3 Months to Go: Why the NBA Free Agency Rush Isn’t Starting Yet

The Marathon, Not the Sprint

Let’s be real—free agency hasn’t even kicked off yet. The calendar says summer, but the real work starts in three months. I’ve been tracking team strategies since Day One of this offseason, and while some front offices are already drafting press releases like they’re on deadline for a Netflix series… others? They’re quietly planting seeds.

I’m talking about the Spurs—the quiet architects of delayed gratification. While everyone’s obsessed with headline trades and splashy pickups, I’m watching how teams manage their emotional bandwidth and cap flexibility.

Spoiler: If your roster is built on fear of losing someone today… you’ll lose them tomorrow.

This isn’t just basketball—it’s psychology wrapped in spreadsheets.

Cap Traps & Emotional Debt

Take the Milwaukee Bucks. They traded for another star (again), but did they actually solve anything? Let me show you something from my database: when players like Giannis Antetokounmpo feel emotionally insecure—especially when their teammates get shipped out—it doesn’t take long before they start asking: *“What if this happens to me?”

That’s not paranoia—that’s survival instinct.

Compare that to Denver. Their ‘armored’ roster looks strong on paper—but look closer at small details: Javonte Green? A solid role player. But what if he’s locked into a $10M deal while you can’t afford a 15th man with upside?

It wasn’t just about talent—it was about space. And space is currency in this league.

The Lesson from San Antonio

I once mapped out how the Spurs handled Jeff Green-like contracts back in 2016—a move that cleared $4M per year without hurting competitiveness.

They didn’t panic when talent left—they recalibrated.

Same now: Dejounte Murray leaving didn’t break them because they had structure built around future assets—not short-term fixes.

The difference between chaos and control? A single word: timing.

If your team feels like it needs an MVP-level upgrade every June… you’re not building a franchise—you’re running an emergency room.

Why Now Is Still Quiet (and That’s Good)

You hear people yelling at ESPN: “Where are the free agents?!” But here’s my rule of thumb:

• If a team makes a move before August 1st… it’s usually reactive.
• If they wait until September… it’s strategic.
• If they’re still analyzing data in July? They’re likely thinking beyond next season—maybe toward 2027.

The Spurs aren’t trying to win now—they’re preparing for after we win again.