# ESPN NBA Free Agency & Trade Tracker (`jungle_synthesizer/espn-nba-free-agency-trade-tracker-scraper`) Actor Scrapes NBA news and transaction data from ESPN's hidden API. Returns free-agent signings, trades, waivers, and draft picks with linked player and team info. - **URL**: https://apify.com/jungle\_synthesizer/espn-nba-free-agency-trade-tracker-scraper.md - **Developed by:** [BowTiedRaccoon](https://apify.com/jungle_synthesizer) (community) - **Categories:** Sports, News - **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks - **User rating**: No ratings yet ## Pricing Pay per event This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events. Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/platform/actors/running/actors-in-store#pay-per-event ## What's an Apify Actor? Actors are a software tools running on the Apify platform, for all kinds of web data extraction and automation use cases. In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours, and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store. In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server. Actors are written with capital "A". ## How to integrate an Actor? If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects. You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready. The best way to integrate Actors is as follows. In JavaScript/TypeScript projects, use official [JavaScript/TypeScript client](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js.md): ```bash npm install apify-client ``` In Python projects, use official [Python client library](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python.md): ```bash pip install apify-client ``` In shell scripts, use [Apify CLI](https://docs.apify.com/cli/docs.md): ````bash # MacOS / Linux curl -fsSL https://apify.com/install-cli.sh | bash # Windows irm https://apify.com/install-cli.ps1 | iex ```bash In AI frameworks, you might use the [Apify MCP server](https://docs.apify.com/platform/integrations/mcp.md). If your project is in a different language, use the [REST API](https://docs.apify.com/api/v2.md). For usage examples, see the [API](#api) section below. For more details, see Apify documentation as [Markdown index](https://docs.apify.com/llms.txt) and [Markdown full-text](https://docs.apify.com/llms-full.txt). # README ## ESPN NBA Free Agency & Trade Tracker Pulls NBA news and roster transactions directly from ESPN's API. Returns free-agent signings, trades, waivers, draft picks, and coaching hires in clean JSON — no browser, no scraping, no waiting. The NBA calendar has one moment where everything happens at once. July 1 free agency open: 450 million dollars changes hands in 48 hours. This scraper is pointed at the right endpoints to catch all of it as it lands. ### What It Returns Two data streams, one scraper. Set `mode: "news"` for the latest NBA news articles, `mode: "transactions"` for roster moves, or `mode: "both"` to get everything. The default is both. #### Output Fields | Field | Type | Description | |-------|------|-------------| | `news_id` | string | Unique ESPN article or transaction ID | | `headline` | string | Article headline or full transaction description | | `description` | string | Article body summary (news items only) | | `publication_time_utc` | string | Publication or transaction date in UTC ISO 8601 | | `byline` | string | Author attribution (news items only) | | `linked_player_name` | string | NBA player name linked to this item | | `linked_team` | string | NBA team name linked to this item | | `transaction_type` | string | SIGN / TRADE / WAIVE / DRAFT / COACHING / OTHER | | `contract_years` | integer | Contract length in years (when parseable from description) | | `contract_value_usd` | number | Total contract value in USD (when parseable from description) | | `is_breaking` | boolean | Whether the item is flagged as breaking/premium | | `source` | string | Data origin: `news` or `transactions` | ESPN's transaction feed provides free-text descriptions rather than structured contract fields. `contract_years` and `contract_value_usd` are parsed from the description text when present — they're populated for most signing announcements and null for coaching hires, waivers, and other moves where no contract details are mentioned. ### Input | Parameter | Type | Default | Description | |-----------|------|---------|-------------| | `mode` | string | `both` | Which endpoints to query: `news`, `transactions`, or `both` | | `maxItems` | integer | `10` | Maximum records to return across all sources | Keep `maxItems` modest during testing. The transactions endpoint has ~150 records in a typical off-season window; news returns up to 50 articles per run. ### Use Cases **Free agency tracking.** July 1–15 is the highest-velocity period in NBA roster movement. Run this on a schedule to capture each signing as it's announced, then join against Spotrac contract data for cap-context analysis. **AI sports content.