Longtime readers of mine (back to my RealGM days) will know that each year that I attended NBA Summer League, I came home with an overflowing notebook of items from talking to people around the NBA. These can be notes about players, teams, the league as whole or really anything related to the NBA.

Summer League is a very relaxed environment. The draft is done, free agency is largely done (especially this year!) and NBA folks are chatty. It’s also probably the most optimistic time of the NBA calendar. Everyone feels great about the work they did in the offseason and what it means for their club going forward. Admittedly paraphrasing, it’s very common to hear things like:

• “We had him at the top of board.” (Note: This is said almost no matter what pick the team had.)

• “The draft fell off right after pick X.” (Note: This is at whatever pick the team had, traded up to, or the pick after a pick they traded out of.)

• “We were lucky he wanted to sign with us.” (Note: Said about almost every free agent signee.)

• “We feel good about what we did, given our limited resources this summer.” (Note: Said by teams with cap space, teams without cap space, teams that only had veteran minimum deals to offer and teams that had multiple draft picks.)

With that in mind, the vast majority of the notes about players and teams will be positive ones. But that’s ok! Who can’t use a little more positivity in their life?

A few more notes:

• All quotes are anonymous. Each one came from NBA team personnel (generally a front office executive, coach or assistant coach). In exchange for anonymity, you often get candidness.

• Anything that is an opinion from myself will be noted as such with “Opinion: …”.

• In the vast majority of cases, these notes and thoughts were collected through Tuesday, July 11. A handful of times, folks followed up after the fact with further thoughts, but most were collected while I was on the ground in Las Vegas.

All of that said, let’s start with some general NBA observations!

General NBA Observations

New CBA

• “It’s restricting, but you can see the impact already. None of the Warriors, Suns or Clippers signed anyone new for more than the minimum. That’s a good thing for balance.”

• “Everyone is over the salary floor. That’s almost never the case. That’s a good thing, because those teams spent to lift themselves up.”

• “The league already feels more balanced. No one team is spending tens of millions more than everyone else. No teams are sitting on piles of cap space.”

• “The Second Round Pick Exception is a game changer. We were able to use it and use our MLE. That’s extra talent we added because we didn’t have to use the MLE to sign our second rounder.”

• Opinion: The Second Round Pick Exception has been used to sign 13 players to four-year contracts. That’s already a huge win for teams, and most of those players got more guaranteed money than they would have otherwise. That’s a win-win situation.

• “Extensions have changed the game. Of course, that happened before the new CBA, but the new rules make extensions even better for players. You’re not going to see too many guys actually hit free agency.”

• “Trades are the way now, if you want to make a big splash. Maybe for a bad team, like Houston did, you can use space to get some veterans. But most teams aren’t in a spot to pay or overpay for guys. That means trades will be even more important than they were before.”

Depth of Talent

• “This is the most talent the league has ever had. Look at the guys who are playing here in Vegas. These rosters are stacked.”

• “We’ve never been in a better place as a whole. There’s incredible young talent in the league, and vets are playing longer than ever before. I tell our guys all the time ‘It’s hard to find a rotation spot now. If you aren’t playing, it doesn’t mean you can’t play. It’s just not your time yet.’ But the young kids don’t want to hear that. They get impatient and start looking for another situation. The grass isn’t always greener.”

Expansion

• “It’s time. Beyond time actually. We have too many good players not playing. And there are at least 50 guys playing outside of the NBA somewhere, in places like the G League or overseas, that are NBA-level guys.”

• “There are cities who want it and we have enough talent. It’s time. I know they keep saying after the new TV deal, but the process should already be starting. We all know it’s coming.”

• “I want expansion because I want more jobs for everyone. Players, coaches, medical staff, front office personnel, TV folks, all sorts of people. Expansion will add hundreds of jobs to the league. Too much talent not in our league that should be.”

• “I’m against expansion. I’d rather have too many good players on each team than not enough. But I know it’s coming.”

• Opinion: Las Vegas is buzzing about getting their own NBA team. Most folks assume it’s basically a done deal, even if nothing has been officially said, or even fully hinted at.

In-Season Tournament

• “It’s fine. I don’t know. It’s fine.”

• “I guess I don’t see the point. But we tell our guys all the time: If we have to play, we might as well win.”

• “It’ll be fun. Those early-season games don’t have a lot of juice. This will get guys feeling competitive early. And by the time we hit the tournament phase, guys are going to want to win it.”

• “We aren’t soccer. Stop trying to make us soccer.”

• “I thought the Play-In Tournament was bad, but it’s been great. I’m sure this will be great too.”

