Sports Card Winners and Losers from the 2022-2023 NBA Season

The Denver Nuggets finally won an NBA title, hobby sleepers finally had breakout seasons, and hobby favorites saw their markets completely collapse. With the NBA’s 2022-2023 season officially wrapped up, it’s time to take a deep dive into the sports card market over the last six months and see which players came away better or worse.

Here’s a look at five winners and five losers from this past 2022-2023 NBA season, based on data from Market Movers over the last 180 days.

Winners

1. Nikola Jokic

It’s hard to argue for anyone other than Nikola Jokic as the biggest winner from this past NBA season. He joined an extremely elite group of superstar big men with multiple MVPs and an NBA title, and slid into an even more prestigious group of bigs that are actually popular in the sports card hobby. Overall, Jokic’s PSA 10s tracked by Market Movers jumped 89% collectively over the last 180 days across over 600 sales from 79 different cards.

It’s worth noting that some of Jokic’s market could be held up by relatively-low population counts and fewer rookies than you’d normally expect from a two-time MVP — he was drafted during a commercial break, after all. He has most of the key chases you’d want in a rookie, though. There’s signature cards from Prizm, Donruss and Select and color match opportunities, too. Jokic’s 2015 Prizm Base PSA 10 was the key chase, as expected, and sold 180 times over the last 180 days despite a population of just 911. His 2015 Donruss Base PSA 10 was a key target, too, with 133 sales despite a population of just 369.

That low graded population helped both of those base cards top $1,000 as Jokic put up another season with MVP-worthy stats. One thing to monitor moving forward is the possible benchmarks Jokic could hit to keep his prices growing. He’s won the regular season MVP, he’s won a title and Finals MVP, and basically averaged a triple-double during the regular season. What more can he do? Would a scoring title get collectors excited again?

Jokic has been pretty transparent about basketball being his job but not his life, so it’s also fair to ask how much longer he’d even want to play if he’s accomplished most of what can be done.

2. Jamal Murray

Like Jokic, Jamal Murray got a major bump from multiple fantastic performances during Denver’s title run. Murray was finally back and healthy after an ACL injury kept him out of the entire 2021-2022 season, and collectors and fans alike were reminded how good he really is. He finished the regular season averaging 20-6-4 on 40% shooting from 3 and got even better during the playoffs. Murray boosted his averages to 26-7-6 while playing nearly 40 minutes per game and maintained that 40% shooting from 3.

If you weren’t sold on Murray this season, his playoff run probably changed your mind. A lower price point than Jokic powered Murray’s market to twice as many PSA 10 sales over the last 180 days while sporting a nice 69% collective price bump over that period. For context, Murray’s average PSA 10 sale was about $90 over that span while Jokic’s was nearly $890.

While Jokic only saw two PSA 10s reach 100 sales over the last 180 days, Murray’s market supported four. His 2016 Optic Base PSA 10 was his most popular target with 269 sales while his 2016 Prizm Base PSA 10 followed with 168 sales. A $53 price point on that Optic over that time period also proved to be a safer buy for many than the Prizm at $86. Collectors looking to play in a higher price tier often targeted his 2016 Prizm Silver PSA 10, which sold 30 times over the last 180 days for an average of $422.

Unlike Jokic, there could be some room for growth with Murray just based on narrative. Murray doesn’t have the MVPs, but he does play alongside one, so that’s something to consider. There could also be growth if he proves he can remain healthy after that missed season. The hobby loves guards that can shoot, pass and score, so Murray fits nicely. Teammate Michael Porter Jr. has carved out a nice hobby following as well, so there will always be questions if there’s enough room for multiple hobby stars in Denver.

3. Mikal Bridges

Kevin Durant was certainly the biggest name moved in that shocking Phoenix-Brooklyn deal, but Mikal Bridges was easily the biggest winner from a hobby perspective. A 3-and-D role player for the Suns, Bridges got the spotlight with the Nets and put up truly incredible numbers at the team’s No. 1 option.

Luka Doncic, Trae Young and Deandre Ayton have previously been some of the hobby favorites from a stacked 2018 NBA Draft class, but Bridges’ run in Brooklyn has completely repositioned his standing. Bridges averaged 17 points in 56 games with Phoenix, but saw his scoring jump to 26 points per game in his 27 games in Brooklyn. He isn’t there yet, but Bridges will be a star if he keeps up the scoring while shooting 38% from 3.

Overall, Bridges’ PSA 10s tracked by Market Movers jumped 59% collectively over the last 180 days across 424 sales from 62 different cards. With much of the hobby focused on Doncic and even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for most of last season, Bridges’ 2018 Prizm Silver PSA 10 jumped 96% to a $127 average. For context, Doncic’s 2018 Prizm Silver PSA 10 averaged nearly $1,700 over the last 180 days. You’d have to go past Gilgeous-Alexander ($407), Young ($262) and even Jalen Brunson ($151) before you got to Bridges from that 2018 class when looking at Prizm Silver PSA 10s.

Bridges still has a lot to prove — that 27-game stretch was fantastic, but he’ll need to replicate that for an entire season before he’s truly considered a hobby star. Still, a signature card like his Prizm Silver seems like it has a lot of room for growth while trending around $120 in June.

