The Extension Terms

Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins came to terms on a 4 year, $212.4M extension yesterday that keeps the QB under contract through the 2028 season. It easily surpasses Tyreek Hill’s $120M contract as the largest total value deal in Dolphins’ history, while the $212.4M figure ranks 11th among active NFL contracts.

The $53.1M contract average is the 2nd largest figure in NFL history, but Tua now ranks 4th in AAV behind Burrow, Lawrence, and Love - all who clock in at $55M. Against the current $255.4M league salary cap, Tua’s AAV represents 20.79%, which ranks 12th in the league (behind Lawrence, ahead of Goff).

The Guarantee Structure

Tagovailoa’s new deal contains $93.171M fully guaranteed at signing, by way of a $42M signing bonus, his 2024 salary, 2025 salary, and a $25M 2025 offseason roster bonus. The $93.171M currently ranks 12th among all contracts, while a sub 40% total value guarantee (39.5%) is quite a bit less than the recent near/top of the market QB contracts to hit the books.

It’s clear this was a major sticking point for the Dolphins amidst negotiations.

Next March, his $54M 2026 salary becomes fully guaranteed. This figure is guaranteed for injury at signing.

In March of 2026, $3M of Tua’s 2027 salary becomes fully guaranteed. $20M of this salary is guaranteed for injury at signing. The remaining $17M becomes fully guaranteed in March of 2027.

This calculates to a practical guarantee of $167.1M, (8th most) though it should be noted that the final $17M of 2027 salary should be considered a loose guarantee at this stage (is that the most oxymoronic statement ever?).

The Cash Flow

Tua will earn $43.125M in 2024, up nearly $20M from his previous $23.171M 5th-year-option.
The 2-year payout comes in at $94.1M, good enough for 5th among active contracts, while the 3-year cash flow hands Tua $149.1M, 3rd most and ahead of Joe Burrow.

Tua Tagovailoa’s Cash Flow
2024: $43.125M
2025: $51M
2026: $55M
2027: $37M
2028: $49.4M

Of note, the Dolphins compromised on a very strong early cash flow in lieu of making the 4th year of this contract more stable for Tua. When looking at the cash per year breakdown, it’s safe to assume that if all is going well after 2026, Miami will be willing to begin the re-negotiation process, when Tua will still be 28-years-old.

The Salary Cap Hits

An average signing bonus ($42M) and minimum salary for 2024 kept his cap hit for the upcoming season extremely team-friendly ($9.525M). It’s a savings of $13.6M from his 5th-year-option salary before the extension.

From there however, the onus will be put on the front office to manage Tua’s salary cap figures going forward. There’s a juicy $25M roster bonus (fully guaranteed) to be paid out next March that seems like a lock to be converted to a signing bonus for cap purposes. But the 2026 financials will need a wait-and-see approach. If the wheels are falling off on the relationship, Miami may be inclined to keep all or most of his $54M base salary intact, rather than add more dead cap to a soon to be traded or released player.

Tua Tagovailoa’s Cap Hits
2024: $9.5M
2025: $59.4M
2026: $63.4M
2027: $45.4M
2028: $57.8M

Attainable Incentives

The new deal contains incentives each of 2025-2028 that are tied to a combination of playing time and playoff success.

• 50% regular season snaps + Wild Card Win: $250,000
• 50% regular season snaps + Divisional Round Win: $500,000
• 50% regular season snaps + Conf. Championship Win: $500,000
• 50% regular season snaps + Super Bowl Win Win: $1M

A Potential Out Discussion

Miami was able to draw a pretty thick line in the sand after 2026 here. Even after they convert the $25M roster bonus for next season into signing bonus (and assuming no other conversion), the Dolphins will only be strapped with $34.8M of dead cap to move on before the 2027 campaign. ($3M of that comes in the form of fully guaranteed 2027 salary)

2027 should be the line of demarcation for both sides here. If it’s not working out, the Dolphins can and will bail. If it’s still full steam ahead, Tua should be aggressively seeking a contract extension after 2026, especially with “only” $37M allocated to the 2027 season.

This will immediately become one of the more polarizing, closely-watched contracts in 2024, as Tua’s injury history and lack of playoff production kept many followers wondering if the extension should have ever happened in the first place.

So let’s play it out this way: The Dolphins and Tua don’t agree on an extension. He ends his holdout prior to Week 1, earns his full $23.1M 5th-year option salary, plays out a $43M franchise tag in 2025, and plays out a $51M 2nd franchise tag in 2026. That’s 3 years, $118M.

Under these new terms, Tua is likely to earn $149M+ over the next 3 seasons, plus a $3M buyout guarantee in 2027 to get us to $152M+. That’s a difference of $34M. Is a potential franchise QB for 3 seasons worth an extra $34M in order to keep him happy, not holding out, and in the best frame of mind to produce? Most teams would say yes.

The Extension Terms

Jordan Love and the Green Bay Packers agreed to a 4 year, $220M contract extension last night. The deal adds on to his previous 1 year, $11M contract, combining for 5 years, $231M in total value. The $220M new money value ranks 10th among active contracts, but becomes the largest in Packers history by a country mile (Aaron Rodgers, $150.8M).

At $55M per year, Love is now tied with Joe Burrow & Trevor Lawrence as the highest average paid players in football, but this ranking should come with a fairly sizable asterisk. When pinning this metric against the league salary cap at the time of signing, Love/Lawrence’s AAV drops to 10th, at 21.53%. Burrow remains the leader in the clubhouse for this metric, as his $55M last offseason represents 24.47% of the league cap.

The Signing Bonus

The Packers have long operated as a franchise that hands out guarantees exclusively via the signing bonus. While Love’s new deal is one of the (very) few that contains additional salary guarantee, Green Bay handed their QB1 a record-setting $75M signing bonus. Of that, $25M will be paid next week, another $25M will be paid October 4th, and the final $25M will be paid out on December 27th. It’s an outstanding pay structure for an extraordinary bonus.

The previous breadwinner at this metric just received the belt a few weeks ago: Jared Goff, $73M per his new deal with the Lions.

Top 5 Signing Bonuses in NFL History

1. Jordan Love (GB, 2024): $75M
2. Jared Goff (DET, 2024): $73M
3. Lamar Jackson (BLT, 2023): $72.5M
4. Dak Prescott (DAL, 2021): $66M
5. Russell Wilson (SEA, 2021): $65M

The Guarantee Structure

As noted above, the Packers broke tradition by guaranteeing more than just a signing bonus. Jordan Love’s $100.8M guaranteed at signing consists of his signing bonus, 2024 salary, 2025 salary, 2026 salary. The $100.8M currently ranks 9th among NFL contracts, but at nearly 44% of the total value of the contract ($231M), this is a fairly strong number.

Next March 16th, the remaining $39.5M of Love’s 2026 compensation (an option bonus) will become fully guaranteed. All of that is guaranteed for injury at the time of signing.

On the 5th league day of 2026, $20M of Love’s 2027 compensation becomes fully guaranteed. All of that is guaranteed for injury at the time of signing, and subject to offsets.

This calculates to a practical guarantee of $160.3M, which also ranks 9th among active contracts.

The Cash Flow

Love will make $79M in 2024, which is more than his previously available $11M I’m told. Only Jared Goff & Lamar Jackson (who each secured $80M) have locked in more out of the gate.

The 2-year payout for Love comes in at $92M, good enough for 6th among active contracts, while the 3-year cash flow hands Love $143M, 5th most and just behind Joe Burrow.

Jordan Love’s Cash Flow
2024: $79M
2025: $13M
2026: $51M
2027: $43M
2028: $45M

The Salary Cap Hits

The triple-bonus structure of this contract means very tenable cap hits early on in the deal, with a fluffy finale in 2028. We’re also projecting the use of 3 void years in 2029-2031 which allows the option bonuses to prorate a full 5 years, but leaves behind $34.7M of dead cap at the expiration of the contract after 2028.

Jordan Love’s Cap Hits

2024: $20.7M
2025: $29.7M
2026: $36.1M
2027: $42.4M
2028: $74.2M

The contract extension added $8M of cap to the upcoming 2024 season.

A Potential Out Discussion

Despite early vesting guarantees into the 2027 season, this is really a “3 years and we’ll see contract”. If the wheels are falling off between the two sides at any point over the next three seasons, the Packers can walk away after 2026 - but it will cost them.

Here’s the scenario: The Packers enter the 2026 offseason realizing Love may not be the future of the franchise. The decline a $39.5M option bonus (which is already guaranteed), choosing to take it all on as guaranteed salary instead. The move raises his 2026 cap hit to $67.7M, which is high, but will be doable in a near $300M league salary cap world. After 2026, Green Bay can outright release Love, taking on $51M of dead cap all at once, or $36M in 2027, $15M in 2028 as a Post 6/1 release. The catch? $20M of that dead cap will consist of fully guaranteed salary to be paid to Love, that is subject to offset language if he were to sign elsewhere for the season.

