Michael Jordan turns 60-years-old today, a milestone he celebrated by processing a record-breaking $10M donation to Make-a-Wish America.

We’ll take a quick glance back at the career contracts of Jordan on the court, which, as you might imagine, pale in comparison to what he’s ascertained as a brand off of it.

The Rookie Deal

Jordan entered the NBA as the #3 overall selection back in 1984 (Hakeem Olajuwon, Sam Bowie for those asking). On September 12th, 1984 he signed a 7 year, $6.3M rookie contract with the Chicago Bulls, including a $250,000 signing bonus & a $455,000 base salary for his inaugural season. While reports on this deal are scarce, it doesn’t appear that Jordan was in line to make $1M in any of his first 7 seasons under these terms, leaving us to believe that the contract was heavily incentive-laden.

Jordan would stay on this deal through the 1987-88 season before extending, earning an estimated $2.76M for his efforts. 

The 1988 Extension

On September 20th, 1988 the Bulls did right by Jordan, voiding out the final three years of his rookie contract to get him on an 8 year, $25.7M deal. The new contract included a base salary of $2M for the 1988-89 season, more than double the $880,000 he was set to earn on his previous deal. He would go on to earn $14.1M over the next 5 seasons, before “retiring” on October 6th, 1993.

Jordan would stay away from basketball until March 18th, 1995, returning to finish out this second contract with the Bulls, who retained his rights throughout.

The Correction Contracts

In the 1996 offseason, Michael Jordan was an unrestricted free agent. So how did the Bulls respond to the possibility of losing their franchise star? By offering him a 1 year contract for $30.1M - despite the league salary cap being $24.3M that season.

How was this possible? Like now, teams could use rights to re-sign their own players past the salary cap threshold. The difference? There were no maximum contracts in the NBA. The Bulls could offer Jordan whatever they wanted, and in this essence - they did exactly that.

Next offseason, the two sides found themselves in a similar position, with Jordan on the open market, but with Chicago still holding his rights. The Bulls responded this time with a 1 year, $33.1M contract, a salary that would stand as the highest in the NBA until the 2017-18 season when both LeBron James, and Steph Curry surpassed it.

Jordan’s $33.1M salary for the 1997-98 season was more than the average NBA payroll that season. It would be his last salary as a member of the Bulls, as Jordan would once again retire on January 13th, 1999 - with the Bulls officially renouncing his rights (for the first time) on January 21st.

The Wizards Years

Michael Jordan was hired by the Washington Wizards as their President of Operations on January 19th, 2000, a job he would stay in until May of 2003. However, on September 28, 2001, Michael Jordan returned (again) to the court, signing a 2 year, $2.03M contract to join the Washington Wizards roster. The shocking move was (rightfully) muted by the chaotic 9/11 times, and he’s on record as stating that he would donate his entire $1M salary for the 2001-02 season to victims of terrorism.

Jordan battled knee injuries during the entirety of this final contract, stepping away from the game on November 28th, 2022, and officially retiring (again again) on April 3rd, 2002. 

Career Earnings

When it was all said and done, Michael Jordan reeled in approximately $94M on the court, $63.28M of which came in the 1996 & 1997 seasons alone.

He earned $91.8M from the Chicago Bulls, and another $2.03M from the Washington Wizards

Since the last time we did this at the opening of trade season in mid-December, quite a bit has changed. The Indiana Pacers used a chunk of next year’s cap space to renegotiate-and-extend Myles Turner’s contract. The Los Angeles Lakers made several trades to prop up this season’s roster, while also adding players they could keep long-term. The San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons both took on money that carries into next season and, just as importantly, didn’t trade some players who now project to stick around.

There are more moves to come, as teams are in the midst of buyout season for about two more weeks. However, buyout season rarely changes much as far as next summer’s spending outlook goes.

With all that in mind, it’s time to look at some updated 2023 cap space and exception projections.

(Note: 538’s 2022-23 NBA standings projections have been used here to determine 2023 NBA Draft selections and their corresponding cap holds. Projections on options, guarantees and renouncements have also been made. No trades have been projected for any teams.)

Cap Space Teams

1. Houston Rockets - $56.2 million
2. Utah Jazz - $53.8 million
3. San Antonio Spurs - $46.0 million
4. Oklahoma City Thunder - $30.4 million
5. Detroit Pistons - $27.9 million
6. Indiana Pacers - $26.6 million
7. Sacramento Kings - $21.5 million
8. Orlando Magic - $21.1 million

Only eight teams project to have cap space, and it could end up being fewer than that. Some of these teams are in the running for Victor Wembanyama. If they land him, then pressure to spend to win right could increase. Or the pressure could be off for a year of watching the generational prospect develop.

The Rockets projection shouldn’t change much. Houston has seven players on rookie scale contracts and two others playing out the deals they signed as second-round picks. Only Kevin Porter (his rookie scale extension kicks in next year) and Jae’Sean Tate are signed to long-term non-first contracts. Look for Houston to decline KJ Martin’s team option, in order to make him a restricted free agent. But that move won’t push the Rockets out of the top spot in available cap space.

Utah moved out some of their pending decisions at the trade deadline. They don’t have to decide on keeping Mike Conley or Jarred Vanderbilt anymore, and that increases their cap space projection by quite a bit. Even if bit players like Rudy Gay, Talen Horton-Tucker and Damian Jones opt in, the Jazz still have the second-most projected cap space in the league. Without a ton of roster spots to fill, Utah could take a major swing this summer. Keep an eye on a potential Jordan Clarkson extension to eat into a bit of their projected space.

The Spurs added some money into next year by taking on Devonte’ Graham and Khem Birch’s deals at the deadline. That’s fine, as San Antonio seems to be at least on more year out from trying to move things forward in a significant way.

The Thunder are in a really fun spot. They’ve got about $30 million to spend, and no really tough decisions to make on pending free agents. That could make Oklahoma City a threat to spend big on one major addition to a young roster that is ready to start winning at a higher rate.

Detroit kept Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks at the deadline. That changed their projection a bit for the summer. Instead of being up around the Rockets/Jazz territory, the Pistons should be middle to the pack. But with some good, young players and keeping the couple of vets, Detroit might not need to spend on a lot of players. One big addition could be in play for a roster that’s almost there.

The Pacers chose to eat into their cap space by extending Myles Turner. By using a chunk of this season’s leftover space, Indiana was able to give Turner an immediate bump in salary, while also keeping his number down for the future. This is another roster this is mostly full. Indiana could use one more forward with size. They’ve got the spending power to get that done this summer.

Sacramento is a swing team. They could easily create about $21 million in spending power. Or the Kings could stay over the cap and choose to retain a few of their own free agents. Sacramento could also make this whole thing moot by agreeing to an extension with Harrison Barnes before July. A lot might depend on how this playoff push turns out for the Kings.

Orlando didn’t trade Gary Harris at the deadline, and they won’t just waive him. That’s now the biggest difference between the Magic having in the mid-$30 million range in cap space and being in the low-$20 million range. In order to get in the mix for a $25-$30 million point guard, as has been rumored, there will have to be another move or two coming from Orlando. And that move isn’t an obvious one.

Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Teams

1. Charlotte Hornets
2. Chicago Bulls
3. Memphis Grizzlies
4. Minnesota Timberwolves
5. New York Knicks
6. Portland Trail Blazers

Cap flexibility is a bit of a division between haves and have-nots in the summer of 2023. That’s reflected by just these six teams looking like they’ll have the Non-Taxpayer MLE to use.

The Grizzlies remain easiest team to slot in here. They’ve got a mostly full roster after extending their own players over the years. The only real free agent of note is Dillon Brooks, and there’s a decent chance he could be the next player to extend. But even with Brooks at a fair number for both sides and Memphis should have enough room to use the full Non-Taxpayer MLE. The real question for the Grizzlies is about having enough roster spots to re-sign Brooks, add a free agent and bring in another drafted player.

The Hornets are a real swing team. A lot hinges on what happens with P.J. Washington and Miles Bridges. Washington wasn’t traded, so that assumes Charlotte wants to keep him. The “Hornets are ready to re-sign Miles Bridges” trial balloon was a massive miss a couple of months ago. But that situation still needs resolved. If those guys move on, the Hornets will be a cap space team.

