The 2024/25 league year began just 10 days ago, but our list of this year’s top 50 free agents has been picked pretty clean. Of those 50 players, 42 have either agreed to deals or officially signed new contracts, leaving just eight still on the board.
Here are those eight players:
Tyus Jones, G- Gary Trent Jr., G
- Isaac Okoro, F (Cavaliers RFA)
- Luke Kennard, G
- Precious Achiuwa, F/C
- Markelle Fultz, G
- Cedi Osman, F
- Gordon Hayward, F
Jones’ ongoing availability surprises me a little, given that he’s coming off a career year. Considered one of the league’s top backup point guards for several seasons, Jones got his first opportunity to be a full-time starter in 2023/24 and delivered — his .489 FG%, .414 3PT%, 12.0 PPG, and 7.3 APG were all career highs, and no one in the league is better at protecting the ball (his 1.0 turnover per game in ’23/24 was the worst mark of his career).
John Hollinger of The Athletic succinctly summed up Jones’ dilemma in free agency this week, writing, “(Jones) wants to be a starter and wants to do it for a team better than the Wizards, but he might have to settle for 50 percent of those goals.”
Of course, a lack of spending power and available roster spots around the NBA is also starting to become an issue for the top free agents left on the board. Only the Jazz and Pistons have significant cap room remaining, with Utah leading the way at about $35MM.
But the Jazz may end up needing about $24MM of that room in order to renegotiate Lauri Markkanen‘s salary up to his maximum next month in order to get an extension done with the star forward. If that’s the plan, they’re not in position to offer a free agent more than about $11-13MM (depending on what they do with a pair of partially guaranteed contracts).
The Pistons used up some of their cap room when they claimed Paul Reed‘s $7.7MM salary off waivers this week. If Detroit wants to free up more space, Reed could always be waived, since his salary is still non-guaranteed. As long as he’s the books, the team could get up to about $20MM by completing Malik Beasley‘s reported one-year, $6MM deal using the room exception instead of cap space.
There are plenty of teams around the NBA who still have the full $12.8MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception on hand, but most of those clubs won’t use it due to financial concerns. For instance, the Pacers haven’t touched their MLE and have an open roster spot, but they’re only about $2.5MM below the luxury tax line, so they’ll likely be inclined to stay out of tax territory. Virtually every other team that still has the full mid-level available is in a similar position and would become a taxpayer if they used their entire MLE.
Jones, Trent, and Okoro presumably all entered free agency hoping to easily exceed the non-taxpayer mid-level exception on their next contracts, but it’s getting harder to see how all of them will get there.
Okoro – a strong wing defender whose offensive game remains a work in progress – is perhaps the most interesting name left on the market. While there are still technically eight restricted free agents still on the board, Okoro is the only one who finished last season on a standard contract rather than a two-way deal, and he’s the only one who seems in line for a sizable payday this summer.
The Pistons were identified on June 30 as a potential suitor to watch for Okoro, who has spent his entire NBA career under new Detroit head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. If their interest is real, they’re in position to put some pressure on Cleveland with an aggressive offer sheet. The Cavaliers aren’t expected to balk at matching an offer in the $12-13MM range, but anything higher than that would put them well over the luxury tax line and potentially even over the first tax apron, so it wouldn’t be a no-brainer.
Trent and Kennard are reliable three-point threats, but don’t bring a whole lot else to the table, which has presumably limited their market. The Grizzlies still appear very interested in bringing back Kennard, whereas the door appears nearly closed for Trent’s return to the Raptors.
The Pistons looked like a potential fit for Trent at the start of free agency, but their deal with Beasley likely rules out the immediate need for another three-point gunner. Trent may have to find a team willing to bring him aboard using a portion of the mid-level exception or via sign-and-trade.
The most likely outcome for Achiuwa still seems to be a return to New York, given that the Knicks need help up front and hold his Bird rights. There hasn’t been much chatter about the remaining three free agents from our top 50 – Fultz, Osman, and Hayward – but I expect them to find NBA deals eventually.
Besides the players listed above, there are plenty of other veterans worth keeping an eye on in free agency, many of whom will likely end up on minimum-salary deals.
