AUD) deal to remain with the Portland Trail Blazers, while Kyle Kuzma has also picked up a monster deal worth $102m USD ($A154m) over four years in Washington.
And restricted free agent Cam Johnson has agreed on a four-year, $108 million ($A162m) deal to stay with the Brooklyn Nets.
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Elsewhere, Aussie Joe Ingles is set to move to the Orlando Magic.
Meanwhile, newly crowned NBA champion Bruce Brown will leave the Denver Nuggets and has agreed to a two-year, $45m USD deal with the Pacers, per ESPN. His previous career earnings – in total – were around $15m USD, but he is cashing in after a standout season.
Deandre Jordan will remain with the Nuggets, however, per Bleacher Report.
The Brooklyn Nets traded Joe Harris to the Detroit Pistons along with two second-round picks, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Harris has $19.9 million left on his contract, which runs out at the end of the upcoming season, and frees up significant cap space for the Nets.
Meanwhile, all eyes are on teams like the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Sacramento Kings, who each have plenty of cap space to play with.
Follow all the updates below!
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KUZMA GETS WIZARDS PAYDAY
Kyle Kuzma is returning to the Washington Wizards on a four-year $102m USD deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Kuzma has missed the playoffs with the Wizards in both of his seasons there, but delivered the best season of his career last year.
Kuzma averaged a career-high 21.2 points per game, with 7.2 rebounds and a career-best 3.7 assists.
He declined a bargain-basement $13m USD player option for the upcoming season with the Wizards to enter free agency.
According to Yahoo Sports, the Sacramento Kings were interested in his services after losing the race to sign him in 2021, while the Indiana Pacers, Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks were also linked with one of the best forwards in this free agent class.
But Kuzma has now bagged a significant payday to reflect his role as a starter and key contributor for the Wizards.
GREEN STAYING AT GOLDEN STATE
Draymond Green is returning to the Warriors after all.
Green agreed to a four-year, $100 million deal to return to Golden State at the outset of free agency Friday, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The deal contains a player option for the fourth year, per Charania.
The four-time NBA champion has played all 11 seasons of his career with the Warriors.
Green had been connected in free agency to the Kings, Trail Blazers and Lakers, among others.
The 33-year-old averaged 8.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game in 73 appearances for the Warriors this year.
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