Chicago mostly depends on how far they go to re-sign Nikola Vucevic. They didn’t trade the veteran center at the deadline, which means he’s probably getting a contract offer. Keep an eye on a potential extension for Vucevic, ideally a somewhat team-friendly one. That could clear things up for Chicago heading into what’s shaping up to be a very important summer.

Minnesota is in a good spot. They’ve got one more year before the team gets really, really expensive with Karl-Anthony Town’s supermax extension kicking in, and likely a Designated Rookie scale max extension coming for Anthony Edwards. If Naz Reid doesn’t break the bank, the Wolves should have enough room to use the full MLE this summer for the last time in a few years.

New York’s roster is mostly defined. That’s a good spot to be in, while also having access to the full MLE. Look for the Knicks to make a targeted signing to fill out their rotation.

Portland’s flexibility mostly revolves around what happens with Jerami Grant. He could extend, or he could command a big deal as a free agent. Add in some uncertainty with Cam Reddish and Matisse Thybulle as restricted free agents, and the Trail Blazers are in a bit of a weird place. They could just as easily slip into having only the Taxpayer MLE, pending new contracts for Grant, Reddish and Thybulle.

Non-Taxpayer or Taxpayer Mid-Level Teams

1. Brooklyn Nets
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
3. Dallas Mavericks
4. Los Angeles Lakers
5. Toronto Raptors
6. Washington Wizards

No team did more to change their future at the trade deadline than Brooklyn. The Nets now have a roster full of good-but-not-great players. Cam Johnson is the only major free agent for Brooklyn too. But the roster feels unfinished. With so many good players at the same positions, there’s going to be more movement coming here. If enough salary goes out, that could put the Nets in range to use the full MLE.

The Cavs outlook depends solely on what happens with new deals for Caris LeVert and Kevin Love. If those players re-sign for even semi-team-friendly terms, Cleveland will have the Non-Taxpayer MLE. If those deals push the team salary up, then the Cavaliers will have the Taxpayer MLE.

Dallas is now beholden to the Kyrie Irving experience. Irving says he doesn’t want to talk about his contract until the summer, but it’s the key question for the Mavs. If he re-signs, Dallas is likely to be a tax team. If Irving walks, the Mavericks could be a potential cap space team.

The Lakers made a bunch of moves ahead of the trade deadline and all seem to have a long-term bend to them. Los Angeles could still create $30 million in cap space, but for now they’ll probably focus on re-signing guys like D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura, while also picking up Malik Beasley’s team option. That means it’s just the Taxpayer MLE to work with again, but this time it’s with a far-more fleshed out roster.

Despite being in a million trade rumors, Toronto only brought back Jakob Poeltl and called it a deadline. Trading for Poeltl signaled the Raptors intend to re-sign him, but they still have major decisions to make with Fred VanVleet and Gary Trent Jr. Re-signing either probably makes Toronto a tax team, or really close. Letting them go would give the Raps access to the full MLE.

Much like Toronto, Washington chose to hang onto their pending free agents in Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis. This one is pretty simple: Re-signing Kuzma and Porzingis will put Washington close to the tax. Losing either will give the Wizards the full MLE. Losing both means Washington is a very unexpected cap space team.

Taxpayer Mid-Level Teams

1. Atlanta Hawks
2. Boston Celtics
3. Denver Nuggets
4. Golden State Warriors
5. LA Clippers
6. Miami Heat
7. Milwaukee Bucks
8. New Orleans Pelicans
9. Philadelphia 76ers
10. Phoenix Suns

This is a pretty huge group of teams dancing around the luxury tax line. The thing all of these teams have in common is that they’re already locked in to the core of their rosters for at least the next two seasons.

Many of these teams have re-signed players to max or near-max deals in recent years. A few have pending free agents who will be pushing for a max deal next offseason. And a handful are already all but guaranteed to be over the tax.

The Celtics, Nuggets, Warriors, Clippers, Heat and Suns are all going to be tax teams, barring something really unexpected. That leaves four teams from this group with some unanswered questions.

Atlanta didn’t make any major moves. That’s got them staring at being a tax team next season. If they move John Collins (don’t laugh!) the Hawks could create enough flexibility to have the Non-Taxpayer MLE. But they also have to figure out what to do with Bogdan Bogdanovic, who will be looking to cash in on one more big contract.

The Bucks will probably be deep in the tax again next season. The only way they aren’t is if Khris Middleton leaves town. That would have Milwaukee in a completely different position of having to rebuild a bit of their top-end depth, instead of figuring out how to improve on the edges of the rotation.

The Pelicans have a mostly full roster. That’s good news, as they won’t have much spending power this summer. With Zion Williamson’s max extension kicking in, New Orleans is sitting on three $30 million-plus players. Despite that, keep an eye on the Pelicans adding even more salary, as they’d be smart to decline their team option for Naji Marshall. That would get Marshall paid a year early, but by making him a restricted free agent this summer, it would remove a potentially dangerous situation with the important forward hitting unrestricted free agency in 2024.

The 76ers being a taxpayer or not is tied to James Harden’s free agency. If Harden signs for the max, Philadelphia will be deep into the tax. If Harden takes less again, the Sixers will have some flexibility. If Harden were to walk (and that buzz keeps getting a little louder), the 76ers will find themselves retooling the roster around Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and the final year of Tobias Harris’ contract.

Derek Carr has reportedly exercised his full no-trade clause, disallowing the Raiders to ship him out of Vegas on their terms.

The almost 32-year-old will instead await his release, then test the open market immediately. Carr’s contract famously (now) guarantees him an additional $40.4M of future salary if he’s on the roster February 15th, making this decision a swift one.

So, assuming the release becomes finalized in the next 24 hours, what might Derek Carr be seeking on the open market - and from whom?

Derek Carr’s Next Contract

Carr’s current 3 year extension carried $121.5M of new money through 2025, adding up to $141.3M over 4 years. This $40.5M annual average ranked 7th in the NFL, raising plenty of non-believer eyebrows last April. However, the structure of this deal made it such that only $24,877,519 of the deal was fully guaranteed at signing - all in 2022. The possibility of Carr leaving after last season was always baked into the cake.

So what next? Carr’s extension was a boom or bust deal. If he had played well in 2022, the Raiders would soon be restructuring his massive base salary, freeing up $25M of cap space, and continuing to build the roster around him. He didn’t, and thus he’ll be looking to restart his career elsewhere. This means a chance at a bonafide, clean slate, starting quarterback contract with a franchise that will (blindly) trust him out of the gate - and a much stronger structure.

AVERAGE ANNUAL
Carr holds a $37.7M valuation in our system currently, which would be good enough for 10th in the league (until Burrow, Hurts, Jackson, Herbert surpass him). Keeping him a Top 15 average paid QB to start the season should be a priority for Carr & his representation, as the dropoff of talent thereafter is palpable.

GUARANTEES
If we expand his market value out 2 seasons, this gives us $75M, a very likely guarantee point for Carr’s next contract. Ryan Tannehill’s 4 year extension back in 2020 locked in $62M fully guaranteed at signing over the course of two seasons. In adjusting for the current salary cap, a $75M ask over two seasons is over market, but not by much.

TOTAL CONTRACT
Carr’s looming release will automatically label him with a negative connotation, and his 2022 production (60% completion, 86 Passer Rating) certainly align with that mindset. But when considering the available options for quarterback-needy teams this offseason (especially those not in position to draft one of the best available rookies), Carr’s name sits at or near the top of this list (Rodgers’ future notwithstanding).

So is a 3 year, $114M contract in Derek Carr’s immediate future? Maybe. Carr is better than the average quarterback to hit the open market - but that doesn’t mean free agency is generally nice to these players.

Largest Guarantee at Signings by a Free Agent QB
2016: Brock Osweiler, HOU, $37M
2017: Mike Glennon, CHI, $18.5M
2018: Case Keenum, ARI, $25M
2019: Nick Foles, JAC, $45.125M
2020: Tom Brady, TB, $50M
2021: Andy Dalton, CHI, $10M
2022: Jameis Winston, NO, $15.2M

Of course, many of the QBs moving around in an offseason have been traded…

Largest Guarantee at Signing by a Traded/Extended QB
2016: Sam Bradford, MIN, $18M
2017: Jimmy Garoppolo, SF, $41.7M
2018: Alex Smith, WSH, $55M
2019: Ryan Tannehill, TEN, $2M
2020: Nick Foles, CHI, $17M
2021: Teddy Bridgewater, DEN, $4.25M
2022: Deshaun Watson, CLE, $230M

Pretty all over the place set of names, right? Isn’t it fair to place Derek Carr somewhere in between these two lists, as someone who won’t necessarily be competing for the QB1 role upon signing, but also doesn’t carry the leverage, age, or recent production to maximize a contract in any way?

