NBA free agency 2023 - Reaction to the biggest signings of the summer - ESPN

NBA free agency is here!

Which players are sticking with their current teams, and which stars are on the move?

Many players are staying put so far, headlined by Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant and Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma.

Among the top stars who remain free agents is Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet. Philadelphia 76ers star James Harden, meanwhile, accepted his $35.6 million player option with the team but has requested a trade and will be one of the NBA's biggest targets during free agency.

The NBA's free agency negotiation period officially began at 6 p.m. ET Friday, ahead of the league's annual moratorium period beginning Saturday at midnight ET. Deals can be agreed to during this period but can't be officially signed until July 6.

ESPN insider Kevin Pelton reacts to the latest free agency signings, and what it means for the league this summer.

Deal: Agreed to a reported three-year, $126 million deal to re-sign guard Kyrie Irving

Alas, we'll never know what the Phoenix Suns might have offered Irving during their reported meeting, given their inability to sign an outside free agent for more than the veteran's minimum without a sign-and-trade. Instead, Irving settled for what will almost certainly be the largest contract signed this summer by the measure of average annual value ($42 million).

This deal is still substantially smaller than Irving's maximum possible salary ($47.6 million). Assuming standard 8% annual raises, Irving will instead make $38.9 million this season, a tiny decline from his 2022-23 salary. That difference is meaningful as Dallas attempts to add to the roster using the midlevel exception.

With 11 players under