


NBA free agency begins Friday. Expect a lot of news, a lot of notifications, a lot of players changing teams.
Just don’t expect the league’s balance of power to be shifted, as LeBron James and Kevin Durant have each done multiple times over the past decade or so.
Despite the lack of buzz attached to this year’s free-agent class, titles still could be decided by what happens in the coming days.
Here are the most intriguing players on the market:
James Harden
The top free agent available is off the board, but still on the market.
The former MVP is reportedly opting into his $35.6 million player option for next season and seeking a trade out of Philadelphia, marking Harden’s third such request in three years.
The Clippers appear to be the leading candidate to acquire last season’s league leader in assists (10.7), who turns 34 this summer. The Knicks are also reportedly a candidate despite Harden’s age, recent injury history, declining play, unpredictable effort, poor defense, shaky postseason history and seemingly poor fit alongside Jalen Brunson. The Post’s Mike Vaccaro says: bad idea.
Despite forming a superteam in Brooklyn and playing alongside MVP Joel Embiid, Harden hasn’t been past the second round of the playoffs since 2018. Harden also has never reached the NBA Finals as a starter.
Kyrie Irving
Skill will always outweigh baggage.
The controversial guard’s numerous issues likely will prevent him from landing a max contract, but the 31-year-old is still wanted in Dallas, where he averaged 27 points after a midseason trade from the Nets.
A sign-and-trade — Irving has long been linked to the Lakers; one report Thursday said he would meet with the Suns — is possible, but most teams will be unable or unwilling to add the eight-time All-Star.
Khris Middleton
If not for Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury in the playoffs, the Bucks could have been playing for the title.
If Middleton isn’t injured in the 2022 postseason, the Bucks probably win that title.
Despite Middleton’s dip in production and shaky health, Milwaukee likely needs to bring back the 31-year-old — who declined his $40.4 million player option — to remain a top contender.
Draymond Green
Green also declined his ($27.6 million) player option, certain he will be paid for his elite defense and past production.
“If Draymond’s not back, we’re not a championship contender,” coach Steve Kerr said recently.
The Warriors’ trade for Chris Paul pushed all of their chips to the middle to chase another title next season — a deal they likely wouldn’t make if they suspected their longtime forward had plans to leave — but the team will have to pay a massive luxury tax bill to retain Green.
Fred VanVleet
Following seven seasons in Toronto, VanVleet looks ready to return to the States.
The 29-year-old would be a good fit anywhere, but his championship experience, strong defense and timely shooting may be wasted with the rebuilding Rockets, the reported front-runner for his services.
Brook Lopez
The Bucks also need to re-sign the Defensive Player of the Year candidate and 3-point threat. If he wants a chance to win another title, the 35-year-old will stay in Milwaukee. However, ESPN reported the Rockets could use their league-leading cap space to make a strong offer to the 7-footer.
Cameron Johnson
The Nets have tendered a qualifying offer to Johnson, making him a restricted free agent and giving Brooklyn a chance to match any offer made to the 27-year-old forward.
After being acquired as part of the trade for Kevin Durant, Johnson averaged 19.4 points and 5.4 rebounds while shooting over 37 percent on 3-pointers in 25 games with the Nets.
Austin Reaves
One of the breakout stars of the playoffs is also a restricted free agent, and the Lakers reportedly are intent on bringing back the undrafted guard.
Reaves, 25, was a strong third option during the Lakers’ run to the Western Conference Finals, averaging 16.9 points and 44.3 percent 3-point shooting.
The Lakers may have to match a nine-figure deal to keep him.
Bruce Brown
With the Nuggets limited to an offer of no more than $7.8 million to Brown, the 26-year-old swingman likely will be the only departure from Denver’s championship core.
The Lakers and Mavericks are both reportedly interested in adding a key part of the Nuggets’ title run, whose defense and energy will be missed.
Russell Westbrook
The former MVP has been with five teams since 2019. He will turn 35 in the fall. He was a disaster with the Lakers, who almost instantly became a title contender after trading Westbrook.
But a late-season surge with the Clippers will convince a guard-needy team to roll the dice on his athleticism and motivation.
Josh Hart
Hart decided Thursday to pick up his $12.9 million player option with the Knicks.
In August, the 28-year-old will become eligible to sign a four-year extension worth more than $80 million. Expect last season’s midseason spark to stay in New York past next season.
Dillon Brooks
The laughingstock of the playoffs may forever be defined by his bizarre decision to denigrate LeBron James, but the 27-year-old still has value, coming off an NBA All-Defensive Second Team selection with the Grizzlies. Who will take the risk?
Donte DiVincenzo
The Knicks will have plenty of competition for the 26-year-old guard, who hit nearly 40 percent of 3-pointers with the Warriors last season.
Miles Bridges
The Hornets have the right to match any offer to Bridges, who averaged 20.2 points and 7 rebounds in 2021-22. The Cavaliers are reportedly interested in the 25-year-old forward, who missed all of last season following a domestic violence charge.
Read more:
⚾ Mets find another crushing way to lose as skid continues
⚾ Yankees’ bats break through again in blowout over A’s
⚾ SHERMAN: Perfect game only adds to the Domingo German enigma
???? BROOKS: The only thing money-strapped Rangers can do in free agency
Josh Bailey debuted with the Islanders one week after Barack Obama was elected to his first term as president. On Thursday, the Islanders forward’s time with the team finally ended with a trade to Chicago, concluding the run of New York’s longest-tenured player.