So yea, it’s a 3 year contract for slightly practical purposes, but much more plausible as a 4 year, $186M deal through the 2027 season. At this point in time, Love will be 29-years-old, and if things are going swimmingly, both sides will be ready to engage in new contract negotiations.

If things aren’t in shape to proceed after 2027, expect a Post June 1st release in March of 2028, leaving behind $29.2M of dead cap for that season, and another $34.7M in 2029. These figures can be reduced heavily if Green Bay were to decline Love’s $31.5M option bonus, instead choosing to take it all on as 2027 salary.

Plenty of options, a few fairly decent outs halfway through, but also a pretty strong contract for a player with very few game reps or big wins in his back pocket.

A Win For “Trust the Process”

When the Packers selected Jordan Love #26 overall back in 2020, the collective groans could be heard across all of NFL Nation. Green Bay was still attached at the hip to Aaron Rodgers, and it was widely believed that they were a high prospect offensive weapon or two away from being able to reach Super Bowl aspirations again.

Instead, the Packers’ front office decided to store a potential next-QB1 in their back pocket, starting the clock on his rookie contract value immediately - to much grief from those who follow closely  (myself included). Rodgers responded with back-to-back league MVP seasons, furthering the groans, what-ifs, and whys with this draft decision.

Love would see action in just 10 games before Green Bay finally made the decision to trade away Aaron Rodgers and turn the keys over to their 2020 1st Rounder. Though the timing of the move came on the heels of another big decision: Jordan Love’s $20.2M 5th-year-option. Would they fully guarantee their QB1 through 2024 without really knowing if he’s the man for the job?

Love and the Packers agreed on a creative, bridge extension that handed him a near $6M raise in 2023 (from $4M to $9.9M), with a chance for Green Bay to move on thereafter and cut their losses. Love responded about as well as possible in his first full season at QB1, forcing his front office to turn that bridge contract into a fully developed QB contract. And here we are.

Ahead of her 14th birthday tomorrow, McKenna “Mak” Whitman has signed a contract with NJ/NY Gotham FC via the U-18 Entry Mechanism. The U.S. Youth National Team forward becomes the youngest-ever contracted player in the NWSL, and Gotham’s first U-18 player. Whitman is signed through the 2028 season, and her guaranteed contract will be effective starting January 1st, 2025, although Gotham additionally signed her as a national team replacement player (NTRP) during the current international window. 

Whitman has been training with Gotham since preseason and was a part of the Gotham roster which won The Women’s Cup Colombia during preseason and scored the game-winning goal to send Gotham to the final. More recently, Whitman was named to the 18 player roster which will represent the USA at the U-15 Concacaf Championship in Costa Rica in August. 

“I am really excited to sign and begin my professional career with Gotham FC,” said Whitham in a team release. “Gotham FC is a great place for me to continue to push myself as a player. I can’t wait to get to work and to continue to grow as a player with the great players, coaches and staff at Gotham FC.”

An interesting aside, Whitman will earn an NWSL year of service for her time as an NTRP, and following the conclusion of her contract in 2028, she will have 5 years of service under her belt, making her an unrestricted free agent under the current NWSL collective bargaining agreement—the current CBA expires December 31st, 2026. 

Previously, the youngest player signed to a contract in the NWSL was Kansas City Current forward Alex Pfieffer at 15. Even with 14 close in sight, there are potential issues that come up with a player of such a young age, including state labor laws as Gotham beat writer Jenna Tonelli highlighted below. 

Sunday July 28th Gotham FC takes on the Washington Spirit in the NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup, and Whitman could potentially make her professional debut.

More on the NWSL’s U-18 Players:

https://www.spotrac.com/nwsl/contracts/u18 

As the July 30th MLB Trade Deadline approaches, many teams have already begun to maneuver for the dog-day stretch of the 2024 season. The Oakland Athletics have already started their annual “trade, demote, or designate anyone with a million dollar salary” process. The smaller markets (Kansas City/Baltimore) have taken a head start into trade season, adding to their respective bullpens before the real fun begins. And of course, the need to watch the standings on a daily basis has become as important as ever, as we all collectively attempt to decipher which teams will be buyers, sellers, or a little bit of both over the next 8 days.

Spotrac has scoured the internets, listened to all of the relevant podcasts, and of course run through hours and hours of game film to generate the most complete list of players at least marginally rumored to be on the move this summer. Some will, many won’t, a few will have never even been in the running - but for the most part, this is a decent guide to use for the next week.

Our list includes a positional grouping of players, their remaining 2024 salary at the July 30th deadline, and their future contract status (UFA, Arbitration eligibility, guaranteed salary, etc…).

POSITIVE & NEGATIVE TAX TEAMS

But first, a quick update as to where certain teams stand in terms of the CBT heading toward August. As you might imagine, the Mets are currently positioned in the worst shape, carrying a projected $342M tax payroll ($105M over the threshold). They stand to owe an estimated $91M bill at year end. The Dodgers ($329M) & Yankees ($315M) round out the $300M+ club right now, with Atlanta ($269M), Houston ($261M), Philly ($261M), San Francisco ($252M), Texas ($251M), & Toronto ($245M) rounding out the remaining teams who currently sit over the $237M league threshold.

Look for San Francisco, Texas, & Toronto to make a concerted attempt to get under that $237M in the coming days (easier said than done).

Also near the tax line are the Cubs ($236M) who remain on the Buy/Sell split line as we speak, but may opt to shave a few million for business purposes, while keeping their focus on establishing a contending team for 2025.

Contenders with ample tax space to burn?

• Baltimore: $121M
• Pittsburgh: $117M
• Cleveland: $102M
• Milwaukee: $84M
• Seattle: $77M
• Kansas City: $76M
• Minnesota: $75M

RELATED: MLB Team Tax Space

TRADE CANDIDATES

Catchers

A small, expiring crew on the surface but a contending team taking a swing for Diaz (who stands apart as the big fish here), could prove extremely valuable down the stretch.

Danny Jansen (TOR, $1.6M, UFA)
Elias Diaz (COL, $1.9M, UFA)
Jacob Stallings (COL, $483k, Mutual Option)
Carson Kelly (DET, $1.1M, UFA)

1st Basemen

The position group that holds maybe the biggest “swings” this week, though it seems less and less likely that either Alonso or Vlad Jr. are moved. A monster offer for Paredes might be in play here, as he holds 3 years of team control.

Andrew Vaughn (CHW, $1M, Arbitration thru 2026)
Spencer Torkelson (DET, $238k, Arbitration thru 2028)
Josh Bell (MIA, $5.3M UFA)
Pete Alonso (NYM, $6.6M, UFA)
Wilmer Flores (SF, $2M, Player Option)
Isaac Paredes (TB, $1M, Arbitration thru 2027)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR, $6.4M, Arbitration thru 2025)

2nd Basemen

Rengifo may be the most likely trade candidate here (as the Angels are primed for another sell-off), but India could be one of the bigger sleepers on this entire page. He’s got contender potential and 1 more year of control.

Jonathan India (CIN, $1.2M, Control thru 2026)
Brendan Rodgers (COL, $1M, Arbitration thru 2025)
Luis Rengifo (LAA, $1.4M, Arbitration thru 2025)
Thairo Estrada (SF, $1.5M, Arbitration thru 2025)
Brandon Lowe (TB, $2.8M, Club Option)

Shortstops

DeJong was a castaway player 12 months ago (released 3 different times) but has done enough to warrant interest at this deadline (16 HRs, 12 doubles). With that said, teams looking at DeJong may find it makes more sense to snag one of the below UTIL players instead.

Paul DeJong (CHW, $564k, UFA)

UTIL Players

Urshela can play anywhere on the infield, and Rosario has middle infield/outfield experience for a few organizations. They seem perfect bench adds for teams looking to be relevant in the fall.

Giovanny Urshela (DET, $483k, UFA)
Amed Rosario (TB, $483k, UFA)

Outfielders

Robert’s name keeps coming in and out of focus at the deadline, but a blockbuster move that includes both he and Garrett Crochet might be the headline of this entire week. Chisholm has also become a late yet prominent addition to the rumor mill.

Luis Robert Jr. (CHW, $4M, Control thru 2027)
Tommy Pham (CHW, $967k, UFA)
Jake Cave (COL, $322k, Arbitration thru 2025)
Kevin Pillar (LAA, $322k, UFA)
Taylor Ward (LAA, $1.5M, Arbitration thru 2026)
Jazz Chisholm (MIA, $846k, Arbitration thru 2025)
Harrison Bader (NYM, $3M, UFA)
Miguel Andujar (OAK, $548k, Arbitration thru 2025)
Michael Conforto (SF, $5.8M, UFA)
Mike Yastrzemski (SF, $2.5M, Arbitration thru 2025)
Randy Arozarena (TB, $2.6M, Arbitration thru 2026)
Lane Thomas (WSH, $1.75M, Arbitration thru 2025)

Designated Hitters

Winker seems a slam dunk to move (flipping him at the deadline was basically written into his initial contract), while the A’s will almost certainly need a franchise changing offer to let Rooker or RP Mason Miller loose this month.

