#278: 2023 NBA Free Agency Roundup

This week on The Atlantic Files:

On episode 278 of The Atlantic Files: 2023 NBA Free Agency was shaping up to be crazy and so far it hasn’t really been that amazing. Players like Kyrie Irving, Draymond Green, Kyle Kuzma, and Khris Middleton all stayed put. Fred VanVleet got paid, Dillon Brooks headed to a different team, and Grant Williams and Max Strus went through a sign-and-trade. We give all of our thoughts and reactions on the signings and trades so far and the ones that are yet to come like Damian Lillard and James Harden.

The free agency period has been a little lackluster compared to all the hype and rumors thrown around before it officially opened. Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks both got a good bit of money to switch teams, but outside of them a lot of the more significant contracts went to guys that just stayed with their same squad. Draymond Green, Kyle Kuzma, and Jerami Grant are just a few names that didn’t switch teams. So, which teams had the best free agency?

We also take a closer look at the Atlantic Division teams and how they fared throughout the free agency period so far. The 76ers and Nets seem to be sitting back and waiting for bigger moves while the Raptors and Celtics decided to make a few moves and bring in some new faces. We’re still waiting to see if the Knicks have anything else up their sleeve as well.

Finally, there are the annoying situations of both Damian Lillard and James Harden. Lillard decided to wait until the last possible minute to request a trade and he’s acting like a child when he says he will only play for the Miami Heat and absolutely no one else. Harden, also acting like a child, received a huge ego check and will sit around waiting for Daryl Morey to trade him because he didn’t like the fact that he didn’t receive a ton of money this offseason.

Timecodes:
00:00:00 Intro
00:07:16 Atlantic Division free agency roundup
00:47:01 Can Damian Lillard replicate Stephen Curry and Isiah Thomas?
00:55:51 What’s going on with Dame and James Harden?
01:04:17 Houston lands Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks
01:07:13 We love meatloaf
01:10:11 Back to Houston’s free agency
01:15:46 Kyle Kuzma stays in Washington??
01:21:36 Phoenix Suns have a good free agency
01:25:03 Early NBA Summer League thoughts
01:31:52 Outro

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Alex Fischbein

Being from the suburbs of Philadelphia, it was hard not to become a Sixers fan during Allen Iverson's prime. Other than just the Sixers, I enjoy watching all forms and levels of basketball, especially the WNBA. Outside of basketball, I've been playing and coaching volleyball for most of my life. Also, after graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, I became a Software Developer by day, while writing and hosting podcasts by night.