NBA free agency got started in earnest on Sunday night
• 2 min read
NBA free agency is underway, and nearly every top player has agreed to a new deal. The offseason technically got underway 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. NBA free agency is underway, 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).
We had major free agency news overnight from Sunday into Monday as it was reported Paul George is heading to the 76ers. Philly landed the nine-time All-Star with a four-year, $212M contract after the Clippers reportedly refused to offer George a fourth year. George now will team up with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Speaking of Maxey, the 76ers signed him to a $204M max extension shortly after the George deal. Maxey was a restricted free agent this summer.
LeBron James, the top player on our top 30 list, landed back with the Lakers as expected. James agreed to a two-year, $104 million deal that gives him the opportunity to become a free agent again next season. The Lakers, however, missed out on Klay Thompson, who is heading to the Mavericks on a sign-and-trade after ending a title-filled Warriors run.
The Thunder made a free agency splash on Monday morning, prying center Isaiah Hartenstein from the Knicks with a three-year deal worth $87 million.
The biggest name left on the market is DeMar DeRozan. The veteran forward and six-time All-Star is reportedly likely to leave the Bulls, but his market appears to be tepid in the first week of free agency.
(Note: These rankings did not include Chris Paul, who was waived by the Warriors before agreeing to a deal with the Spurs).
