NBA Free Agency 2024 – Ranking the Top 10 Available Players

Less than 24 hours after NBA teams were allowed to negotiate with other teams’ free agents starting at 6 p.m. ET on June 30, nearly every top player on the market has struck a deal, including Paul George, who left the LA Clippers for the Philadelphia 76ers.

LeBron James is still technically a free agent. After offering the Los Angeles Lakers a potential pay cut if they land a player worth signing using the non-taxpayer midlevel exception, James is still waiting for that opportunity — but the league’s all-time leading scorer isn’t leaving L.A. this summer.

That leaves Chicago Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan as the only remaining free agent from last month’s top 10 predictions who has yet to agree to a contract and is still being sought by other teams.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at an updated list of my top 10 free agents on the market, looking at what valuable players could be available to the handful of teams with available salary cap space and multiple teams that can offer more than the veteran player minimum, with some exceptions.

1. LeBron James
Los Angeles Lakers | Forward

James’ return to Los Angeles is a foregone conclusion. The only question is whether the franchise can find a move that will convince him to accept less than his maximum as part of a new deal. With Klay Thompson headed to the Dallas Mavericks via sign-and-trade, it’s unclear how many remaining free agents qualify as the kind of “impact players” James hoped the Lakers could add. It could come down to the next two on my list.

2. DeMar DeRozan
Chicago Bulls | Forward

The Bulls’ moves during the first weekend of free agency indicated they don’t expect DeRozan to return. By agreeing to sign Jalen Smith as a backup to Nikola Vucevic, Chicago will activate a hard cap on the lower luxury tax bracket. Combined with a new contract for forward Patrick Williams, that would allow the Bulls to offer DeRozan a maximum starting salary of around $21.5 million without a money-saving trade.

If the Lakers are willing to offer DeRozan their $12.8 million mid-level exception, Chicago will likely have to do a better job of keeping him from returning to L.A. DeRozan could also try to expand his market and salary range via a sign-and-trade.

3. Milestones
Charlotte Hornets | Forward

Bridges sat out the entire 2022-23 season after pleading guilty to domestic violence in November 2022. Bridges was suspended by the NBA for the first 10 games of last season, in addition to the time missed, and played for his $7.9 million qualifying offer as a restricted free agent, making him unrestricted this year.

Despite needing to use cap space to complete at least one of the two trades they made this past week to add Josh Green and Reggie Jackson, the Hornets could still re-sign Bridges with full Bird rights. Otherwise, he’ll be one of the few remaining free agents who earns more than the non-taxpayer midlevel in basketball terms.

4. Tyus Jones
Washington Wizards | Guard

The San Antonio Spurs agreeing to sign Chris Paul to play with Jones’ younger brother Tre eliminates his only path to signing with another team as his starting point guard. While Washington has added other options at the position by trading for veteran Malcolm Brogdon on draft night and Pitt drafting guard Carlton Carrington, Jones returning on a deal that has trade value appears to be the more likely outcome.

5. Caleb Martin
Miami Heat | Forward

So far, Martin has stayed out of the 3-and-D forward carousel that brought Derrick Jones Jr. to the Clippers and Naji Marshall as his replacement in Dallas. Compared to them, Martin has been an even more successful playoff contributor, averaging 12.7 points while shooting 64% from 2s and 42% from 3s during Miami’s run to the 2023 NBA Finals. It’s possible Martin could simply return to the Heat, though they’ll have to keep an eye on their spending with the luxury tax and secondary suspension both concerns.

6. Gary Trent Jr.
Toronto Raptors | Guard

This summer’s crop of free agents has been unusually strong at shooting guard. So far, Malik Monk has inked a deal to return to the Sacramento Kings, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope received a three-year contract from the Orlando Magic, Klay Thompson went to the Dallas Mavericks via sign-and-trade and De’Anthony Melton was traded to the Golden State Warriors using the non-taxpayer midlevel exception.

That leaves Trent as my favorite of the remaining options. Though his scoring average dropped from 17.4 points to 13.7 last season, Trent shot 39 percent from 3-point range and is still in his prime at age 25.

7. Isaak Okoro
Cleveland Cavaliers | Forward (limited)

The chances that Okoro, the top remaining restricted free agent, will receive an offer increase if the handful of teams with remaining cap space don’t spend it before the moratorium ends on July 6. That’s the starting point for the matching decision clock, which must be closed no later than July 7 for offer sheets closed during the moratorium.

By then, a team that makes an offer to Okoro will have their salary cap space tied up for just 36 hours before the Cavaliers must decide whether to match the offer. If no offer comes for Okoro from another team, negotiations could be delayed, with the threat of him accepting his one-year, $12.7 million qualifying offer as Okoro’s only leverage.

8. Friend Loved
Philadelphia 76ers | Guard

Have a 3-point shot, will travel. Only Stephen Curry (1,618) has made more 3s than Hield (1,600) over the past five seasons, and no one else is within 260 makes of Hield. At this stage of Hield’s career, he probably fits best in a reserve role. Still, Hield could be a difference-maker for a team starved of shooting.

9. Simone Fontecchio
Detroit Pistons | Forward (Limited)

Considering the Pistons sent the Utah Jazz the 32nd overall pick to acquire Fontecchio at the trade deadline, it’s surprising they haven’t already agreed to a new deal with him as a restricted free agent. That was a different regime, though, and it’s possible that new Detroit executive Trajan Langdon doesn’t rate Fontecchio highly. He’s coming off a sophomore NBA campaign in which he made 55% of his 2s and 40% of his 3s, while starting 43 of the 66 games he played in.

10.Luke Kennard
Memphis Grizzlies | Guard

The Grizzlies declined Kennard’s $14.8 million team option in order to manage their luxury tax situation. Memphis is currently $7.3 million under the tax with 13 players under contract. As a result, the Grizzlies could still bring Kennard back for a lower salary with full Bird rights. Kennard is a career 44% shooter from long range and has twice led the NBA in 3-point percentage.