Scott AllenApril 24, 2023

Nick Hardy and Davis Riley win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. They each earn $1.24 million for the 2023 season. Hardy's 2023 on-course earnings are now up to $1.9 million and his career total is $2.8 million while Riley's 2023 on-course earnings are now at $2.47 million and his career total is $5.78 million.

Zurich Classic of New Orleans Tournament Open Top 5

1. Nick Hardy/Davis Riley: $1,242,700 each

2. Adam Hadwin/Nick Taylor: $507,400 each

3. Wyndham Clark/Beau Hossler: $332,175 each

4. Xander Schauffele/Patrick Cantlay & Matthew NeSmith/Taylor Moore: $261,225 each

Full Results

2023 Earnings Leaders Update

1. Jon Rahm: $13,623,541

2. Scottie Scheffler: $12,508,495

3. Max Homa: $7,776,012

4. Sam Burns: $5,854,275

5. Patrick Cantlay: $5,805,625

Full List

Scott AllenApril 23, 2023

Taylor Gooch wins the fourth LIV Golf event of 2023 at Adelaide earning himself $4 million, plus $375,000 for the team bonus. Gooch's career LIV Golf earnings (individual + team) is now at $8.2 million.

Adelaide Top 5

1. Taylor Gooch: $4,000,000

2. Anirban Lahiri: $2,125,000

T3. Cameron Tringale, Patrick Reed, Cameron Smith, Pat Perez: $1,000,000

Full Results

Team Earnings

1. 4 Aces GC (Patrick Reed, Pat Perez, Dustin Johnson, Peter Uihlein): $3,000,000 ($750,00 each)

2. Rangegoats GC (Talor Gooch, Bubba Watson, Harold Varner III, Thomas Pieters): $1,500,000 ($375,000 each)

3. Stinger GC (Charl Schwartzel, Dean Burmester, Louis Oosthuizen, Branden Grace): $500,000 ($125,000 each)

Michael GinnittiApril 21, 2023

S C.J. Moore

Signed a 2 year, $4.5M contract this past March that included $2.5M fully guaranteed at signing (a $1.4M signing bonus + $1.1M 2023 base salary). If his indefinite suspension of at least 1 year is upheld, and the Lions decide to keep him rostered, Moore’s contract will toll to 2024-2025, and the $1.1M salary guarantee will void. If the Lions decide to move on, it’s extremely likely that they’ll push to have his signing bonus repaid, and they’ll receive a full cap credit for his $1.8M cap hit this season. Moore was going to compete for a depth role at the safety position this summer, so it’s a toss-up if Detroit will keep him on the books through this suspension.
UPDATE: The Lions have released Moore and will certainly look to recoup his $1.4M signing bonus immediately.

WR Quintez Cephus

Was entering the final year of his rookie contract in Detroit, set to earn a non-guaranteed $1.01M. If his indefinite suspension of at least 1 year and the Lions decide to keep him around, his salary will toll to 2024. The Lions can push to recoup $76,072 of his signing bonus (the 2023 proration), and gain a cap credit for that after the 2023 season. Cephus was projecting as a Top 6 WR for the Lions in 2023, so there’s a chance he’s kept on the books for a chance to compete in 2024. 
UPDATE: The Lions have released Cephus.

DE Shaka Toney

Was entering Year 3 of his rookie contract with the Commanders, set to earn a non-guaranteed $940,000. If his indefinite suspension of at least 1 year is upheld, and the Commanders decide to keep him rostered, his 2023 & 2024 salaries will toll to 2024 & 2025. Washington can push to recoup $23,238 of his signing bonus (the 2023 proration), and gain a cap credit for that after the 2023 season. Currently 6th on the depth chart among Washington DEs, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Commanders move on quickly here.

WR Jameson Williams

Missed 11 weeks of 2022 due to injury, and is now expected to miss 6 more of 2023 due to his involvement in this gambling violation. The 22 year old was set to earn a fully guaranteed $1.5M this season, with another 2 years, $5.3M plus a 5th year option in 2026 still remaining on his rookie deal. Williams will forfeit just under $500,000 for the 6 weeks missed in 2023. Furthermore, the salary guarantee on his remaining $6.87M will now void. The Lions may also look to recoup $823,290 of his signing bonus (6 weeks of his 2023 proration) per this suspension.

WR Stanley Berryhill

Signed a 1 year, $870,000 non-guaranteed reserve/future contract to remain in Detroit this past January. He was a depth piece and a training camp body heading into the summer, but will now likely be moved on from with a 6-game suspension attached to his 2023 season. If he sticks around, he’ll forfeit $290,000 in salary for the time missed.

Scott AllenApril 17, 2023

Jaren Jackson Jr received the NBA 2022-23 Defensive Player of the Year award. He is the second player from the Memphis Grizzlies franchise to win the award; Marc Gasol earned the award the 2012-13 season.

Jackson Jr. began the first year of his of his 4 year $104.7 million Rookie Scale extension this season that he signed on October 18, 2021.  He has the 47th highest AAV at $26.18 million in the NBA this season. He earned $28.9 million for the 2022-23 season (42nd highest), and has $75.77 million over three years remaining on this contract. The contract had no incentives built into it so the Defensive Player of the Year will have no financial bearing on next season's salary.