** Feed today's transactions into an LLM prompt for automated "NBA news brief" generation. The structured output means you're not parsing unstructured press releases. **DFS and fantasy prep.** Waiver pickups and trades affect lineup decisions. Pair the `transactions` feed with game-day injury reports for a complete roster-movement picture. **Research and archiving.** ESPN's API returns current data. For historical coverage, run periodically and accumulate — the `publication_time_utc` field makes deduplication straightforward. ### Data Source ESPN's hidden public API at `site.api.espn.com`. No authentication required. The endpoints are undocumented but stable — they've served the ESPN app and web for years. No proxy needed; the API is open to any IP. ### Notes - The news endpoint returns the 50 most recent NBA articles per run. It doesn't paginate — if you need more, run more frequently. - The transactions endpoint paginates fully and returns all available moves for the current NBA season window (~150 in a typical off-season). - Player names in transaction descriptions follow the format "Signed F John Doe to..." — the `F` is a position abbreviation that the extractor skips, returning `John Doe`. - Coaching transactions (hires, extensions, resignations) are categorized as `COACHING` and never carry contract detail fields. # Actor input Schema ## `sp_intended_usage` (type: `string`): Please describe how you plan to use the data extracted by this crawler. ## `sp_improvement_suggestions` (type: `string`): Provide any feedback or suggestions for improvements. ## `sp_contact` (type: `string`): Provide your email address so we can get in touch with you. ## `mode` (type: `string`): Which data source to scrape. "news" returns recent NBA news articles; "transactions" returns roster moves (signings, trades, waivers, draft picks); "both" returns all of the above. ## `maxItems` (type: `integer`): Maximum number of records to return across all sources. ## Actor input object example ```json { "sp_intended_usage": "Describe your intended use...", "sp_improvement_suggestions": "Share your suggestions here...", "sp_contact": "Share your email here...", "mode": "both", "maxItems": 10 } ```` # Actor output Schema ## `results` (type: `string`): No description # API You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup. ## JavaScript example ```javascript import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client'; // Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token // Replace the '' with your token const client = new ApifyClient({ token: '', }); // Prepare Actor input const input = { "sp_intended_usage": "Describe your intended use...", "sp_improvement_suggestions": "Share your suggestions here...", "sp_contact": "Share your email here...", "mode": "both", "maxItems": 10 }; // Run the Actor and wait for it to finish const run = await client.actor("jungle_synthesizer/espn-nba-free-agency-trade-tracker-scraper").call(input); // Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any) console.log('Results from dataset'); console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`); const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems(); items.forEach((item) => { console.dir(item); }); // 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs ``` ## Python example ```python from apify_client import ApifyClient # Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token # Replace '' with your token. client = ApifyClient("") # Prepare the Actor input run_input = { "sp_intended_usage": "Describe your intended use...", "sp_improvement_suggestions": "Share your suggestions here...", "sp_contact": "Share your email here...", "mode": "both", "maxItems": 10, } # Run the Actor and wait for it to finish run = client.actor("jungle_synthesizer/espn-nba-free-agency-trade-tracker-scraper").call(run_input=run_input) # Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any) print("💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/" + run["defaultDatasetId"]) for item in client.dataset(run["defaultDatasetId"]).iterate_items(): print(item) # 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start ``` ## CLI example ```bash echo '{ "sp_intended_usage": "Describe your intended use...", "sp_improvement_suggestions": "Share your suggestions here...", "sp_contact": "Share your email here...", "mode": "both", "maxItems": 10 }' | apify call jungle_synthesizer/espn-nba-free-agency-trade-tracker-scraper --silent --output-dataset ``` ## MCP server setup ```json { "mcpServers": { "apify": { "command": "npx", "args": [ "mcp-remote", "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=jungle_synthesizer/espn-nba-free-agency-trade-tracker-scraper", "--header", "Authorization: Bearer " ] } } } ``` ## OpenAPI specification ```json { "openapi": "3.0.1", "info": { "title": "ESPN NBA Free Agency & Trade Tracker", "description": "Scrapes NBA news and transaction data from ESPN's hidden API. Returns free-agent signings, trades, waivers, and draft picks with linked player and team info.", "version": "0.1", "x-build-id": "Ils6kE4aCk2pTaDTx" }, "servers": [ { "url": "https://api.apify.com/v2" } ], "paths": { "/acts/jungle_synthesizer~espn-nba-free-agency-trade-tracker-scraper/run-sync-get-dataset-items": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-get-dataset-items-jungle_synthesizer-espn-nba-free-agency-trade-tracker-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for its completion, and returns Actor's dataset items in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } }, "/acts/jungle_synthesizer~espn-nba-free-agency-trade-tracker-scraper/runs": { "post": { "operationId": "runs-sync-jungle_synthesizer-espn-nba-free-agency-trade-tracker-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor and returns information about the initiated run in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK", "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/runsResponseSchema" } } } } } } }, "/acts/jungle_synthesizer~espn-nba-free-agency-trade-tracker-scraper/run-sync": { "post": { "operationId": "run-sync-jungle_synthesizer-espn-nba-free-agency-trade-tracker-scraper", "x-openai-isConsequential": false, "summary": "Executes an Actor, waits for completion, and returns the OUTPUT from Key-value store in response.", "tags": [ "Run Actor" ], "requestBody": { "required": true, "content": { "application/json": { "schema": { "$ref": "#/components/schemas/inputSchema" } } } }, "parameters": [ { "name": "token", "in": "query", "required": true, "schema": { "type": "string" }, "description": "Enter your Apify token here" } ], "responses": { "200": { "description": "OK" } } } } }, "components": { "schemas": { "inputSchema": { "type": "object", "required": [ "mode", "maxItems" ], "properties": { "sp_intended_usage": { "title": "What is the intended usage of this data?", "minLength": 1, "type": "string", "description": "Please describe how you plan to use the data extracted by this crawler." }, "sp_improvement_suggestions": { "title": "How can we improve this crawler for you?", "minLength": 1, "type": "string", "description": "Provide any feedback or suggestions for improvements." }, "sp_contact": { "title": "Contact Email", "minLength": 1, "type": "string", "description": "Provide your email address so we can get in touch with you." }, "mode": { "title": "Mode", "enum": [ "news", "transactions", "both" ], "type": "string", "description": "Which data source to scrape. \"news\" returns recent NBA news articles; \"transactions\" returns roster moves (signings, trades, waivers, draft picks); \"both\" returns all of the above.", "default": "both" }, "maxItems": { "title": "Max Items", "type": "integer", "description": "Maximum number of records to return across all sources.", "default": 10 } } }, "runsResponseSchema": { "type": "object", "properties": { "data": { "type": "object", "properties": { "id": { "type": "string" }, "actId": { "type": "string" }, "userId": { "type": "string" }, "startedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "finishedAt": { "type": "string", "format": "date-time", "example": "2025-01-08T00:00:00.000Z" }, "status": { "type": "string", "example": "READY" }, "meta": { "type": "object", "properties": { "origin": { "type": "string", "example": "API" }, "userAgent": { "type": "string" } } }, "stats": { "type": "object", "properties": { "inputBodyLen": { "type": "integer", "example": 2000 }, "rebootCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "restartCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "resurrectCount": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "computeUnits": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "options": { "type": "object", "properties": { "build": { "type": "string", "example": "latest" }, "timeoutSecs": { "type": "integer", "example": 300 }, "memoryMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 1024 }, "diskMbytes": { "type": "integer", "example": 2048 } } }, "buildId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultKeyValueStoreId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultDatasetId": { "type": "string" }, "defaultRequestQueueId": { "type": "string" }, "buildNumber": { "type": "string", "example": "1.0.0" }, "containerUrl": { "type": "string" }, "usage": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 1 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } }, "usageTotalUsd": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "usageUsd": { "type": "object", "properties": { "ACTOR_COMPUTE_UNITS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATASET_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_WRITES": { "type": "number", "example": 0.00005 }, "KEY_VALUE_STORE_LISTS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_READS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "REQUEST_QUEUE_WRITES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_INTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "DATA_TRANSFER_EXTERNAL_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_RESIDENTIAL_TRANSFER_GBYTES": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 }, "PROXY_SERPS": { "type": "integer", "example": 0 } } } } } } } } } } ```