Bailey, 33, occupies a strange place in Islanders history. He has played the team’s third-most all-time games (1,057), sandwiched between icons Bryan Trottier and Denis Potvin, and Bobby Nystrom and Clark Gillies. Bailey lasted 15 seasons with the franchise despite never achieving stardom — his lone All-Star appearance came in 2018 — or becoming a fan favorite or meeting the expectation thrust upon him as the ninth overall pick in the 2008 NHL Draft.
He called Nassau Coliseum, Barclays Center and UBS Arena home. He was featured on last-place teams and played a key role in back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals runs. He never scored 20 goals in a season, but scored a pair of overtime game-winners in the postseason. He recorded 16 goals and 34 assists in 71 playoff games, but was kept off the ice in this year’s first round loss to the Hurricanes, ending perhaps the worst season (eight goals, 17 assists) of Bailey’s career.
With Bailey’s departure, longtime teammate Casey Cizikas, 32, becomes New York’s longest-tenured athlete, having debuted with the Islanders on Feb. 24, 2012.
Here are the other longest-tenured players on New York teams from the big four major leagues:
Chris Kreider (Rangers): No current player feels like he’s been in New York longer than the 2009 first-round pick, who immediately jumped from Boston College to debut in the 2012 playoffs. The 32-year-old — who scored a career-high 52 goals in 2021-22 — has been central to multiple Rangers playoff runs and has 477 career points (265 goals, 212 assists). His contract expires at the end of the 2026-27 season.
Luis Severino (Yankees): The former Yankees ace debuted on Aug. 5, 2015. Severino, 29, is currently sporting a 5.25 ERA, and will be a free agent after the season. It shouldn’t be long before Aaron Judge takes Severino’s spot on this list.
Brandon Nimmo (Mets): The 2011 first-round pick, who made his major league debut five years later, could retire in Queens. He is in the first season of an eight-year, $162 million contract.
Sterling Shepard (Giants): Despite being limited to 10 total games over the past two seasons, the Giants re-signed their 2016 second-round pick to a one-year deal in March. Shepard, 30, is attempting to be ready for the season opener after suffering a torn ACL.
Joe Harris (Nets): Following two seasons stuck to Cleveland’s bench, Harris signed with Brooklyn as a free agent in 2016 and became one of the league’s best 3-point shooters. However, even with the departures of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Harris, 31, lost his starting role this past season and averaged his fewest minutes (20.6) since joining the Nets.
Thomas Hennessy (Jets): The undrafted long snapper, who grew up a Giants fan, was traded from the Colts to the Jets before the 2017 season. In April, the Jets signed the 29-year-old to a four-year extension.
TBD (Devils): For the moment, Miles Wood remains New Jersey’s longest-tenured player, but the forward who debuted with the Devils in 2016 is reportedly set to sign elsewhere in free agency. His departure would give Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt — both debuted as rookies on Oct. 7, 2017 — the honors.
Mitchell Robinson (Knicks): The Knicks got a steal in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft, and rewarded their defensive anchor with a four-year, $60 million deal last summer. Robinson just turned 25 in April.
There are no locks in sports. Athletes get hurt. Athletes lose focus and motivation. Harmless opponents morph into immortals (Buster Douglas, Rulon Gardner, the Miracle on Ice).
Still, Novak Djokovic (-165) almost certainly will soon win Wimbledon — which begins Monday — for the fifth straight time and tie Roger Federer for the all-time mark with eight titles at the sport’s most prestigious event.
Djokovic, who has won the past three majors he has entered, also has another strong shot at becoming the first male to capture the calendar year grand slam since 1969.
At 36, the best player of all time remains the best player in the world. At the upcoming Wimbledon Championships, Djokovic — who hasn’t lost on grass since 2018 and hasn’t lost at Wimbledon since 2017 — has fewer challengers than ever.
The only other former Wimbledon champion in the field is Andy Murray, who hasn’t advanced past the third round of a major since 2017, when his career-altering hip injuries began. The only former Wimbledon finalists in the field are Nick Kyrgios, who has been limited to one match this year due to injury, and Matteo Berretini, who has been limited to one lopsided loss in the past two months due to injury.
On any other surface, Carlos Alcaraz — the electrifying 20-year-old who already is unquestionably the world’s second-best player — is a threat to win his second grand slam. Though Alcaraz (+340) just won his first title on grass at the Queen’s Club Championships, he did not face a top-15 player. Last year, he was bounced in the fourth round of Wimbledon by Jannik Sinner.
No other player on the men’s side has better than +1600 odds (per FanDuel) to win the title.
If you’re looking for a long shot, look to the women’s draw, where the three favorites haven’t separated themselves from other contenders in the field.
World No. 1 Iga Swiatek (+300) has never been past the fourth round at Wimbledon, which is played on her worst surface. Defending champion Elena Rybakina (+500) isn’t healthy. Aryna Sabalenka (+500) looks shaken after a devastating loss at the French Open, recently losing in the second round of a Wimbledon warm-up event.
Ons Jabeur (+1500) is worth a flier after reaching the finals at Wimbledon last year — as well as at the U.S. Open — and the quarterfinals the year prior. Petra Kvitova (+1200) deserves a look, too. The two-time Wimbledon champion — who just won a warm-up grass tournament in Berlin — is the only former winner in the field besides Rybakina.