Remaining Contract:

  • 2023-24: $27,102,202
  • 2024-25: $25,257,798
  • 2026-27:  $23,413,395

Related:

Scott AllenApril 17, 2023

Matthew Fitzpatrick wins the RBC Heritage in a playoff over Jordan Spieth. He earns $3.6 million for the 2023 season which brings his 2023 on-course earnings to $5.27 million and brings his career on-course earnings to $19.28 million.

Masters Tournament Open Top 5

P1. Matthew Fitzpatrick: $3,600,000

P2. Jordan Spieth: $2,180,000

3. Patrick Cantlay: $1,380,000

4. Xander Schauffele: $980,000

T5. Hayden Buckley, Sahith Theegala: $772,500

Full Results

2023 Earnings Leaders Update

1. Jon Rahm: $13,623,541

2. Scottie Scheffler: $12,508,495

3. Max Homa: $7,776,012

4. Sam Burns: $5,760,642

5. Kurt Kitayama: $5,693,388

Full List

Keith SmithApril 14, 2023

Spotrac’s Free Agent by Position Series

Point Guards   |   Shooting Guards   |   Small Forwards   |   Power Forwards   |   Centers

2023 NBA free agency is right around the corner. This isn’t considered to be a blockbuster free agent class, but there are several impact players available. In these rankings, we took a similar approach to the one many teams use when it comes to ranking available players. Each position was broken down into tiers. The tiers are:

  • All-Star: These aren’t all necessarily All-Stars, but they have the ability to be an All-Star
  • Starters: These players are either starters or they produce at a starter-level of impact
  • Rotation: These are solid players that should be in a team’s regular season rotation
  • Fringe: These are players at the end of the bench or Two-Way players largely in the G League

Players were then ranked within their tiers. All potential free agents have been ranked, including those with pending options.

ALL-STAR TIER

  1. Brook Lopez – Milwaukee Bucks    UFA

    Lopez is the best of this group because of his two-way impact. Everyone else is either good on offense or defense. Lopez is an elite stretch big, who can still mash in the post. And he's a DPOY candidate. Look for an extension here.

  2. Nikola Vucevic – Chicago Bulls    UFA

    Vucevic is coming off an outstanding season. He's a guaranteed double-double and he's one of the more efficient scoring bigs. Only his age (33 at the start of next season) and his defense keep him from being a near-max guy.

STARTER TIER

  1. Jakob Poeltl – Toronto Raptors    UFA

    Poeltl is an outstanding defender and a better-than-you-think offensive player. Two things keep him from the top tier: His range is measure in inches, as opposed to feet. And some teams can play him off the floor on defense.

  2. Christian Wood – Dallas Mavericks    UFA

    Wood may be the best offensive player of this group. He's an inside-outside threat and he can play stationary or on the move. He's just not a good defender. But he's better than how Dallas used him. A smart team will get a good player.

  3. Mason Plumlee – Los Angeles Clippers    UFA

    This is a test of how much people watch the Hornets. Plumlee was really good for Charlotte. He can finish inside, rebound and he's a pretty good faciliator too. The defense is iffy, but Plumlee is a starting level center on most teams.

  4. Naz Reid – Minnesota Timberwolves    UFA

    Reid hasn't started much, but he's a starter-level guy. It's just hard when you have two All-Star centers on the roster with you. Reid is a pretty good offensive player and he can block some shots and rebound. Potential value signing here.

ROTATION TIER

  1. Dwight Powell – Dallas Mavericks    UFA

    Powell was miscast in a bad Dallas defensive system, but he's not a bad player. He's a good screen setter and a really good finisher at the rim. Everything else is just ok, but those first two skills are near-elite level.

  2. Thomas Bryant – Denver Nuggets    UFA

    This might be sticking too much to priors here, but Thomas Bryant is better than he showed this season. He's sort of Wood-lite, in that he's a great offensive player but doesn't offer a lot on defense. Still, he's a rotation level center.

  3. Andre Drummond – Chicago Bulls    PLAYER

    Drummond is still an elite rebounder, but he doesn't do a whole lot else. His finishing is just ok and his defense is passable as a backup. That's his role now, but he's pretty good in it. You can feel good with Drummond as your backup.

  4. Mike Muscala – Boston Celtics    CLUB

    Muscala has been in a weird spot the last couple of years. OKC didn't play him a ton, because they were prioritizing their kids. Then, Boston acquired him for depth. He's an elite shooting five. Look for Boston to pick up this option.

  5. Drew Eubanks – Portland Trail Blazers    UFA

    It's probably gotten lost in two forgettable Blazers seasons, but Eubanks has become a pretty solid NBA player. He's a good rim protector and rebounder and solid around the rim. Can't ask for much more from a backup five.

  6. Jock Landale – Phoenix Suns    RFA

    Landale's rotation role has come and gone in Phoenix. If he was even a little better defensively, he'd be a solid backup. As it is, you probably need him in a platoon as your backup five with a defensive-minded center like the next guy.

