Almost a month after the NBA finals, basketball fans are eagerly waiting to see which teams will snatch up the remaining free agents, with the negotiation period ending tomorrow, July 6th. While no player can officially sign their contract until 12:01 am on July 6th, the majority of NBA free agents have already committed to teams, whether their contracts are being renewed, or they are officially being traded to a different team.
Day One of the Free Agency Moratorium boasted the highest number of contractual agreements, from Devin Booker remaining with the Phoenix Suns under a $214 million 4-year contract to Malcolm Brogdon leaving the Indiana Pacers for the Boston Celtics. As the end of this moratorium nears, a few highly sought-after players are still not committed to any team, with shooting guard James Harden taking the lead as the best player that is still free. Harden has only been with the Philadelphia 76ers since February of this year, and is currently an unrestricted agent, meaning that other teams can make offers and the original team they play for is not able to match the offers of other teams. However, it seems likely that Harden will stay in Philadelphia, with reports mentioning talks of a 3-year $150 million contract.
On the other hand, one player who has joined the discussion is Kevin Durant, who signed a 4-year contract with the Brooklyn Nets last August, but has now requested to be traded from the team. The future roster of the Nets is seemingly in shambles, with speculation whether all-star Kyrie Irving will opt out of his Nets contract completely. With Durant, Irving, and Ben Simmons leading the team, the loss of two crucial players could be a devastation to the Brooklyn team.
23-year-old Deandre Ayton, who was the first pick in the Round 1 2018 NBA draft, has been with the Phoenix Suns for his entire career but is now likely to be traded to either the Indiana Pacers or Toronto Raptors. After losing Malcolm Brogdon to the Celtics, it has been said that the Pacers are attempting to revamp their roster and sign young players who will stick with the team for a while. Unlike Harden, Deandre Ayton is a restricted player, so the Suns are able to match any offer that Ayton receives if they are still interested in keeping him on as a center. Other notable free agents include Collin Sexton, Carmelo Anthony, Dennis Schröder, and Blake Griffin.