• “I’m a big soccer fan. This is going to be awesome. Eventually, we should open it up to the G League teams too and make it a real tournament. Unfortunately, no one is going to want to risk losing to a G League team. Imagine how bad that would make you look?”

Summer League

• “I’ll repeat what I told you years ago: Summer League doesn’t tell you who can play, but sometimes it can tell you who can’t play. But don’t read too much into things, whether good or bad.”

• “We use it to experiment with our second- and third-year guys. Some games we tell them that their goal is to shoot at least 20 times, with 10 off-the-dribble shots. Does that get messy? Sure. But that’s what Summer League is for.”

• “I never thought this would get this big. It’s crazy how popular this has become.”

• “Honestly, my favorite two weeks of the year. Everyone is here. We’re all working. Your young guys are in the gym getting better. Nothing beats it.”

• “It should be one week long. Four games. One game every other day. That’s enough.”

• “I’m on the road all the time, so this is my time to actually be with the team. I enjoy that aspect of it. And it’s great to see people, especially coaches, because we don’t cross paths much during the season.”

• “It’s fun to see the rookies, but, for me, it’s about seeing what the other kids can do. Did they get better? Are they improving the skills we tasked them with improving? Are they embracing the new guys? Those are the things I look for.”

• Opinion: Summer League is a must-do for any NBA fan. No where will get you as close to NBA players as you can get in Las Vegas.

On the full days, with eight games spread between the two gyms, you can’t beat it. The gyms are literally right next to each other, and connected by the concourse around Thomas and Mack.

If you ever have the opportunity to attend Summer League, do it. You’ll enjoy yourself, even if the actual basketball isn’t always the best.

As NFL training camps approach, our deep dive into actual contract extension breakdown projections for Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Saquon Barkley, Chris Jones, Justin Jefferson & 5 notable Dallas Cowboys players.

Dak Prescott (QB, Cowboys)

Prescott & the Cowboys waited to the very last minute to lock in his first multi-year extension, a 4 year, $160M contract to bypass a $38M 2nd franchise tag in 2021. Just over two years later, Dallas is eyeing a version 2.0 of this contract, most notably to clean up a near $60M cap hit looming in 2024. With QB salaries soaring past Dak's current $40M pricepoint, what lies next for Prescott?

Projected Contract

There's a world where Dak only accepts a 2 or 3 year extension for his next deal in order to keep things as neat and tidy as possibly (term was a major sticking point for him the last go around). We'll push things out 4 years for this projection, offering up a 6 year, $265M contract that includes 4 years, $200M of new financials. The deal carries $128M fully guaranteed at signing (through 2025), with another $47M locking in March of 2024. Because of a March restructure that paid out $30M to Prescott, we've pushed the bulk of the cashflow on this new deal into 2024, in the form of a $75M option bonus. Any cap relief that the Cowboys are looking to gain in 2024 will quickly be mitigated by huge figures in 2025-2026 here, but we're relying on the assumption that Dallas will keep on kicking that can down the line until the sun sets. Early (large) March roster bonuses will afford them the opportunity for massive cap conversions on a yearly basis. The $175M practically guaranteed is structured entirely into the next 4 seasons, putting Dak on track to re-up for a 3rd time after 2026, at age 33.

CeeDee Lamb (WR, Cowboys)

Lamb became extension eligible for the first time after the 2022 season, his most productive year to date. His primary agent (Tory Dandy) has a strong track record of short and very sweet extensions for star wide receivers (Mike Williams, Chris Godwin, DK Metcalf, etc...), so we're following suit here for Lamb's next deal.

Projected Contract

Our projected extension for Lamb is more or less a cap-adjusted version of DK Metcalf's recent deal in Seattle, with a similar AAV, 2-year, & 3-year cash flow structure. We've stayed away from the double bonus system that Metcalf received, as the Cowboys generally prefer to deal with roster bonuses that they can choose to convert (or not) annually. This is a 3 year, $63.5M base contract on its face, with a chance to get $100M+ over the next 5 seasons in total value.

Tony Pollard (RB, Cowboys)

Pollard was on a fast track to a multi-year extension in Dallas when a broken fibula derailed the process. The Cowboys responded with a tag offered, and Pollard signed it almost immediately. Dallas has yet to replace Zeke Elliott on the roster, potentially further showing their trust and need for Pollard in this offseason.

