The NBA has officially kicked off its free agency period, but some on social media have lamented that there’s not that many enticing storylines presenting themselves this time around. That group also includes analysts and NBA players, who weren’t shy about their disappointment, until things got slightly more interesting.
Slow Start to the 2025 NBA Free Agency Brings Jokes, Some Disappointment
The NBA officially opened up its free-agent window on Monday (June 30), and so far it hasn’t lived up to the high anticipation that fans and observers of the league were expecting. Even current NBA players, writers, and analysts feel as if there’s not that much excitement for the 2025 version of free agency, with the New York Knicks’ guard Josh Hart comically writing in a post on X (formerly Twitter): “It’s 6:01 and I ain’t see one deal….what happened to the game I love?”
It’s 6:01 and I ain’t see one deal….what happened to the game I love?
— Josh Hart (@joshhart) June 30, 2025
PFSN’s Alex Kennedy cracked another joke as free agency opened quietly, asking in an X post: “No obvious-tampering deals dropping right at 6 p.m. ET this year?” The last such instance that caught the attention of the league as far as tampering was the league fining the New York Knicks in 2022 for violating “league rules governing the timing of this season’s free agency discussions” as they were reported to have spoken with point guard Jalen Brunson’s camp before free agency officially began. The NBA would strip the team of a second-round draft pick in this year’s draft as punishment.
No obvious-tampering deals dropping right at 6 p.m. ET this year?
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) June 30, 2025
Sactown Sports’ Kings beat writer Frankie Cartoscelli went to Netflix’s Narcos drama series to imbue his own X post about the start of free agency this year, showing Wagner Moura as infamous drug kingpin Pablo Escobar in various states of disillusionment staring off into the distance.
The start to 2025 NBA free agency pic.twitter.com/k1ofRL4R3V
— Frankie Cartoscelli (@FCartoscelli3) June 30, 2025
Veteran sports writer Bill Simmons fired off an X post in reaction to ESPN insider Shams Charania’s reporting that the San Antonio Spurs have agreed to a deal with former Boston Celtics center Luke Kornet. “Thanks to 2024 NBA World Champion Luke Kornet!!!!!!!,” he wrote, referencing his role on Boston’s NBA Finals-winning team the season before last.
Thanks to 2024 NBA World Champion Luke Kornet!!!!!!!
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) June 30, 2025
The surprise reported trade of Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round draft pick to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Cam Johnson got some buzz going. Veteran comedic actor and Knicks fan Ben Stiller chimed in with his take on X, writing: “Cam Johnson could be a great NBA analyst after playing. Excited to see him and Jokic work together.”
Cam Johnson could be a great NBA analyst after playing . Excited to see him and Jokic work together. https://t.co/FuVJ5CL9zI
— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) June 30, 2025
Meanwhile, Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant was more enthusiastic about his teammates Jaren Jackson Jr. and Santi Aldama resigning as soon as free agency opened.
watching my dawgs get paid 🐻💰 pic.twitter.com/TdzA5YHVuU
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) June 30, 2025
He shared a meme of a wistful Michael Scott from the hit sitcom The Office, played by Steve Carrell, writing in the caption “watching my dawgs get paid” with emojis of a grizzly bear and a bag of money.