Spotrac’s Projection

With the Jets, Panthers, Saints, Commanders, Buccaneers, all likely at least considering a run at Carr this February, the opportunity for offers shouldn’t be scarce. Based on our above assessment, we believe Derek Carr can lock in a: 

3 year, $110M contract, $75M guaranteed ($50M guaranteed at signing)

Scottie Scheffler earns his first win of the 2023 season by win the WM Phoenix Open. He won by two stroke, holding off Nick Taylor and Jon Rahm. Scheffler brings his 2023 season earnings to $4.74 million and is now the 2nd-highest earner in 2023. His on-course career earnings are now at $26.29 million.

WM Phoenix Open Top 5

1. Scottie Scheffler: $3,600,000

2. Nick Taylor: $2,180,000

3. Jon Rahm: $1,380,000

4. Justin Thomas: $980,000

5. Jason Day: $820,000 

Full Results

2023 Tournament Earnings Leaders Update

1. Jon Rahm: $6,264,750

2. Scottie Scheffler: $4,741,495

3. Max Homa: $4,102,805

4. Keegan Bradley: $3,778,524

5. Nick Taylor: $2,943,945

Full List

The Super Bowl champs hit the offseason with a good portion of their core intact for the 2023 season. With multiple receivers and running backs set to hit the open market, KC will continue to piece together their weapon set this offseason, but the big questions come in the trenches. LT Orlando Brown needs at least a tag to stay in the fold, while Frank Clark’s cap hit balloons, and Chris Jones’ contract nears expiration.

RELATED
2023 Kansas City Chiefs Salary Cap
2023 Kansas City Chiefs Free Agents

Extension Candidates

• OT Orlando Brown Jr. (2nd tag possible)
• DT Chris Jones (extension)
• DE Frank Clark (bubble/extension)
• CB L'Jarius Sneed (extension)

Notable Free Agents

• OT Orlando Brown Jr.
• RT Andrew Wylie
• WR JuJu Smith-Schuster
• WR Mecole Hardman
• RB Jerick McKinnon
• DT Khalen Saunders
• S Juan Thornhill

The Quarterback Room

Patrick Mahomes enters Year 4 of a 12 year, $480M contract, set to earn $40.45M against a $46.8M cap hit next season. The Chiefs passed on restructuring Mahomes’ $35.8M hit this season, so it stands to reason they’ll convert his $34.4M roster bonus in the coming weeks to free up $27.52M of space for 2023. His 2023 & 2024 compensation is already fully guaranteed, and another $39.45M from 2025 locks in this coming March. It remains the largest, strongest contract in football.

QB2 Chad Henne played 2022 on a 1 year, $2M deal, and has announced his retirement following the Super Bowl win. There will there be a change in backup QB for the first time in 5 seasons.

The Running Back Room

2020 1st rounder Clyde Edwards-Helaire holds a fully guaranteed $2M salary in 2023, then a $5.4M 5th-year option for 2024 that seems likely to be declined in the coming weeks. Will he remain a Chief next season? Finding a trade partner can free up $2M of cap/cash for KC.

2022 7th rounder Isiah Pacheco shot up the depth chart, so much so that CEH found himself a healthy scratch in Super Bowl 57. He’s on non-guaranteed rookie salaries through 2025.

30 year old Jerick McKinnon hit 800 yards from scrimmage on a veteran minimum deal, and is slated for free agency this March.

The Wide Receiver Room

JuJu Smith-Schuster turned a 1 year $3.76M base contract into $9.2M thanks to earned incentives. It stands to reason he’ll be seeking a multi-year guarantee this time around. With the WR market soaring, JuJu has a claim for $14M+ per year in the right situation, but a return to a contender such as Kansas City probably warrants something in the 3 year, $36M range.

Marquez Valdes-Scantling enters Year 2 of a 3 year $30M contract, set to earn $9M against an $11M cap hit. The Chiefs can move on from this deal and clear $7M of cap, but a restructure to lower the 2023 hit is much more likely here.

Kadarius Toney, acquired from the Giants for a 3rd/6th round pick, still has 2 years, $4.4M (guaranteed) plus a 5th year option in 2025. He’s been slow to get involved as of yet, but time (and low cap hits) are on everyone’s side here. Youngster Skyy Moore enters Year 2 of his rookie contract and will factor in.

Mecole Hardman is slated for unrestricted free agency, carrying a $10M valuation in our system.

The Tight End Room

Travis Kelce enters Year 4 of his 6 year $74M contract, set to earn $12.25M against a $14.8M cap hit next season. His early guarantees are now gone, putting him in a year-to-year situation contractually speaking. With three years remaining, it seems unlikely either side will push to move on this contract too much, though that likely changes this time next year.

2021 5th rounder Noah Gray enters Year 3 of his rookie deal, tripling his production from Year 1 to Year 2. He seems a likely candidate to stick behind Kelce next year.

The Offensive Line

Left Tackle Orlando Brown Jr. played out 2022 on a $16.6M franchise tag, and might be asked to do the same in 2023. It’ll cost the Chiefs $19.9M this time around, but that pales in comparison to the $60M+ guarantees being handed out to top offensive lineman on long-term deals. Brown took a bit of a step back this year, so the apprehension could be deemed warranted.

Left Guard Joe Thuney enters Year 3 of a 5 year, $80M contract, set to earn $15.5M against a $22.1M cap hit next season. His 2023 salary is already fully guaranteed, but he’ll be year-to-year thereafter. A base salary conversion plus two void years can open up $11M of cap space for KC.

2021 2nd round center Creed Humphrey had an outstanding 2022, setting his 2 years, $2.5M remaining up for huge value. He’ll become extension-eligible for the first time after 2023.

2021 6th rounder Trey Smith saw 85% of the offensive snaps this year, so his 2 years, $1.9M non-guaranteed will represent great value should he stick in a major role.

Right Tackle Andrew Wylie saw over 90% of the snaps this year on a 1 year, $2.5M contract. He’ll hit the open market this March, and there’s a world where he doubles his annual average.

The Defensive Line

DT Chris Jones enters a contract year in 2023, set to earn $20M against a $28.3M cap hit. There’s mutual interest in a restructured extension, but can the Chiefs afford another blockbuster contract on their books? Jones mathematically values to $30M a year - which means he’s worth even more when it’s all said and done. A 4 year, $120M extension, $90M guaranteed is completely within reason here.

Jones’ counterpart Khalen Saunders is slated for free agency this March, carrying a much more tenable $6.5M valuation into the offseason.

The Chiefs and DE Frank Clark agreed to a restructured deal last March that dramatically lowered his 2022 cap hit, but ballooned the 2023 figure north of $30M. Did the 30-year old do enough this year (5 sacks, 39 tackles, 1 forced fumble) to warrant another restructured deal to stay? KC can open up $21.1M of cap space by moving on here.

2022 1st rounder George Karlaftis posted 6 sacks in his first campaign, taking on 60% of the Chiefs snaps this season. He may be asked to take big steps forward next year if Frank Clark leaves town.

The Linebackers

Willie Gay Jr. enters a contract year, carrying a $1.6M cap hit in 2023. He nearly doubled his career production this season, posting 88 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a pick.

2021 2nd rounder Nick Bolton compiled 180 tackles, 2 sacks, 2 interceptions, and a forced fumble. The 22-year-old carries a basic $1.6M cap hit next year, becoming extension-eligible for the first time thereafter.

After limited snaps this season, 2022 3rd rounder Leo Chenal likely takes over the SAM role in 2023. He holds a non-guaranteed 3 years, $3.4M. Carlos Dunlap is a pending free agent.

The Secondary

2022 1st rounder Trent McDuffie missed 6 weeks, but really rounded into form down the stretch, appearing every bit the starting CB KC has been seeking. He’ll carry a team-friendly $3.8M cap figure next season.