Projected Contract

With the franchise tag already signed (and on the books), we're offering 2 new years, and $25M new money on top of it, including $23M fully guaranteed through 2024. This figure represents a (slight) increase over the $22.2M Pollard would secure on back to back franchise tags, but such is the life of a running back in the NFL. Our projection includes a $10M signing bonus & $11.5M in 2023 - again a slight increase over his current tag figure. All of 2024 is fully guaranteed at signing, with a $7.5M roster bonus to be paid out early in March. That same $7.5M bonus is available in 2025, though without any early vesting trigger attached to it. We've included two void years to allow the signing bonus to spread out the maximum 5 years.

Trevon Diggs (CB, Cowboys)

Diggs has developed into one of the best young corners in the game, and seems a lock to remain a fixture in Dallas for the next few years. Jaire Alexander ($21M per year) and Denzel Ward ($71.25M guaranteed) carry the top numbers at this position. It stands to reason that Diggs can challenge these numbers with his upcoming extension.

Projected Contract

We're projecting a 4 year, $86M extension for Trevon Diggs, making him the highest average paid CB in NFL history. Our predicted guarantee structure however ($43M at signing, $60.5M practically) fall slightly short of the top of the market, but still represent Top 3 figures in both cases. Dallas will have an early opt-out available after 2025, but will need to make a quick decision as the 2026 salary will fully guarantee in March of that offseason.

Terence Steele (OT, Cowboys)

Steele has started 13 games each of the last 3 seasons, making him an integral piece to the Cowboys puzzle. Dallas has plenty of mouths to feed, but losing a core offensive lineman shouldn't be a consideration with a roster attempting to contend annually.

Projected Contract

With Right Tackle contracts now over $20M per year at the top of the market, $15M becomes a standard extension point. We're projecting Steele to land a little higher on a total value basis, but right at that $15M per year in terms of guarantee structure ($45M practically guaranteed through 2025). This is a $65M contract over 5 years if it's played out in full.

Joe Burrow (QB, Bengals)

Burrow's extension is one of the more anticipated contracts in all of sports, as the Bengals have little wiggle room with their superstar QB. The 27 year old is averaging 284 passing yards per game a 104+ rating, completing nearly 70% of his passes over the past two seasons in Cincy. There will be a push to make this contract a "mini-Mahomes" structure, but with the cap growing rapidly, and QB pay increasing at an even faster rate, keeping this deal as neat and tidy as possible should be a priority for Burrow's camp.

Projected Contract

Our projected breakdown for Burrow's next deal involves tacking on 4 new years, $222M new money to his remaining 2 years, $35M, or a 6 year, $257M contract. The extension includes a $60M signing bonus, $75M of 2-year cash, and $120M of 3-year cash - the fully guaranteed at signing portion of this contract. Another $45M (his 2026 compensation) will become fully guaranteed next March, while a final $25M (a 2027 roster bonus) will become guaranteed for cap in March of 2025, bringing the practical guarantee on this contract to $190M. March roster bonuses in each of the last 5 seasons of this contract offer Burrow an early pay day, and the Bengals an opportunity to free up cap space with a simple conversion where necessary.

Justin Herbert (QB, Chargers)

The Chargers and QB Justin Herbert have been in negotiation talks for the better part of 5 months now, with very little progress being noted publicly. But as training camps approach, contracts for both he and Joe Burrow should become front and center talking points across the league. Like Burrow, Herbert shouldn't be wooed by an 8-10 year "career" contract offer for his first major pay day. With the league's financial landscape as healthy as ever, leveraging a get-in/get-out tactic should allow the 25-year-old to cash in on (at least) 3 major veteran contracts over the course of his NFL career.

Projected Contract

The Chargers haven't veered off the beaten path in terms of structure with their blockbuster contracts, so we won't project they'll do anything of the sort here either. Herbert gets a double bonus package that includes a $40M signing bonus in 2023, and a $25M option bonus for 2024. The early cash payouts equate to $72M through two years ($40M more than his current cashflow), and $112M through three years - representing the guaranteed at sign portion of this extension. From there another $63M of his contract becomes guaranteed for practical purposes, including his entire 2026 salary, and $20M of 2027 compensation, all of which carry early vesting triggers to ensure a payout.

Chris Jones (DT, Chiefs)

One of the best interior defensive linemen in all of football should never have been allowed to enter 2023 with an expiring contract, and it appears the Chiefs won't make that mistake, as the two sides have been deep in negotiation to extend the 29 year old this month. Aaron Donald's $31.6M per year, $95M guaranteed stand atop the DL list, but Jones should be next in line to approach those thresholds with his next contract.

Projected Contract

Our projected breakdown for Chris Jones' extension includes 3 new years, $93M new money on top of his 1 year, $20M remaining. We've added a void year to allow a $25M signing bonus to prorate over a full 5 seasons, which factors into $55M of 2-year cash, $82.5M of 3-year cash, both of which come in comfortably ahead of any DT not named Donald. The deal includes $54.5M fully guaranteed at signing, with another $27M set to lock in for cap/skill next March.