Justin Turner (TOR, $4.2M, UFA)
J.D. Martinez (NYM, $3M, UFA)
Jesse Winker (WSH, $483k, UFA)
Brent Rooker (OAK, $241k, Arbitration thru 2027)

Starting Pitchers

Of this lot, Fedde, Flaherty, Anderson, & Kikuchi may be considered most likely to be moved. Even if a full sail sell isn’t in the Mets cards anymore, moving one of their expiring starters seems like good business. Keep an eye on the Giants, who have a half dozen names on this page, but may be most motivated to cash in on Snell before he opts out into free agency this winter (maybe?).

Jameson Taillon (CHC, $5.8M, 2 yrs, $36M)
Garrett Crochet (CHW, $258k, Arbitration thru 2026)
Erick Fedde (CHW, $2.4M, 1 yr, $7.5M)
Frankie Montas (CIN, $4.5M, Mutual Option)
Cal Quantrill (COL, $2.1M, Arbitration thru 2025)
Austin Gomber (COL, $1M, Arbitration thru 2025)
Jack Flaherty (DET, $4.5M, UFA)
Tarik Skubal (DET, $854k, Arbitration thru 2026)
Tyler Anderson (LAA, $4.2M, 1 yr, $13M)
Trevor Rogers (MIA, $493k, Arbitration thru 2026)
Sean Manaea (NYM, $4.6M, Player Option)
Jose Quintana (NYM, $4.2M, UFA)
Luis Severino (NYM, $4.2M, UFA)
Blake Snell (SF, $4.8M, Player Option)
Zach Eflin (TB, $3.5M, 1 yr, $18M)
Zack Littell (TB, $596k, Arbitration thru 2025)
Michael Lorenzen (TEX, $1.45M, UFA)
Andrew Heaney (TEX, $4.2M, UFA)
Jon Gray (TEX, $4.2M, 1 yr, $13M)
Yusei Kikuchi (TOR, $3.2M, UFA)

Relief Pitchers

As per usual, the reliever list comes in as the biggest list, the most likely to be moved list, and the most needed position group across the league. If 10 of these names aren’t moved in the next week, we’ll be absolutely shocked.

John Brebbia (CHW, $1.3M, Mutual Option)
Michael Kopech (CHW, $967k, Arbitration thru 2025)
Fernando Cruz (CIN, $242k, Control thru 2028)
Lucas Sims (CIN, $919k, UFA)
Brent Suter (CIN, $806k, Club Option)
Justin Wilson (CIN, $483k, UFA)
Jalen Beeks (COL, $540k, UFA)
Andrew Chafin (DET, $1.3M, Club Option)
Matt Moore (LAA, $2.9M, UFA)
Carlos Estevez (LAA, $2.1M, UFA)
Luis Garcia (LAA, $1.3M, UFA)
Tanner Scott (MIA, $1.8M, UFA)
A.J. Puk (MIA, $580k, Arbitration thru 2026)
Adam Ottavino (NYM, $1.4M, UFA)
Scott Alexander (OAK, $725k, UFA)
T.J. McFarland (OAK, $483k, UFA)
Austin Adams (OAK, $258k, Arbitration thru 2025)
Mason Miller (OAK, $238k, Control thru 2029)
Lucas Erceg (OAK, $241k, Control thru 2029)
Camilo Doval (SF, $248k, Arbitration thru 2027)
Pete Fairbanks (TB, $1.1M, 1 yr, $3.6M)
Kirby Yates (TEX, $1.4M, UFA)
David Robertson (TEX, $3.2M, Mutual Option)
José Ureña (TEX, $483k, UFA)
Yimi Garcia (TOR, $1.9M, UFA)
Trevor Richards (TOR, $693k, UFA)
Kyle Finnegan (WSH, $1.6M, Arbitration thru 2025)
Dylan Floro (WSH, $725k, UFA)

RELATED: 2025 MLB Free Agents

It’s official, the San Diego Wave has announced that they have acquired forward Delphine Cascarino and signed her through the 2026 NWSL season with a mutual option for 2027. Cascarino will join the Wave following the 2024 Paris Olympics where she will be representing host-country France in her first ever Olympics. 

Cascarino will occupy the Wave’s sixth and final international spot for 2024 – as they sent the seventh international slot for 2024 and 2025 to the Houston Dash as a part of the record-breaking María Sánchez trade. Her addition will also put the Wave at the league limit of 26 active players once everyone returns from the Paris Olympics. 

“I decided to join San Diego Wave FC because for me it's one of the best teams in the league and I am very excited to join the club,” stated Cascarino in a team provided interview. “I am a player who’s very technical and fast and I would like to bring to the team my experience and my leadership.”

In a nod to her hometown, Lyon and where she signed as a professional for the first time in 2015, Cascarino will be repping the number 69 for the Wave. France is divided into 96 departments and Lyon is the capital of  Rhône, or department 69. “It’s really important to me to represent Lyon in the USA,” said Cascarino. 

“Delphine is a world-class player in the prime of her career. Her experiences at both the club and national team level will be invaluable to this team,” said San Diego Wave FC Sporting Director and General Manager Camille Ashton said in a team release. “We are thrilled to welcome Delphine to San Diego. She joins us at a pivotal time and will make an immediate impact for us on the pitch.”

The French striker will bring a long career of winning at the top level to a currently struggling Wave—who are currently sitting in tenth in the NWSL table. She has six UEFA Champions League titles, nine French Division Championships, and five Coupe de France titles under her belt as well as 45 goals from her nine years with Olympique Lyonnais. 

The Wave attack currently sits 11th out of the 14 teams with only 12 goals scored in their 16 games. Cascarino’s versatility to play as a striker and in the midfield along the edges will ideally bring a new dynamic to Wave who are looking to course correct in the back half of the season and not only get back into playoff contention this year but build toward a future where they once again are fighting for the top of the table. 

Cascarino has made 64 appearances, scoring 14 goals across her senior international career with France. She was a part of the 2019 World Cup roster that fell to the USWNT in the quarterfinals, and aided France in getting to the European Championship semifinals in 2022. 

France kicks off their Olympic play on Thursday, July 25th against Colombia in Cascarino’s hometown of Lyon. On the NWSL side, the first opportunity Cascarino will have for her Wave regular season debut is when the club takes on rival Angel City FC on August 24th at Snapdragon Stadium. 

You can see of all NWSL team’s International Spots: HERE

NBA Summer League season has now come and gone. Leagues in California, Salt Lake City and the big one in Las Vegas have wrapped up. That means it’s time to look back at how things went.

In this exclusive series for Spotrac, we’ll be looking at how each rostered player performed in Summer League this year.

A “rostered player” is someone who is either:

• Signed to a standard contract
• Signed to a two-way contract
• Signed to a training camp deal (or rumored to be signing one)
• Has their draft rights retained by the team

On occasion, another player may sneak in here if they did something that stood out. We’ll be going division by division, so that the articles don’t get too unwieldy. The hope is that series will give you a sense of how players looked, while giving you something to consume while we wait for NBA training camps to begin in a couple of months.

Chicago Bulls

Matas Buzelis

Contract Status: Four-years, $23.9M, 2024 First-Round Rookie Scale

Stats: 16.4 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 2.0 SPG, 2.0 BPG, 33.7% FG%, 21.4% 3P%, 74.1% FT%

Analysis: Buzelis came in with a chip on his shoulder and then played angry. That’s a good thing. He’s clearly not upset with being on his hometown Bulls, but Buzelis isn’t happy about slipping in the draft. He looked fine athletically. The shot, which was questionable in the G League, continues to be the real question.

Marcus Domask

Contract status: One-year, non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 training camp deal

Stats: 2.3 PPG, 1.7 RPG, 11.3 MPG

Analysis: Domask barely played in Las Vegas. He’s coming off a very solid all-around college career. Domask has good size for a wing. But he didn’t shoot well in college. If he can’t knock down shots, he’ll be a G League guy.

Henri Drell

Contract Status: Unrestricted Free Agent

Stats: 7.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 37.1% FG%, 26.7% 3P%, 62.5% FT%

Analysis: Drell suffered from the same fate as a lot of the Summer Bulls as far as shooting goes. He’s already proven that he’s at least a solid player on a two-way contract. Right now, Chicago doesn’t have a two-way spot open, so Drell may be looking elsewhere for his next roster spot.

Andrew Funk

Contract Status: One-year, Two-Way contract

Stats: 2.4 points, 16.7% FG%, 17.6% 3P%

Analysis: The Bulls used Funk like a shooting specialist in Las Vegas. The issue was that Funk didn’t hit many shots. He’s on a two-way deal, but as a second-year two-way guy, consider that spot a little tenuous.