  7. Bismack Biyombo – Phoenix Suns    UFA

    Biyombo very unexpectedly got his career back on track in with the Suns. He's still terrific on defense, and he rebounds. Biyombo doesn't offer much offensive, so the platoon with the above guy works out nicely for Phoenix.

  8. Chimezie Metu – Sacramento Kings    UFA

    Last season, it seemed like Metu was carving out a rotation role for himself. This year, he's fallen off a bit. There's offensive talent there, but Metu doesn’t bring enough defensively to be more than a backup five.

  9. Kevin Love – Miami Heat    UFA

    If this isn't the end of the line for Love, we're really close. His shot has fallen off, and that limits his effectiveness on offense great. Love can still rebound and pass, but his defense isn't even passable anymore. There's just not much left.

  10. Blake Griffin – Boston Celtics    UFA

    Griffin has become a great locker room presense who brings a ton of hustle to the floor. He hits enough shots to make the defense respect him, plus great passing and good positional defense. Does he want to keep going another year?

  11. Xavier Tillman – Memphis Grizzlies    CLUB

    Tillman started to really put things together when he focused on defense and rebounding. On offense, he's learned how to set some really good screens and to roll hard. A good playoff run would bump him up several spots on this list.

  12. Moritz Wagner – Orlando Magic    UFA

    Wagner carved out a rotation role in Orlando, not because his brother is there, but because he earned it. He's a top-tier irritant. Wagner will be in a rotation because he does just enough good stuff, along with annoying opponents.

  13. Paul Reed – Philadelphia 76ers    RFA

    Reed hasn't come along quite as quickly as some in Philadelphia hoped, but he's figuring things out. He can rebound and finish and bang inside on defense. His biggest issue is that he's a foul machine. But he's a rotation big anyway.

  14. Jaxson Hayes – New Orleans Pelicans    RFA

    Hayes failed to live up to his draft status, mostly because he hasn't figured out how to defend in the NBA. The offensive talent is there, but not enough to offset his poor defense. At 23 years old next season, he'll be a nice low-cost flyer.

  15. Omer Yurtseven – Miami Heat    RFA

    After a really promising rookie season, Yurtseven went through a lost year after ankle surgery. But the potential is there. He can really score and he's a pretty good rebounder too. Look for him to get a make-good deal next season.

  16. Cody Zeller – Miami Heat    UFA

    Zeller re-emerged late in the season and showed he's healthy again. He can still finish in pick-and-roll and he's an ok rebounder. Zeller probably gets a backup job somewhere next season.

  17. Orlando Robinson – Miami Heat    RFA

    Robinson looked like the next Heat G League find, but an injury held him back a bit. Still, there's a ton of raw talent here. If Miami lets him go, someone else will stash Robinson on their bench to develop him next season.

  18. Luka Garza – Minnesota Timberwolves    RFA

    Garza is dominant on the G League level. He's basically unguardable. That hasn't fully translated to the NBA level, but Garza has shown flashes of being a good offensive five. Look for someone to give him that role more fully next year.

  19. Montrezl Harrell – Philadelphia 76ers    PLAYER

    Harrell is coming off a lost year with the Sixers. He was a late signing and never made a real impact. Harrell can score, especially as a rim runner and offensive rebounder. But his defense is too poor for minutes on a contender.

FRINGE TIER (UNRANKED AND PRESENTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

  1. Udoka Azubuike – Utah Jazz    UFA

    Between injuries and lack of opportunity, Azubuike remains a bit of an unknown for teams. The Jazz declined their fourth-year rookie scale option, so they may move on. But he can finish and rebound. He'll get another shot in the NBA.

  2. Ibou Badji – Portland Trail Blazers    RFA

    Badji had a left knee injury that cost him the bulk of his season. Yet, the Blazers didn't move on. That tells you Portland sees enough potential in the 7-foot-2 center that he'll probably be back on another two-way deal.

  3. Goga Bitadze – Orlando Magic    CLUB

    Bitadze caught on with the Magic after the Pacers did some trade deadline shuffling. He refocused on his game around the rim and looked pretty good. He'll be in the NBA next season, as someone will sign him as a flyer project.

  4. John Butler – Portland Trail Blazers    RFA

    Butler didn't do much in the NBA or the G League, but he's still an intriguing prospect. He has nice touch for a 7-footer and he's got some rim protection potential. He'll be on a two-way contract with someone.

  5. Willie Cauley-Stein – Houston Rockets    UFA

    Cauley-Stein got a late-season callup with the Rockets after an earlier 10-Day. That was a reward for his work in the G League, where he did a nice job for Houston's affiliate. He could snag an NBA deal, but opportunties are dwindling.

  6. Dewayne Dedmon – Philadelphia 76ers    UFA

    Dedmon looked rough with the Heat, before catching on the Sixers for the stretch run. In his mid-30s, it's pretty close to the end of the line for Dedmon, as he doesn't do enough well to even hold down a regular backup role.