4. Jimmy Butler

Miami got blown out in the NBA Finals by Denver, but few players saw their card markets completely reshaped the way Jimmy Butler did this season. Butler has been an interesting case when it comes to the hobby — he’s exceptionally popular on the court and among regular NBA fans, but his cards don’t get much hobby love. At least until recently.

Butler has seen plenty of price bumps over the years, but it’s almost as if he had a hobby breakout over a decade into his career this past season. His 2012 Prizm Base PSA 10 has been the most popular target over the last 180 days with 160 sales. Then there’s a big drop in popularity. Butler’s 2012 Past & Present saw some traction with 50 sales over that same period while his 2012 Panini did too with 48.

Things get tough with the mid-end tier of cards. Sets like Marquee, Hoops, Brilliance and more service the low-end just fine, and he has a few high-end pieces floating around. But that middle tier, where collectors often target cards like the Prizm Silver, just doesn’t have a lot to offer. Butler’s 2012 Prizm Silver PSA 10 sold just three times over the last 180 days, likely because it has a population of just 21. The population on Butler’s 2012 Prizm Autograph PSA 10 is just 39, too, so that only sold nine times over the last 180 days.

The hobby’s opinion on Butler might be shifting, but one challenge he’ll face moving forward is the quality of his cards. While early sets from Prizm and Select are beloved by the collecting community, the early 2010s with Panini aren’t exactly considered a Golden Era of selection for some of the NBA’s current stars. The 62% bump in price Butler saw on his PSA 10s over the last six months was nice, but it still might be too early to call him a hobby favorite.

5. De’Aaron Fox

A key part of that fantastic 2017 NBA Draft, De’Aaron Fox finally had his postseason breakout this year in Sacramento. Fox made his first All-Star team and won the NBA’s first Clutch Player of the Year Award in what was by far his best season yet. The card market reacted accordingly, too, and Fox finally saw sustained success as a star instead of a breakout candidate.

Fox’s PSA 10s tracked by Market Movers jumped 32% collectively over the last six months with over 1,500 sales across 85 different cards, but some of his key cards still saw odd behavior. As expected, his 2017 Prizm Base PSA 10 was the most popular purchase with 342 sales over the last 180 days. That card also jumped 127% in price from around $24 to an average of $50 over that span.

His 2017 Optic Base PSA 10 saw a different trend, however. Originally a $40 card, that Optic has dropped down to $30 over the last 180 days across 214 sales. While not usually the same price, Optic cards tend to rise with Prizm as the clear No. 2 brand in the ultra-modern market. What’s even stranger is that his 2017 Optic Red & Yellow PSA 10 saw positive growth — 156% over the last 180 days across 133 sales. Same brand, different parallel. Why? Who knows.

The next step for Fox and the Kings is another deep playoff run. Sacramento needs to turn its high-octane offense into something that can win in the playoffs if Fox wants to rise into the next hobby tier. Players like Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum aren’t reachable right now, but Fox could certainly slide into the same hobby conversation as Trae Young, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Donovan Mitchell with another strong season.

Losers

1. Jordan Poole

After a letdown season immediately following his breakout year, the Warriors have reportedly agreed to send Jordan Poole to Washington in exchange for Chris Paul. Golden State signed Poole to a massive 4-year, $128 million deal, and that kicks in for 2023-2024 when his salary jumps to $27 million per year. That figure is crushing for a shoot-first guard that took a major step back this past season, so it seems like a win for Golden State to shed that salary while also getting value in return.

Poole averaged 18.5 PPG and shot 93% from the line and 36% from 3 in that breakout, but delivered an underwhelming season last year. Poole averaged 20 points while playing similar minutes last year, but shot worse from the field, 3-point range and the free throw line. He also turned the ball over at a career-worst rate.

His cards reflected that regression, with his PSA 10s tracked by Market Movers dropping 38% collectively over the last 180 days. Poole saw plenty of volume with nearly 1,000 PSA 10 sales over the timeframe, but the prices were going in the wrong direction. Poole’s 2019 Prizm Base PSA 10 has dropped 49% over the last 180 days across 250 sales, and is now trending down around $23.

His 2019 Prizm Silver PSA 10 has been hurt in a similar way, dropping 65% across 91 sales. That Prizm Silver sold for as much as $280 over the last six months, but is now trending around $80.

Looking forward for Poole, the Wizards are 100% in a rebuild with Bradley Beal now in Phoenix and Kyle Kuzma possibly heading elsewhere too. He’ll get all the shots he wants in Washington since someone has to score, but that doesn’t necessarily seem great for his card market.

2. Zion Williamson

Injuries, expectations, potential trades — it all messed with Williamson’s market last season. His time in New Orleans, rather than New York or Los Angeles, has always seemed like it would come to an end almost as soon as he was drafted. Now, four seasons later, he’s played just 114 total games and fewer than 30 in three out of four seasons. Williamson has been great when on the court, but that’s been a rarity.