L'Jarius Sneed put together his best season to date, posting 108 tackles, 3.5 sacks, 3 picks, and 3 forced fumbles on 91% of the team’s snaps. He’ll get a pay bump up to $2.7M in the final year of his rookie deal, and enters the offseason as an extension candidate, carrying an $8M valuation right now.

Justin Reid was signed to a 3 year, $31.5M contract to replace Tyrann Matheiu this offseason, and he held his own in Year 1 of that adventure. The 26-year old is set to earn $9.2M against a $12.7M cap hit next year, but a simple base salary conversion plus void years can free up $6.3M of that cap as needed.

Juan Thornhill hit career highs across the board, including 71 tackles, 3 picks, and a sack in 2022. He’s slated for unrestricted free agency this March, projecting to a 4 year, $40M contract in our system. 2022 2nd rounder Bryan Cook could be asked to step up into the spotlight going forward.

The Special Teams

Kicker Harrison Butker enters Year 5 of a 6 year $21M contract, set to earn $3.7M against a $5.1M cap hit next season. Butker posted one of his least efficient seasons to date, hitting 75% of his field goals, 92% of his PATs. If the Chiefs find another option to compete, there’s almost $3M of cap space to be opened up by moving on here.

Punter Tommy Townsend was an All-Pro this year, headed to restricted free agency this March. The UDFA should be back on the low tender next season, while Long Snapper James Winchester enters a contract year, carrying a $1.3M cap hit in 2023.

The Eagles enter the offseason with a huge to-do list in front of them, starting of course with what is expected to be an historic contract extension for QB Jalen Hurts. Then comes the business of understanding how some of the long-time fixtures plan to handle their futures, most notably Jason Kelce, Fletcher Cox, & Brandon Graham. Toss in a few sure to be expensive pending free agents (Garnder-Johnson, Edwards, Sanders), and it won’t be boring to follow Philadelphia, who project to about $5M of Top 51 cap space currently, this March. Oh and by the way, they hold the #10 pick in the draft thanks to New Orleans.

RELATED:
2023 Eagles Salary Cap
2023 Eagles Free Agents

Extension Candidates

• QB Jalen Hurts
• CB Darius Slay

Notable Free Agents

• QB Gardner Minshew
• RB Miles Sanders
• C Jason Kelce
• RG Isaac Seumalo
• DT Fletcher Cox
• DT Javon Hargrave
• DE Brandon Graham
• LB T.J. Edwards
• CB James Bradberry
• S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
  
  

The Quarterback Room

Jalen Hurts enters a contract year in 2023, set to earn $4.4M thanks to a proven performance bonus. The Eagles are going to sweeten that pot immensely, likely to the tune of $50M per year, $200M guaranteed. A 6 year, $300M extension is probably about right here.

Behind him, Gardner Minshew is headed to free agency, while 4th rounder Ian Book holds a 2 year, $1.9M deal - non-guaranteed. Do the Eagles value Minshew enough to bring him back at a healthy price? He’ll have some offers to compete for snaps elsewhere.

The Running Back Room

Miles Sanders is slated for unrestricted free agency, completing a 4 year, $5.3M rookie deal. He’ll hit the market just shy of 26 years old, and could demand around $7.25M per year based on recent production.

27-year-old Boston Scott is also set to hit the open market this March, after his usage dipped quite a bit in 2022. There’s probably not much more than a minimum contract in his future.

Youngsters Kenneth Gainwell (2 years, $1.9M), & Trey Sermon (2 years, $2.4M) could conceivably take over this position going forward.

The Wide Receiver Room

A.J. Brown enters Year 2 of a 5 year, $fa104M deal, set to earn $12M against an $8.3M cap hit. He’ll be fully guaranteed through 2024 as of March 17th and appears to be worth every penny thus far.

DeVonta Smith enters Year 3 of his rookie deal that carries 2 years, $5.9M (guaranteed) plus an option for 2025. He hit career highs across the board this season, and is locked into the WR1A role alongside Brown. Smith becomes extension-eligible for the first time after 2023.

Quez Watkins enters a contract year in 2023, set to earn $2.7M thanks to a proven performance escalator. Despite finding the end zone a career-high 3 times, he was utilized much less this year with the addition of Brown. There’s a path to him scoring a Zay Jones-type deal on the open market with an increased role elsewhere. $22M over 3 years might get it done.

The Tight End Room

Dallas Goedert enters Year 3 of a 5 year, $58M deal, set to earn $14.25M against a $6.6M cap. He’s fully guaranteed through 2023 currently, and $6M of 2024 compensation locks in this March.

Behind him, UDFA Jack Stoll enters a contract year on a near minimum $947,500 cap, and is eligible for restricted free agency after 2023.

The Offensive Line

Here’s where things start to get dicey. Left tackle Jordan Mailata enters Year 3 of a 5 year, $64M deal, set to earn $15M against a $7.6M cap hit. He’s fully guaranteed through this year, but his deal contains fairly easy outs thereafter.

2021 2nd rounder Landon Dickerson was a fixture at left guard this season, matching his rookie campaign from a production standpoint. His contract carries a non-guaranteed $3.28M over the next two seasons, which should represent decent value for Philly.

35-year-old center Jason Kelce has a placeholder salary in place for 2023 in the event that he retires. The kicker? A $2.75M roster bonus is already fully guaranteed, at least minimally incentivizing him to restructure and re-sign with Philly. If he hangs them up, a Post 6/1 retirement means $6.925M of dead cap for Philly in 2023, with another $11.4M for 2024. Behind him, 2022 2nd round center Cam Jurgens is primed and ready to try to fill Kelce’s shoes - if and when.

Right Guard Isaac Seumalo is slated for free agency, with $7.53M of dead cap set to hit the Eagles’ cap due to void years. He posted maybe his most consistent season of a 7 year career, and should be a strong candidate to return if the price is right. According to our system that price hovers around $12M per year.

Lane Johnson cap hit jumps from $11M this past season to $24.1M next year. His contract has already been restructured 3 times, and another full base conversion would reduce the hit by $10.4M. He remains the best right tackle in all of football when healthy. Restructure, rinse and repeat.

The Defensive Line

32-year-old Fletcher Cox holds a ($1.5M) placeholder salary in 2023, with $10M of dead cap pushed up against it. With questions surrounding his future, the Eagles left themselves a way to control this voiding dead cap should Cox decide to retire after the Super Bowl. Philly can wait to process such a move until June 2nd, splitting up the dead cap into $2.5M for 2023, $7.5M in 2024. Despite continual timely production, Cox’s overall stat lines have dipped in the past two seasons, keeping him right at his current $14M price point heading toward March.

30-year-old Javon Hargrave posted a career high 11 sacks and 37 solo tackles this past season, as he heads to the open market. He’s completing a 3 year, $39M contract in Philly, with a $20M+ valuation now attached to his name. It’s very reasonable to consider that Hargrave priced away from the Eagles this March.

DE Brandon Graham just completed his 4 year, $45M deal in Philly and is also slated for free agency this March. The almost 35-year-old followed up an injury-plagued 2021 with a career-high 11 sack season in 2022, finishing the campaign as a Top 5 edge defender according to PFF. Graham played out 2022 on a restructured $7.5M salary. Will he agree to similar compensation if he chooses to continue his career? If he hangs up the cleats, Philly will carry his $9.6M cap hit until June 1st before processing his retirement, taking on dead cap hits of $8.1M in 2023, $10.1M in 2024.

DE Josh Sweat enters Year 3 of a 4 year, $41M deal, set to earn $12M against a $6M cap hit next season, including a guaranteed $10.67M option bonus. Sweat has 18.5 sacks & 93 tackles in the past two seasons, offering huge value at a $13.3M AAV.

DE Derek Barnett tore his ACL in early September, putting his future in Philly in question. He holds a very tenable $3.1M cap hit next season ($8.5M cash to be earned) due to an option bonus, and reduced per game active salary with the time missed this season.

2022 1st rounder Jordan Davis enters Year 2 of his fully guaranteed rookie deal, and should be asked to step in full-time for either Cox or Hargrave next season.

The Linebackers

EDGE Haason Reddick stole the show this season, posting 16 sacks, 49 tackles and a whopping 5 forced fumbles in his first full season with Philly. He enters Year 2 of a 3 year, $45M deal, set to earn $15.25M against a $6.7M cap hit next season. He’s fully guaranteed through 2023, and could be eyeing a sizable extension this time next year.