  7. Gorgui Dieng – San Antonio Spurs    UFA

    Dieng is basically in the same boat as Dewayne Dedmon. He just doesn't do enough well in his mid-30s to keep a roster spot. He is a well-liked locker room guy though, so that could see him get another deal.

  8. Taj Gibson – Washington Wizards    UFA

    Gibson was a part-time rotation player for the Wizards this season. His play has fallen off enough that he's probably done. Like some of the other veteran centers, he could be back as an end-of-roster guy for leadership reasons.

  9. Willy Hernangomez – New Orleans Pelicans    CLUB

    Hernangomez always seems to produce when he gets minutes, but then struggles to hold onto those minutes. Mostly, he can rebound and score, but his lack of defense keeps Hernangomez firmly a third center role.

  10. Jay Huff – Washington Wizards    RFA

    Huff was pretty dominant in the G League, as he won their Defensive Player of the Year award. He's got good touch on his jumper too. Huff might be a classic late-bloomer. He deserves a real NBA look next season.

  11. Damian Jones – Utah Jazz    PLAYER

    Jones went from a rotation role with the Lakers to not playing to getting traded for the Jazz. He may pick up his option, unless he sees a way to land somewhere where he could play more next season.

  12. DeAndre Jordan – Denver Nuggets    UFA

    Jordan is pretty close to finished as a viable NBA player. He doesn't move well enough on either end of the floor to bring more than some inside banging and six fouls. It's been one heck of a run for him though.

  13. Frank Kaminsky – Houston Rockets    UFA

    Kaminsky had a couple of strong seasons with the Suns, but then really fell off this year. At his best, he's a good floor-spacer as a center. But defensive shortcomings tend to keep him as only a deep bench option.

  14. Alex Len – Sacramento Kings    UFA

    Len's had a weird season for the Kings. He went from barely playing most of the season to being the backup center as the playoffs approach. If he looks good in the postseason, Len could land himself a minimum deal next season.

  15. Meyers Leonard – Milwaukee Bucks    UFA

    Leonard already won by working his way back to the NBA. He's healthy and working past his off-court issue. He can still shoot and block some shots, so he's a nice backup option for the Bucks behind Brook Lopez for next year.

  16. Robin Lopez – Cleveland Cavaliers    UFA

    Lopez will be back on a roster somewhere, maybe with the Cavs, because he's beloved in the locker room. And he works hard to stay ready when his number is called. The real question: How much longer does he want to play?

  17. Sandro Mamukelashvili – San Antonio Spurs    RFA

    The Spurs did well to claim and convert Mamukelashvili. He played really well for them, and now they can control the free agency process a bit. Look for him to be back in San Antonio for next season on a team-friendly contract.

  18. Boban Marjanovic – Houston Rockets    UFA

    Marjanovic is everyone's favorite teammate. That alone will keep him in the NBA, but he's also someone you can put in for 10-15 minutes when other centers are out and you'll be fine.

  19. Neemias Queta – Sacramento Kings    RFA

    Queta has made no NBA impact, but he's been excellent in the G League. He's a good rim protector and rebounder, and a plus finisher inside. He's got potential, but he may top out as a very good G League center.

  20. Olivier Sarr – Oklahoma City Thunder    RFA

    Sarr is a little bit like Neemias Queta. He's been pretty good in his G League minutes, but hasn't shown much in the NBA. There may be some late-bloomer potential here, but it's starting to get late for that too.

  21. Tristan Thompson – Los Angeles Lakers    UFA

    Thompson was signed on the final day of the regular season, mostly because he's tight with LeBron James. He didn't look great last season, and it's hard to imagine he has much left to offer as he approaches his mid-30s.

 

2023 NBA Free Agent Trackers

All PositionsPoint GuardsShooting Guard  |  Small Forward  |  Power Forward  |  Center 

Michael GinnittiApril 13, 2023

Joe Burrow (QB, CIN)

Burrow is guaranteed $35M over the next two seasons in Cincinnati, but he’s done more than enough to garner an immediate extension in his first offseason of eligibility. He projects to a 6 year, $275M contract in our system, which would mean $310M in total value over the next 8 seasons. Kyler Murray’s 7 year total contract averages just under $38M per year (with $219M of his $265M likely to be earned). Will Burrow accept a deal of similar format but at a $40M total contract AAV (7/280, 8/320)?

Jalen Hurts (QB, PHI)

Hurts steps out of a Super Bowl runner-up season and into a contract year with the Eagles, becoming extension eligible for the first time. Philly hasn’t been shy about their intent to lock up their QB1 this offseason, and there’s a 6 year, $265M ($44M per year) valuation for him in our system. It’s logical to assume the deal approaches $48M per year when all said and done however. UPDATE: Hurts agreed to a 5 year, $255M extension

Justin Herbert (QB, LAC)

Herbert is guaranteed $33.7M over the next two seasons, coming off of a season where he completed north of 68% of his passes, despite career lows in TDs, Yards/Game, and Passer Rating. Herbert’s Chargers haven’t found the team success that Burrow’s Bengals or Hurts’ Eagles have yet, but that shouldn’t keep LA from locking in their QB1 this offseason. Herbert holds a $44M valuation in our system, projected to a 6 year, $265M extension (8 years, $300M total value).

