There were fireworks early and often in 2023 NBA free agency.
In the opening hour of the negotiating period on June 30, NBA teams committed a reported $1.02 billion in total salaries, according to Sportsnet. And the deals kept on coming after that.
Kyrie Irving, Draymond Green, Khris Middleton, Jerami Grant, Kyle Kuzma and Cam Johnson all agreed to re-sign with their respective teams on big-money deals. Fred VanVleet and Bruce Brown, on the other hand, left for major paydays elsewhere.
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
Here's what to know about NBA free agency.
When does NBA free agency 2023 start?
Free agency began on Friday, June 30, at 6 p.m. ET. At this time, teams were officially allowed to begin negotiating terms with players on the market in hopes of striking a deal. Deals weren't allowed to be officially signed until Thursday, July 6, at 12:01 p.m. ET.
What is the NBA salary cap in 2023-24?
The NBA reportedly said the league salary cap for the 2023-24 season is projected to be $136 million with the luxury tax to be $165 million, according to ESPN. The salary cap for 2022-23 was $123.655 million.
Who are the best NBA free agents in 2023?
Here is a tracker of key free agents from this offseason and where they landed:
Point guards
- Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a three-year, $126 million deal with a player option in Year 3
- Fred VanVleet, Toronto Raptors (UFA): Agreed with the Rockets on a three-year, $130 million deal
- D'Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a two-year, $37 million deal with a player option in Year 2
- Russell Westbrook, Los Angeles Clippers (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a two-year, $8 million deal
- Patrick Beverley, Chicago Bulls (UFA): Agreed with the 76ers on a one-year, $3.2 million deal
- Gabe Vincent, Miami Heat (UFA): Agreed with the Lakers on a three-year, $33 million deal
- Shake Milton, Philadelphia 76ers (UFA): Agreed with the Timberwolves on a two-year, $10 million deal
- Reggie Jackson, Denver Nuggets (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a two-year, $10.25 million deal with a player option in Year 2
- Derrick Rose, New York Knicks (UFA): Agreed to a two-year deal with the Grizzlies
- Tre Jones, San Antonio Spurs (RFA): Agreed to re-sign on a two-year, $20 million deal
- Ayo Dosunmu, Chicago Bulls (RFA): Agreed to re-sign on a three-year, $21 million deal
- Jevon Carter, Milwaukee Bucks (UFA): Agreed with the Bulls on a three-year, $20 million deal
- Dennis Schroder, Los Angeles Lakers (UFA): Agreed with the Raptors on a two-year, $26 million deal
- Coby White, Chicago Bulls (RFA): Agreed to re-sign on a three-year, $40 million deal
- Ty Jerome, Golden State Warriors (UFA): Agreed to sign with the Cavaliers on a two-year, $5 million deal
- Cory Joseph, Detroit Pistons (UFA): Agreed with the Warriors on a one-year deal
- Aaron Holiday, Atlanta Hawks (UFA): Agreed with the Rockets on a one-year deal
Shooting guards
- James Harden, Philadelphia 76ers (Player option): Player exercised $35.6 million option
- Bruce Brown, Denver Nuggets (UFA): Agreed with the Pacers on a two-year, $45 million deal with a team option in Year 2
- Josh Hart, New York Knicks (Player option): Player exercised $12.9 million option
- Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers (RFA): Agreed to re-sign on a four-year, $56 million contract
- Jordan Clarkson, Utah Jazz (Player option): Player exercised $14 million option
- Max Strus, Miami Heat (UFA): Agreed to a four-year, $64 million deal with the Cavaliers on a three-way sign-and-trade move involving the Heat and Spurs
- Seth Curry, Brooklyn Nets (UFA): Agreed with the Mavericks on a two-year deal
- Eric Gordon, Houston Rockets (UFA): Agreed with the Suns on a two-year deal with a player option in Year 2
- Caris LeVert, Cleveland Cavaliers (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a two-year, $32 million deal
- Malik Beasley, Los Angeles Lakers (UFA): Agreed with the Bucks on a one-year, $2.7 million deal
- Josh Richardson, New Orleans Pelicans (UFA): Agreed with the Heat on a two-year deal
- Donte DiVincenzo, Golden State Warriors (UFA): Agreed with the Knicks on a four-year, $50 million deal
- Josh Okogie, Phoenix Suns (UFA): Agreed to re-sign
- Alec Burks, Detroit Pistons (Team option): Team exercised $10.4 million option
- Victor Oladipo, Miami Heat (Player option): Player exercised $9.4 million option (later traded to Thunder)
- Lonnie Walker IV, Los Angeles Lakers (UFA): Agreed with the Nets on a one-year deal
- Talen Horton-Tucker, Utah Jazz (Player option): Player exercised $11 million option
- Damion Lee, Phoenix Suns: Agreed to re-sign on a two-year deal with a player option in Year 2
Small forwards
- Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a three-year, $102 million deal
