The frenzy of free agency in the NBA has practically come to an end.
The free agency frenzy in the realm of NBA sneakers is just beginning.
Most multi-year athletic shoe endorsement contracts have an expiration date of October 1 of their year of completion, although they also include a 60-day grace period within which players can initiate meetings and negotiations with other brands. Which means that, as of August 1, this year's three listed players can start attending presentations, outline initial terms of tentative contracts and analyze potential companies with which to sign new contracts.
While the NBA's open market includes both restricted and unrestricted free agents, literally everyone involved in the sneaker game is a restricted free agent. The brands include in all their agreements a standard clause that gives them a "right to match offers" for 10 days, which represents a key factor while the negotiations are underway.
The breed of sneakers coming out this year may have the most potential since 2012, when Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin, James Harden and Dwyane Wade were all in talks. Of the four athletes then linked to Nike, two moved to Jordan Brand, Wade opting to sign a lucrative contract with Li-Ning and Harden renewed for just two years with Nike, before finalizing a 13-year deal with Adidas in 2014.
Once again, each of the top five players in this year's class are currently under contract to Nike. The ideal scenario for the brand is to keep all five of them: Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Kyle Kuzma, D'Angelo Russell and PJ Tucker.
Aside from the handful of players expected to switch sponsors, there's a depth to this year's free-agent class rarely seen in this industry. Both Draymond Green and Karl-Anthony Towns have deals with Nike that are set to expire this fall. Despite not playing in Los Angeles and the uncertainty his Big Baller Brand could face in the future, Lonzo Ball is expected to drive the pace within a New Orleans Pelicans team brimming with youth and stirring emotions. Ball could capitalize on this by signing a new multi-year sneaker endorsement deal just before the season starts.
Other players from across the NBA are expected to generate interest, including Marcus Smart, who has already been the subject of moves by Boston-based Puma, which has taken the lead in the bidding to deal. with the base of the Boston Celtics. While talks are ongoing, Smart was recently seen arriving at the USA Basketball homecoming dressed in Puma apparel. Later, he used the Uproar shoe model of that same brand in white, red and blue colors during the start of the USA Basketball training camps. Thanks to his team's sudden free-agent hoarding, LA Clippers player Landry Shamet is also entering the athletic shoe market at an ideal time, with the potential to take advantage of the size of the Los Angeles market, plus the opportunity that could arise if the Clippers get into championship contention next season.
Although it is true that this list of players could include a series of figures to become the object of attempts by brands in the process of resurfacing, such as Puma and New Balance, to seduce them and convince them to leave their current contracts with Nike and Adidas; there are also five players in particular that are sure to arouse more interest with the aim of urging them to change their sports shoe company.
Devin Booker
While it's true that Booker has been part of a roster packed with talent like Nike, Nike has found ways to capitalize on his rise as one of the best young shooters in the NBA. Booker is part of a select group of players who have sported special colourways within the Kobe Bryant kit lineup for the past two seasons, including the Kobe 1 and Kobe 4 Protro editions.
Nike Sportswear, the company's lifestyle category, also incorporated Booker as the image of a special launch of its Air Force 1 Low model with its own colors, with a commercial and the respective advertising campaign in association with the Foot store chain. Locker. Booker opted to wear a light blue and tan combination, away from the less versatile Suns' iconic orange and purple colors. His model was an instant hit with sneakerheads.
Booker's potential is palpable on the pitch, wearing a brand's key models; and off the board, becoming one of the image players in the league, widely known for his good dress when leaving the locker room. With the launch of social media accounts such as @LeagueFits, dedicated to showcasing players' outfits as they arrive in the states, brands are placing greater emphasis than ever on the style displayed by their figures off the pitch.
During the spring and early summer, in which his young colleague Jayson Tatum made the jump from Nike Basketball to Jordan Brand, there was much talk regarding the possibility of Booker being added to the roster of NBA players of the led brand. by Michael Jordan, being an ideal candidate for it.
Luka Doncić
Doncic finds himself in the rare situation where he can immediately capitalize on the rewards of a stellar rookie season. One year after entering the NBA with the highest expectations placed on a European-born prospect in recent memory, Doncic is preparing to conclude the contract he signed with Nike when he was a young professional player in Europe.
His teammate Kristaps Porzingis had a similar fate in 2017, when the contract he signed with Nike was about to expire, after his first season in the NBA. Porzingis was able to capitalize on his breakout rookie year in New York and signed a seven-figure deal with Adidas, which nets him between $3 million and $6 million a year.
In Doncic's case, the market this summer and much of the fall is expected to be similar in his aggressiveness, with several American and Chinese brands looking to deal with him.
During this summer, Giannis Antetokounmpo became the first native player from the European continent to have his own shoe model. Brands consider Doncic, current NBA Rookie of the Year, to be in the same category. Last January, the Slovenian was one of the highlights of the launch of Nike's Adapt BB shoe, which features self-lacing capabilities. Doncic is thought to have the potential to become the face of several different styles and designs. In addition to his production on the floor (he averaged 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game last season), Doncic has an established global fan base. His jersey ranked 13th among the best-selling jerseys in the NBA during the past tournament, as well as finishing second among Western Conference forwards in fan voting for the All-Star Game, second only to LeBron James.
