Only two players — Tee Higgins and Trey Smith — were tagged this year, the fewest number of players tagged since 1994, when Eric Green and Henry Thomas were tagged, per @EpKap.
There were eight players given the franchise tag last year and there have been at least six players tagged in each year going back to 2019.
In the previous five years, the average number of players given the franchise tag was 9.2 per year.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Andre Jackson Jr. has committed to the Slam Dunk Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend, sources tell ESPN. Jackson, a 2023 champion at UConn, has emerged as a Bucks starter in his second season and joins Stephon Castle and Matas Buzelis so far in dunk contest.