A trade this offseason seems more likely than it’s ever been, though whether or not New Orleans finds the right suitor is a major issue. Often credited as a player that helped revitalize the sports card hobby, Williamson’s PSA 10s tracked by Market Movers have dropped 34% collectively over the last 180 days. He’s still popular — Market Movers has tracked over 5,700 PSA 10 sales over the last six months — but the prices aren’t what they used to be. Most basketball cards are down, but Williamson’s are down more.

His 2019 Prizm Base PSA 10 is down 55% over the last 180 days across over 800 sales. His 2019 Mosaic Base PSA 10 is down 49% and his 2019 Optic Base PSA 10 is down 33%. According to Market Movers, that Prizm Base PSA 10 sold nearly 150 times on one day back in December of 2020 for an average of over $900. It sold this week for $71. There’s plenty of commentary that can be made about overall card prices and the overall market, but Williamson has been especially crushed by recent dips.

3. Ja Morant

Despite his best regular season yet, Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies were bounced from the playoffs by LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. Things have continued to spiral out of control from there. Morant was suspended eight games for showing a gun on social media back in March, and then followed that up with a second incident doing the same that has now resulted in a 25-game suspension to start next season. Morant has been great on the court, but his personal behavior off of it has become concerning.

That 25-game suspension was underwhelming to some, and the reality is that anything else that happens from here off the court could result in something much, much worse. That will be something fans and collectors have to monitor moving forward. Overall, Morant’s PSA 10s tracked by Market Movers are down 32% over the last 180 days across over 7,400 sales. He’s still popular, but his prices keep plummeting.

Morant’s 2019 Prizm Base PSA 10 has been one of the most popular cards in the hobby over the last several years, and sold nearly 900 times over the last six months — but it’s also declined in price 44%. Like Williamson, Morant’s key cards from that 2019 rookie season are all down. His 2019 Optic Base PSA 10 is down 51% over that same period while his 2019 Mosaic Base PSA 10 is down 23%. The volume is there, but he hasn’t been able to avoid an overall down market as well as some other players.

The 2019 rookie class will always be the group that was there right when the sports card hobby was exploding in popularity again, but it’s suddenly looking less and less like the all-time class some expected. Williamson and Morant have uncertain futures for different reasons. RJ Barrett has largely underwhelmed in New York while Coby White hasn’t become a star in Chicago.

4. Darius Garland

Speaking of that 2019 NBA Draft class, Darius Garland saw his market slow quite a bit after a breakout season in 2021-2022. It should be noted that Garland hasn’t done anything wrong — he’s been nothing short of fantastic over the last two seasons. The fifth overall pick from that 2019 draft, Garland made his first All-Star Game in 2021-2022 while averaging 22-9-3 and shooting 38% from 3. He followed that up with another 22-8-3 season last year playing alongside new addition Donovan Mitchell.

For the first time since LeBron James departed for Los Angeles, the Cleveland Cavaliers have looked like a real contender in the East behind Garland, Mitchell and center Evan Mobley. Garland’s market has appeared somewhat fragile, however, and his PSA 10s tracked by Market Movers are down 34% collectively over the last 180 days across over 1,100 sales.

Maybe it’s because Garland plays in Cleveland or maybe it’s because he’s no longer in line to be the team’s superstar with Mitchell there. Either way, his key 2019 rookies are all down over the last six months. His 2019 Prizm Base PSA 10 is down 49%, his 2019 Prizm Silver PSA 10 is down 53% and his 2019 Optic Base PSA 10 is down 54%.

It’s kind of unfortunate to put Garland in a hobby losers group when he hasn’t done anything to really deserve his market collapse, but it’s the reality he’s living in right now.

5. Deandre Ayton

Luka Doncic has gotten most of the hobby love over the last few years, so it’s easy to forget that Deandre Ayton was actually the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. He hasn’t exactly been bad for the Suns, but he’s certainly been underwhelming for where he was picked and he also appears to be on the way out in Phoenix.

The Suns added Bradley Beal to a roster that already has Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, so Ayton may unfortunately be a salary cap casualty with Phoenix needing to turn his contract into multiple rotation players. He passes the stat test — Ayton averaged 18-10 last year while shooting 59% from the field and 76% from the free throw line. He doesn’t pass the eye test, though, with many fans and experts often citing his lack of motor or intensity on the court.

Whether or not that has impacted his card market is anybody’s guess, but the reality is that his cards have gone down in a major way over the last six months. Ayton’s PSA 10s tracked by Market Movers are down 22% collectively over the last 180 days across over 700 sales. What’s interesting with Ayton compared to other players in this section is that his 2018 Prizm Base PSA 10 is actually up over that period while selling twice as much as the second-most popular card. That Base Prizm is up 49% but his 2018 Prizm Silver PSA 10 is down 48%, and has been trending at just $36. His 2018 Donruss Base PSA 10 is down big as well with a 46% drop.

Ayton’s hobby future could really be determined by what happens over the next few weeks. If he stays in Phoenix, it’s hard to see him playing a major role on offense, where he’d likely be the fourth option. Maybe his market recovers if he’s moved to another contender, but the current rumors are mostly teams looking to rebuild with Ayton as a key starting piece in that process.

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