There wasn't much cap space to go around this past NBA offseason. That made player movement a bit trickier than it typically is.

In the summer of 2023, it doesn't look like that will be a problem, as Spotrac projects 15 teams to have at least $10 million in "practical cap space" (with nine of those over $30 million).

That means free agency could bring a lot more fireworks, especially with a class that includes Kyrie Irving and could potentially include James Harden and Draymond Green.

Those three and the rest of the top 10 free agents, as determined by Bleacher Report's latest top 30, are the subject of today's "Early Flight-Risk Meter."

Age, circumstance and way-too-early reactions to 2022-23 performance are among the inputs that generate the answers below.

10. Gary Trent Jr. (Player Option)

Gary Trent Jr.'s scoring average has climbed in each of his NBA campaigns, and he's started this season at over 20 points per game.

His three-point volume is up too, to nearly 10 attempts per contest. And he's maintained an above-average three-point percentage on those attempts.

Those two things alone should make the 23-year-old guard valuable for the foreseeable future. And last season, he posted an above-average defensive estimated plus-minus (one of the game's most trusted catch-all metrics).

Does all of that equate to Trent commanding a higher annual salary on the open market than his $18.8 million player option will pay him? Maybe in the post-cap spike world coming after 2025, but we're obviously not there yet.

That evaluation might change a bit if Trent can show a little more as a playmaker between now and the end of the season, but staying on a competitive up-and-comer for nearly $20 million feels like a relatively safe bet.

Flight Risk: Medium-Low

9. Harrison Barnes

At 30 years old, Harrison Barnes is nearing the post-prime portion of his career. And after this season, he'll have nearly $170 million in career earnings.

Unless the Sacramento Kings show some real strides toward ending a playoff drought that has lasted for nearly two decades, it wouldn't be hard to imagine the one-time champion looking at smaller roles to compete for a title

Of course, those aforementioned strides aren't out of the question for Sacramento.

De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis (24 and 26, respectively) are entering their primes. And promising rookie Keegan Murray looks like a near-ideal fit in a switch-happy forward duo with Barnes.

Flight Risk: Medium

8. Kyle Kuzma (Player Option)

After having something of a re-breakout in 2021-22 with 17.1 points and a career-high 8.5 rebounds, Kyle Kuzma is off to an even hotter start this season.

If he maintains averages around 20 points, seven rebounds and two threes for the duration of 2022-23, declining his $13 million player option for 2023-24 will be very much in play.

As mentioned in the intro, there's a lot more cap space available in 2023 than there was this past summer. And a 6'9" forward who can take over stretches of a game as a scorer, switch between small and power forwards on defense and hit threes could draw multiple offers promising a higher salary than his current deal pays.

For a former champion who spent the first four years of his career in perhaps the NBA's most glamorous market, the allure of competing for a title outside Washington could be strong.

Flight Risk: Medium-High

7. Cameron Johnson (Restricted)

The Phoenix Suns showed some level of commitment to Cameron Johnson when they signaled he'd start over Jae Crowder this offseason. They didn't waver when Crowder requested a trade just prior to the start of the campaign.

But not coming to terms on an extension is mildly concerning, and it's something that has come back to bite teams in the past.

The most notable recent example is Gordon Hayward, who played well enough in the final season of his rookie contract to earn a max offer from the Charlotte Hornets the following summer that was a bit shorter than what the Utah Jazz could've given him. Utah matched the offer, but Hayward bolted as soon as it expired.

Phoenix may now be at the outset of a similar situation with Deandre Ayton, who signed an offer sheet with the Indiana Pacers this past summer.

Doing that again with Johnson, a reliable defender who's shot 42.1 percent from three since the start of last season, is dangerous. At least in the long run.

For now, restricted free agency is Phoenix's friend. And it has the ability to match any offer Johnson might get in the coming offseason. As far as the immediate future goes, the chances of Johnson leaving are slim.

Flight Risk: Low

6. D'Angelo Russell

Since the start of his All-Star campaign in 2018-19, D'Angelo Russell has somewhat quietly averaged 20.2 points, 6.7 assists and 2.9 threes.

But outside of last season, his teams have generally been worse with him on the floor. Subpar defense is the primary culprit, but shot selection can be another bugaboo.

Playing with Rudy Gobert, perhaps the league's most dangerous rim-runner, this season should help Russell, who's shown natural pick-and-roll playmaking instincts since he was at Ohio State.

That, in turn, should motivate Russell to want to stick around the Minnesota Timberwolves for a bit longer, even if that means a pay cut from his 2022-23 salary of $31.4 million (it's hard to imagine many other teams topping that anyway).