Lamar Jackson (QB, BAL)

It would be wrong to leave Lamar off of this list, despite the idea that an extension this offseason is becoming less likely every day. Let’s just keep this one simple for now: Take the $32M franchise tag figure, convert it into a signing bonus, and take on $100M more - fully guaranteed through 2025. Use void years and a few cap conversions to keep the annual hit tenable, lower the risk slightly for Baltimore, and give Lamar Jackson a chance to reset this whole process in 2026 - his age 29 season.

Saquon Barkley (RB, NYG)

Barkley won’t be joining the Giants this spring while his $10M franchise tag remains unsigned. We’ve laid out a projected look at what a multi-year extension going forward might look like here: https://www.spotrac.com/news/next-contract-saquon-barkley-1847/

CeeDee Lamb (WR, DAL)

Lamb has put together back to back strong campaigns in Dallas, setting himself up to be the next notable rookie extension at the WR position. He carries a 4 year, $90M valuation in our system to date, though A.J. Brown’s $25M per year deal in Philly has to be in the conversation here.

Michael Pittman Jr. (WR, IND)

The 2020 2nd rounder enters a contract year with the Colts, coming off of a 96 catch, 900 yard, 3 TD season in 2022. He’s caught 185 balls over the past two seasons, despite an inconsistent Colts offense (to say the least). Christian Kirk’s 4 year, $72M deal with the Jags is a strong comp right now, though any team that values him as a true WR1 going forward will almost certainly be asked to go north of $20M per year.

Dexter Lawrence (DT, NYG)

Lawrence enters his 5th-year option season with the Giants, set to earn a fully guaranteed $12.407M in 2023. He’s coming off of a career year, posting 7.5 sacks, 68 tackles, and 2 forced fumbles last season. Recent deals for Jeffery Simmons & Daron Payne have strengthened the defensive tackle market, raising Lawrence’s calculated valuation to a near $20M per year. A 4 year, $80M contract extension should be considered a floor for the 25-year-old this offseason.

Quinnen WIlliams (DT, NYJ)

Williams has combined for 18 sacks, 104 tackles and 2 forced fumbles in the past two seasons, putting him in line for a top of the market extension in NY. He finished 2022 as PFF’s #4 overall interior defender, currently projecting to a 4 year, $106M contract extension in our system.

Nick Bosa (DE, SF)

It’s been a quiet year for edge rushers, with much of the attention being subverted to the interior defensive line in recent weeks. Nick Bosa’s extension in San Francisco should quickly change that, as the 25-year-old carries a baseline valuation north of $28M right now. He’s entering his 5th-year option season, with $17.85M fully guaranteed in front of him. Will a 5 year, $145M offer, $105M+ guaranteed get this one done?

Michael GinnittiApril 12, 2023

Saquon Barkley’s now public decision to hold out indefinitely from his $10M franchise tag shouldn’t come as much of a surprise - and it comes with no penalty as well. As a technically unsigned player, Barkley (and all other franchise tagged players) are considered not under contract, and therefore have nothing to hold out from. They can report prior to Week 1 of the regular season, and still be eligible to earn their full franchise tag value. In other words - this could take awhile.

The play here is to eventually secure a multi-year extension, something Barkley and the Giants have been working on for the better part of a year to date. We’ll take a look at the figures involved here, including a projected contract that could solve this issue.

The Current Running Back Market

I was inclined to leave this blank for effect, but the truth here is that Barkley’s contract is important to how this position progresses over the course of the next few offseasons (albeit slight progression).

Christian McCaffrey signed his $16M per year extension almost exactly 3 full years ago. That’s how long the top average salary at this position has been held, and there’s no sign of it toppling in the coming months either.

Alvin Kamara ($15M) & Dalvin Cook’s ($12.6M) contracts were signed in September of 2020. Derrick Henry ($12.5M) signed in July of 2020. And Nick Chubb ($12.2M) signed in July of 2021. Ezekiel Elliott’s ($15M) recently extinguished contract stemmed from September of 2019.

To say things have been trending downward is an understatement.

RELATED: Highest Average Paid Running Backs

But the guarantees have improved, right? Those same Top 5 average salary names also still hold the Top 5 guarantee values as well. On average, 52% of the Top 10 active running back contracts are practically guaranteed.

So where does Barkley fall in all of this?

Saquon Barkley’s Value

Our latest valuation for Saquon Barkley (analyzing his 2021-2022 campaigns), places him at a $12.3M per year figure, or a 4 year, near $50M total value contract. If we take that 52% guaranteed number from above, we’re talking about $26M practically guaranteed, or 2 years, $26M practically speaking.

The easy way to contrast and compare here is to base our valuation against his current reality - two franchise tags. His 2023 tender comes in at $10,091,000. A second franchise tag is calculated as 120% of that number, or $12,109,200. These two tags combine for $22.2M.

So in theory, our fair market valuation for Barkley only represents a $4M guarantee increase over a simple two-tag plan.

Where does the $26M rank in terms of other top running backs?