Saquon Barkley (RB, Giants)

The deadline for Barkley to sign a multi-year extension this summer is just days away (July 15th), so any compromising in the process will need to happen quickly. Barkley seems the most likely franchise tagged player to garner an extension, even if paying running backs has become a thing of the past in most cases. Barkley's $10.091M franchise tag would represent the 8th most cash paid out to a running back in 2023. A 2nd franchise tag would bring his 2-year total over $22.2M, so beating this number in upfront guarantee appears to be the largest hurdle for any extension.

Projected Contract

Our projected contract extension for Barkley includes $24M fully guaranteed at signing, with a chance to earn $30M over the next two seasons thanks to per game active bonuses and achievable incentives. The deal includes a $12M signing bonus, increasing Barkley's 2023 base compensation to $13.5M, with a chance to get to $16.25M. The Giants will see around $5M of cap savings for the upcoming season on this contract, while an early March roster bonus in 2024 can be converted to free up ample space next season as well without damaging the dead cap scenarios too much going forward.

Justin Jefferson (WR, Vikings)

It's hard to find a statistical category that Justin Jefferson hasn't eclipsed out of the gate through 3 NFL seasons, which doesn't bode well for any hopes of a "team-friendly" extension in Minnesota. Tyreek Hill's (fluffy) $30M per year and Cooper Kupp's $75M guaranteed are the current top numbers for WRs, though when it comes to rookie extensions, those figures drop to $25M (A.J. Brown) & $58.2M (DK Metcalf). Has Jefferson done enough to sit atop ALL WR numbers?

Projected Contract

We're bucking our usually conventional thinking here, putting Jefferson on the largest contract by every metric in NFL WR history. The 4 year, $128M extension pays out $54M through 2 years, $73M through 3 years with $53M fully guaranteed at signing (Tyreek Hill, $52.5M). Another $43M of salary becomes fully guaranteed in March of 2024, bringing the practical guarantees to a whopping $96M - $21M more than any WR has ever received. The double bonus structure of this contract keep the cap figures extremely tenable for the next two seasons, with a convertable base salaries in 2025-2026 as needed.

With the All Star Break upon us, our look at the current & future financial statuses for MLB's midseason stat leaders.

HITS, ON BASE PERCENTAGE, BATTING AVERAGE
Luis Arraez (2B, MIA)

2023 Salary: $6,100,000
Arraez was flirting with .400 for much of the first half, but dipped down to .383 at the midpoint (still 50 points more than any player in the game -  Acuna Jr., .331). His 126 hits at the midway point matches his overall total from back in 2021, and just 47 below last year’s outstanding campaign. He’s a serious 200 hit candidate this year. The 26 year old is in Year 2 of 4 arbitration seasons, setting up a 2026 free agency stint.

SLUGGING ON BASE + SLUGGING, TRIPLES, HOME RUNS, TOTAL BASES, ISO
Shohei Ohtani (DH, LAA)

2023 Salary:  $30,000,000
First off, anyone leading MLB in Homers & Triples at any point in time is already doing something special. Factor in all the rest here PLUS the unmentioned pitching numbers, and it’s plain as day why Ohtani is headed toward the most unique free agent scenario in league history this winter. His leading numbers: (SLG: .663, OPS: 1.050, OPS+: 182, 3B: 6, HR: 32, TB: 226, ISO: .361)

BATTING WAR, RUNS CREATED, POWER/SPEED
Ronald Acuna Jr. (OF, ATL)

2023 Salary: $17,000,000

A healthy Acuna Jr. is about as dangerous a player the game can have. He’s 2nd to Shohei Ohtani in almost every power category, while also currently sitting 2nd in batting average and stolen bases. Acuna Jr. also leads all batters with a whopping 5.0 WAR, nearlying surpassing his career high (5.1, 2019) at the midway point. The do-it-all star is owed $85M from 2024-2028. He’s worth double that.

RUNS BATTED IN
Adolis Garcia (OF, TEX)

2023 Salary: $747,760
Garcia has been filling up the stat board within a potent Rangers’ offense, hitting the midway point with 20 doubles, 23 homers, and a league leading 75 RBIs. The late bloomer won’t start arbitration until next season, despite hitting age 31 at that point in time.

STOLEN BASES
Esteury Ruiz (OF, OAK)

2023 Salary: $720,000
The 24-year-old hits the midway point with 43 steals, despite 40 less plate appearances than 2nd place Ronald Acuna Jr. (41). He’s got 7 years of team control ahead of him still.

