With the Denver Nuggets beating the Miami Heat in the 2023 NBA Finals, all 30 teams can now focus on the offseason.
For the Los Angeles Lakers, they’ve got a busy summer ahead though Rob Pelinka and Darvin Ham have already begun the work for the 2023-24 season. The Lakers were halfway to banner No. 18 before getting swept by the eventual champions in the Western Conference Finals.
Los Angeles’ first order of business is the 2023 NBA Draft taking place on June 22. The Lakers own the No. 17 and No. 47 picks, giving themselves two chances at adding impact players to next year’s roster.
The front office will then quickly need to pivot on making decisions on their players with options in their contracts as well as their free agency. Malik Beasley and Mo Bamba have team options for next season, while Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura are set to hit restricted free agency. Outside of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Jarred Vanderbilt and Max Christie, everyone else on the roster will be an unrestricted free agent.
June 30 marks the official end of the 2022-23 season which also serves as a deadline for James to decide if he’ll retire. James has one more guaranteed year on his deal for the 2023-24 season, but will need to decide soon if he’ll honor his contract.
On the flipside, later in the summer, Los Angeles will have the ability to sign Davis to an extension starting on Aug. 4. In order to sign an extension, Davis would need to opt into the ETO of his current deal. If he chooses to do so, the Lakers can offer him up a three-year, $167.6 million extension.
The NBA offseason then hits its lull before the end of September when every player will need to report to training camp before the new season begins.
Key offseason dates
June 22: 2023 NBA Draft
June 29: Last day for decisions on player, team, and early termination options
June 30: Last official day of the 2022/23 NBA league year. Last day for players eligible for veteran extensions in 2022/23 to sign them. Teams can begin negotiating with free agents (5:00 pm CT)
July 1: Official start of the 2023/24 NBA league year. Moratorium period begins. Restricted free agents can sign an offer sheet. Teams can begin signing players to rookie scale contracts, minimum salary contracts, and two-way contracts. Teams can begin exercising the third- or fourth-year team options for 2024/25 on rookie scale contracts
July 3-5: California Classic Summer League
July 6: Moratorium period ends (11:01 am CT. Teams can begin officially signing players, extending players, and completing trades (11:01 am CT). The 24-hour period for matching an RFA offer sheet signed during the moratorium begins (11:01 am CT)
July 7-17: Las Vegas Summer League
July 13: Last day for teams to unilaterally withdraw qualifying offers to restricted free agents
August 31: Last day for teams to waive players and apply the stretch provision to their 2023/24 salaries
September 5: Last day for teams to issue required tenders to unsigned second-round picks; those players become free agents on September 6 if not tendered
Late September (specific dates TBA): Training camps open
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