- Kyle Kuzma, Washington Wizards (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a four-year, $102 million deal
- Cameron Johnson, Brooklyn Nets (RFA): Agreed to re-sign on a four-year, $108 million deal
- Dillon Brooks, Memphis Grizzlies (UFA): Agreed with the Rockets on a four-year, $80 million deal, which is via a sign-and-trade with Memphis
- Herb Jones, New Orleans Pelicans (RFA): Agreed to re-sign on a four-year, $54 million deal
- Kelly Oubre Jr., Charlotte Hornets (UFA)
- Torrey Craig, Phoenix Suns (UFA): Agreed with the Bulls on a two-year deal, which includes a player option
- Jae Crowder, Milwaukee Bucks (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a one-year deal
- Taurean Prince, Minnesota Timberwolves (UFA): Agreed with the Lakers on a one-year, $4.5 million deal
- Matisse Thybulle, Portland Trail Blazers (RFA): Agreed to a three-year, $33 million offer sheet (player option in Year 3) with the Mavericks, which the Blazers matched
- Troy Brown Jr., Los Angeles Lakers (UFA): Agreed to a deal with the Timberwolves
- Yuta Watanabe, Brooklyn Nets (UFA): Agreed to a deal with the Suns
- Cam Reddish, Portland Trail Blazers (RFA): Agreed with the Lakers on a two-year deal
- Joe Ingles, Milwaukee Bucks (UFA): Agreed with the Magic on a two-year, $22 million deal with a team option in Year 2
- Oshae Brissett, Indiana Pacers (UFA): Agreed with the Celtics on a two-year veteran minimum deal with a player option in Year 2
- Darius Bazley, Phoenix Suns (UFA): Agreed to a one-year deal with the Nets
Power forwards
- Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a four-year, $100 million deal with a player option in Year 4
- Jerami Grant, Portland Trail Blazers (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a five-year, $160 million deal
- Harrison Barnes, Sacramento Kings (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a three-year, $54 million deal
- Grant Williams, Boston Celtics (RFA): Agreed with the Mavericks on a four-year, $54 million deal as part of sign-and-trade
- Rui Hachimura, Los Angeles Lakers (RFA): Agreed to re-sign on a three-year, $51 million deal
- Kenyon Martin Jr., Houston Rockets (Team option): Team exercised $1.9 million option (later traded to Clippers)
- Trey Lyles, Sacramento Kings (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a two-year, $16 million deal
- Jeff Green, Denver Nuggets (UFA): Agreed with the Rockets on a one-year, $6 million deal
- Jalen McDaniels, Philadelphia 76ers (UFA): Agreed with the Raptors on a two-year, $9.3 million deal
- Georges Niang, Philadelphia 76ers (UFA): Agreed with the Cavaliers on a three-year, $26 million deal
- Keita Bates-Diop, San Antonio Spurs (UFA): Agreed with the Suns on a two-year, $5 million deal
- Chimezie Metu, Sacramento Kings (UFA): Agreed with the Suns on a one-year deal
Centers
- Brook Lopez, Milwaukee Bucks (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a two-year, $48 million deal
- Robin Lopez, Cleveland Cavaliers (UFA): Agreed with Bucks on a deal
- Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls (UFA): Re-signed on a three-year, $60 million deal
- Jakob Poeltl, Toronto Raptors (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a four-year, $80 million deal with a player option in Year 4
- Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves (UFA): Re-signed for three years, $42 million
- Christian Wood, Dallas Mavericks (UFA)
- Paul Reed, Philadelphia 76ers (RFA): Agreed to a three-year, $23 million offer sheet with the Jazz, which the Sixers matched
- Jock Landale, Phoenix Suns (UFA): Agreed with the Rockets on a four-year, $32 million deal with only Year 1 guaranteed
- Kevin Love, Miami Heat (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a two-year deal with a player option in Year 2
- Xavier Tillman, Memphis Grizzlies (Team option): Team exercised $1.9 million option
- Mo Wagner, Orlando Magic (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a two-year, $16 million deal
- Mason Plumlee, LA Clippers (UFA): agreed to re-sign on one-year, $5 million deal
- Dwight Powell, Dallas Mavericks (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a three-year, $12 million deal
- Alex Len, Sacramento Kings (UFA): Agreed to re-sign on a one-year, $3.2 million deal
- Thomas Bryant, Denver Nuggets (UFA): Agreed with the Heat on a two-year, $5.4 million deal with player option in Year 2
- Andre Drummond, Chicago Bulls (player option): Player exercised $3.4 million option
- Drew Eubanks, Portland Trail Blazers (UFA): Agreed with the Suns on a two-year deal with a player option in Year 2
- Mo Bamba, Lakers (UFA): Agreed with the 76ers on a one-year deal
- Montrezl Harrell, 76ers (UFA): Agreed with the 76ers on a one-year deal
- Omer Yurtseven, Miami Heat (UFA): Agreed with the Jazz on a two-year deal
- Nerlens Noel, Brooklyn Nets (UFA): Agreed with the Kings on a one-year deal