1. McCaffrey, $38.1MM
2. Kamara, $33.8M
3. Cook, $28.1M
4. Henry, $25.5M
5. Chubb, $20M

Formulating a Projected Contract

We’re going to get a little creative here:
A) Because the Giants have shown that they’re not going to overload any single contract - including their QB1s.
B) Because it’s wrong to do a piece like this and just ignore the injury history and red flags that come with extending Saquon Barkley - despite his outstanding comeback season in 2022.

Here’s the compromise - a little less on the full guarantee, a little more on the total value, and even more available via active roster bonus & attainable - but not likely to be earned for cap purposes - incentives.

Here’s what a 4 year, $52M contract, $13M per year, $24M fully guaranteed at signing might look like.

The deal carries a $5.25M cap hit for the upcoming season, nearly cutting his current tag price in half - while paying out $14.25M cash - an increase of $4.25M. Barkley has a chance to make $26M over the next two seasons, aligning with the $13M per year AAV, as long as he's active for all 17 weeks each year. The Giants have been aggressively building in per game active bonuses even for players without Barkley's injury history - so it's a lock that they'll need to be factored in here.

Barring a cap conversion (potentially with the $6M fully guaranteed roster bonus due next March), the Giants will be able to walk away from this contract if needed after the 2024 season, with a $6M dead cap hit, freeing up $9.5M of space immediately.

Additionally we've factored in some common incentive offerings, all of which are not likely to be earned for cap purposes out of the gate. Barkley accounted for 1,650 yards from scrimmage last season, so we've started the yards package at 1,651 and forward. He accounted for just under 80% of the Giants offensive snaps last season (83% in his outstanding rookie year), so assuming he can hit 80%, and the Giants clinch a playoff spot - he can cash another $500,000 per year. In total there are $2M of available incentives annually on this deal - a huge number based on what we've seen in recent running back contracts, but something that I believe the top players at this position should be fighting for. If the guarantees and base pay isn't going to increase at the rate that the rest of the league is - these players should be compensated if and when they are great - and many of them are. Oh, and by the way - should Barkley play out all 4 seasons on this projected contract AND max out the $2M per year of incentives, it becomes a 4 year, $60M contract, or $15M per year. McCaffrey's number still stands alone.

Keith SmithApril 11, 2023

Spotrac’s Free Agent by Position Series

Point Guards   |   Shooting Guards   |   Small Forwards   |   Power Forwards   |   Centers

2023 NBA free agency is right around the corner. This isn’t considered to be a blockbuster free agent class, but there are several impact players available. In these rankings, we took a similar approach to the one many teams use when it comes to ranking available players. Each position was broken down into tiers. The tiers are:

  • All-Star: These aren’t all necessarily All-Stars, but they have the ability to be an All-Star
  • Starters: These players are either starters or they produce at a starter-level of impact
  • Rotation: These are solid players that should be in a team’s regular season rotation
  • Fringe: These are players at the end of the bench or Two-Way players largely in the G League

Players were then ranked within their tiers. All potential free agents have been ranked, including those with pending options.

ALL-STAR TIER

  1. James Harden – Philadelphia 76ers    PLAYER

    Harden is the best available free agent. He's still an All-NBA level guy, even if he's starting to show signs of slipping. You'll get an All-Star level playmaker for at least the next two years, provided you can also afford the latter years.

STARTER TIER

  1. Bruce Brown Jr. – Denver Nuggets    PLAYER

    Brown isn't shooting quite as well as he did with the Nets a season ago, but he's been very good in every other phase of the game. He can start or come off the bench. He's a good defender 1-3 and a good playmaker. All that = paid.

  2. Jordan Clarkson – Utah Jazz    PLAYER

    Clarkson was in the midst of a career-year with the Jazz before getting shut down with an injury. Even as he approaches his early-30s, he should maintain pleny of value as a bench scoring combo guard, which is his ideal role.

  3. Josh Hart – New York Knicks    PLAYER

    Hart has had his best all-around season, even if his scoring is down from than previous years. That's a volume thing, because Hart is shooting, rebounding, passing and defending better than ever. He's a high-value free agent.

  4. Austin Reaves – Los Angeles Lakers    RFA

    Reaves has been a breakout player for the Lakers. He's much more than a shooter, as he can handle, pass and get himself to the line with regularity. He's a very interesting Arenas Provision guy for cap space teams to chase.

  5. Gary Trent Jr. – Toronto Raptors    PLAYER

    Trent's play has slipped a bit, as he's dealt with injuries and a crowded Raptors rotation. At his best, Trent is an elite 3&D wing. He's only 24 years old too, so there should be a lot of good years coming.

  6. Caris LeVert – Cleveland Cavaliers    UFA

    Now that he's not being asked to lead an offense, LeVert has regained some of his efficiency. He's probably best as a high-usage bench player, but that's a role that has value. The Cavs may struggle to replace him if he leaves.

  7. Malik Beasley – Los Angeles Lakers    CLUB

    Over the last two seasons, Beasley has become a three-point specialist. That's not necessarily the worst thing, but Beasley was becoming a pretty good all-around scorer. There's a good chance the Lakers pick up their option.

