Most of the biggest movement of the NBA offseason has predictably come and gone. LeBron James has re-signed. Paul George and Klay Thompson have changed teams. This is how the offseason calendar tends to work. We come into the summer with a certain group of big names whose futures are settled between the draft and the first few days of free agency. Things slow down from there, but that doesn’t mean they stop.
Remember, Damian Lillard and Jrue Holiday were traded right around the start of training camp a year ago. The Donovan Mitchell saga lasted several months as well. The NBA isn’t going to stop on a dime the moment the Olympics roll around. After all, Dwight Howard was literally traded while playing for Team USA during the 2012 Olympics. There is still movement on the table this summer.
So what business is left to be settled? Here are four questions that need to be answered between now and opening night.
1. Will Markkanen or Ingram be traded?
The best player still seemingly available through trade is Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen. While there is no hard deadline for Utah to make a decision, the date that is looming in these talks is Aug. 6. That is when Markkanen becomes eligible to renegotiate-and-extend his contract. The Jazz have the cap space to take him up to his max right away, and if they do so, he would be off-limits for trade purposes until six months have passed. That could get him back on the market before the trade deadline, but it’s more likely that the Jazz either move him before Aug. 6 or plan to keep him. At present, his relatively low $18 million cap number means that almost any team in the NBA could fit him onto a balance sheet.
Although it may be tempting to hold out for better returns closer to the deadline, the value of players like Johnson, Finney-Smith, and Schroder cannot be overlooked during the regular season. The Lakers are expected to make some roster moves, potentially involving trading away players like Christian Wood or Cam Reddish. Teams like the Kings and Blazers are facing positional logjams and may look to balance their rosters through trades. The Bulls are looking to offload contracts, while other teams are open to taking on cap dumps in exchange for assets. The Clippers are reportedly looking to move Russell Westbrook, with the Nuggets being a potential suitor. Additionally, there are still key free agents on the market, including Kyle Lowry, Gary Trent Jr., and Tyus Jones, who could make significant impacts for their new teams. It is unlikely that he will be successful this time, but he remains a reliable backup center who is still relatively young. Some of the available free agents will sign in the near future, while others may take longer to make their decisions. Despite the financial concerns brought about by the new salary cap restrictions, there is still plenty of talent available in the market.
As for big-money rookie extensions, only three have been reported so far, all of which were max deals given to Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes, and Franz Wagner. While some players like Evan Mobley and Jalen Green are expected to receive max contracts eventually, negotiations for others like Trey Murphy and Josh Giddey could be more complex. The deadline for rookie extensions is approaching, and those who do not reach agreements will become restricted free agents next offseason.
The NBA offseason is always full of surprises, and the upcoming months will be crucial for many young players and their future in the league. following sentence using different words:
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