Julian Phillips

Contract status: Three-years, $6.5M, 2023 Second Round Pick Exception

Stats: 13.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 2.3 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 40.5% FG%, 36.8% 3P%, 70% FT%

Analysis: Phillips was one of the Bulls best players in Las Vegas. He was confident and pulled several shots off the dribble. That’s a good development, after a rookie year where he was mostly a stationary shooter. Phillips may have to fight for minutes this season, but don’t bet against him.

Adama Sanogo

Contract status: One-year, Two-Way Contract

Stats: 15.0 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 62.2% FG%, 87.5% FT%

Analysis: Sanogo solidified his status as a solid developmental big. He’s a good finisher, a tough rebounder and he’s got just enough lift to block and challenge shots. The Bulls don’t have a ton of depth at the center spot, so Sanogo could eventually work himself into a conversion to a standard deal.

D.J. Steward

Contract status: One-year, Two-Way Contract

Stats: 17.4 PPG, 6.4 APG, 3.0 RPG, 1.4 SPG, 47% FG%, 40% 3P%, 86.7% FT%

Analysis: Steward balled out for the Summer Bulls. So much so that he landed a two-way contract from Chicago. Steward was aggressive as both a driver and a pullup shooter. He did a better job as a playmaker than he’s shown to date in the G League. That’s encouraging, because to stick in the NBA Steward will have to be more than just a scorer.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Emoni Bates

Contract status: Restricted Free Agent

Stats: 16.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, 36.2% FG%, 28.6% 3P%, 100% FT%

Analysis: Bates built on a strong rookie season by looking physically overpowering for a lot of summer defenders. We’re not going to worry too much about the missed shots. Bates was being tasked with creating a lot of his own looks. He was largely able to do so, for the most part. One really encouraging sign: Bates made some passes that he wouldn’t have attempted last year. That’s good stuff.

Pete Nance

Contract status: Unrestricted Free Agent

Stats: 11.6 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 1.4 BPG, 46.8% FG%, 34.8% 3P%

Analysis: Nance was basically the same guy he was in the G League last year. He’s a solid big who can space the floor a bit. The Cavs would do well to bring Nance back on another two-way deal for frontcourt depth.

Craig Porter Jr.

Contract status: Three-years, $6.5M

Stats: 13.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 4.0 APG, 2.3 SPG, 39.4% FG%, 21.4% 3P%, 71.4% FT%

Analysis: Porter made sort of a cameo appearance in Las Vegas. He’s already an established NBA guy, so the Cavs didn’t need to see much out of him. It would have been nice to see Porter hit more shots, but he was kind of playing a bombs-away style without anyone to set him up.

Luke Travers

Contract status: Draft Rights Retained

Stats: 8.3 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 2.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 48.1% FG%

Analysis: Travers is a Summer League veteran at this point. He did his all-around thing in Vegas, but with less usage, as the Cavs focused on some younger players. Ideally, Travers would shoot it better, but he might be able to break through as an NBA rotation guy anyway. If he doesn’t come over this season, it’s probably worth wondering if Travers will ever come to the NBA.

Jaylon Tyson

Contract status: Four-years, $16.1M, 2024 First-Round Rookie Scale

Stats: 15.4 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 4.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 58.8% FG%, 40% 3P%, 91.7% FT%

Analysis: Tyson wasn’t just the Cavs best player at Summer League, he was one of the best players in Las Vegas period. He looked calm, confident and composed. Tyson used his physical gifts to overpower lesser defenders to get into the paint over and over. He did a solid job as a finisher once at the rim. When that was shut off, he showed some surprising passing skills. The Cavs wing depth in a little shaky, especially beyond this upcoming season. Look for Tyson to claim a regular rotation spot before long.

Detroit Pistons

Ron Holland

Contract status: Four-years, $37.5M, 2024 First-Round Rookie Scale

Stats: 18.8 PPG, 6.5 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.5 SPG, 40.8% FG%, 23.5% 3P%, 65% FT%

Analysis: Starting with the good, Holland is NBA-ready as an athlete. He can more than hang in that aspect. He also has pretty good basketball IQ. Holland took a few risks in Vegas, but they were ones worth taking. He also showed up as a competitive rebounder, which is always a plus for a wing. On the downside, Holland couldn’t get shots to fall. He missed open looks, contested looks and everything in between. For him to become what the Pistons need him to, Holland has to shoot it better.

Daniss Jenkins

Contract status: One-year, Two-Way contract

Stats: 9.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.2 BPG, 34.9% FG%, 33.3% 3P%, 91.7% FT%

Analysis: Jenkins is super competitive for his size. He’s got good athleticism, which allows him to compete for rebounds and to take a shoulder, but stay in the play in on-ball defense. Jenkins needs to pick his scoring spots better, but he’s a good passer. Detroit has an interesting player to work with in the G League.

Bobi Klintman

Contract status: Four-years, $7.9M, Second Round Pick Exception

Stats: 11.2 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 3.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 42% FG%, 41.9% 3P%

Analysis: Everything from Klintman was encouraging at Summer League, minus his finishing inside. He’s got enough size that he may eventually become a solid stretch-four option. That’s big for a Pistons team that is lacking somewhat in frontcourt depth. Apprenticing under Tobias Harris, who has a similar physical makeup and came in with a similar skillset, will be great for Klintman.

Wendell Moore Jr.

Contract status: Two-years, $7.1M, 2022 First Round Rookie Scale

Stats: 5.5 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 25% FG%, 16.7% 3P%

Analysis: Moore made a cameo appearance for the Pistons in Las Vegas. His spot on the team is mostly related to financial/cap matters, as opposed to Moore’s talent. We’ll see if that changes, but he has a lot of competition for minutes at either wing position.

Marcus Sasser

Contract status: Three-years, $10.8M, 2023 First-Round Rookie Scale

Stats: 12.2 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 5.2 APG, 2.0 SPG, 33.3% FG%, 25% 3P%, 79.3% FT%

Analysis: Sasser’s Summer League was like his rookie season: Flashes of brilliance around moments of inconsistency. Sasser was too quick, strong and smart for most point guard in Las Vegas. He got to the free throw line repeatedly. He also did a nice job defensively and made some plays as a passer. Unfortunately, Sasser was unable to build on a semi-encouraging shooting season as a rookie. The Pistons have more depth in the backcourt now. Sasser will have to fight to get consistent minutes this season.

Indiana Pacers

Kendall Brown

Contract status: Two-years, $4.4M

Stats: 9.6 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.2 SPG, 41.5% FG%, 20% 3P%, 70.6% FT%

Analysis: As a third-year Summer Leaguer, Brown should have dominated. Alas, he didn’t. At moments, Brown looked really good. He was able to get by opposing forwards off the dribble and into the paint. At other times, he couldn’t get past anyone and settled for contested jumpers. Brown’s spot on the Pacers roster is probably contingent upon a two-way guy beating him out or the team needing a veteran upgrade.

Enrique Freeman

Contract status: Draft Rights Retained

Stats: 8.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 60.7% FG%, 45.5% FT%

Analysis: Freeman plays bigger than his 6-foot-7 size. That’s good, because he’s not ready to play on the perimeter in the NBA right now. Freeman’s shot is very much a work in progress. But when you compete as hard as he does, and you know how to play, betting on a guy like Freeman is always a solid move.

Johnny Furphy

Contract status: Four-years, $7.9M, Second Round Pick Exception

Stats: 14.0 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.8 BPG, 37% FG%, 28.6% 3P%

Analysis: Furphy was every bit the athlete he was advertised to be. He did a nice job running the floor. Furphy was competitive defensively and did a nice job getting on the glass on both ends. The shot will look better eventually too. The Pacers have a nice player to develop through the G League this season.

Quenton Jackson

Contract status: Restricted Free Agent

Stats: 11.0 PPG, 4.2 APG, 2.4 RPG, 1.8 SPG, 62.5% FG%, 45.5% 3P%, 66.7% FT%

Analysis: Jackson looked good in his third run through Summer League. He was confident at getting into his shots and he drilled them at a high rate. It’s easy to see why the Pacers have held his restricted free agent rights. He could be back on a two-way contract, but maybe something more opens up for him.

Tristen Newton

Contract status: Draft Rights Retained

Stats: 9.0 PPG, 4.6 APG, 3.8 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 20% FG%, 18.2% 3P%, 89.3% FT%

Analysis: This space is a huge fan of Newton and wanted to see him look better. On the plus side, he showed he can really run a team. That stood out even on a Summer Pacers team with some NBA vets. Newton also got to the free throw line regularly and knocked them down at a good clip. Unfortunately, Newton shot like crap from everywhere else. He couldn’t finish in the paint and couldn’t get his jumpers to fall. A season in the G League will do him wonders.

Ben Sheppard

Contract status: Three-years, $10.5M, 2023 First-Round Rookie Scale

Stats: 7.0 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 25% FG%, 25% 3P%

Analysis: After he played in each of the Pacers playoff games, it was a surprise to see Sheppard make even a cameo appearance at Summer League. Sheppard shot it terribly, but this was apparently just getting a little extra run in. He’ll be battling for wing minutes in Indiana’s rotation this season.

