Atlantic Notes: Celtics FAs, White, Hauser, Raptors, Missi, Porter

The Celtics have all of their rotation players signed through next season and they could have even more continuity, according to The Athletic’s John Hollinger. Reserve centers Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman Sr. and Neemias Queta are headed to free agency but the Celtics are open to bringing any or all of them back if the price is reasonable.

The Celtics are also willing to do more extensions beyond a potential super-max deal for Jayson Tatum. They’re interested in locking up Derrick White and Sam Hauser and both are extension-eligible this offseason. White is eligible for a four-year, $127MM extension — including incentives — and the front office will likely need to go that high to get White’s signature.

The team holds a $2MM option on Hauser’s contract for next season. The Celtics could offer a creative deal with the second tax apron in mind. In that scenario, they’d decline the option, then re-sign him for a lower annual salary and more years than an extension that started in 2025/26.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Raptors hold the No. 19 and 31 picks in this year’s draft. The Athletic’s Eric Koreen takes a look at some of the guard prospects they might consider at those spots, including USC’s Isaiah Collier, Duke’s Jared McCain and Houston’s Jamal Shead.
  • Baylor center Yves Missi participated in a pre-draft workout for the Sixers on Tuesday at their practice facility, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. The Sixers have picks 16 and 41 in the draft. Missi is ranked No. 23 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
  • Canadian authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the Jontay Porter betting scandal, ESPN’s David Purdum reports. They will try to determine if a criminal investigation is warranted after evaluating information related to “online betting irregularities from the Jan. 26 and March 20 Raptors games.” Porter was a two-way player for Toronto before he received a lifetime ban from the league.

Begley’s Latest: Lakers, Pistons, Carrington, Scheierman

Look for the Lakers to target at least one big man this offseason. They’re mulling their options to give Anthony Davis more opportunities to play his natural power forward position, according to SNY TV’s Ian Begley.

The Lakers have the No. 17 pick in the draft and could grab a center at that spot. Purdue’s Zach Edey, Baylor’s Yves Missi and Indiana’s Kel’el Ware are considered the top center options after UConn’s Donovan Clingan, who is expected to go in the top five. The Lakers could also look to free agent centers to fill that need. A list of all free agent centers can be found here.

Here’s more from Begley:

  • The Pistons, who are expected to have approximately $60MM in cap space, have made it known to teams looking to dump salaries they’re open for business. They would look to get draft capital and/or young talent in those deals. The punitive tax aprons confronting some organizations could lead to numerous trades on that scale this offseason.
  • The Magic are intrigued by Pittsburgh point guard Carlton Carrington. He’s rated No. 19 on ESPN’s Best Available list and Orlando holds the No. 18 pick. Carrington worked out for Orlando last week and has improved his stock during the pre-draft process, so it’s possible the Magic may have to move up to take him.
  • The Knicks haven’t announced who’ve they’ve worked out during the pre-draft process but Creighton wing Baylor Scheierman recently visited as part of a group workout. Scheierman (No.  27 on ESPN’s list) is considered a late first-round prospect and the Knicks have back-to-back picks at Nos. 24 and 25.

Jeff Van Gundy Joins Clippers As Lead Assistant

4:58pm: Van Gundy has officially joined Lue’s staff, according to an announcement from the team’s PR department.


6:24am: Jeff Van Gundy and the Clippers have agreed to a deal that will make him the lead assistant on head coach Tyronn Lue‘s staff, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Van Gundy’s last role as an assistant coach came from 1989-96 with the Knicks. He was promoted to the head coaching position in 1996 and led the team to a 248-172 (.590) regular season record over five full seasons and parts of two more, winning eight playoff series during that time and making the NBA Finals in 1999.

He later spent four years coaching the Rockets from 2003-07, compiling a 182-146 (.555) regular season record and earning three playoff berths, though Houston didn’t win a postseason series under Van Gundy.

A longtime broadcaster for ESPN following his coaching career, Van Gundy was let go by the network in 2023 and joined the Celtics as a senior consultant. He recently lauded the franchise for throwing him “a lifeline” following a tumultuous period in his personal life and enjoyed a memorable year in Boston, capped by the franchise’s 18th championship.