OLB Kyzir White made the most of his 1 year, $3M deal, playing on 82% of the team’s snaps this season. The pending free agent could find himself near the $8.5M per year mark in the right situation this offseason.

UDFA ILB T.J. Edwards just keeps getting better and better and better, culminating with a 159 tackle season in 2022. The 26-year-old projects to a 4 year, $48M contract in our system as he heads to the open market. Will the Eagles consider him too valuable to let walk, or will 2022 3rd rounder Nakobe Dean be thrust into a starting role next season?

The Secondary

32-year-old Darius Slay continues to thwart father time, proving yet again he’s been worth every penny of his 4 year, $60.5M contract. He’s set to earn $17.5M in his contract year, against a problematic $26.1M cap hit next season. Will the Eagles restructure and leave him on the expiring deal, or extend their CB1? If we take age out of the equation, Slay is a $21.5M cornerback in our system.

29-year-old James Bradberry signed a 1 year, $7.25M “showcase” contract after being released from the Giants last May. He’ll look to nearly double that on the open market this offseason, though if he finds himself in a CB2 role again, that price might trend more toward $12M per year. Avonte Maddox should be back in the fold on a friendly $4M cap hit next season, and will likely see his role increased.

Chauncey Gardner-Johnson was acquired from the Saints for a 5th & 6th round pick last August. He stole 6 passes out of the air in just 12 games played, amassing 67 tackles during that time frame. The 25-year-old is slated for free agency this March, but it seems likely that these two sides find a way to continue together. He projects to a 5 year, $66M contract in our system.

UDFA Reed Blankenship soared into a full-time role this season, and has continually shown he belongs there. The 23-year-old holds minimum salaries through 2024, with restricted free agency available thereafter.

The Special Teams

Kicker Jake Elliott enters Year 5 of a 6 year, $20M contract in Philly. He made 87% of his attempted field goals, 96% of his PATs, putting him in line to be back in the fold for 2023. Another base salary conversion can open up $2.2M of space for the Eagles.

Punter Arryn Siposs carries a minimum salary in 2023, with restricted free agency available thereafter, while long snapper Rick Lovato holds a non-guaranteed $1.2M cap & cash figure next in the final season of his contract.

On the heels of the NBA trade deadline, there’s always a rush to declare who won or lost trades. However, as the old saying goes: “Sometimes the best trades are ones you don’t make.”

That means, it’s not always really clear if a team won or lost at the trade deadline. And we often no idea the full impact in the days and week after either. Some deals will take years to have to their stories written.

With all that said, we can start the process of declaring winners and losers. We just have to do it with a hearty helping of understanding that this could all look really silly as things play out over time.

Atlanta Hawks

Status: Losers

The moves: Acquired Saddiq Bey, Bruno Fernando, Garrison Mathews. Traded Justin Holiday, Frank Kaminsky, seven second-round picks.

Those familiar with this author’s work know he’s a big fan of John Collins. Not trading Collins is almost enough to tab the Hawks as winner. Alas, taking that Collins bias out of the mix, the Hawks are just sort of…well…the Hawks still. Saddiq Bey is a good player, but did Atlanta need a backup forward that badly? Was the market for Collins so poor that they couldn’t have moved on? And the Hawks took on money for next year. As always, the Hawks remain confusing and stuck in the middle.

Boston Celtics

Status: Winners

The moves: Acquired Mike Muscala. Traded Justin Jackson, two second-round picks.

Boston isn’t a huge winner or anything. Mike Muscala will be a fourth or fifth big for them. But they filled a position of need by trading a non-rotation player. Muscala should be a good fit and the Celtics can now rest Al Horford and Rob Williams as necessary for the rest of the regular season. If Boston adds a decent wing on the buyout market, they’ll have done good in-season work.

Brooklyn Nets

Status: Losers today, Winners tomorrow

The moves: Acquired Mikal Bridges, Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Johnson, five first-round picks, one first-round pick swap, three second-round picks. Traded Kevin Durant, Kessler Edwards, Kyrie Irving, Markieff Morris, T.J. Warren.

The Nets are worse today. That’s life when you trade Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. But Brooklyn is now pretty well set up for years to come. Mikal Bridges is awesome. We’ll see if he can expand his offense with all the room to grow that he never fully had in Phoenix. Cam Johnson is really good too. And those Suns picks are great. The early ones might be late first-rounders, but the later ones will come long after the Suns might have set. Getting Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith and another potentially post-Doncic first in a no-leverage situation is great work. Sean Marks might have the Nets set up in a reverse-Boston style from their disastrous trade with the Celtics from so many years ago.

Charlotte Hornets 

Status: Push

The moves: Acquired Reggie Jackson, Svi Mykhailiuk, three second-round picks. Traded Jalen McDaniels, Mason Plumlee, one second-round pick.

Charlotte is about in the same place. They opened up more minutes for Mark Williams, which is a big win. He’s pretty good. But they lost Jalen McDaniels. He’s also pretty good. But Charlotte was in a tricky contract spot with P.J. Washington a restricted free agent this summer, and Miles Bridges restricted free agency still dangling out there. Coming away +2 in terms of second-round picks is good, especially getting back their own second-rounder this year, which should be a very good one.

Chicago Bulls 

Status: Losers

The moves: None.

The Bulls didn’t do anything. Despite the idea we espoused in the open about “sometimes the best trade is one you don’t make, that doesn’t apply to Chicago. Are they really re-signing Nikola Vucevic to a new, long-term deal this summer? He’s played fine, but that could be a really messy contract very quickly. Somehow, Chicago still has uncertainty at point guard with Lonzo Ball out, despite having a bunch of in-house options. This roster needed to be shaken up and the Bulls didn’t do it.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Status: Losers (kind of)

The moves: None.

Like the Bulls, the Cavs sat out trade season. But unlike Chicago, Cleveland didn’t have to do anything. They explored upgrading on the wing by dangling Caris LeVert and Kevin Love. Nothing came of it, and that’s ok. The Cavaliers did their big work over the summer and it’s paid off with a pretty stable roster.

Dallas Mavericks

Status: Winners

The moves: Acquired Kyrie Irving, Markieff Morris. Traded Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, one first-round pick, two second-round picks.

Dallas comes out of this deadline looking pretty good. Kyrie Irving will behave himself for at least the rest of this season. That’ll be enough to give the Mavs a souped-up version of what they had with Jalen Brunson. He’ll be fine playing with Luka Doncic. The defense in Dallas is a question mark, but they’re going to be tough to stop on offense. It’s beyond this year where things get a little worrisome, but that’s tomorrow’s problem.

Denver Nuggets 

Status: Push

The moves: Acquired Thomas Bryant. Traded Bones Hyland, Davon Reed, one second-round pick.

Thomas Bryant is a nice enough addition for the Nuggets, but weren’t Zeke Nnaji and Jeff Green fine in the minimal minutes behind Nikola Jokic? And they created a hole at backup point guard, but the Bones Hyland situation was obviously too far gone to be salvaged. If Denver adds a quality point guard on the buyout market, and plenty look to be available, they’ll be fine.

Detroit Pistons 

Status: Push

The moves: Acquired James Wiseman. Traded Saddiq Bey, Kevin Knox.

Detroit is in a weird place. They’ve again got too many centers (even after Nerlens Noel is presumably bought out) and they traded a forward everyone seems to like. But if James Wiseman can find his footing and blossom in a low-pressure environment, Detroit will be a big winner. The talent is there with Wiseman and this will be his best shot to put it all together.

Golden State Warriors 

Status: Winners

The moves: Acquired Gary Payton II, two second-round picks. Traded James Wiseman, two second-round picks.

The Warriors got back a key cog from last year’s championship team. And they got him for a non-rotation player. That’s a win. Sure, it’s oversimplifying, but it was time for Golden State to but bait with James Wiseman. Getting someone they have familiarity with and that they know they can throw into big playoff games is a big upgrade.

Houston Rockets 

Status: Winners (kind of)

The moves: Acquired Danny Green, Justin Holiday, Frank Kaminsky, John Wall, one first-round pick swap, two second-round picks. Traded Bruno Fernando, Eric Gordon, Garrison Mathews.