Oscar Tshiebwe

Contract status: Restricted Free Agent

Stats: 11.6 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 61% FG%, 44.4% FT%

Analysis: Tshiebwe is who he is at this point. He’s an outstanding rebounder. He can finish around the rim at a decent clip. He’s ok defensively, but his lack of footspeed leaves him vulnerable on switches. Expect him back on a two-way deal this season. He’s good enough to provide emergency minutes in the frontcourt if necessary.

Jarace Walker

Contract status: Three-years, $21.5M, 2023 First-Round Rookie Scale

Stats: 18.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.0 BPG, 42.6% FG%, 45.8% 3P%, 78.9% FT%

Analysis: Walker is ready for real minutes in the NBA. This summer, the Pacers clearly wanted to see him shoot threes and get to the free throw line. Mission accomplished. Walker also got on the glass and did a nice job as a playmaker. If he can shoot it consistently, he might crack Indiana’s wing rotation this season. Otherwise, it’s time for a trade to a team that can let him be a playmaking four.

Milwaukee Bucks

MarJon Beauchamp

Contract status: Two-years, $7.5M, 2022 First-Round Rookie Scale

Stats: 12.5 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.8 SPG, 32.7% FG%, 30.4% 3P%, 84.6% FT%

Analysis: Beauchamp should have been better as a third-time Summer Leaguer. The physical tools are good, but not good enough to make up for a shaky shot. We’re on the verge of the Bucks possibly declining their fourth-year rookie scale team option for Beauchamp to create some apron wiggle room for 2025-26.

Hugo Besson

Contract status: Draft Rights Retained

Stats: 7.8 PPG, 3.3 APG, 2.3 RPG, 33.3% FG%, 18.2% 3P%, 72.2% FT%

Analysis: Besson looked better physically in his second Summer League. He was creating contact vs simply absorbing it. He’s an ok playmaker, but struggled a bit at breaking down defenses off the bounce. And the shot was really, really shaky. He’ll be playing overseas again next season.

Jaylin Galloway

Contract status: One-year, Two-Way contract

Stats: 2.4 PPG, 1.6 RPG, 41.7% FG%, 28.6% 3P%

Analysis: Galloway’s summer was weird. He barely played, despite heading into Year 2 as a two-way player for the Bucks. There’s not much to analyze here.

Andre Jackson Jr.

Contract status: Three-years, $6.5M, 2023 Second Round Pick Exception

Stats: 4.3 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 2.0 APG, 50% FG%, 14.3% 3P%

Analysis: Jackson is never going to look good in this setting. He’s not an individual standout. Jackson shows up in the system/scheme. That said, it would have been nice to see him shoot it a bit better or even to be more aggressive hunting his shot. But that’s just not who he is.

A.J. Johnson

Contract status: Four-years, $14.6M, 2024 First-Round Rookie Scale

Stats: 11.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 2.8 APG, 32.3% FG%, 32.3% 3P%

Analysis: Johnson looks the part physically. He also understands pro-level spacing, which is a product of playing in Australia’s NBL last season. The big thing for Johnson will be figuring out NBA defense and refining his jumper. That’ll come in the G League, as the Bucks wing rotation is packed with veteran options.

Chris Livingston

Contract status: Three-years, $6.5M, 2023 Second Round Pick Exception

Stats: 14.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.0 APG, 53.7% FG%, 42.9% 3P%, 62.5% FT%

Analysis: Livingston was a nice surprise this summer. After a non-descript rookie season, he looked more NBA-ready this summer. Livingston was too much for a lot of his opponents to handle inside. He finished well, and flashed an improved jump shot too. He also got on the glass more too. The Bucks could use another frontcourt body. Livingston might be it.

Ryan Rollins

Contract status: One-year, Two-Way contract

Stats: 12.8 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.4 SPG, 47.8% FG%, 33.3% 3P%, 76.5% FT%

Analysis: Rollins looked pretty good in Las Vegas. He was able to create space for his shot. He did a nice job getting to the rim to shoot or to find passes. Rollins also knocked in a few pullup jumpers too. Defensively, he was fairly physical and flashed some quick hands. Solid summer for the Bucks two-way guard.

Tyler Smith

Contract status: Four-years, $7.9M, 2024 Second Round Pick Exception

Stats: 9.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.0 BPG, 40.4% FG%, 28% 3P%

Analysis: Smith has the stretch-big skills that everyone wants…in theory. He didn’t shoot it well in Las Vegas, but got the attempts up with ease. That’s a positive. He also did a really nice job on the boards and contesting shots around the rim. The skills are there and he’ll develop further in the G League this season.

TyTy Washington Jr.

Contract status: Unrestricted Free Agent

Stats: 11.3 PPG, 2.3 APG, 43.6% FG%, 36.4% 3P%, 87.5% FT%

Analysis: It seems that the Bucks wanted Washington to work more as a scorer this summer. That’s a change in role for him, but he did ok with it. Washington’s size works against him in a scoring role, but he did a good job hunting shots anyway. As a third-year Summer Leaguer, ideally things would have been a bit easier for Washington. Another G League season or a trip overseas is likely coming.

With international players off at the Olympics, NWSL teams are able to sign National Team Replacement Players (NTRP’s) in order to fill out their rosters and in some cases meet the NWSL x  Liga MX Femenil Summer Cup minimum gameday roster requirements of 18 players. 

NTRPs must be domestic players and will be paid equivalent to the league minimum salary. When the national team player is no longer with their respective national team and can return to play, the contract will be released. Historically, some players may be able to leverage their performance as NTRPs into contracts for the remainder of the season. 

With a record 56 NWSL players at the Olympics, currently there are 19 NTRPs signed across eight different NWSL teams. Those 19 consist of seven defenders, six midfielders, three forwards, and three goalkeepers. 

All three of Utah’s NTRP’s saw action this past weekend, along with one of Gotham’s, one of Orlando’s, one of Portland’s, as well as Kansas City and Houston’s sole NTRPs. Washington Spirit defender Jenna Butler and forward Olivia Stone were the only NTRP to earn a start in weekend 1 of Summer Cup action. 

Five teams have yet to announce signing any NTRPs: Seattle Reign, Chicago Red Stars, Racing Louisville, Bay FC, and Angel City

RELATED: NWSL Transactions

North Carolina Courage 

Players on INTL duty: 5
NTRP’s signed: 1

Victoria Haugen

Position: Defender
Previous Experience: Haugen joined the Courage as an NRI and has continued to train with the Courage throughout the season. She was a key member of the NC Courage TST team which reached the final. Haugen has both US and Norwegian citizenship and started in friendly matches for the Norway U23 team in 2021. 

Gotham FC 

Players on INTL duty: 7
NTRP’s signed: 4

Nicole Baxter

Position: Midfielder
Previous Experience: Baxter was signed with the club in 2019 as an NTRP, and ended up earning a contract and staying with the club through 2022 when she initially retired from professional soccer

Gabriella Cuevas

Position: Defender
Previous Experience: During the 2023 season, Cuevas played in the Polish league, and on the international side she captains the Dominican Republic national team. She started and played in all three group match games for the Dominican Republic at this year’s Concacaf W Gold Cup. 

Sabrina Flores

Position: Defender
Previous Experience: Flores was initially signed to Gotham as an NTRP in 2019 and then went on to play with Sevilla FC before returning to Gotham in 2020 where she remained until 2023, winning an NWSL Championship with the club. 

Mackenzie Pluck

Position: Midfielder
Previous Experience: Pluck was drafted by Angel City in the 2023 Draft and signed to a one year contract through 2023. She was a non-rostered invitee (NRI) with Louisville in January, then joined Gotham as a NRI and practice player. Before declaring for the draft, Pluck played collegiately for Duke university where she set a school-record 107 matches in her career, scoring 21 goals and earning 29 assists. 

Orlando Pride 

Players on INTL duty: 7
NTRP’s signed: 2

Claire Winter

Position: Midfielder
Previous Experience: Winter previously was signed as a NTRP with Gotham in 2021 during the Tokyo Olympics. She then completed stints with Thisted FC of the Danish 2nd division and Treaty United FC in Ireland. 

Kenna Caldwell

Position: Goalkeeper
Previous Experience: Caldwell joined the Pride as an NRI in preseason and continued training with the team following up her finishing her collegiate career at Texas A&M. Her final year in College Station she started 17 matches in goal, tallying 55 saves. 

Utah Royals 

Players on INTL duty: 4
NTRP’s signed: 3

Ellie Boren

Position: Midfielder
Previous Experience: Boren just finished her collegiate career at BYU, making 91 appearances from 2019 to 2024, all the while scoring 10 goals and earning 14 assists. Her senior season she started every regular season match for the Cougars.