Flight Risk: Medium-Low

5. Draymond Green (Player Option)

If the writing wasn't already on the wall, Draymond Green's infamous punch of Jordan Poole, and subsequent long-term extensions for Poole and Andrew Wiggins, has to put Green's future with the Golden State Warriors beyond 2022-23 in jeopardy.

If he exercises his player option for next season, the Warriors' payroll and luxury-tax payment for 2023-24 will push half a billion dollars.

Golden State is reportedly the league's most valuable team (with an estimated value of $7 billion and yearly revenue over $700 million), but simply continuing on this trajectory is far from a given.

Draymond is still one of the game's best defenders, but it's fair to wonder if a decline is coming for the 32-year-old.

It's already started on the offensive end, where he hasn't been above average since 2017-18 (at least according to offensive box plus/minus). If the defense slides, keeping him (and the potential for off-court fireworks that come with him) may get too expensive.

Having said that, Green is arguably Golden State's second most important player of the Stephen Curry era. He's been the anchor of the defense for nearly a decade. Since the start of the 2014-15 season, he trails only Stephen Curry in raw plus-minus (regular and postseason).

Breaking up the Green-Curry-Klay Thompson core would undoubtedly be difficult, even if it saved the team loads of money and potential headaches.

Flight Risk: Medium-High

4. Kristaps Porzingis (Player Option)

Long before Victor Wembanyama wowed us with a pair of exhibition games on ESPN, Kristaps Porzingis was the "The Unicorn" who wowed NBA fans, analysts and executives.

Since he's been around for nearly a decade now, it's easy to take him for granted. But a 7'3" floor-spacer who can block shots and fly through the lane for above-the-rim finishes is still pretty rare.

Unfortunately, injuries have consistently limited our ability to see any of the above in action.

From 2016-17 through 2021-22 (a stretch that includes a torn ACL that cost him all of 2018-19), Porzingis has only averaged 44.2 appearances per season.

And the more miles he puts on his legs, the easier it is to be concerned about future injuries.

On that basis alone, it's hard to imagine any team giving Porzingis a contract with a higher salary than the $36 million he'd make next season by simply picking up his player option.

This could come down to a decision between the big payday in 2023-24 or a three- or four-year deal that's worth less annually but gives him a little more long-term security. Guessing where Porzingis might lean depends on how the rest of this season goes.

Flight Risk: Low

3. Kyrie Irving

Speaking of "depending on how the rest of this season goes," Kyrie Irving's future with the Brooklyn Nets feels entirely dependent on how he and the team perform in 2022-23.

Individually, he's off to a red-hot start in this contract year, with three 30-point performances and a strong defense of teammate and lightning rod Ben Simmons.

But Brooklyn is near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, and while the Nets aren't likely to stay there, a mediocre finish is very much in play.

If that happens, letting Kyrie walk in free agency and finally honoring the trade request Kevin Durant made this past offseason could kickstart a rebuild.

If the rest of the team catches up with the individual starts of Irving and KD, Brooklyn can re-enter the title contenders' tier. And even if it comes up a little short, using Bird rights to re-sign Kyrie to a deal that extends his stay for a few more years wouldn't be surprising.

Flight Risk: Medium

2. Khris Middleton (Player Option)

Khris Middleton is 31 years old, but NBA primes extending well into a player's 30s is becoming increasingly common.

He and the Milwaukee Bucks should both be motivated to maintain their relationship for at least the next few years. Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo absolutely have the potential to secure another championship together.

On a more short-term note, as good as Middleton has been over the last several years, it's hard to imagine another team forking out a deal with an annual salary over the $40.4 million he's set to make next season.

Picking up the 2023-24 player option and then signing at least one more deal with the Bucks after that expires feels like a safe bet.

Flight Risk: Low

1. James Harden (Player Option)

The vibes were great heading into this season. James Harden took a discount to help the Philadelphia 76ers put together a stronger supporting cast, and the two-man numbers with Harden and Joel Embiid from 2021-22 were stellar.

Just a few games into 2022-23, Harden is having huge individual performances, but Philly is losing more than it's winning, and he's pounding the ball like the prime version of himself (only without the athleticism).

It already seems to be taking a toll on Embiid:

If this keeps up, something might have to give, and Harden's $35.6 million player option for 2023-24 could be the out.

Of course, as is the case for everyone here, it's early. For the 33-year-old Harden, scaling down and coexisting with Embiid is probably his best path to contending for a title.

It's just hard to trust that'll happen with a player who's already forced his way off two teams in the last two years.

Flight Risk: Medium