Houston traded Eric Gordon and facilitated a tax-savings move for Atlanta and they landed some draft capital for it. But was that enough? After years of shopping Gordon, the Rockets sort of just settled. They did clear a little more flexibility moving forward, which is always a plus. But there just isn’t a whole lot here. It is kind of funny that after doing that eight-player deal with the Thunder over the summer and waiving everyone, Houston could end up waiving all four guys they acquired at the deadline too.

Indiana Pacers 

Status: Winners

The moves: Acquired George Hill, Serge Ibaka, Jordan Nwora, three second-round picks. Traded draft rights to Juan Vaulet.

The Pacers got three second-round picks for renting their cap space to facilitate Jae Crowder landing in Milwaukee. That’s a win. And keep an eye on Jordan Nwora. He’s flashed in the past. The Pacers don’t really have a lot of forwards with his size. Nwora could end up popping on his team-friendly deal.

LA Clippers 

Status: Winners

The moves: Acquired Eric Gordon, Bones Hyland, Mason Plumlee, three second-round picks. Traded Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, John Wall, one first-round pick swap, three second-round picks, one second-round pick swap

The Clippers upgraded their bench in a major way. Mason Plumlee gives them the backup center they’ve been looking for all season. Bones Hyland gives them a young player at the point guard spot. And Eric Gordon should be an upgrade on Luke Kennard, especially in terms of being healthy. If they can make themselves care enough to push homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs, the Clippers could make a Finals run.

Los Angeles Lakers 

Status: Winners

The moves: Acquired Mo Bamba, Malik Beasley, D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, two second-round picks. Traded Patrick Beverley, Thomas Bryant, Damian Jones, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Russell Westbrook, one first-round pick, two second-round picks.

Are the Lakers Finals contenders? No. Are they a lot better than they were before trade season? Absolutely. Each move they made at the deadline brought in a better player, or at least better fit. And that’s without factoring in the Rui Hachimura upgrade from a couple of weeks ago. Los Angeles now has a viable rotation that is deep with NBA players, and they have some size and versatility. That’s not enough to dig them out of their hole for a deep playoff run. But a run to the Play-In Tournament and maybe the playoffs themselves? That’s certainly in play. And the Lakers gave up very little future flexibility to get there.

Memphis Grizzlies 

Status: Winners (sort of)

The moves: Acquired Luke Kennard, one second-round pick swap. Traded Danny Green, three second-round picks.

Luke Kennard fills a pretty big need for Memphis. They had to add more shooting and there wasn’t a better shooter available than Kennard. Memphis also gave up relatively little to get Kennard too. From all the reporting, they put a lot on the table for Kevin Durant and made a very nice offer for OG Anunoby too. But offers and getting it done are too very different things. But if the Nets and Raptors wanted more than some interesting kids and a bunch of draft picks, it was probably best for the Grizzlies to hold off.

Miami Heat 

Status: Losers

The moves: Acquired cash considerations. Traded Dewayne Dedmon, one second-round pick.

The Heat have put themselves in a really tough spot with their cap sheet. Kyle Lowry has fallen off a cliff and Duncan Robinson has fallen completely off the planet. That’s essentially $45-$50 million of bad money that the Heat have to work around. That led to salary-dumping Dewayne Dedmon, which is fine. That opens up the flexibility to convert Orlando Robinson to a standard contract. But a lot of teams got better in the East and Miami didn’t.

Milwaukee Bucks

Status: Winners

The moves: Acquired Jae Crowder. Traded George Hill, Serge Ibaka, Jordan Nwora, five second-round picks.

After months of speculation and trying, the Bucks finally landed Jae Crowder. Assuming he can ramp up relatively quickly, Crowder gives Milwaukee that big wing/forward that they need. He’ll be even more important while Bobby Portis is out. Sure, Milwaukee seemingly gave up every second-round pick they could find, but that’s fine. This team is trying to win a title. Jordan Nwora was about out of time on his “he’s interesting” clock in Milwaukee, and removing George Hill from Mike Budenholzer binkie rotation is addition by subtraction.

Minnesota Timberwolves 

Status: Push

The moves: Acquired Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Mike Conley, three second-round picks. Traded D’Angelo Russell.

In a vacuum, D’Angelo Russell is a better player than Mike Conley. But basketball isn’t played in a vacuum. Fit matters and Russell’s fit with the Wolves had worn thin. He needs a new contract and he needs the ball a lot. On a team that is getting increasingly expensive, swapping Russell for Conley works on the cap sheet. It should work on the court too, especially when Karl-Anthony Towns is back. Conley will stabilize and organize things and make sure everyone gets to eat. Yes, even Rudy Gobert.

New Orleans Pelicans 

Status: Winners

The moves: Acquired Josh Richardson. Traded Devonte’ Graham, four second-round picks.

This move is a win on the floor and on the cap sheet for the Pelicans. They needed to add some size to their backcourt, especially with Dyson Daniels currently injured. Graham had slipped out of the rotation, in part because New Orleans couldn’t play him with C.J. McCollum and Jose Alvarado. Richardson won’t have that issue. He can also play at the three, which is important given the rash of injuries the Pelicans keep running into. And clearing Graham’s long-term money off the books is good work too, given he no longer had a real place on this roster.

New York Knicks 

Status: Winners

The moves: Acquired Josh Hart. Traded Ryan Arcidiacono, Svi Mykhailiuk, Cam Reddish, one lottery-protected first-round pick.

The Knicks turned three non-rotation players into a good rotation player. It cost them a protected pick, but that’s fine. Hart gives Tom Thibodeau a bit more size from his reserve group. Look for Immanuel Quickley to move into the on-ball role with Hart taking the backup wing minutes. Hart’s rugged style is a great fit for Thib’s rotation too. Now, if he’d only just start shooting the ball again…

Oklahoma City Thunder 

Status: Losers (but barely)

The moves: Acquired Justin Jackson, Dario Saric, three second-round picks. Traded Darius Bazley, Mike Muscala.

The writing has been on the wall for Darius Bazley in Oklahoma City for months now. Even with a lot of injuries in the frontcourt, Bazley is among the last guys Mark Daigneault turns to for minutes. He wasn’t going to be re-signed this summer either. Muscala is a real loss though. He’s been very quietly effective for the Thunder for years now. And the OKC frontcourt is really thin due to some long-term injuries. That’s why it’s no lock that the Thunder will buy out Dario Saric. He should get a chance to play. Adding three second-round picks is solid work, but did Sam Presti really need more picks? It’s probably all fine, but losing Muscala is a real blow for a team that’s played better than expected this season.

Orlando Magic 

Status: Push

The moves: Acquired Patrick Beverley, one second-round pick. Traded Mo Bamba.

The Magic sold low on a former top-5 pick, but it was beyond time. Once Orlando got healthy, Mo Bamba wasn’t in the rotation. He’s flashed, but five years of flashes not turning into consistent production isn’t enough to keep a guy around. Beverley will get bought out, so this was all about getting a pick. Mission accomplished, even if it’s nothing to get really excited about.

Philadelphia 76ers 

Status: Winners

The moves: Acquired Jalen McDaniels, two second-round picks. Traded Matisse Thybulle, one second-round pick.

The Sixers got better and bigger. Adding a wing was something Philadelphia needed to do and McDaniels was a nice, cost-effective addition. He’s been an inconsistent shooter, but that’s better than Matisse Thybulle who was a non-shooter. Philadelphia also go out of the tax, which is really important for a team that projects to be deep into the tax next season. That’ll be added to, if they re-sign McDaniels in unrestricted free agency.

Phoenix Suns 

Status: Winners (today), Losers (tomorrow, maybe?)

The moves: Acquired Darius Bazley, Kevin Durant, T.J. Warren. Traded Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, Cam Johnson, Dario Saric, four first-round picks, one first-round pick swap, one second-round pick.

The Suns are all-in. Kevin Durant is the biggest start to change teams at the trade deadline in years. He, almost alone, can lift Phoenix back into title contention. T.J. Warren will also help quite a bit off the bench for the Suns. Bazley is a flyer and a fine one. The downside? Some of these picks will assuredly come long after Durant and Chris Paul have set off for retirement. But that’s a problem for another day. Today, the Suns are back in the Finals mix.