There was some speculation that Van Gundy could move to the sidelines for the Celtics next season as a member of Joe Mazzulla‘s staff, but a more recent report cited a role with the Clippers as a growing possibility. Head of basketball operations Lawrence Frank has reportedly long been an admirer of Van Gundy, and the team had a hole to fill on Lue’s staff after veteran assistant Dan Craig departed for a job with the Bulls.

Van Gundy’s relationship with Lue was also a factor in Los Angeles’ ability to hire him, Wojnarowski notes. The two coaches have worked together with Team USA.

Mavericks Notes: Doncic, Jones, Roster, Cuban

In the wake of the Mavericks‘ disastrous finish to the 2022/23 season, there was plenty of speculation a year ago about Luka Doncic‘s future in Dallas, with some media members suggesting the team would have to make real strides within the next year or two in order to secure the star guard’s long-term commitment.

Following an NBA Finals run this spring, that no longer seems like a concern, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who says all indications are that Doncic will be willing to sign a super-max extension in July 2025 once he has the necessary seven years of NBA service. The 25-year-old said after Monday’s season-ending loss that he feels “great” about the Mavs’ future.

“We did some great (personnel) moves,” Doncic said. “I would say we’ve been together for five months. I’m proud of every guy that stepped on the floor, all the coaches, all the people behind (the scenes). Obviously, we didn’t win Finals, but we did have a hell of a season.”

Doncic’s enthusiasm about the franchise’s direction is shared by his backcourt partner Kyrie Irving, who is under contract in Dallas for at least the next two seasons.

“I just feel like the sky’s the limit,” Irving said, per MacMahon. “I have an opportunity to be on a special team that can be one of the teams that dominates in this era. That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out the past few years, of how to be on a great team, be in an organization where I’m trusted, and also we’re able to succeed and fail together, and doing it in a way where we still have each other’s backs, and no one is giving up on the dream or the goal. Our goal is still to win a championship.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

  • Based on their current salary projections, Dallas won’t be able to offer more than the taxpayer mid-level exception (about $5.2MM) to free agent forward Derrick Jones, though the team could potentially open up some or all of the non-taxpayer MLE ($12.9MM) with some tweaks to the roster, MacMahon writes. Mavs general manager Nico Harrison wants to find a way to bring back Jones. “He’s a part of our core going forward, so hopefully we can figure that out,” Harrison told ESPN.
  • Regarding the rest of the roster, Harrison said he likes where it stands but acknowledged that there’s always room for improvements. “I think we have a really good core and really good complementary pieces,” Harrison told MacMahon. “Having said that, I mean, I’ve been here for two years and so I think my reputation is starting to (form). If there’s an opportunity to make it better, I’m going to do that for sure.”
  • Former Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban no longer has control of the team’s basketball operations, MacMahon confirms. Still, as Howard Beck of The Ringer writes, Cuban – now a minority stakeholder – can take credit for three risky moves that set up the club for this year’s success: hiring Harrison as GM; hiring Jason Kidd as head coach; and trading for Irving. Harrison had worked at Nike rather than for an NBA team, Kidd had been fired from two previous head coaching jobs, and Irving’s value had fallen due to injury issues and off-court controversies. “For sure, they were risks,” Cuban told Beck. “I mean, there were a lot of people who just like rolled their eyes at me. But each of them brought a unique set of skills to the table that I didn’t have, that the organization hadn’t had, and I thought were valuable and important.”
  • Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link) previews the offseason in Dallas, writing that the Mavericks have some trade assets available – including its 2025 and 2031 first-round picks and Tim Hardaway‘s expiring contract – and suggesting they could use another play-making guard, perimeter depth, and a floor-spacing big man.

Free Agency Notes: Anunoby, Negotiations, Sixers, Sirvydis

Appearing on ESPN’s Get Up on Monday (YouTube link), Brian Windhorst said that while there’s a widespread expectation that veteran forward OG Anunoby will ultimately end up back with the Knicks, it’s a situation worth keeping an eye on now that teams are permitted to negotiate with their own free agents.

