NSL FA — Stunning Bid Offs

The NSL Free Agency once again went off without a hitch, full credit to the admin team of Pistol, Laddas, Ben, Leeroy and Daz, who continue to deliver one of the most anticipated and chaotic days on the NSL calendar. What started as another ordinary Free Agency soon turned into a spectacle of fireworks, heartbreak, and jubilation, as GMs emptied their GM-point wallets faster than you could say “confirmed bid!”

The bidding was fierce, the group chat was chaos, and the tension was high as franchises across the league gambled thousands of GM points on hopes, dreams, and desperate attempts to fill gaps before the new season. Behind every bid there was a story — pride, revenge, or pure impulse — and when the dust settled, we were left with a handful of moments that will go down in Free Agency folklore.

Let’s take a look back at some of the classic bids from what may be remembered as one of the most dramatic NSL FA events ever.

 

Luke Kornet — GM Yeet (Pacers) outbids GM Nels (Spurs) 99 vs 99

Arguably the crown jewel of this year’s Full MLE class, Luke Kornet was a name scribbled on just about every GM’s notepad heading into Free Agency. After proving to be a key piece in the Spurs’ postseason run, GM Nels was adamant that his 7-foot sharpshooting centre would be returning to San Antonio. Nels is known for many things — reckless optimism isn’t one of them. When he says “99 bid,” you take him seriously.

And so he did. A full 99 GM points were thrown down for Kornet’s services — a statement of loyalty and confidence that seemed enough to scare the pack away. Seemed being the key word.

Out of nowhere, GM Yeet — never one to shy away from a moment of chaos — swooped in with an identical 99 bid, forcing the infamous random factor to come into play. When the numbers came up, Yeet’s Pacers won out with a 197 total bid against Nels’ 195, snatching the big man away from his former home in what instantly became one of the all-time FA heartbreaks.

Unbeknownst to Yeet, that spontaneous click would set the tone for the best day of his GM career — and the worst morning imaginable for Nels. Kornet walks into Indiana a cult hero before even suiting up.

 

Russell Westbrook — GM Ethan (Bucks) outbids GM Rootsy (Mem) 99 vs 99

If Kornet was the jewel of the MLE class, Russell Westbrook was the treasure chest buried beneath it. At 36, most expected Westy’s bidding wars to be behind him. But this is the NSL — where nostalgia and narrative often win out over logic.

Two veteran GMs — Ethan and Rootsy — both threw in 99-point bids for the mercurial veteran. The league watched in stunned silence as the reveal came through. The numbers landed: Ethan 198, Rootsy 193. Westbrook to the Bucks.

It was a stunning result, and somehow perfectly on-brand for FA day — two long-tenured GMs, both with title aspirations, swinging for the fences. The Bucks get a firebrand, a locker-room jolt, and an icon. Rootsy gets heartbreak — and a well-timed meme in the group chat.

 

AJ Green — GM Yeet (Pacers) outbids GM Ben (Philadelphia) 30 vs 30

You couldn’t write this script. After a few wines and a late-night pod session, AJ Green somehow became that name — the one everyone mentioned, but nobody took seriously. Then came Free Agency.

At near-minimum cost with a cheap extension option attached, Green was a sneaky value pick. Two GMs spotted it: Yeet and Ben. Both landed on identical 30-point bids, both confident that number would be enough.

When the random factor decided to flip the coin, Yeet once again landed on the right side of fate. Yeet 126 vs Ben 121, another Pacers victory. A +7 swing in the random factor column and the Pacers were suddenly two-for-two. Yeet was flying, and Ben… well, was fuming.

 

Precious Achiuwa — GM Yeet (Pacers) outbids GM Ben (Philadelphia) 40 vs 30

Barely ten bids later, and the same two GMs were back in the ring — Yeet vs Ben, Round Two. This time the target was Precious Achiuwa, a familiar face for Ben, who had rostered him for multiple seasons. Ben stuck to his trusted 30-point formula, while Yeet, feeling invincible, went up to 40.

This time, the random factor finally favoured Ben (11–8), yet incredibly, it still wasn’t enough. Yeet’s base bid strength carried him over the line with a 142 to 106 victory, clinching his third major signing of the day.

By now, Yeet’s name was trending in the NSL chat like a cult leader mid-revival. Three bids, three wins, and the legend of “Lucky Yeet” was born. Meanwhile, Ben’s frustration was growing — and understandably so. The FA gods can be cruel.

 

Brook Lopez — GM Daz (GSW) outbids GM Andrew (LAC) 37 vs 21

While the Yeet show dominated headlines, another classic battle was brewing on the West Coast. Brook Lopez, affectionately known as Splash Mountain, continues to defy age and logic, still drawing hefty bids years into his NSL journey.

At $8.75 million, Lopez remains one of the league’s best veteran bigs — able to stretch the floor, block shots, and provide that stabilising presence off the bench. GM Daz (Warriors) and GM Andrew (Clippers) both recognised the value, and the bidding followed.

Andrew offered 21 GM points — respectable, safe — but Daz came swinging with a Vitty-like 37. The result wasn’t close: Daz 142 to 106, a comfortable victory. While it may not have made the same headlines as Kornet or Westbrook, it was a professional, calculated move by a front office that knows the value of playoff-ready depth.

 

How good is Free Agency? The drama, the storylines, the consequences — it’s pure theatre. You can spend all offseason scouting, budgeting, and strategising, but when the clock ticks down and the mouse clicks, everything goes out the window.

It’s a day of adrenaline, chaos, and heartbreak — akin to sitting your end-of-year exams, except the consequences hit you at the start of the school year. You walk away either pumped full of optimism or already drafting your next trade block post.

The highs of Yeet’s perfect run. The heartbreak of Nels’ Kornet saga. The memeable chaos of Rootsy and Ethan going toe-to-toe for a 36-year-old Westbrook. It’s the kind of day that defines franchises and gives the league its unique charm.

Once again, massive hats off to the admin team for keeping the league’s biggest off-court event running smoothly. The systems held, the GMs brought the energy, and the content flowed like cheap champagne at a rookie signing.

With the season now only a week away, rosters are set, emotions are high, and expectations even higher. If Free Agency was anything to go by, this NSL season is going to be one for the ages.

Thank god we’re nearly back.