Portland Trail Blazers 

Status: Losers

The moves: Acquired Ryan Arcidiacono, Kevin Knox, Cam Reddish, Matisse Thybulle, one lottery-protected first-round pick, five second-round picks. Traded Josh Hart, Gary Payton II, two second-round picks.

Shrug. What is Portland doing? Josh Hart is good, even if he’s mysteriously become a non-shooter. Gary Payton II was reportedly unhappy with the Blazers, so it was probably best to move on. But Cam Reddish and Matisse Thybulle now enter a crowded mix that already features Anfernee Simons, Nassir Little and Shaedon Sharpe. What exactly is the goal? Even if Reddish and/or Thybulle finally pop (not a good bet, by the way) they are both free agents this summer. The Trail Blazers probably aren’t significantly worse, but they certainly aren’t any better.

Sacramento Kings 

Status: Losers (but not too harshly!)

The moves: Acquired Kessler Edwards. Traded draft rights to David Michineau.

We aren’t going to bag on the Kings. They mostly stood pat. Kessler Edwards is a decent flyer for them. Maybe he pops, maybe he doesn’t. But Sacramento could, and probably should, have done something to upgrade their rotation. They’re so close to breaking the playoff drought. They had well over $20 million in non-rotation-player salary just sitting there. They could have moved a draft pick or two. Maybe the prices were simply too high. And Sacramento shouldn’t break up even a little bit of their core. But, man, they could have really pushed things closer to the playoffs with a move or two.

San Antonio Spurs 

Status: Push (probably?)

The moves: Acquired Khem Birch, Dewayne Dedmon, Devonte’ Graham, one first-round pick, seven second-round picks. Traded Jakob Poeltl, Josh Richardson.

Getting a whole bunch of draft picks for Jakob Poeltl and Josh Richardson seems pretty good. But the Spurs did rent out a bunch of cap space this year (whatever, they weren’t close to the salary floor anyway), but also $19 million in cap space for next year (that’s not great) to get those picks. Graham will help some, as San Antonio is desperately thin at point guard. Birch will probably be fine too. But it feels like the Spurs might have been able to do more with their cap space. Also, why is Doug McDermott still around? Shooting on a bad team is like having a good closer on a bad baseball team: It’s a luxury you don’t really need.

Toronto Raptors 

Status: Losers 

The moves: Acquired Jakob Poeltl. Traded Khem Birch, one first-round pick, two second-round picks.

Getting Jakob Poeltl is fine. He’s a good player. Toronto should be trusted to sign him to a reasonable contract. But when that’s all you do, that’s not great. The Raptors were never going to blow it up, but keeping all of their main guys feels like a missed opportunity. The roster fits aren’t any less confusing after getting Poeltl either. And they still don’t have any shooting. This feels like an unfinished project, but the semester over and we don’t give out incompletes.

Utah Jazz 

Status: Push

The moves: Acquired Damian Jones, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Russell Westbrook, one first-round pick. Traded Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Malik Beasley, Mike Conley, Jarred Vanderbilt, two second-round picks.

The Jazz didn’t do bad, but this isn’t the return they were hoping for. After months of saying they could get a first for each of Mike Conley, Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt, they didn’t. That’s disappointing. None of the players the Jazz acquired will likely do anything of consequence in Utah. Maybe Juan Toscano-Anderson can find some minutes. So, it’s really one pick for collection of pretty good players. That pick could be a pretty good one. It’s just not what was hoped for.

Washington Wizards 

Status: Push (maybe?)

The moves: None.

Washington didn’t do anything after the Rui Hachimura. That’s probably fine. They seem to like the guys they have. This could all go sideways if Kyle Kuzma leaves for nothing this summer, or if he gets overpaid. But for now, it’s probably fine for the Wizards, who remain stuck in the middle, forever and always.

Darrelle Revis

A first ballot football & business of football Hall of Famer, Revis still sits atop the cornerback career earnings mountain, amassing $124.2M in his 11 NFL seasons. The closest active player currently is Patrick Peterson, who sits at $106.75M.

Drafted #14 overall by the Jets out of Pitt, Revis signed a 6 year, $32M rookie contract in 2007. He would go on to play out half of that deal before a 4 year $46M extension was signed, 60% of which was guaranteed at signing. 3 years later the Jets traded Revis to Tampa Bay, who ripped up the deal for a 6 year, $96M blockbuster extension- $0 guaranteed. He’d play out 1 year, $16M of that deal before a release, moving on to New England at a 1 year, $12M clip, signaling his decline toward minimum salaries to finish out his career right? Nope. The Jets came back one offseason later with a 5 year, $70M free agent contract, paying him another $47M over the next 2 ½ seasons.

So when will Revis’ $124.2M be surpassed? The answer is very much TBD, but for now, Jalen Ramsey’s current contract would allow him to reach $137.1M after the 2025 season - if he remains on it that long.

Ronde Barber

Drafted by the Buccaneers in the 3rd round out of Virginia back in 1996, Barber played 16 NFL seasons - all in Tampa Bay. He signed 6 professional contracts, including a 3 year, $940,000 rookie deal, maxing out with a 5 year, $24 million contract in 2006. In total, Barber earned $46.125M for his efforts on the field, 54th most among cornerbacks in NFL history.

Zach Thomas

The #154 overall selection by the Dolphins back in 1996 reeled in $48.3M across 13 NFL seasons with the Dolphins, Cowboys, & Chiefs. His career began with a 3 year, $577,000 rookie deal in Miami that quickly escalated with back to back extensions worth $22.65M, & $33.75M respectively. Unfortunately, a 2007 head injury derailed his career, forcing the Dolphins to release him the following offseason. Thomas would pick up a few near minimum deals with Dallas & Kansas City, but never made it all the way back thereafter.

DeMarcus Ware

Ware entered the league as the #11 overall selection by the Cowboys back in 2005, signing a 5 year, $13M rookie contract to begin his career. Dallas handed him a healthy raise 4 years later to the tune of 6 years, $78 million, keeping him around for 5 seasons of it before he moved on to the Broncos on a 3 year, $30M free agent contract, his final career deal.

Ware earned $89.9M combined in 12 NFL seasons, which still ranks 5th all-time among Outside Linebackers.

Joe Thomas

Thomas kept things simple for us in his 11 season career. The #3 overall selection back in 2007 signed two professional contracts with the Cleveland Browns: a 5 year, $42.5M rookie deal, followed by a 7 year $80.5 million contract extension in 2011.

Those two contracts earned him $122.85M on the field, still #2 all-time among any offensive lineman to ever play the game (Trent Williams, $148.5M).

The Phoenix Suns stole the spotlight early Thursday morning, acquiring All-NBA forward Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets in a 5 player, 5 pick trade, vastly changing the landscape of both the East & West conferences.

Phoenix Acquires

Kevin Durant (F, 34)
Durant is in year one of a 4 year, $194.2M contract. He brings a $44.1M cap hit with him to the Suns for the remainder of 2022-23, $10M more than any other rostered Phoenix player. Before his injury, Durant was averaging 29.7 points, 5 assists, and 6 rebounds per game.

T.J. Warren (F, 29)
Warren brings a 1 year veteran minimum contract over to Phoenix, including a $1.83M cap hit for the remainder of the season. His usage has been cut in half this season as a role player for Brooklyn, but that may change with a reshuffled Suns’ lineup. He’s slated for unrestricted free agency this July.

Brooklyn Acquires

Mikal Bridges (F, 26)
Bridges is in year one of a 4 year, $90.9M contract, including a $21M cap hit for the 2022-23 season. He’s been posting career-highs across the board to date, to the tune of 17.2 points, 3.5 assists, and 4.3 boards per game, and should have no trouble maintaining his current 36+ minutes per game for Brooklyn.

Cam Johnson (F, 26)
Johnson is finishing off the final year of his rookie contract on a $5.8M cap hit, with restricted free agency ahead of him this summer. He reportedly turned down a 4 year, $68M extension offer from Phoenix last fall, but a knee injury has limited his action to just 17 games thus far since. His financial future will very much be defined by how his role & subsequent production can stabilize with Brooklyn over the next four months.

Jae Crowder (F, 32)
Crowder becomes the ghost player in this move, as he’s been voluntarily away from the Suns, awaiting a trade out of Phoenix. He’ll have a role in Brooklyn (if he wants one), as the Nets currently sit 29th in the league in rebounds and paint possession production. Crowder brings an expiring $10.1M cap hit with him to Brooklyn, with unrestricted free agency ahead of him this July.