INNINGS PITCHED
Logan Webb (SP, SF)

2023 Salary: $4,600,000
The 26-year-old is averaging 6 ? innings per start this season. Factor in a near 3 ERA and over 9 strikeouts per 9 innings, and it’s easy to justify San Francisco’s recent $90M extension for their ace. He’s locked in through the 2028 season.

ERA+, EV, HARD HIT %
Justin Steele (SP, CHC)

2023 Salary: $740,000
Steele’s 172 ERA+ (ERA when adjusted specifically for ballparks played) just barely noses out Clayton Kershaw’s 171 figure at the midway point. One of his biggest reasons for efficiency success? Steele also leads the league in lowest average Exit Velocity (85.1) and lowest percent (30.8%) of balls hit with an exit velocity of 95 MPH+. The 27-year-old is on a near minimum salary this year, with 4 seasons of arbitration still ahead of him.

FIP
Kevin Gausman (SP, TOR)

2023 Salary: $21,000,000
Quickly becoming one of the more popular pitching stats, FIP tracks the overall effectiveness of a pitcher when excluding factors that are out of his control (bad bounces on a grounder to 2nd, etc…). Gausman (2.45) is the only pitcher with a sub 2.5 FIP at the midway point, a stat he led the league in (2.38) in 2022.

WHIP
Tyler Wells (SP, BAL)

2023 Salary: $732,400
After an average 2022 rookie campaign, Wells has rounded into form for his sophomore season, leading all of baseball with a 0.927 WHIP (Walks + Hits / Innings Pitched) at the midway point.

BATTING AVERAGE AGAINST
Shohei Ohtani (SP, LAA)

2023 Salary:  $30,000,000
Opposing batters are hitting just .189 against Ohtani this season, with an average exit velocity of just 86.5MPH (5th). All the more reason to inflate that blockbuster contract coming this winter.

SLUGGING & OPS AGAINST
Marcus Stroman (SP, CHC)

2023 Salary: $25,000,000
Something about expiring contracts gets Marcus Stroman a little extra dialed in on the mound. The 32 year old signed a 3 year, $71M free agent contract in Chicago December 2021, but can opt out of the remaining $21M after this coming season. He’s posting a career year across the board, including a league best .284 slugging against, .566 OPS against at the midway point.

STRIKEOUTS
Spencer Strider (SP, ATL)

2023 Salary: $1,000,000

The Braves saw enough of Strider in 20 starts last season to lock him up to a $75M extension in October. His overall efficiency has dipped a bit, but he’s still striking out batters at an impressive rate, with 166 total Ks in 104 innings pitched (14.3 per 9).

SAVES
Alexis Diaz (CIN), Camilo Doval (SF), Jordan Romano (TOR)

These three relievers hit the midway point with 26 saves for their respective teams. Diaz & Doval are operating on near minimum pre-arbitration salaries, while Romano is playing out his first year of arbitration in Toronto on a $4.5M figure. Diaz carries the best total resume into the break, with nearly 14 strikeouts per 9, a 236 ERA+ and only 1 home run given up in 40 innings of work.

PITCHING WAR
Gerrit Cole (SP, NYY)

2023 Salary: $36,000,000
It’s rare to be able to sit back and say that one of the highest paid players in a sport is 100% worth every penny, but that’s exactly where Gerrit Cole stands as the Yankees’ SP1. The 32-year-old hits the midway point with a league leading 3.8 WAR, accounting for a Runs Allowed per 9 rate of exactly 3 runs. He’s owed $180M through 2028.

Sepp Straka wins the John Deere Classic and $1.33 million. His on-course earnings for the 2023 season are now at $4.27 million and his career total is $11.99 million.

John Deere Classic Top 5 Payouts

1. Sepp Straka: $1,332,000

T2. Brendon Todd, Alex Smalley: $658,600

T4. Ludvig Aberg, Adam Schenk: $333,000

Full Results

2023 Earnings Leaders Update

1. Scottie Scheffler: $18,548,392

2. Jon Rahm: $15,210,984

3. Wyndham Clark: $10,226,979

4. Viktor Hovland: $9,819,096

5. Rory McIlroy: $9,644,758

Full List

Cameron Smith wins the ninth LIV Golf event of 2023 at London earning himself $4 million, plus $375,000 for the team bonus. Smith's career LIV Golf earnings (individual + team) is now at $15.5 million.

