On Day 1 of the NBA’s free agency, teams spent about $1.5 billion.
On Day 1 of the NBA’s free agency, teams spent about $1.5 billion. It’s always fun to watch NBA free agency. Even in a year with fewer notable free agents, there were still plenty of trade rumors and significant transactions to keep the NBA world buzzing at the opening of the main annual event.
The news that All-Star forward Kevin Durant has asked to be traded out of Brooklyn truly set the day into high gear. Before the game’s start at 6 p.m. ET, NBA insiders filled their Twitter draughts with all the signings they had been holding onto for who knows how long. This kept NBA fans occupied until that time.
Everyone received compensation on the first day of free agency, from quarter-billion-dollar contracts like Nikola Jokic’s five-year, $261 million supermaxes with the Nuggets and Bradley Beal’s five-year, $251 million supermaxes with the Wizards to smaller contracts like Lonnie Walker IV’s one-year, $6.5 million contract with the Lakers.
Bale spent the 2020–21 season again on loan at Tottenham, where he scored 11 goals in the Premier League, before returning to Madrid to play a restricted role for Carlo Ancelotti, who was also Carlo Ancelotti’s coach in the previous season. The Champions League final in Paris last month saw Bale sitting on the sidelines.
However, on the first day of free agency, NBA teams spent roughly $1.5 billion (with a “B”) on 38 reported deals.
Below are the top five contracts thus far in terms of financial gain:
- Five years, $261 million for Nikola Jokic with the Nuggets
- Five years and $251 million for Bradley Beal, Wizards
- Timberwolves: $5 years, $224 million for Karl-Anthony Towns
- Devin Booker, Suns: $5 years, $214m
- Knicks Jalen Brunson: four years, $104 million
Indexing the most profitable contracts from Day 1 of NBA free agency
1. Kyle Anderson, Timberwolves: $18 million
In order to make life simpler for players like Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns, the Timberwolves could use an all-around playmaker like Anderson. He provides Minnesota with an offensively flexible forward that it lacks, and at $9 million a year, this was among the best contracts signed on Day 1.
2. Nic Claxton, Nets: $20 million
It seems like Claxton, who is only 23 years old, already had the potential to be paid more than $20 million over a two-year period. The Nets were able to retain their potential starting center on a highly team-friendly deal on a day when not much else went their way.
3. Jae’Sean Tate, Rockets
Tate was a jack-of-all-trades for the Rockets last season, delivering energy on both sides of the floor while playing adaptable, lockdown defense across numerous spots. For a Houston team that is in the process of rebuilding, keeping the 26-year-old starter at slightly over $7 million per year is a fantastic bargain.
4. Malik Monk, Kings
Monk reportedly planned to join the Lakers again at a discount, but he decided to move on to earn more money. Even so, the Kings didn’t have to spend much money to get Monk, who rediscovered himself in Los Angeles last season. The former No. 11 overall choice in the 2017 NBA Draft is now reunited with his old Kentucky colleague, De’Aaron Fox, in the Kings’ backcourt.
5. Nicolas Batum, Clippers
The Clippers will once again be in title contention when Kawhi Leonard returns to full fitness next season. Since he joined the Clippers, Batum has carried out all the minor duties required of a glue guy on a championship-caliber team. At $11 million annually, he can play almost every position, and Los Angeles was able to re-sign a crucial player for their title defense the next year.
On Day 1 of the NBA’s free agency, teams spent about $1.5 billion.