Darielle O’Brien

Position: Defender
Previous Experience: Since 2019, O’Brien has played for United City FC, notching 19 goals and earning 32 assists as well as assisting winning multiple UPSL Women, SWPL League, and Alianza de Futbol titles. 

Shaelan Murison

Position: Midfielder
Previous Experience: From 2021 to 2022, Murison played for Thróttur Reykjavík FC in Iceland, scoring three goals. Most recently, she had been playing with USL W League side Oakland Soul where she won Team of the Month honors for the month of June. 

San Diego Wave

Players on INTL duty: 5
NTRP’s signed: 2

Chai Cortez

Position: Defender 
Previous Experience: Cortez was initially signed as an NTRP last June and when players returned from the World Cup her contract was switched to an injury replacement contract. In 2023 she made three appearances for the Wave, including two starts. Prior to declaring for the draft in 2023, Cortez played collegiately at the University of Oregon. 

Caroline DeLisle

Position: Goalkeeper 
Previous Experience: DeLisle first joined the Wave as a NRI at the beginning of the preseason. Collegiately DeLisle played at the University of Central Florida from 2018-2024 where she made a career total of 301 saves, and became the program leader in career shutouts. 

Washington Spirit

Players on INTL duty: 6
NTRP’s signed: 3

Jenna Butler

Position: Defender 
Previous Experience: Butler played collegiately at North Carolina State University from 2018 to 2022 starting in all 86 matches she appeared in scoring seven goals and earning eight assists. 

Kaylie Collins

Position: Goalkeeper 
Previous Experience: Collins joined the Spirit as a training player in late June and has since provided additional depth in the goalkeeper position while Bosselmann recovers from injury. Collins was drafted by Orlando in 2021 and signed an NTRP contract that season before signing a two year contract with Orlando ahead of the 2022 season. She was loaned out to Australian club Western Sydney Wanderers last September. Most recently, she was signed as a goalkeeper replacement for the Seattle Reign during Claudia Dickey’s injury. 

Olivia Stone

Position: Forward 
Previous Experience: Stone just finished up her collegiate career at the University of San Diego after spending time at Vanderbilt and Northwestern. Her final year, she competed in all 18 games for the Torero’s including 17 starts and had the most minutes by a non-goalkeeper on the roster. 

Kansas City Current

Players on INTL duty: 2
NTRP’s signed: 1

Grace Bahr 

Position: Midfielder
Previous Experience: Bahr is joining the Current from the USL W side Indy Eleven. Last season with the Indianapolis-based side she was named to the all-league second team, helping to bring the club its first championship and second straight division title. 

Portland Thorns 

Players on INTL duty: 6
NTRP’s signed: 2

Marissa DiGenova

Position: Defender 
Previous Experience: Most recently, DiGenova played and captained the Lancaster Inferno of the USL W League. She also spent time with Puerto Rico Sol FC in the top level in Puerto Rico, who then went on to win the league title in 2022. Collegiately, she played five seasons at Temple University. 

Rebekah Valdez 

Position: Forward 
Previous Experience: Collegiately Valdez spent her final two years at Grand Canyon University where she scored 12 goals and tallied 13 assists in her years there. Prior to joining GCU, Valdez spent three years at University of San Diego. 

Houston Dash

Players on INTL duty: 3
NTRP’s signed: 1

Madison Wolfbauer 

Position: Forward 
Previous Experience: Most recently, the forward led the NC Courage TST team to the finals, and won the Women’s Golden Boot for the tournament alongside being named to the Women’s Best Seven team. Before that, Wolfbauer spent time playing in both France (Thonon Evian Grand Genève FC) and Iceland ( ÍBV-íþróttafélag and Keflavík ÍF) in 2022 and 2023.

Nine days ahead of the Secondary Trade window opening, the Kansas City Current and the Seattle Reign have agreed to a trade which will send defender Alana Cook to Kansas City and cash back to the Reign. Although Cook will begin training with the Current this week, she will not be available for selection until the window opens August 1st. 

Kansas City acquires: defender Alana Cook

Seattle Reign acquire: $40k allocation money, $75k intra-league transfer funds (+$25k if incentive-based requirements met)

This past week, the Reign announced the signing of two U18 signings with long-term contracts, putting their active roster players up to 28 once their two Canadians return from the Olympics. Cook’s trade gives the Reign cash to spend, and they now will only be one player over the NWSL roster rules maximum of 26 once the Olympians return. 

Kansas City is currently second in the NWSL regular season with an explosive attack and a league high 40 goals, however they also have 22 goals against. Defender Gabrielle Robinson tore her ACL in late May, and so the addition of Cook in terms of centerback depth will be very important for the final ten games of the regular season. Cook is a two-time defender of the year finalist and will be reunited with Current head coach Vlatko Andonovski who spoke highly of Cook during his time as the USWNT head coach.

The bulk of the offseason work is done around the NBA. There are a handful of impact free agents still available, but the vast majority of big names are off the board. Some teams are still looking at trades.

But we’re mostly done with the offseason. That means it’s time to start figuring out where teams are and what they’ve done this summer. (You can find the Eastern Conference here.)

Instead of grades, we’re going to bucket teams into one of four categories:

• Liked: Their moves or non-moves were solid and made sense 
• Disliked: Their moves or non-moves were questionable or didn’t make sense 
• Confused: What are they doing? 
• Incomplete: Feels like there has to be more to come
  
  

Let’s dive in!

Western Conference

Dallas Mavericks: LIKED

The Mavericks offseason moves were low in volume, but high in impact. Klay Thompson, Naji Marshall and Quentin Grimes all joined the team. Derrick Jones Jr., Josh Green and Tim Hardaway Jr. all departed. In terms of straight comparisons, those are upgrades for Dallas.

Thompson is clearly the signature acquisition here. His shooting alone will be an upgrade for Dallas. He’s not the athlete he once was on defense, but Thompson is still pretty solid. The biggest difference is that he’s no longer picking up opposing point guards, but instead is better against bigger wings and forwards. Mostly, this was about adding shooting and some championship experience. When Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving turn the corner, they know Thompson will hit off a kickout pass. That’s huge to open up the floor.

Grimes is essentially a version of what Green was for Dallas: a wing with 3&D potential. If Grimes can get healthy, he should be able to get on track. Don’t expect a rookie scale extension here, unless it’s very team-friendly. The Mavs are going to want to see Grimes on the floor first.

Marshall was an outstanding signing for only part of the MLE. If you believe in the shooting (was it contract-year focus or finally figuring it out?), then Marshall was one of the best values of the summer. He’s a switchable defender, and as a bit more heft than Jones. That’s good for a team that doesn’t have enough defensive versatility against wings.

Overall, the Mavs got better this summer. They still have a couple of holes to fill. (Who defends opposing point guards? If Luka Doncic or Kyrie Irving are out, who can step up as an additional on-ball creator?) But the defending Western Conference champs still have a move or two left in them too. This team is well positioned to make another run.

Denver Nuggets: DISLIKED

This one is pretty simple: Denver lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and it was for no reason other than not wanting to go deeper into the tax. Don’t let any “The second apron is so restrictive!” foolishness tell you otherwise here. The Nuggets didn’t have a lot of holes to fill. They could have signed Caldwell-Pope, but chose to save some money. That’s bad form for a title contender.

The additions were all fine. Dario Saric will help the frontcourt. His passing ability will allow the Nuggets to run some of the same stuff through Saric that they do with Nikola Jokic. DaRon Holmes II was a steal of a draft pick, but a torn Achilles during Summer League will cost him the season.

Even Trey Alexander and P.J. Hall were good gets on two-way deals. They are probably better than Jalen Pickett and Tyson Hunter, who both have two fully guaranteed seasons left on their deals. That’s something Denver will eventually have to figure out.

We’re going to factor in Russell Westbrook as an addition, as well. He’ll help the bench a lot more than most are giving him credit for. The Nuggets have very little behind Jamal Murray as far as ballhandling goes. Westbrook will help juice the Denver bench in non-Jokic and Murray minutes.

Speaking of Murray…What exactly is the holdup with his extension? If fears were so great of him getting hurt while playing with Canada at the Olympics, maybe he shouldn’t be playing? If that’s not it, then why not get him locked up and get this over with? It’s probably fine, but it’s a lingering to-do and that’s always a little worrisome.

The Nuggets still have a very good team. If Christian Braun is ready to start, they’ll be fine. But a questionable bench is still questionable. And Braun isn’t the defender or shooter that Caldwell-Pope is. Unless some of the kids pop in a way they haven’t yet, this summer feels like a miss for Denver.

Golden State Warriors: LIKED

It’s hard to have a good summer when you lose a franchise icon, but the Warriors bounced back just fine. Klay Thompson had slipped some, but he was still a good starter and he meant so much to the franchise’s rise. But the NBA calendar moves forever forward. Chris Paul and Dario Saric were also losses, but Golden State replaced them too.

The trio of Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield and De’Anthony Melton are different from the guys they are replacing, but all are capable players.

