NBA free agency got started in earnest on Sunday night
• 2 min read
NBA free agency has begun in earnest. The offseason technically got underway nearly two weeks ago after the Boston Celtics downed the Dallas Mavericks to win the 2024 NBA Finals. Free agents, though, had not yet been allowed to negotiate with teams other than the one they finished last season. That changed Sunday night at 6 p.m. ET when NBA free agency started and players can negotiate deals with anyone in the league. Deals can be agreed to, but contracts can’t be signed until the moratorium ends (on July 6 at 12:01 p.m. ET).
There are plenty of big names to keep an eye on. LeBron James is a free agent, though the superstar is widely expected to agree to a new deal with the Lakers, who just drafted his son, Bronny, with the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The biggest question with LeBron is what kind of deal he will get. James is reportedly open to taking a pay cut so the Lakers can use those savings elsewhere.
One target for the Lakers? That would be Klay Thompson, who is expected to leave the Warriors after 13 seasons and four championships. The veteran sharpshooter could be a nice fit alongside James and Anthony Davis and he has connections to the franchise, as his father played for L.A. and works as a broadcaster for the team.
But the biggest free agent who could change teams? That would be Paul George. The All-Star forward opted out of the final year of his deal with the Clippers, who were not able to reach a new agreement before free agency began. The Clippers are still in the running to bring George back, but the 76ers and Magic are reportedly getting meetings with George. The Clippers did take care of one piece of business on Sunday night, however, as they agreed to a two-year, $70M deal with James Harden.
The Magic, meanwhile, made a notable move by landing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Part of the Nuggets’ 2023 championship team, KCP is heading to Orlando on a three-year, $66M deal.
The top 30 free agents of the 2024 NBA offseason are ranked below. As players begin to agree to terms with teams, we will update this tracker with all available information regarding the terms of each deal.
