Between the LeBron James guessing games and the Kawhi Leonard trade talk [url=http://www.billscheapstore.com/josh-allen-jersey-cheap]Josh Allen Jersey Bills[/url] , it seems NBA shopping season is well underway.

It’s actually just about to start.

Terms like salary caps and contract options have been in the news for weeks, so fans might have an understanding of what they all mean. For those who don’t, here’s an attempt to explain how this all works.

Q: When does free agency start?

A: It begins at 12:01 a.m. EDT on July 1. So that’s early Sunday morning for teams in the East, but Magic Johnson and the Lakers can actually start their recruiting on Saturday night.

Q: When can deals start happening?

A: Players and teams can agree to contracts immediately, but except for some limited exceptions, such as rookies inking their initial contracts, nothing can be signed until after the free agency moratorium period ends, which is noon EDT on July 6.

Q: How is the salary cap determined?

A: It’s basically a formula based on basketball revenues. Last season’s was $99.1 million, and this year’s will be announced Saturday.

Q: Why is James a free agent when he had a contract for next season?

A: His $35.6 million salary for 2018-19 was a player option. He chose not to take it and became a free agent instead . Same thing with Paul George, who opted for free agency instead of the $20.7 million he was due in Oklahoma City next season, and Kevin Durant [url=http://www.authenticssanfrancisco49ers.com/cheap-jeremiah-attaochu-jersey]Jeremiah Attaochu Color Rush Jersey[/url] , with an option for $26.3 million in 2018-19.

Q: Does any team have a chance to sign them?

A: Not really. Teams either need to be under the salary cap, or use some of the various exceptions that allow teams to exceed it (for example, to re-sign their own veteran free agents). There are exceptions allowing teams to spend even if they are over the cap, or above the luxury tax line, but those are not big enough to afford a top-level player.

Q: Any other ways for players to become free agents before their contract expires?

A: Yes, sometimes they have an early termination option. Carmelo Anthony could have gone that route, but decided to keep his contract, which plays him $27.9 million next season, intact.

Q: Besides James and George, who are other big-name free agents?

A: Chris Paul, DeMarcus Cousins [url=http://www.milwaukeebrewersteamshop.com/authentic-cecil-cooper-jersey]Cecil Cooper Milwaukee Brewers Jersey[/url] , Isaiah Thomas, Tony Parker, J.J. Redick and Derrick Favors are all unrestricted options that could draw interest. There are also players such as Jabari Parker, Aaron Gordon, Zach LaVine and Marcus Smart, but they are restricted free agents and their current teams would be allowed to match any offers they receive and keep them.

Q: Are most teams far enough under the salary cap to really improve themselves?

A: No, there are many more that are already over it or up against it. But the Lakers have slashed enough payroll to position themselves to afford James and another maximum-salary player.

Q: How far over the cap can teams go?

A: Depends on how much they’re willing to pay for it. There is a tax line (last year at about $119.3 million) and teams begin incurring a penalty once they reach that. It gets pretty severe depending on how far and how many years in a row they are over it.

Q: How does Leonard fit into all this?

A: He’s under contract two more seasons but apparently doesn’t want to wait for free agency, telling the San Antonio Spurs he wants to be traded even though he could cash in big by waiting and re-signing there. Teams that can’t afford a marquee free agent can try to entice the Spurs with a trade package for the 2014 NBA Finals MVP.

Q: Will things settle down once most of the signings are finished?

A: Not entirely. Though deals can start to be finalized on July 6, that doesn’t mean free agency will end when the moratorium period ends. And talks never really stop in the NBA offseason. Last year it was Kyrie Irving asking to be traded from Cleveland and the Knicks trying to move Anthony that lasted deep into the summer, so count on something coming up.

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TORONTO — Canadian right-hander Mike Soroka says his start Tuesday for the Atlanta Braves at the Rogers Centre will be like making a second debut.

The 20-year-old from Calgary will be making his fifth major league start, but Tuesday night in the opener of a two-game set against the Toronto Blue Jays he will be pitching against the team he grew up watching and with friends in attendance.

Soroka (2-1 [url=http://www.newyorkgiantsteamonline.com/saquon-barkley-jersey]Saquon Barkley Giants Jersey[/url] , 2.57 ERA) will be facing Blue Jays left-hander Jaime Garcia (2-5, 5.71), who is 3-1 with a 3.62 ERA in eight career starts against Atlanta.

It also will be a return for first-year Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos, who was the Blue Jays GM from October 2009 through 2015.

“Even though I’m from the other side of Canada, it’s the one team you grew up watching,” Soroka told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It’ll be pretty special.”

He has pitched before at the Rogers Centre, as a 15-year-old in a tournament.

“It’s almost like a second debut of sorts,” Soroka said. “Just get out there, knowing that a bunch of friends are going to be coming there, a lot of friends who’ve been Blue Jays fans for a long time too. … I’m just going to be familiar with the Rogers Centre, so that’s going to be cool too. And I’ll be out there on a mound I’ve been on before too [url=http://www.authenticsbuffalobills.com/cheap-trent-murphy-jersey]Trent Murphy Color Rush Jersey[/url] , so that’s pretty awesome.”

Soroka is coming off his best major league outing. After spending a month on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation, he carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning of a 2-0 win over the New York Mets Wednesday. He left after 6 1/3 innings, allowing one hit and one walk and adding four strikeouts.

Soroka does not expect to feel more excitement in this start Tuesday than he did in his previous four.

“There’s a certain amount of amped up you can have in the big leagues,” Soroka said. “I don’t think I’ll be any more amped up than I was my last four, especially because it’s a new thing right now. I don’t think I’m running short on adrenalin.”

The Braves (42-29) are in first place in the National League East. They have won two in a row and six of their past eight after defeating the San Diego Padres 4-1 Sunday.

The Blue Jays (33-38) have won three in a row and seven of their past 10 games after completing a three-game sweep Sunday with an 8-6 win over the Washington Nationals, who are second in the NL East.

The Blue Jays have won seven straight home games for the first time since July 2-8, 2016. After struggling at home earlier in the season, they are now 19-19 at the Rogers Centre. They are 6-2 against the NL this season.

Toronto right fielder Randal Grichuk, an early-season disappointment who also spent time on the disabled list with a right knee sprain, had two solo home runs and four RBIs Sunday in going 3-for-3 with a walk. He has hit five homers in his past 12 games.

“I feel like we’ve found a lot of consistency when we’ve been playing here lately,” Grichuk said of the Blue Jays’ recent success at home. “Obviously that (0-3) Tampa Bay series (against the Rays at Tropicana Field) threw a wrench at us [url=http://www.coloradorockiesteamshop.com/authentic-adam-ottavino-jersey]Adam Ottavino Colorado Rockies Jersey[/url] , but I feel like we’re swinging the bat well, and when our pitchers go out and give us a chance to win, we’ve been doing a good job of being able to score and get some leads. Hopefully that just continues.”

Another early-season disappointment, Toronto second baseman Devon Travis was 2-for-4 with a double Sunday and is batting .345 (20-for-58) with three homers and eight RBIs in his past 19 games.

The timing of a possible return from the disabled list of third baseman Josh Donaldson (tight left calf) is not known yet.

The Braves, meanwhile, will have catcher Kurt Suzuki available for the game Tuesday. He was struck in the head on a backswing during the second inning Sunday at SunTrust Park and left the game. Tests indicated that he did not have a concussion.

“It was kind of a precautionary thing,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “He got hit good. The doctors wanted to look at him and I’m sure he wanted to come back out. But something like that is not something you want to mess with.”

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