His production on the pitch has lived up to expectations. His potential as a star who can transcend the realm of basketball has already begun to bear fruit. Now, Doncic is preparing to discuss the terms of a new endorsement deal, certain that the value of a new deal and the visibility it generates will increase exponentially over time.
kyle kuzma
The game and fame of Kuzma, who was taken in the first round of the 2017 draft in relative obscurity, exploded during his rookie campaign in Los Angeles.
Now, with Kuzma expected to stay long-term with the Lakers, having avoided his inclusion in a potential trade to New Orleans, brands have substantial interest in Kuzma's image. While his current sneaker deal with Nike, signed under rookie terms, brought him less than six figures a year, his next deal will be significantly more lucrative.
Nike quickly understood Kuzma's potential, using his image at the launch of the Adapt BB model, as well as showing him wearing several of the models from the Kobe Bryant line, in his current capacity as bearer of the Lakers' franchise cauldron. .
"It's been great," says Kuzma. “I was always a Nike kid growing up. As a sneaker fan, you always have a special place in your heart for the brand with all the different kinds of sneakers they have created. Being able to support that brand was an easy decision.”
Meanwhile, Kuzma has added a groundbreaking deal to his list of sponsors, becoming an ambassador for the GOAT app, an online resale marketplace that includes tens of thousands of rare and limited-edition sneakers. The concept won the praise of several NBA players and made him appear in an episode of the documentary series "The Boardroom" to talk about that very particular society.
“It's definitely exciting,” he said. “Having arrived as an unknown prospect from high school and college to break into the NBA, it will be extremely cool to see sneaker manufacturers show substantial interest in me. It's a way of giving credit to the hard work I've done."
D'Angelo Russell
When Russell was drafted by the Lakers in 2015, he immediately became one of the most sought-after players among the rookie class he belonged to. After shining with the Brooklyn Nets and signing a maximum salary contract with the Warriors, he is expected to attract high interest among the various sports shoe manufacturers.
From the point of view of footwear marketing, Russell meets several requirements sought by the different brands. The player is known for his style both on and off the pitch and likes to wear bold colors and graphics to games, along with a wide range of accessories. His persona “DLoading” and the signature celebration known as “ice in my veins” that occurs after important baskets have caused his popularity to continue to rise.
While the 23-year-old continues to wear the latest and greatest from Nike Basketball, Russell remains one of the top candidates to remain on the Nike Inc. roster as the face of its subsidiary brands. Company executives have discussed the possibility of a trade to Jordan Brand, which would see the famed "jumping man" logo make its way onto the Warriors' roster, a team from which he was absent during his five consecutive forays into the leagues. NBA Finals. It would also be a natural fit for Russell, who has a tattoo of an Air Jordan 1 on his left leg.
Considering Nike continues to invest in relaunching its Converse Basketball brand, Russell could be a great addition to its image. He would then join forces with Kelly Oubre Jr. as one of the few faces of the iconic and historic brand, which is looking to sign other expressive and versatile players to promote its new model of All Star Pro BB sneakers, a modernized version of the classic Chuck Taylor , made with today's materials and technology.
PJ Tucker
Tucker, who is entering his 10th NBA season, has established himself within the league, not least thanks to his endless stream of weird sneakers on the court; he is also known for his performance as a No. 3 and defender for a Houston Rockets who remain contenders in the league landscape. His rising profile on social media, fashion week shows around the world, and prestigious fashion magazines in recent years have earned him the title of "NBA sneaker champion."
“The truth has never mattered to me and I have never wanted to be a sneaker champion. I don't even know what that is," he laughed. "Honestly, it's pretty cool that they think of you that way."
Tucker, who is known for spending $200,000 of his own money on sneakers during each of the past two seasons, is expected to land a new high-six-figure sneaker deal this fall. New Balance and Puma are expected to be tentative candidates, while several brands of Chinese origin have expressed interest, thanks to the level of media presence that Tucker maintains in the region, as well as the long-standing connection between the Asian country and the Houston Rockets.
Obviously, Nike continues to be the great favorite to take over the image of the player who has given infinite visibility to some of the most sought-after models of the brand with the well-known Swoosh symbol, whether it is by debuting the Fear of God model, a collaboration between Nike and designer Jerry Lorenzo; or the Jordan 4 Retro, created with musician Travis Scott, or wearing the variety of extraordinarily rare “OVO” models, made exclusively for those closest to Canadian rapper Drake. Regardless of which brand he ends up signing with, hopefully Tucker will keep expressing his love for sneakers, like he always has.
"If Instagram didn't exist, if there weren't video cameras present at the games, he would continue to change his shoes and he would do it daily, as is the case with me," he said. “It is something that is part of my life and I do it daily.”