“Most people believe that Anunoby will stay with New York, but there have been indications that he may want to test the market because he’s not thrilled with what the Knicks (may offer),” Windhorst said.

As Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports points out (via Twitter), Anunoby is a CAA Sports client, so it’s worth noting that ESPN’s Jay Williams – who is also represented by CAA – responded to Windhorst’s comment by stating, “I’ve heard that internally as well.”

A report on Monday suggested that the floor for Anunoby’s next contract is $35MM per year, meaning his non-Knicks suitors would be limited to teams that could create significant cap room or who are in position to pull off a sign-and-trade. That list isn’t extensive, but the Sixers are among the cap-room clubs that could have interest, especially if they miss out on top target Paul George.

Here’s more on free agency:

  • John Hollinger of The Athletic considers which high-profile free agents might end up with agreements in place before the league-wide free agent period begins on June 30, naming Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey, Pacers forward Pascal Siakam, and a handful of others as candidates to strike deals early. Since Hollinger’s story was published, a report came out indicating that Siakam and the Pacers are nearing a long-term agreement.
  • In an Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks shares the contract offers he’d make to the top free agents of 2024, including three-year, $90MM deals for James Harden and DeMar DeRozan and a two-year, $50MM contract to try to lure Isaiah Hartenstein away from the Knicks.
  • The Sixers recently held a free agent workout that featured a handful of former NBA players, including Sam Dekker, Stanley Johnson, Jarrett Culver, and Tony Bradley, according to John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia and Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links). The 76ers will have significant cap room this offseason, but if they use that room to sign just two or three players, they’ll have plenty of minimum-salary roster slots to fill.
  • Former Pistons wing Deividas Sirvydis, who appeared in 23 games across two seasons from 2020-22, has signed a new deal with Zalgiris Kaunas that includes two guaranteed years and a third-year option, the Lithuanian club announced in a press release. According to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com (Twitter link), the contract will feature an NBA opt-out clause, leaving the door open for the 24-year-old to potentially return stateside before the term expires.

Official Early Entrants List For 2024 NBA Draft

After announcing 93 withdrawals from the draft last month, the NBA has officially confirmed (via Twitter) that 31 additional early entrant prospects withdrew from the draft before Monday’s deadline, leaving a total of 77 early entrants eligible to be selected in this year’s draft in addition to 2024’s automatically draft-eligible players.

Of those 77 draft-eligible early entrants, 53 are players from colleges (20 seniors with eligibility remaining and 33 underclassmen), 18 had been playing in international leagues, and six are from non-NBA domestic leagues (the G League or Overtime Elite).

This year’s 77 early entrants represents the lowest total in quite some time, falling well short of the record set in 2021 (217). That’s likely a reflection of the new NIL opportunities available to college players, who now have less motivation to go pro early in order to get paid. Of course, there are still more early entrants than there are slots available in next week’s draft. With two teams’ second-round picks forfeited due to past free agency violations, there will be just 58 players drafted on June 26 and 27.

[RELATED: Full 2024 NBA Draft Order]

A total of 201 prospects initially declared as early entrants, with 93 of those players removing their names from consideration prior to the NCAA’s May 29 withdrawal deadline to retain their college eligibility.

Here’s the complete list of early entrant prospects eligible for the 2024 NBA draft:


College seniors:

  1. Reece Beekman, G, Virginia
  2. Jesse Bingham II, G/F, Indianapolis
  3. Jack Brestel, F, Roanoke College
  4. Jalen Bridges, F, Baylor
  5. Jalen Cook, G, LSU
  6. Isaiah Crawford, G/F, Louisiana Tech
  7. Tristan Da Silva, F, Colorado
  8. Zach Edey, C, Purdue
  9. Eric Gaines, G, UAB
  10. PJ Hall, C, Clemson
  11. Oso Ighodaro, F, Marquette
  12. David Jones, F, Memphis
  13. Dillon Jones, F, Weber State
  14. Tyler Kolek, G, Marquette
  15. Pelle Larsson, G, Arizona
  16. Jonathan Mogbo, F/C, San Francisco
  17. Tiras Morton, G/F, Lubbock Christian
  18. Jamal Shead, G, Houston
  19. Jason Spurgin, C, Bowling Green State
  20. Jaykwon Walton, G/F, Memphis