  8. Alec Burks – Detroit Pistons    CLUB

    Burks had another solid and productive season. The Pistons didn't trade him, so it's likely the Pistons are going to pick up their option. They intend to improve and want to have a veteran like Burks around their young roster.

  9. Donte DiVincenzo – Golden State Warriors    PLAYER

    It's no surprise that on a great offensive team that DiVincenzo is putting up a very efficient season. He's also done a nice job defensively, on the boards and as a passer. The Warriors may struggle to pay him enough to keep him.

  10. Max Strus – Miami Heat    UFA

    Strus looked like he was headed for a big payday after a big year last year, but his shot has fallen off a bit this season. The Heat will be wary after already paying Duncan Robinson. That could put Strus in play for other teams.

  11. Josh Richardson – New Orleans Pelicans    UFA

    Richardson remains a pretty good shooter and scorer. He can also hold his own defensively and do a little bit of playmaking. The Pelicans will probably let him go, but he'll be a nice MLE target for a contender that needs a wing.

ROTATION TIER

  1. Seth Curry – Brooklyn Nets    UFA

    In his early-30s, Curry is still an elite shooter. He doesn't offer much else, but that will get him a nice deal from a contender that needs a guard who can shoot.

  2. Jaylen Nowell – Minnesota Timberwolves    UFA

    After three years of upward momentum, Nowell dropped off this season. He battled injuries and an inconsistent role with the Wolves. Someone may take a flyer and hope they can get him back on track with part of their MLE.

  3. Talen Horton-Tucker – Utah Jazz    PLAYER

    Horton-Tucker tends to get a little overrated because he piles up counting stats. He plays both guard spots and can score, so there's value there. It's likely he'll opt in and play out the year on a retooling Jazz team.

  4. Matisse Thybulle – Portland Trail Blazers    RFA

    If Thybulle could shoot, he'd be far higher on this list. He's the best defender of this group, but his inability to hit shots makes him borderline unplayable when it counts. He did shoot 39% on threes with Portland though…

  5. Victor Oladipo – Miami Heat    PLAYER

    Oladipo has had a weird year. He's looked good at times, and like he's finished at other times. Injuries and age have caught up to Oladipo enough that he'll probably just pick up his option for next season and play it out.

  6. Josh Okogie – Phoenix Suns    UFA

    Okogie has been an outstanding story this season. After his career petered out in Minnesota, he's bounced back with the Suns. He's shot just well enough to complement his defense and that's kept him on the floor this year.

  7. Lonnie Walker IV – Los Angeles Lakers    UFA

    Walker has been a bust of a free agent signing for the Lakers. Enough so, that he fell out of the rotation. But it's not fully clear why. He's been efficient as a scorer. This is probably just a case of being a bad fit for player and team.

  8. Shake Milton – Philadelphia 76ers    UFA

    Milton has seen his role drop off a bit, as the Sixers have used other guards, but he's been very effective. This was his best shooting season since bursting onto the scene in 2019-20. Milton is a good fourth guard off the bench.

  9. Hamidou Diallo – Detroit Pistons    UFA

    Diallo sort of reinvented his game as the Pistons used him like an ultra small-ball big man. That could be a role a contender sees for Diallo moving forward, as he's never developed into the 3&D player many hoped that he would.

  10. Troy Brown Jr. – Los Angeles Lakers    UFA

    Brown has had the best year of his career with the Lakers. He's shot it well and defended enough that's been a regular rotation player all season. Whether that's earned him more than another minimum deal remains to be seen.

  11. Will Barton – Toronto Raptors    UFA

    Whether it's age or no longer having Nikola Jokic setting him up, Barton has fallen way off this season. He struggled with both Washington and Toronto. The track record says he'll get another shot as a bench scorer somewhere.

  12. Terence Davis – Sacramento Kings    UFA

    Davis has had a productive year in a designated-shooter role for the Kings. He may need to shoot it a bit better for that to be his long-term role, but someone will give him a crack at it.

  13. Javonte Green – Chicago Bulls    UFA

    It looked like Green was on the verge of locking in a rotation role with the Bulls before injuries wrecked his season. He's an uber athlete and his shot is coming along. A smart team will snag him and let him play in rotation role.

  14. Justin Holiday – Dallas Mavericks    UFA

    Holiday hasn't been able to find his shot since leaving Indiana. In his mid-30s, his opportunities are going to dry up if he can't find it this coming season.

  15. Damion Lee – Phoenix Suns    UFA

    Lee has had an outstanding shooting season for the Suns. He may be the best pure shooter of this group, non-Seth Curry division. That could get him more than a minimum deal from a team that is desperate for perimeter shooting.

  16. Ty Jerome – Golden State Warriors    UFA

    It's rare for a two-way guy to jump into the rotation tier, but Jerome has proven he deserves to be there. He's a good shooter and a solid secondary playmaker. A bigger role should await him next season.