Four Unprotected First Round Picks
Phoenix has agreed to send Brooklyn unprotected first round picks in 2023, 2025, 2027, & 2029, while also offering up a 1st round pick swap in 2028 (if applicable).

A four unprotected pick trade is unprecedented, though it aligns with the recent blockbuster moves we’ve seen in past months. Rudy Gobert’s move to Minnesota included 4 first round picks plus a pick swap, but only two of the four were unprotected. Donovan Mitchell’s move to Cleveland included 3 first round picks (all unprotected) plus two pick swaps.

The last trade on record that included four unprotected picks was Paul George's move from OKC to the Clippers. The Thunder acquired Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari a 2021 unprotected 1st, a 2022 unprotected 1st, a 2023 protected 1st, a 2023 swap, a 2024 unprotected 1st, a 2025 swap, and a 2026 unprotected 1st. 

The Trade Financials

On its surface, Brooklyn acquired $37,071,699 of cap for the 2022-23 season, but sent out $45,960,935 to Phoenix with this move, an $8.88M savings for the Nets.

But it’s the tax numbers that really pop out here:
In adding that $8.8M of salary, the Phoenix Suns’ projected tax bill for 2022-23 increased from $35.5M, to $67.6M. Their 2023-24 tax space dwindled down to a projected $2.5M.

Brooklyn on the other hand lowered its projected tax bill for this season down from $71.7M to $38.5M, and now sit with about $16.5M of tax space for the 2023-24 season.

2022-23 Odds

The Suns entered the trade deadline as +1900 odds to win the NBA Championship this season. That number has dropped to +4600 as of Thursday. Kevin Durant will do that.

The Nets entered the trade deadline as +750 odds to win the NBA Championship this season. That number has soared to +10,000 as of Thursday. Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant will do that.

The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t get Kyrie Irving. Instead, the Lakers filled out three rotation spots in a single trade. The deal involves the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Utah Jazz, and features eight players, a protected first-round pick and three second-round picks.

Here are the details:

• Lakers acquire: D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt
• Timberwolves acquire: Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, three second-round picks
• Jazz acquire: Russell Westbrook, Damian Jones, Juan Toscano-Anderson, first-round pick

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers searched for months for a taker in a deal involving Russell Westbrook. There were reports that they got close to a trade with the Utah Jazz before the season. Early-season rumors featured talks of a deal with the Indiana Pacers. This past week had the Lakers linked to the Brooklyn Nets for Kyrie Irving.

In the end, Los Angeles turned Westbrook and one of their two tradable first-round picks into a likely starting point guard, top reserve wing and top reserve big. And the Lakers sacrificed precious little flexibility beyond this season to do so.

If the Lakers wanted to go the 2023 cap space route, they can still create around $30 million in space. But that plan is probably out the window, as Los Angeles has rebuilt their depth with two pre-deadline deals. Malik Beasley and the previously acquired Rui Hachimura are long-term keepers. Jarred Vanderbilt should be too. We’ll see what happens with D’Angelo Russell, but he’s got a great chance to stick around too. Keep an eye on a potential two-year extension for Russell with the Lakers, worth up to $67.5 million.

Russell returns back to his first NBA home, but he’s a different player this time around. Russell is a confident shooter and scorer and a far better playmaker than when he left Los Angeles six years ago. He should eventually supplant Dennis Schroder in the Lakers starting lineup. That will give the Lakers a better shooter and a better secondary playmaker alongside LeBron James.

Beasley comes in as a pure sniper off the bench. He’s already knocked down 169 three-pointers this season. That’s almost twice as many as any current Laker. There’s some overlap with Beasley and Lonnie Walker IV, but they should be able to play some minutes together. Beasley does the vast majority of his work around the arc, while Walker likes to get into the midrange areas and into the paint.

In Vanderbilt, the Lakers get the third big they’ve been looking for all season. He’ll likely come off the bench, but it’s a good bet Vanderbilt will play plenty with James and Anthony Davis in bigger frontcourt alignments. Provided he plays enough, Vanderbilt should improve on LA’s middle-of-the-pack rebounding, while giving them some solid finishing and good passing from either big position.

By adding Russell, Beasley and Vanderbilt, along with Hachimura a couple of weeks ago, the Lakers have achieved the roster balance they’ve lacked the last two seasons. They’re probably still a little guard-heavy, but not like they were before. Darvin Ham can play a lot of different ways now, and that’s not something he could do before these trades. In addition, there should be enough depth to allow James and Davis to get the rest they need in games, and possibly even a full day off, if necessary.

Rob Pelinka increased the Lakers tax bill by a minimal amount in these two deals. Pelinka did a great job to get a top-4 protection on the 2027 first-round pick he’s sending to Utah. Reports are that if the Lakers somehow keep that pick, it converts into an immediate second-round pick. That allows the Lakers to still trade the 2029 pick if they find another deal they like down the line.

These moves don’t make the Lakers into immediate title contenders. That very much remains a stretch goal. But Los Angeles is now positioned to make a real run in the Play-In Tournament. If they can get to the playoffs, no top seed is going to want the “reward” of a seven-game series with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and a team with rebuilt depth.

We’ve been waiting for the Lakers to make that all-in push. Even if it doesn’t work out perfectly, you can’t say they didn’t try. And that’s worth something all by itself.

Minnesota Timberwolves

The Wolves portion of this trade is probably the most confusing. But if you dig a little deeper, this was a trade about stability and handing even more of the reins to Anthony Edwards.

Mike Conley isn’t as good as D’Angelo Russell, but he’s cheaper. Especially when you factor in that Russell needs a new contract after the season. More importantly, Conley helps as a culture-setter for a locker room that lost some of that when they traded away Patrick Beverley.

Conley will get the Wolves into their sets, and then he’ll happily float off-ball, while Edwards, and eventually Karl-Anthony Towns, pile up the usage. When Edwards sits, Chris Finch can go to the Conley-Rudy Gobert pick-and-roll sets that Quin Snyder used with regularity in Utah.

It’s likely Minnesota will end up keeping Conley next season and fully guaranteeing his deal for $24.4 million (it’s already guaranteed for $14.3 million). Then, when Town’s four-year, $224 million extension and Edwards’ likely five-year max deal kick in with the start of the 2024-25 season, Conley will be off the books.

The Timberwolves have played better in recent weeks. They’re above .500 now and still in range of getting into the top-6 in the Western Conference, if not making a run at homecourt advantage. This trade should help keep them stable when Towns returns. Before this trade, working Towns back into the lineup, with Edwards and Russell being the primary guys, could have been very messy. Conley will help make sure that’s an easy transition, by keeping Edwards the main focus, while making sure the big men get to eat too.

Utah Jazz

It took months longer than expected, but the Jazz have finally turned towards rebuilding. A far better-than-expected start had everyone questioning if Utah would even go down this road. But Danny Ainge isn’t one for half measures. Once he has a direction, he’s going to keep it.

The Jazz have extreme flexibility moving forward. They can create over $60 million in cap space this coming offseason. And they’ve added 15 additional draft picks through 2029 over the series of trades dating back to last summer. And that’s all while having new franchise cornerstones Lauri Markkanen, Walker Kessler, Ochai Agbaji, and maybe Collin Sexton, all signed to long-term deals.

Russell Westbrook is already reportedly working on a buyout agreement. Damian Jones is unlikely to have any sort of future with Utah either. Juan Toscano-Anderson is a nice flyer for a team that is trying to build a new culture. He should fit in nicely with the “go to work” style that Will Hardy is stressing with his young team.

It’s important to note that Ainge might not be done yet, either. Jordan Clarkson could still be traded. Or he could be extended. That’s a pretty fluid situation. Kelly Olynyk could fetch a minor asset or two. And if anyone is interested in picking up Rudy Gay or Talen Horton-Tucker, that would remove their player options from the mix for next season, and only increase Utah’s cap space potential.

The Jazz have already won far too many games to catch the Rockets, Spurs, Pistons or Hornets. But falling down the fifth-best NBA Draft Lottery odds is well within range. A high pick this year, solid talent in place on the roster, a great young coach, tons of cap space and a million extra draft picks. We’ve seen this movie before. And it ends with Danny Ainge building a multi-year title contender.