Anderson will give the Warriors all the passing-related connectedness that Saric did. He’s also a better-than-you-think defender against forwards. Anderson can’t shoot like Saric, so Golden State does lose a bit of that stretch-big element.

It’s a little unfair to think of Hield as the Thompson replacement. Most of that will come from more minutes for Brandin Podziemski. But Hield will help replace some of Thompson’s shooting ability. When the Warriors need to open up the floor, Hield will be a big part of it.

Lastly, Melton should be a better fit for the team than Paul was. Paul is still a productive player, but he’s a primary creator. That never meshed well in a Warriors offense keyed around Stephen Curry opening actions and Draymond Green’s playmaking. Melton’s ability to play off-ball, but still attack as a secondary creator should fit better. And, if he’s healthy, Melton is a defensive upgrade over Paul at this point too.

Houston Rockets: Incomplete

There is no criticism here for the Rockets offseason. They nailed the draft pick of Reed Sheppard. Not only can he play (Sheppard is going to be a multi-time All-Star), but he also gives Houston some optionality in their backcourt. Sheppard can play as the primary point guard. Or he can shift over to play off-ball. Defensively, he’s competitive, even if a bit undersized.

But that was pretty much all the Rockets did this summer. Picking up A.J. Griffin was a solid enough flyer, but it’s not going to move the needle.

Houston seems to be holding off on extending either Jalen Green or Alperen Sengun, to increase their cap flexibility for the summer of 2025. That’s a fine plan. Green needs to play at a higher level for a longer period to prove he should land a big next contract. Sengun has shown that he deserves the big extension, but his smallish cap hold can be used to maximize cap space a lot like Philadelphia used Tyrese Maxey’s this summer.

As a result, this Rockets teams feels like they’re still a work in progress. And that’s ok! There are still a bunch of kids who have already shown a lot, with a lot more growth to come (something will eventually have to give with all of the forwards). Being patient is a choice, and it’s often the correct one. Next summer is the time for this team to really push things forward.

LA Clippers: DISLIKED

When you lose the only All-Star to change teams this summer, it’s going to be hard to have your offseason come up as one that we liked. Paul George has age- and injury-related concerns. He’s also really, really good!

Because there aren’t many movies about GMs and front offices, a favorite film of this space is Money Ball. When the Oakland A’s are trying to replace Jason Giambi, Billy Beane (as played by Brad Pitt) says, “Guys, you're still trying to replace Giambi. I told you we can't do it, and we can't do it. Now, what we might be able to do is recreate him. Re-create him in the aggregate.”

Even with the flexibility George’s departure created for the Clippers with the tax aprons and potential hard-caps, they still didn’t have cap space. So, to replace George, they had to think about recreating him in the aggregate.

Nicolas Batum, Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn and Kevin Porter Jr. are all pretty good attempts at recreating some of what was lost in George. However, you can’t play six or seven players at once to replace the guy you lost. Also, in the NBA, four quarters rarely equal a dollar.

Batum and Jones will do well giving the Clippers some forward depth. Jones is the athletic big wing defender the team needed to replace George. Batum will give the Clippers a veteran who can defend bigger forwards, as well as providing some reliable shooting.

Dunn and Porter can recreate some of the on-ball ability lost in George’s and Russell Westbrook’s departures. If Porter’s head is right and he’s in a controlled system, he could put together a season that far outproduces his minimum contract. Dunn is a terrific defender and he’s been a much-improved shooter. He should be an upgrade over Westbrook, as either a starter or off the bench.

But the Clippers lost the best player to change teams this summer. Even if they did ok with bringing in guys to fill holes, this team is no longer on contender level. That’s a falloff from where LA has opened each of the last several seasons.

Los Angeles Lakers: DISLIKED

The Lakers drafted Dalton Knecht in the first round and Bronny James in the second round. They signed both players to standard first- and second-round contracts.

And that’s it.

Yes, LeBron James re-signed with the Lakers. And a handful of others picked up their options, because the Lakers give out player options like they’re candy on Halloween.

But as far as players in and out, it’s Knecht and the younger James in and Spencer Dinwiddie and Taurean Prince out.

That’s simply not good enough for a team that isn’t good enough. Sure, Knecht was a steal at the draft. He shouldn’t have fallen as far as he did. But Knecht alone isn’t turning around a poor offseason.

When LeBron James offered to take a good deal less than his max, the Lakers couldn’t close the deal to sign an impact player. They are now over the first apron and dancing around the second apron. That makes finding a trade that works a difficult task.

This offseason would have been termed “Incomplete” if it weren’t the culmination of several mismanaged offseasons in a row, dating back to the Russell Westbrook trade. While nothing has approached the disaster that deal turned out to be, it’s been a series of nicks and cuts to the cap sheet. That’s left the Lakers with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and a collection of role players, some of whom are overpaid and have overlapping skillsets. That’s why this summer of relative inaction gets a thumbs down.

Memphis Grizzlies: LIKED

The Memphis Grizzlies didn’t have a lot to do this summer. This offseason was mostly about getting healthy for several key Grizzlies. Another season of playing 30-plus different players simply can’t happen again.

That said, Memphis did do some nice work this summer. Zach Edey should be an outstanding fit at the center position. Memphis needed to get a five, and a long-term one, in the fold. Edey will need some time to adjust to the NBA, but he’s going to stumble into 10 points and eight rebounds per game just by being enormous. And his brief Summer League moments showed he could be a whole lot more.

The trade to clear out Ziaire Williams was a two-fold winner. One, it cleared out one of the many contenders for minutes at small forward. Now, Memphis can move forward with some combination of Marcus Smart, Vince Williams Jr., GG Jackson and Jake LaRavia at the three.

Just as importantly, Memphis now has the wiggle room around the tax line to re-sign Luke Kennard. The Grizzlies need Kennard’s shooting. They now have the ability to re-sign him without worry of tripping too deep into the tax or brushing up against the first apron.

Also, keep an eye on Jaylen Wells and Cam Spencer. Both second-rounders can play. Memphis has done a better job than most with developing players through the G League. Wells and Spencer might be next.

Minnesota Timberwolves: LIKED

As one of the NBA’s most expensive teams, what the Timberwolves could do this summer was pretty limited. But Tim Connelly and crew got creative at the draft and landed a big-time talent in Rob Dillingham.

There are few restrictions on trades for second-apron teams when they don’t involve salaries. Draft picks don’t involve salary in trade until the player is signed. Minnesota used this “loophole” to trade high into the first round to snag Dillingham.

The rookie point guard is going to get a nice apprenticeship under Mike Conley this season. Dillingham should be able to play through his mistakes as a backup, while figuring out the NBA. He’s going to have to be more of a playmaker for the Wolves than he was in college. Dillingham showed good signs of making that adjustment during Summer League. He was looking to create for others more than just trying to find his shot. That’s a positive start.

Terrence Shannon Jr. looks like a steal late in the first round. He went through some legal issues during his final collegiate season and the pre-draft process. Shannon was eventually cleared of the charges, and landed in Minnesota. He might need a season to adjust to the NBA, but eventually, Shannon will give the Timberwolves another wing scorer.

Joe Ingles was a terrific pickup to replace Kyle Anderson. Ingles is a better shooter and passer than Anderson. And he’s not far off Anderson as a forward defender. He’ll help keep things calm and composed on a second unit that will be led by a rookie point guard.

Without the ability to do much, Minnesota nailed the draft in a way we weren’t expecting. And then they picked up Ingles to replace Anderson. That’s a pretty productive summer.

New Orleans Pelicans: Incomplete

There might not be a team in the NBA who feels like they have more left to do than the Pelicans do. The team has a bunch of talented players, but they overlap positionally in a major way. As things stand, Willie Green has to find a way to play Zion Williamson, Dejounte Murray, Brandon Ingram, C.J. McCollum, Herb Jones and Trey Murphy III. Oh, and none of those guys are a center.

That means that two of that talented bunch are ticketed for a bench role. Maybe the team can squeeze another year out of Murphy coming off the bench, but the clock is ticking on that one. All of the others are established starters. And this isn’t a championship level of team calling upon a veteran to sacrifice for the greater good either.

Maybe an Ingram trade will deliver a center and clarity to the starting lineup. But it’s late-July now and no such trade has come yet. And the market doesn’t exactly seem to clamoring to trade value for Ingram and to sign him to a contract extension.

Despite the weird spot the Pelicans are in, getting Murray for some players who didn’t seem to have much future in New Orleans and a couple of picks was good work. He’ll be terrific for them, once the rest of the roster is sorted out.

As of now, Daniel Theis will probably start at center. Theis was a nice pickup, and he can be a solid spot-starter. But if he’s your every-game option at the five, that’s not good enough for a team that wants to be a solid playoff team. Yves Missi was a nice upside pick in the draft, but he’s going to need time before he’s ready to contribute to a winner in the NBA.

