BBNBA free agency: PJ Washington, Trey Lyles among top available options
Now that the 2023 NBA Draft is behind us, all eyes now turn towards the 2023-24 season. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement was finally sent out to franchises on Wednesday, roughly 48 hours ahead of the start of free agency, which begins on Friday, June 30 at 6:00 p.m. EST. The offseason is officially in full swing and the rumor mill is about to start churning out even more Damian Lillard takes than we thought humanly possible.
Some of the big-name free agents available this summer include James Harden (who has a $35.6 million player option that he can turn down for a new contract), Kyrie Irving, Draymond Green, Khris Middleton, Russell Westbrook, and plenty more. In regard to the many former Kentucky Wildcats that float around the league, none of UK’s “stars” will go into free agency this summer, but there are still several one-time ‘Cats who will be looking for new deals.
With that in mind, we’re going to break down the BBNBA free agents one by one, separating them into three groups: unrestricted free agents (who are free to sign with any of the 30 NBA teams), restricted free agents (who are free to sign with any of the 30 NBA teams, but the player’s original team can retain them by matching any offer), and players with team options (the franchise can elect to pick up or decline the final year of that player’s contract).
In total, there are seven former Wildcats that fit the above criteria and were on rosters in ’22-23. Let’s dive right in.
Unrestricted free agents (UFA)
Trey Lyles (Sacramento Kings): It took Trey Lyles some bouncing around, but he appeared to find a steady home with the Sacramento Kings in ’22-23. The Kings broke a lengthy postseason drought (16 straight years) with Lyles playing meaningful minutes off the bench. The 27-year-old power forward averaged 7.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 16.9 minutes per contest this past season, shooting 45.8 percent overall and 36.3 percent from beyond the arc across 74 games played. The Kings would like to run back most of the roster and reports indicate that Lyles is included in that line of thinking. The question is for how much and for how long? A multi-year deal in the $8-10 million range feels safe. Lyles could have plenty of suitors outside of Sacramento though.
Hamidou Diallo (Detroit Pistons): Turning 25 next month, Hamidou Diallo is still a young and interesting prospect. He’s spent the last three seasons in Detroit, but played his lowest amount of minutes in ’22-23 and was even benched for stretches of the season. That being said, Diallo averaged 9.3 points and 3.5 rebounds as the Pistons’ backup small forward while shooting a career-high 57.3 percent from the field. There’s a new head coach running the show now too. Diallo could be looking at a short-term deal on a cheap contract in hopes of improving his game and earning more in the future. My guess would be that doesn’t happen with the Pistons.
Wenyen Gabriel (Los Angeles Lakers): After years of failing to stick with an NBA team, Wenyen Gabriel found a steady role with the Los Angeles Lakers this past season. He appeared in a career-best 68 games, averaging 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds in 15.1 minutes per outing off the bench. Gabriel also shot 59.6 percent overall, although most of his impact came through energy and hustle plays. He was a reliable backup option behind Anthony Davis. A return to L.A. on a small, multi-year contract feels like a safe bet for Gabriel, who is still only 26.
Restricted free agents (RFA)
PJ Washington (Charlotte Hornets): Easily the most talented player in this article, PJ Washington could be looking at a significant deal this summer. The Charlotte Hornets extended him a qualifying offer on Wednesday, making him a restricted free agent. Washington will certainly be a popular option for the other 29 franchises however after averaging 15.7 points (career-high), 4.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 32.6 minutes per game last season. He started all 73 games he appeared in for an injury-riddled Charlotte squad, connecting on 34.8 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. Washington is a bit undersized as a 6-foot-7 power forward, but he can stretch the floor and is an underrated playmaker. He could be looking at a deal worth upwards of $15 million per year. Remember that any outside contract he’s offered can be matched by the Hornets.
Olivier Sarr (Oklahoma City Thunder): Playing on a two-way contract with OKC, Olivier Sarr has bounced back and forth between the NBA and G League the last two seasons. He appeared in just nine games (one start) for the Thunder this past season, all coming late in the season. Sarr averaged just 4.0 points and 3.4 rebounds across 12.7 minutes per game. The 7-footer will be 24 this season. A return to OKC would be a safe bet, although he could be looking at spending some time outside of the league.
Johnny Juzang (Utah Jazz): Even though Jonny Juzang spent the majority of his college career at UCLA, he did begin it at Kentucky before turning into an All-American with the Bruins. But he went undrafted in 2022 and was picked up by the Jazz on a one-year, two-way deal. Juzang spent most of his rookie year in the G League while battling injuries. He ultimately appeared in 18 games for the Jazz, averaging 4.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per game. Juzang struggled to shoot the ball though, finishing with splits of 33.7/23.8/50.0. He’ll likely have to play his way back into an NBA contract.
Club options
Kevin Knox (Portland Trail Blazers): Kevin Knox is in an interesting situation with the Portland Trail Blazers, which are playing a never-ending game of will-he-stay-or-will-he-go with Damian Lillard. Knox is still just 23 years old, but he’s struggled to find a role ever since his rookie season with the New York Knicks in 2018-19. The Pistons traded him to Portland halfway through this past season, where he actually performed quite well down the stretch of the season, even if the Blazers were in full-on tank mode. Knox averaged 8.5 points and 3.3 rebounds on 44.4 percent shooting across 21 games (four starts) with Portland, which can bring him back for another year at the low cost of just $3 million or allow him to walk and enter free agency. If Knox were to enter free agency, he likely wouldn’t earn much more than $3 million per season if any team were to try and sign him. But some franchise will likely take a flier on the 6-foot-9 wing.
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