London Top 5

1. Cameron Smith: $4,000,000

T2. Patrick Reed, Marc Leishman: $1,875,000

4. Louis Oothuizen: $1,000,000

5. Dustin Johnson: $800,000

Full Results

Team Earnings

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

2. Ripper GC (Cameron Smith, Marc Leishman, Matt Jones, Jed Morgan): $1,500,000 ($375,000 each)

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

Spotrac’s Midseason MLB Contract Awards highlight a few deals signed in the past year that have immediately paid off on the field, and a few players trending toward a new pay day because of their strong first half.

Free Agent Contracts

AL Pitcher: Nathan Eovaldi (SP, Rangers)

Eovaldi joined Texas on a 2 year, $34M contract after 5 seasons in Boston. He’s already surpassed last year’s strikeout total while carrying an ERA one full point lower (2.83) than his 2022 campaign. A healthy 2nd half should bag him an additional $3M thanks to innings incentives.

AL Hitter: Aaron Judge (OF, Yankees)

Sure he’s only appeared in 49 games (and a severe toe injury leaves him without a timetable to return) but it’s worth noting that Judge’s production to start 2023 was on a similar path to his historic 2022 run. It’s safe to assume we’d be monitoring a second consecutive Ohtani/Judge battle right now if not for Judge’s injury. Contractually, he’s owed another $338.5M through 2031.

AL Value: Kevin Kiermaier (OF, Blue Jays)

Kiermaier joined Toronto on a 1 year, $9M contract after 9 seasons in Tampa, brought on for his outstanding center field defense, pushing oft-injured George Springer into a more conservative role. He’s responded by filling up the stat board, and should command a multi-year guarantee next time around.

NL Pitcher: Clayton Kershaw (SP, Dodgers)

Despite speculation of possible retirement or a shift to Texas, Kershaw returned to LA on a 1 year, $20M contract this winter. He’s been impressive & at times dominating in his 16th season, though shoulder inflammation could keep him away from a few starts to begin the second half.

NL Hitter: Dansby Swanson (SS, Cubs)

The Braves let Swanson walk away to Chicago to the tune of $177M through the 2029 season. He’s the highest paid member of the Cubs by nearly $100M, and so far, looks every bit worth the price of admission, carrying a near 3 WAR into the break.

NL Value: Jeimer Candelario (3B, Nationals)

Added on a 1 year, $5M contract as a bit of a rental vet for a very young, rebuilding Nats squad, Candelario has played himself into prime trade positioning - good news for both sides as the August 1st deadline approaches. 

Contract Extensions

AL Pitcher: Pablo Lopez (SP, MIN)

Lopez was acquired from Miami in exchange for batting champ Luis Arraez, this past January, then extended out to a 4 year, $73.5M contract early on this season. The kicker? He’s the #4 pitcher in a Twins rotation that has suddenly become as deep as ever over the past few months. Lopez’ $18.3M per year extension won’t officially kick in until 2024.

AL Hitter: Andres Gimenez (SS, Guardians)

Cleveland probably wants to see Gimenez’ power numbers return for the second half, but for the most part, the 24-year-old has held up his end of a 7 year $106.5M extension out of the gate. With four years of team control bought out, the Guardians are only shelling out $35M of this contract across its first 4 seasons, giving Gimenez a little leeway as he continues to develop.

NL Pitcher: Logan Webb (SP, Giants)

The Giants had seen enough of Webb by the time Spring of 2023 rolled around to know they had a bonafide ace on their hands for the foreseeable future. They rewarded him with a 5 year, $90M extension, buying out his final two years of arbitration starting in 2024. While the overall numbers are a bit down right now, he’s eating up valuable innings for San Franciso as they continue to vie for an NL West title.

NL Hitter: Corbin Carroll (OF, Diamondbacks)

One of the more highly touted prospects in recent memory has hit the ground sprinting, living up to seemingly every expectation attached to him out of the gate. He’ll hit the break with (at least) 20 doubles, 18 homers, and 24 stolen bases, carrying a 3.5 WAR with him. Arizona knew this was coming, and locked in the 22 year-old to an 8 year, $111M extension this March that can max out at $154M over 9 years if all goes well.

Pending Free Agents

AL Pitcher: Lucas Giolito (SP, White Sox)

Disclaimer: Of course Shohei Ohtani should be here, but in lieu of his name being mentioned every other sentence, we’re opting for a little variety instead. The White Sox have been waiting 6 years for Giolito to become a consistent, top of the rotation arm. Now just a few months away from his free agent eligibility, it seems he’s figured it out. He’s both a trade and extension candidate heading toward August, with a deal around $20M per year likely in his future.