The other shoe hasn’t dropped in New Orleans yet. It’s now starting to feel like it might not either. It’s just kind of dangling there, hanging onto the end of the foot. We keep waiting for it to fall, but there’s been no movement yet.

Oklahoma City Thunder: LIKED

The Thunder were really good last year, even if it felt like it came a year early. They announced to the world that they were here and ready to win, regardless of whatever timeline we all might have put on them.

This summer, Oklahoma City got even better.

Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso were fantastic pickups for Sam Presti’s squad. And the Thunder sacrificed very little to get the two veterans.

Hartenstein gives Mark Daigneault lineup versatility he didn’t have before. When OKC faces off against the bigger centers in the league. Daigneault can go to Hartenstein for the extra bulk on the interior. And for those clamoring on about how “Chet Holmgren is best at the five because he’s a matchup nightmare for defenses!”, the Thunder can, and will, still use Holmgren as their five plenty. Hartenstein just gives the ability to go bigger when the occasion calls for it.

As for Caruso, his defensive ability gives Daigneault another ball-hawking guard/wing to throw at opponents. If Lu Dort is the bulky wing defender, Caruso is the quicker, point-of-attack version. Caruso’s connectiveness as a passer is also big. The Thunder will occasionally miss Josh Giddey’s on-ball creation and passing, especially when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is sitting. But some of those reps can be taken on by Jalen Williams, who is ready for more on-ball duties, and Cason Wallace, who should improve in Year 2. And Caruso’s defense and better shooting are welcomed additions in place of Giddey.

At the draft, Nikola Topic was a sneaky pick and might not pay off for a year. But Oklahoma City has experience with that with Holmgren. Dillon Jones is the kind of smaller-school, long, playmaking wing that the Thunder have developed already. And Ajay Mitchell is a funky, herky-jerky on-ball guard to develop on a two-way contract.

If all that wasn’t enough, the Thunder structured their moves this summer to leave flexibility for down the line too. The future is bright for Oklahoma City,  but the Thunder are already here and ready to contend now.

Phoenix Suns: LIKED

Like the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Suns didn’t have much they could do this summer. In a different way, the Suns also made the most of their limited resources.

Phoenix did well to get Monte Morris and Mason Plumlee in free agency. Both players will fill rotation spots while on the veteran minimum. That’s huge for a team that doesn’t have a lot of ways to upgrade.

The Suns also got a little creative and daring with re-signing Royce O’Neale and Josh Okogie. O’Neale’s contract is pretty fair value, even if it runs out a year longer than is ideal. Okogie got overpaid to turn him into a “human trade exception”, but not by an amount where his contract is untradable or anything. That’s good work to create some tradable salary by the Phoenix front office, and good for Okogie to get a nice bump in pay he otherwise wouldn’t have seen.

Ryan Dunn and Oso Ighodaro were considered two of the best defensive players in this year’s draft class. The Suns got both of them. Dunn and Ighodaro both have a long way to go to improve offensively, but Phoenix isn’t lacking for offense. If the two rookies play defense, run the floor and finish at the rim, that’ll be enough to get them on the floor this season.

Part of evaluating an offseason is looking at what a team could do with the resources available to them. The Suns did a terrific job making the most of what they could do this summer.

Portland Trail Blazers: Incomplete

Portland traded Malcolm Brogdon to get themselves under the tax. In the process, they gave up a couple of draft picks, but also got back Deni Avdija. That’s a win.

And then the Blazers just kind of stopped making moves. And there’s still a lot more to do here.

Donovan Clingan was a great pick in the first round. He could, and arguably should, have been picked at least a few picks earlier. He should be a great fit in Portland, because Clingan can clean up for the guards (none of whom are great defenders), while giving them a big target on the interior.

The challenge? He’s now crammed into a center rotation that already includes Deandre Ayton (who is going to start) and Robert Williams III, who is back from another knee surgery. Something has to give there, because Clingan needs minutes.

The Trail Blazers also still have all of Jerami Grant, Matisse Thybulle and Anfernee Simons. There are other, younger players behind each of these veterans. That’s not necessarily a problem, but it’s a little crowded.

Mostly, Portland feels like a home that is being renovated one room at a time, as opposed to tearing it down to the studs and rebuilding from there. That’s not really a bad thing, but it makes the entire rebuilding process drag out longer than is ideal, and you have to live with some messiness while you rebuild.

Sacramento Kings: Confused

What exactly are the Kings building here? This team has a whole lot of offense, but not much defense. The offense also features a bunch of on-ball guys and not enough shooting.

DeMar DeRozan is a very good player. He’s also an upgrade over Harrison Barnes in a vacuum. But is he an upgrade for this particular Kings team? Only time will tell.

Sacramento started the summer off strong with a really great value deal for Malik Monk. He’s awesome and can excel as a starter or coming off the bench. For the way this roster is built, Monk should probably come off the bench. But he’s made some noise about wanting to start. We’ll see how that plays out.

Mostly, Sacramento has gone all-in on offense. There’s a ton of passing and creation on this roster now. DeRozan is adaptable and smart enough that he’ll find a way to mesh his game with the two-man excellence of De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Monk’s shooting will get him on the floor too. In some lineups, Keegan Murray is the fifth offensive option, which is a role he’s highly overqualified for.

Maybe that will make the Kings a regular season monster. It worked for the Indiana Pacers, who were differently built, but similarly offensive-focused. You won’t be able to take nights off against Sacramento, because they’ll score enough to challenge you.

But what is the ultimate goal here? They broke the playoff drought a couple of years ago. Are the Kings trying to advance into title contention? Or are they just trying to get back to the playoffs again?

San Antonio Spurs: Confused

The Spurs are going to be better next season. Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes will help this team grow up a lot quicker than they might have otherwise. Also, Victor Wembanyama is going to terrorize the league in whole new ways, now that he’s not adjusting to the NBA anymore.

But what’s the endgame? Are the Spurs trying to make the playoffs? If so, why not move a couple more of the kids and some draft picks and get another veteran to really push things forward? Are they just trying to be better, but not really cash in just yet? That seems like it was coming anyway.

This space begged for the Spurs to play a point guard to help Wembanyama and others last season. Paul is enormous upgrade if for that reason only. He’ll get everyone organized and create easier looks for a bunch of guys who were a DIY project last year.

Barnes will take the young forwards under his wing. He can teach them the value of defending, knowing when to stay rooted to your spot and when to make that late cut into space. Keldon Johnson and Jeremy Sochan should both benefit from going against and working with Barnes every day.

Stephon Castle can now apprentice under Paul for a year, because he and San Antonio seem hellbent on making Castle into a point guard. The bet here is that he makes the adjustment to primary lead guard, because Castle is too talented to not figure it out.

But the Spurs run the risk of improving enough that they’ll be out of range for another high draft pick. Is that really the best decision, given the strength of the 2025 draft class? And if it is, why not trade for someone like Lauri Markkanen or Brandon Ingram, who could lift this team into postseason contention this season?

Instead, it feels like the Spurs are caught kind of in between right now. No longer bad enough to get another great pick before Wembanyama lifts them into playoff contention all by himself. But maybe San Antonio knows Wembanyama was making that lift this season anyway, so why not give him a little help to get there? We’ll find out soon enough.

Utah Jazz: Incomplete

As of this writing, Lauri Markkanen is still a member of the Utah Jazz. And Utah still has over $30 million in cap space to work with this summer, should they want to go that direction.

However, Markkanen is still on the trade market. And the Jazz are still open to renegotiating-and-extending the All-Star forward’s deal when they are eligible on August 6. Or Utah could still make a move to trade for a high-salaried player and make a playoff push this season, then re-sign Markkanen next summer.

Starting to get that “Incomplete” feeling yet?

No one seems to have a real good sense for what exactly Utah is doing, beyond the fact that Danny Ainge isn’t done. Almost anything is on the table here of the above options. That also includes, renegotiating-and-extending Markkanen as soon as they can on August 6, so that the team could trade him when his six-month trade restriction lifts on trade deadline day of February 6.

As for what we can evaluate, the Jazz have done well. Cody Williams, Isaiah Collier and Kyle Filipowski were one heck of a draft class. Williams looks like he’s the kind of versatile wing that ever team wants nowadays. Collier was once considered to be the potential first overall pick, so the talent is there. And Filipowski had a first-round grade from most teams, until some weirdness ahead of the draft caused him to fall.

In free agency, the Jazz picked up Drew Eubanks, who is a nice addition at the center spot. Given Utah is still shopping Walker Kessler for whatever reason, Eubanks is nice to have in the fold. Johnny Juzang also got a nice contract after outplaying his two-way deal over the last two seasons.

Something more is coming for the Jazz. We have no idea what that is, which is probably just how Ainge wants it. Until then, this offseason and this roster is incomplete.

 Xander Schauffele wins The Open Championship. Schauffele earns $3.1 million bringing his 2024 on-course earnings to $8.18 million and his career on-course earnings to $45.1 million. 

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