College underclassmen:

  1. Trey Alexander, G, Creighton (junior)
  2. Mark Armstrong, G, Villanova (sophomore)
  3. Adem Bona, F/C, UCLA (sophomore)
  4. Carlton Carrington, G, Pitt (freshman)
  5. Devin Carter, G, Providence (junior)
  6. Stephon Castle, G, UConn (freshman)
  7. Cam Christie, G, Minnesota (freshman)
  8. Donovan Clingan, C, UConn (sophomore)
  9. Isaiah Collier, G, USC (freshman)
  10. Mohamed Diarra, F, North Carolina State (junior)
  11. Rob Dillingham, G, Kentucky (freshman)
  12. Ryan Dunn, F, Virginia (sophomore)
  13. Justin Edwards, G/F, Kentucky (freshman)
  14. Kyle Filipowski, F/C, Duke (sophomore)
  15. Johnny Furphy, G/F, Kansas (freshman)
  16. Kyshawn George, G/F, Miami (FL) (freshman)
  17. DaRon Holmes II, F, Dayton (junior)
  18. Harrison Ingram, F, UNC (junior)
  19. Bronny James, G, USC (freshman)
  20. Jared McCain, G, Duke (freshman)
  21. Judah Mintz, G, Syracuse (sophomore)
  22. Yves Missi, C, Baylor (freshman)
  23. Ajay Mitchell, G, UC Santa Barbara (junior)
  24. Carlos Nichols, G, Southern Crescent Tech (GA) (freshman)
  25. Reed Sheppard, G, Kentucky (freshman)
  26. KJ Simpson, G, Colorado (junior)
  27. Jaylon Tyson, G, California (junior)
  28. Ja’Kobe Walter, G, Baylor (freshman)
  29. Kel’el Ware, C, Indiana (sophomore)
  30. Deshawndre Washington, G/F, New Mexico State (junior)
  31. Jaylen Wells, F, Washington State (junior)
  32. Cody Williams, F, Colorado (freshman)
  33. JZ Zaher, G, Bowling Green State (sophomore)

International players:

Note: The country indicates where the player had been playing, not necessarily where he was born.

  1. Melvin Ajinca, G/F, France (born 2004)
  2. Ulrich Chomche, C, NBA Academy Africa (born 2005)
  3. Yongxi Cui, G/F, China (born 2003)
  4. Pacome Dadiet, G/F, Germany (born 2005)
  5. Nikola Djurisic, G/F, Serbia (born 2004)
  6. Lucas Dufeal, F, France (born 2003)
  7. Quinn Ellis, G, Italy (born 2003)
  8. Trentyn Flowers, G/F, Australia (born 2005)
  9. A.J. Johnson, G, Australia (born 2004)
  10. Bobi Klintman, F, Australia (born 2003)
  11. Gustav Knudsen, G/F, Denmark (born 2003)
  12. Juan Nunez, G, Germany (born 2004)
  13. Zaccharie Risacher, F, France (born 2005)
  14. Tidjane Salaun, F, France (born 2005)
  15. Alexandre Sarr, F/C, Australia (born 2005)
  16. Nikola Topic, G, Serbia (born 2005)
  17. Armel Traore, F, France (born 2003)
  18. Cezar Unitu, G, Romania (born 2005)

Other players

Remaining in draft:

  1. Matas Buzelis, F, G League Ignite (born 2004)
  2. Ron Holland, F, G League Ignite (born 2005)
  3. Jalen Lewis, F/C, Overtime Elite (born 2005)
  4. Babacar Sane, F, G League Ignite (born 2003)
  5. Tyler Smith, F, G League Ignite (born 2004)
  6. Bryson Warren, G, Sioux Falls Skyforce (born 2004)

For the full list of the players who declared for the draft and then withdrew, click here.

