What impact does free agency have on player salaries?

Free agency significantly impacts player salaries by creating competition among teams for top talent. When players become available to sign with any team, franchises often engage in bidding wars to secure the services of desirable free agents. This heightened competition can lead to inflated salaries as teams are willing to offer lucrative contracts to attract players who can enhance their roster.

The dynamics of the market, along with the teams' financial capabilities and the players' perceived values, drive up salaries during free agency periods. Teams may offer contracts that exceed previous salary benchmarks in an attempt to lure players away from their current teams or to outbid competitors.

The other options do not accurately reflect the realities of free agency in professional sports. While standardization of salaries can occur in certain contexts, free agency fundamentally introduces discrepancies based on competition. Overall, the competitive nature of free agency leads to an increase in player salaries, making option B the most accurate choice.