NBA Offseason Begins As Teams Can Start Contract Talks With Own Players

For the first time in NBA history, teams and players were able to start negotiating contracts on the day after the Finals.

Well, the Finals ended Monday night, with the Boston Celtics securing their 18th championship, a league record.

This is all because of the new collective-bargaining agreement — which allows teams to negotiate deals with their own players as soon as the season officially ends. That means the Cleveland Cavaliers, for instance, can start talking extension with star guard Donovan Mitchell (as well as power forward Evan Mobley, and can also float a deal to restricted free agent Isaac Okoro, if they see fit).

One of the bigger-name unrestricted free agents is Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson. He’s not near the player he once was but could potentially help a younger team in need of outside shooting in reserve. Thompson has already been linked to the Orlando Magic. It seems unlikely that he’ll get the deal he seeks from the Warriors.

Some will also tell you that free agency doesn’t really begin until the world figures out what Paul George and the Los Angeles Clippers are doing. George, 34, has been unable to reach a new deal and is expected to be pursued by the likes of the Magic and Philadelphia 76ers, among others.

The Clippers will likely want him back, of course, as they prepare to move into their own building, and stop sharing one with the LA Lakers, in 2024-25. But it will be on their own terms when it comes to Geroge, it seems.

NBA free agency begins in full on June 26. All sides cannot begin signing their agreements until the first week of July.