Warriors Top List Of NBA’s 2023/24 Taxpayers

While the official numbers from the NBA aren’t yet in, Bobby Marks of ESPN estimates (via Twitter) that the Warriors led all teams in 2023/24 with a luxury tax bill in the neighborhood of $176.9MM.

Golden State was subject once again to the “repeater” tax penalties this season, meaning that every dollar spent above the luxury tax line cost them more than a first-time taxpayer. The Warriors paid roughly $206MM in player salaries, meaning their roster as a whole cost more than $380MM. They didn’t make the playoffs, having been eliminated in the first play-in game by Sacramento.

[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: Luxury Tax Penalties]

The Warriors weren’t alone among teams that are on the hook for tax payments without a playoff series win to show for it. Of the eight taxpayers, only two (the Celtics and Nuggets) made it beyond the first round of the postseason, with only one Boston advancing past the second round. Unlike Golden State, the Clippers, Suns, Bucks, Heat, and Lakers all made the playoffs, but they were each eliminated in the conference quarterfinals.

Here are the estimated tax penalties for 2023/24, according to Marks:

  1. Golden State Warriors: $176.9MM
  2. Los Angeles Clippers: $142.4MM
  3. Phoenix Suns: $68.2MM
  4. Milwaukee Bucks: $52.5MM
  5. Boston Celtics: $43.8MM
  6. Denver Nuggets: $20.2MM
  7. Miami Heat: $15.7MM
  8. Los Angeles Lakers: $6.9MM

Half of those tax payments get distributed among non-taxpaying teams, so those 22 clubs should each receive a little less than $12MM, Marks observes.

That payout for non-taxpayers serves to highlight why some teams who were hovering around the luxury tax line earlier in the season made a concerted effort to duck below – or stay below – that threshold. For instance, the Pelicans finished the season below the tax line by less than $400K after initially moving out of tax territory by salary-dumping Kira Lewis‘ expiring contract back in January. That cost-cutting move didn’t just save Pels ownership a tax payment — it also ensured that the team will receive that extra $12MM.

The tax line for 2024/25 is projected to be just north of $171MM, and while many of the teams listed above project to once again be taxpayers next spring, at least a couple of them could be in position to avoid the tax next season, including the Warriors.

Celtics Notes: Horford, Tatum, Holiday, Offseason, Ainge

No player in NBA history had appeared in more playoff games before winning a championship than Al Horford, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, who notes that the veteran center finally claimed his first title with a win in his 186th career postseason contest. Horford earned praise after Monday’s victory from his teammates, including Derrick White, who referred to the big man’s career as “so underrated,” and Finals MVP Jaylen Brown, who said the Celtics “leaned on (Horford) so much” during their championship season.

“Nobody deserved it more than Al,” Brown said. “He’s been a great not just leader on the court but off the court as well. … It’s been an honor to be by his side. And Al Horford is a real-life legend and hero. It’s been great to be his teammate.”

Horford turned 38 earlier this month, but he remains under contract with Boston for at least the 2024/25 season and it doesn’t sound like he has any plans to call it a career this summer.

“For me, I never really put a timeframe on it,” Horford told ESPN when asked on Sunday how long he’ll continue playing. “I want to make sure that I feel healthy, that I’m enjoying what I’m doing and for me, thankfully, I have my wife’s support and my family’s. That’s a big deal to me. … I feel like I’ve been asked this for a few years now and I feel good, I want to keep playing. Why not keep going? I don’t want to limit myself.”