Teams in need of a point guard could look to Spencer Dinwiddie or Kyle Lowry, or perhaps to Patrick Beverley or Dennis Smith Jr. if they’re seeking a defense-first player. Sharpshooters like Seth Curry, Doug McDermott, Evan Fournier, and Davis Bertans are still available. So are solid backup wings like Justin Holiday, Lonnie Walker, Josh Okogie, Robert Covington, Jae Crowder, and Troy Brown. Both Morris brothers (Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris) remain unsigned as well, though Markieff appears likely to return to Dallas.
Our full list of available free agents can be found right here.
The Knicks roster would be completed with Tyus backing up JB and bringing back PA. I’d consider Ryan A as 15th man. Let’s go Knicks!!!
Some pretty nice names
The Clippers could really use Tyus. He’s the kind of guy who elevates the floor of any team without capping its ceiling. Especially if they are going to trade away Westbrook still. It’d be interesting to see how they adapt two PGs with basically opposite games (Westbrook’s size, defense, rebounding, and physicality vs Jones care of the ball, shooting, making the right passes at the right time), but if they trade Westbrook, it becomes a bigger need. Don’t think they can pay him a lot after Harden’s contract becomes official in full, but I think they’d stay under the first apron if they used the full middy.
Clippers should have signed Jones instead of Harden. What a fool’s gold Harden is at this point.
LAC already used the MLE on DDJr
I would love for the Sixers to get Gordon Hayward and have them sign Dennis Smith Jr instead of Kyle Lowry
I have no idea as to why they would want Lowry back
He was okay as a Sixer…but man he fouled a lot and how exactly is that helpful???
Smith can’t really do anything on offense, though. Nil shooting and not much better elsewhere. If they want a defensive PG, they should bring back PatBev. At least he’ll be in the rights spots on offense.
Yeah Fultz and Smith are basically the same guy. Good defenders who can’t shoot at all. Both can do a little penetration and are good on the break. They’re both gonna be lucky to hook onto a good team on a vet minimum. Maybe not even as a backup but a 3rd PG.
Fultz is a lot better than Smith as a cutter and penetrator. Average FG% is sixty points higher than Smith’s. Smith has zero scoring chops at all. At least Fultz has offensive value, even though he can’t space.
This is to all
SMITH jr has never played on a good team
I would like to see how he would do on a good team
There’s a reason for that, tbf.
I’m with you on Smith, Id also like to see him in a meaningful role with a playoff contender
My (probable) vet min PG ranks entering the offseason where
Dunn, Smith, Cp3 and Dinwiddie far in the rear
I know Cp3 got more but that was mostly circumstantial and he still would fit 3rd in this bucket IMO. Clips did real well getting Dunn for what looks like close to the min (sign and trade numbers still not completely out but its been reported sub 5 mill)
*I have Fultz and Monte Morris higher, thought they would exceed the min (Morris didn’t already) Fultz still avail tho and looking min likely in which case Id take over Smith on thg min
What? Kyle was great in his role when he came over last year.
Will Fultz have to take a 1 year MLE?
No way he’ll get any MLE. He’ll be on a minimum vet salary.
Probably true since he was injured and can’t shoot. I would think a team like the Suns try to sign him. Fits in being injured but is a truer pg than Booke and Beal.
Tyus is so underrated. If these stats belong to another more established name people would value more. I don’t know why this happens. In the past i saw same thing happened to different players. Is it agent issue? Or marketability? I have no idea. But some players do not get enough respect they deserve
Jones has been in the league for nine seasons. He’s an established backup PG. He’s not going to turn the ball over and he’s not going to make mistakes, to do so he’s not going to very assertive with his shot and he’s not going to be a dynamic playmaker.
He’s akso 6’1″ and doesn’t have the tenacity of someone like Marcus Smart so he’s always going to be a target on defense.
If by more established you mean a bigger name, if a bigger name player put up those numbers then it would be time for him to take a step back and be a backup point guard.
It’s not an agent issue or marketability, it’s because he is what he is. There’s been several guys in similar positions. Ish Smith is the first name that comes to mind
Pistons should sign Tyus. Then shop Ivey.
I’m not sure there is a starting role for Tyus this off-season, unfortunately for him. Why not go home to Minnesota, a three-year deal with the third year being a player option? There would be good minutes behind Conley and the potential to take that starting spot.
They traded up for Dillingham to do that so Tyus would still be backup.
Tyus deserves better than this…
He’d fit on every team… A definite asset…