AL Hitter: Matt Chapman (3B, Blue Jays)

Chapman has really settled into his role in Toronto, raising his efficiency numbers across the board while anchoring a loaded Blue Jays lineup from the 5 hole. There are a lot of mouths to feed in Toronto over the next few seasons, but keeping this marriage together makes a lot of sense. Chapman projects toward a 4 year, $60M extension in our system.

NL Pitcher: Marcus Stroman (SP, Cubs)

Extension discussions between Stroman and the Cubs appear to have broken off, putting the 32 year old in line to opt out of his $21M salary for 2024, and hit the open market this winter. Will he find a suitor to match or exceed his current $25M AAV? Our system places him right at the $21M number he’s walking away from currently.

NL Hitter: Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (OF, Diamondbacks)

After a down year from a power and production standpoint, Toronto shipped Gurriel’s expiring contract to Arizona, where he’s reestablished himself nicely. The D-Backs have a surplus of outfield talent ready to progress, so it seems extremely likely that the 29-year-old hits the open market this winter, projecting toward a 5 year, $90M contract in our system.

Pending Extensions

AL Pitcher Framber Valdez (SP, Astros)

It’s been an injury-plagued season for Houston, but Valdez has been a pillar of consistency through the first half. He’s on pace for career marks across the board, which should inflate his next two years of arbitration salary nicely. Will the Astros buy those out with a multi-year extension soon? Our numbers peg him at a 6 year, $142M contract right now.

AL Hitter: Adolis Garcia (OF, Rangers)

Garcia’s success feels new on a national level, but he has 80 2Bs, 80 HRs, & 262 RBIs in the past 2 ½ seasons in Texas. A late bloomer, the 30-year-old doesn’t start his arbitration track until next season, having made himself one of the best values in all of baseball. The Rangers have a lot of dough allocated to their 40-man roster, but Garcia is as worthy of a multi-year guarantee as anyone.

NL Pitcher Bryce Elder (SP, Braves)

Stop me when you’ve heard this before. Young Braves player gets to the show, immediately makes an impact, garners himself a solid (but team-friendly) extension. Elder seems primed to be the next man up in Atlanta, now sitting in the #2 spot of the rotation behind last year’s phenom Spencer Strider. The Braves bought out 5 years of Strider’s team control on what could be $92M over 7 seasons. A similar structure could fit the bill for Elder this winter.

NL Hitter: Will Smith (C, Dodgers)

Smith is on pace to go back to back seasons with 20 doubles, 20 homers, and 80 RBIs as the Dodgers’ backstop. With two more arbitration eligible seasons remaining, there’s not a huge rush to lock him in long term, but with Ohtani’s arrival potentially pending, keeping Smith in the long term future makes sense.

Rickie Fowler wins the Rocket Mortgage Classic and $1.58 million via playoff beating our Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin. This is Fowler's first win since 2019 and the sixth of this career.. His on-course earnings are now at $7.47 million and his career total is $49 million.

Rocket Mortgage Classic Top 5 Payouts

1. Rick Fowler: $1,584,000

T2. Collin Morikawa, Adam Hadwin: $783,200

T4. Taylor Moore, Peter Kuest, Lucas Glover: $370,333

Full Results

2023 Earnings Leaders Update

1. Scottie Scheffler: $18,548,392

2. Jon Rahm: $15,210,984

3. Wyndham Clark: $10,226,979

4. Viktor Hovland: $9,819,096

5. Rory McIlroy: $9,644,758

Full List

Talor Gooch wins the eigth LIV Golf event of 2023 at Andalucía earning himself $4 million, plus $375,000 for the team bonus. Gooch's career LIV Golf earnings (individual + team) is now at $30.2 million.

Andalucía Top 5

1. Talor Gooch: $4,000,000

2. Bryson DeChambeau: $2,250,000

3. Brooks Koepka: $1,500,000

T4. Sebastian Munoz, Henrik Stenson: $900,000

Full Results

Team Earnings

1. Torque GC (David Puig, Sebastian Munoz, Mito Pereira, Joaquin Niemann): $3,000,000 ($750,00 each)

2. RangeGoats GC (Harold Varner III, Talor Gooch, Bubba Watson, Wade Ormsby): $1,500,000 ($375,000 each)

3. Crushers GC (Bryson DeChambeau, Paul Casey, Anirban Lahiri, Charles Howell III): $500,000 ($125,000 each)

NBA free agency is about superstars, first and foremost. The best players get the most money, and they generally get it the earliest. Star trades are also a big (and only getting bigger) part of the opening of free agency, as teams reset their rosters.

Once that first wave or two of free agency passes, that’s when a lot of the real work gets done. At that point, teams get to work signing lesser-known players using parts of their MLE, remaining cap space or sometimes even for the veteran minimum.

