NFL vs. NBA: Who Does Free Agency Better?
July 10, 2019
by Eric Hill
Kawhi Leonard’s decision last week to join the Los Angeles Clippers did two things: it ensured there would not be an unkicked trashcan within a three-mile radius of Hog Sty Editor Steve Thomas and it capped off a crazy week of NBA free agency that dominated the sports headlines. The entire landscape of the league changed between 6 pm Sunday and the early morning hours of Saturday as superstars broke up, teamed up and orchestrated blockbuster moves.
It really was amazing to watch as it unfolded and it got me thinking: does the NBA do free agency better than the NFL? I hadn’t given it much thought because the NFL is the king of all things sports, but in the weeks since the Raptors hoisted the hardware for the first time north of the border, with apologies to women’s soccer, it’s been the NBA’s world and we’re all just living in it.
Now, basketball hasn’t had much competition because the NBA draft and free agency frenzy are conveniently tucked in between the end of NFL minicamps and the start of training camp. Regardless, the intrigue and wow factor are still impossible to ignore.
The NFL free agency period, which begins in early March each year, is nothing to sneeze at. Headlines are made and big names move, for sure, but rarely does the balance of power shift as dramatically as it does in basketball. First of all, there are only five guys on a basketball court at a time, so landing two of the top players in the league will make any team a contender. Adding a top player or two in the NFL will help for sure, but they’re only two of eleven guys on their own unit.
The biggest names in the NFL—folks like Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers—rarely hit free agency, much less change teams, thanks to the franchise tag. The relatively short careers of pro football players combined with the lack of guaranteed money as they move towards the back end of their contracts also makes them more willing to sign contract extensions with their own team well before their deals end, hindering player movement even more.
Meanwhile, the NBA’s short term guaranteed contracts give players the luxury of playing out their deals and testing free agency two, three and sometimes four times in their careers. Then there’s the NBA’s max contract rule, which guarantees that its top players know exactly how much they are getting (30% of the salary cap) no matter who they play for, removing the pressure of negotiating with multiple teams to squeeze every last dollar out of them. The players simply have to pick the best situation and can rest easy knowing the money will be there.
In short, the players have the power in the NBA; in the NFL, the teams do.
Fans seem to like it better when spoiled millionaires to stick it to cigar puffing, arrogant billionaires, so the NBA wins this round. But considering nobody pays attention to their league until January even though the season starts in October, the NFL is still king.