  17. Romeo Langford – San Antonio Spurs    RFA

    Langford just can't stay healthy. It's been four straight injury-plagued seasons for him now. He'll only turn 24 at the start of the season, so someone will give him another shot. The talent is there if he can shake the injury issues.

  18. Austin Rivers – Minnesota Timberwolves    UFA

    In Year 11, Rivers was again productive. He's a good fourth or fifth guard, because he can play both spots and he's good even if he doesn't get regular minutes. That probably keeps him on a contender's bench next season.

  19. Nickeil Alexander-Walker – Minnesota Timberwolves    RFA

    NAW feels like he's still a major work in progress. The jumper comes and goes, so he's not really a two. The playmaking has never gotten there, so he's not really a one. He still has some upside, but that's starting to wane too.

FRINGE TIER (UNRANKED AND PRESENTED IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER)

  1. Buddy Boeheim – Detroit Pistons    RFA

    Boeheim saw very few NBA minutes, even after the Pistons turned towards ping pong balls. His impact in the G League was mostly based around good, but not great shooting. He'll be lucky to get another two-way contract.

  2. David Duke Jr. – Brooklyn Nets    RFA

    Duke was a late converstion by the Nets. He had minimal NBA impact, but was outstanding in the G League. If he shot it better from the outside, Duke would be an NBA rotation player. Until then, he's a two-way guy.

  3. AJ Green – Milwaukee Bucks    RFA

    Green flashed some on- and off-ball skills in both the NBA and the G League. He's an outstanding shooter on spot-ups, on the move or off-the-dribble. Don't be surprised if he lands a standard deal before next season.

  4. Ron Harper Jr. – Toronto Raptors    RFA

    Harper didn't do much in the NBA, but showed off his all-around game in the G League. His shot is a work in progress, but the other skills are there. Harper is a guy someone should invest at least another two-way deal in.

  5. Johnny Juzang – Utah Jazz    RFA

    When the Jazz shut their regulars down late in the season, Juzang finally got some NBA minutes. He did ok, but didn't really build on a nice scoring season in the G League. Another year of seasoning in the minors is in order.

  6. Trevor Keels – New York Knicks    RFA

    Keels got into only three NBA games, and his G League impact was relatively muted too. He'll need to shoot it far better to get an NBA opportunity beyond a two-way deal.

  7. Wesley Matthews – Milwaukee Bucks    UFA

    It's been years of steady decline, but Matthews finally dropped out of being a regular rotation player. His shot is no longer reliable and his defense has fallen off. This might be the end of the line for a former 3&D prototype.

  8. Rodney McGruder – Detroit Pistons    UFA

    McGruder has been a great locker room presence for the Pistons for a few seasons now. He doesn't play much, but when he does he contributes. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him back in Detroit if there's a roster spot for him.

  9. Xavier Moon – Los Angeles Clippers    RFA

    Moon is undersized to be a shooting guard in the NBA. He's shown signs of developing his playmaking game, which could portend a switch to point guard. That would give Moon more value beyond being a solid G League player.

  10. Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk – Charlotte Hornets    UFA

    Mykhailiuk can shoot. The problem is that's all he can do. And he doesn't shoot it at quite a high enough level to be a rotation player. Still, he'll probably snag another deal as a designated shooter on the minimum.

  11. Theo Pinson – Dallas Mavericks    UFA

    Pinson has earned his NBA deal by being a beloved teammate. That might keep him on the end of the bench, possibly with the Mavericks. He's perfect as a minimum salary player for the good locker room vibes.

  12. Lester Quinones – Golden State Warriors    RFA

    Quinones made very little NBA impact, but he was outstanding as a rookie in the G League. He'll probably go to training camp with outside chance of a standard roster spot, but a great chance at a two-way contract.

  13. Jared Rhoden – Detroit Pistons    RFA

    Rhodan did fine with a handful of NBA minutes at the end of the regular season. What was more exciting was his shooting in the G League. If that maintains or improves, Rhoden will get a shot at a standard contract next season.

  14. Dru Smith – Brooklyn Nets    RFA

    Smith is undersized to be a two at the NBA level. He showed some flashes as an on-ball playmaker in the G League, which is encouraging. He's probably looking at another two-way deal, an more on-ball reps in the minors.

 

2023 NBA Free Agent Trackers

All PositionsPoint GuardsShooting Guard  |  Small Forward  |  Power Forward  |  Center 

Scott AllenApril 10, 2023

Jon Rahm wins the second major of his career with his Masters Tournament win. In additional to the win and green jacket, he earns himself another $3.24 million for the 2023 season. This brings his 2023 on-course earnings to $13.29 million and brings his career on-course earnings to $48.3 million (15th All-time).

Masters Tournament Open Top 5

1. Jon Rahm: $3,240,000

2. Phil Mickelson, Brooks Koepka: $1,584,000

T4. Russell Henley, Patrick Reed, Jordan Spieth: $744,000

Full Results

2023 Earnings Leaders Update

1. Jon Rahm: $13,288,541

2. Scottie Scheffler: $12,063,495

3. Max Homa: $7,776,012

4. Kurt Kitayama: $5,693,388

5. Sam Burns: $5,425,642

Full List

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