Here are some of the top under-the-radar free agents to keep in mind when everything starts swirling this weekend:

Dalano Banton (Toronto Raptors) – Unrestricted

Banton is huge for the point guard position, as he stands 6-foot-9. His statistical profile isn’t going to jump out at anyone, especially from last season. But Banton can play. He needs to shoot the ball more consistently to make it as a rotation player, but the rest of his game is pretty solid. His G League numbers, albeit only over 21 total games, show how solid Banton is all-around. That’s worth taking a shot on for your third point guard, with some upside.

Keita Bates-Diop (San Antonio Spurs) – Unrestricted

Bates-Diop has toiled in relative obscurity in San Antonio the last three years. His first year was nothing to write home about, but the last two seasons have shown real growth. Bates-Diop can play and guard 2-4. Last season, he had 51/39/80 shooting splits. If you believe that the jumper is real, especially from deep, Bates-Diop will be a free agency steal for someone’s rotation.

Jevon Carter (Milwaukee Bucks) – Unrestricted

It’s not that Carter is an unknown quantity. Most people know he’s good. But do most know just how good Carter is? He played in 81 games last season, which has value in and of itself. But Carter also shot 42.1% from three, which continued a four-year trend of being a good shooter. And that’s in addition to being a solid ballhandler, playmaker and a bulldog on defense. Unless he’s dead set on returning to Milwaukee, Carter should be making more than the minimum from a playoff contender that needs a guard.

Torrey Craig (Phoenix Suns) – Unrestricted

Craig is coming off the best season of his career, as he enters his age-33 season. He still gets after it on defense, but he showed a little more on-ball offensive ability last season, as well as hitting 39.5% from deep. It’s likely Phoenix will re-sign Craig, given their need for quality depth. But if Craig does get away, someone should get a relative bargain for a 3&D wing.

Drew Eubanks (Portland Trail Blazers) – Unrestricted

Eubanks had an outstanding run with the Trail Blazers to finish up the 2021-22 season. No one really saw it, because that was a bad and injury-ravaged team playing out the string. But Eubanks put up another solid season this past year with Portland too. He’s a terrific finisher around the rim, and a good shot-blocker and rebounder. Eubanks is also showing some early signs of developing a spot-up three-point shot. He’d be great as the primary backup/spot-starter at the five for any playoff team.

A.J. Green (Milwaukee Bucks) – Restricted

This takes some projecting, and a leap of faith, because Green has only played in 35 NBA games. But he can really, really shoot. And that’s become arguably the NBA’s most-prized skill. In those 35 NBA games, Green hit 41.9% on 105 three-point attempts per game. In the G League, Green hit 42.6% on 155 three-points, in just 15 games. He was also an efficient shooter on high three-point volume in college. In a league where everyone wants wing shooting, Green should be on a standard deal.

Trey Lyles (Sacramento Kings) – Unrestricted

It took a few years, and some bouncing around the league, but Lyles finally found his niche in the NBA. He was one of the better backup stretch bigs in the NBA last season. Lyles shot 36.3% on 3.2 three-point attempts per game last season. He’s also a good rebounder and solid positional defender. The Kings would love to have him back, but someone could make Sacramento pony up by offering a portion of an exception to sign Lyles.

Jaylen Nowell (Minnesota Timberwolves) – Unrestricted

Last season got a little sideways for Nowell. After a very good shooting year in 2021-22, he fell way off. Nowell shot 39.4% on three-pointers two seasons ago and then just 28.9% this past season. If you believe he’s closer to that 40% shooter, then he’s worth making a run at in free agency. Nowell has some on-ball playmaking ability, and was improved as a midrange shooter. He’s worth a gamble on a team-friendly deal, with the hope that he’ll re-discover his shooting stroke from the outside.

Orlando Robinson (Miami Heat) – Restricted

Robinson flashed in the 31 NBA games he played as a rookie. He’s got good hands and soft touch. He’s already a terrific rebounder, and should improve as a finisher around the rim. In 16 G League games, Robinson was pretty dominant. The Heat challenged him to shoot more from the outside too, which shows signs of potentially being a weapon for him at some point. This would be an upside play for a team that has room for a developmental big man.

Yuta Watanabe (Brooklyn Nets) – Unrestricted

Over the least three seasons as an at least semi-regular rotation player, Watanabe has shot 40.5% from three on 2.1 attempts per game. That’s pretty solid. He’s also a hustle guy, who never gives less than 100% effort. Watanabe’s all-out style also makes him a fan favorite everywhere he’s played. He’d make a wonderful fit as a bench player for any playoff team, because he’ll play hard, defend and hit threes at both forward spots.