NBA free agency 2023 - Surprises, best moves and Damian Lillard's future - ESPN

Free agency is far from over, but several NBA stars have already solidified their immediate future ahead of the 2023-24 season.

The NBA's free agency negotiation period officially kicked off Friday, ahead of the league's annual moratorium period, which began Saturday. Deals can be agreed to during this period but can't be officially signed until Thursday.

Among the biggest deals, Toronto Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet agreed to a three-year, $130 million contract with the Houston Rockets, and point guard Kyrie Irving re-signed with the Dallas Mavericks for three years and $126 million.

Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards both agreed to reported five-year rookie max extensions worth up to $260 million. Meanwhile, superstars like Damian Lillard and James Harden have yet to find a new home. Will the Miami Heat find a way to land Lillard?

Our insiders dissect the biggest storylines from free agency and answer questions still lingering ahead of the campaign.

Tim MacMahon: The Washington Wizards trading Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns, a move clearly signaling that Washington would begin a long-overdue rebuilding process under new team president Michael Winger. Yes, the return for Beal was underwhelming, but you can't blame the Wizards' new regime for being handcuffed by the no-trade clause that was inexplicably included in Beal's supermax contract. The Wizards got a bundle of second-round draft picks, some pick swaps and, after flipping Chris Paul, a young scorer in Jordan Poole and a future first-round pick. Most importantly, after years of being stuck in the middle, Washington wisely hit the reset button.

Tim Bontemps: The Milwaukee Bucks bringing back Khris Middleton and