Here’s more on the new NBA champions:

  • Not that there was any doubt, but ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (YouTube link) said on NBA Countdown on Sunday that the Celtics will put a five-year, super-max offer on the table for Jayson Tatum at some point in the coming days or weeks. The deal, which would begin in 2025/26, would be worth a projected $315MM, assuming the cap comes in at $141MM for ’24/25, then increases by 10% the following year.
  • Jrue Holiday earned a bonus worth $1,264,800 as a result of the Celtics’ championship, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. It’s the second time in the past four years Holiday has cashed in on that bonus in his contract — he also received it in 2021 when Milwaukee won the title. As Marks adds (via Twitter), Holiday earned a total of approximately $2.8MM in bonuses this season for six separate individual and team achievements.
  • Can the NBA’s best team get even better during the coming offseason? Mark Deeks of HoopsHype considers that question in his preview of the Celtics’ summer, while Marks (ESPN Insider link) also takes a look ahead at the key decisions and roster moves on tap this offseason in Boston.
  • The Celtics’ big bets on Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis last summer paid major dividends in the short term and put the team in a great position to vie for additional championships in the coming years, writes Brian Robb of MassLive.com.
  • While Brad Stevens signed off on those Holiday and Porzingis deals, among other moves that pushed the Celtics over the top, Danny Ainge’s fingerprints remain all over the team’s current roster, according to Robb, who spoke to Boston’s former president of basketball operations about his old club’s success. As Robb relays, Ainge said he’s “very happy” for the Celtics but declined to take any credit for this year’s championship run. “I feel fortunate to be a part, a very small part of all of their lives,” Ainge said. “I have a feeling that Jaylen and Jayson and Wyc (Grousbeck) and (Steven Pagliuca) and Joe (Mazzulla) and Brad and Payton Pritchard, Al Horford, the whole group, every one of those guys would have found success without me being involved.”

Top 50 NBA Free Agents Of 2024

The NBA offseason has begun and so has free agency — sort of. For the first time this year, teams are permitted to begin negotiating with their own free agents one day after the NBA Finals end rather than having to wait until June 30 to do. Clubs still aren’t allowed to talk to rival teams’ free agents until June 30, and most contracts can’t be officially signed until July 6, but it’s possible some free agents will reach tentative agreements prior to the typical opening on the free agent period.

Listed below are our top 50 free agents for the 2024/25 NBA season.

Our rankings are essentially a reflection of what sort of contract we expect each player to sign, with our focus leaning more toward market value than on-court value. The rankings take into account both a player’s short-term and long-term value — if we were to consider solely a player’s worth for 2024/25, certain veterans would place higher, while younger free agents with upside would be ranked lower.

Players who have contracts for next season aren’t listed here, even if they’re candidates to be waived (Chris Paul and his $30MM non-guaranteed salary, for instance).

In addition to the players listed below, there are plenty of other free agents available this summer. You can check out our breakdowns of free agents by position/type and by team for the full picture.

Here are our top 50 free agents of 2024:

(Note: We’ve included news of contract agreements for the players who reached deals before the official start of free agency on June 30.)


1. Paul George, F, Clippers
George is in a perfect position to cash in this summer, with his current team – the Clippers – feeling pressure to retain him as it moves into its new Inglewood arena and looks to keep its window of contention propped open, while the contender with the most cap room – Philadelphia – has made the star forward its top target. When teammate Kawhi Leonard signed a three-year, $152MM extension in January, it appeared George might have to “settle” for a similar deal. Now a four-year, maximum-salary contract worth at least $212MM (or up to $221MM if he re-signs in L.A.) appears entirely realistic for George, even at age 34.

2. Tyrese Maxey, G, Sixers (RFA)
After just missing out an All-NBA team this season, Maxey didn’t qualify for the “Rose Rule” max that would have started at 30% of the 2024/25 salary cap instead of 25%. That will make the Sixers’ decision on the 23-year-old pretty easy. It’s hard to envision a scenario in which they don’t offer this season’s Most Improved Player a five-year, maximum-salary deal that will pay him a projected $204MM. Maxey’s cap hold is only around $13MM, so Philadelphia will use up all its cap room before using his Bird rights to go over the cap to sign the ascendant guard to a deal starting at $35MM+.

3. Pascal Siakam, F, Pacers
The Raptors traded Siakam in January in part because they didn’t appear comfortable committing to him on another long-term, maximum-salary deal. The Pacers were willing to give up three first-round picks for the two-time All-NBA forward because they’re more comfortable with that idea, especially after he led the team in playoff scoring en route to an appearance in the Eastern Conference finals. Siakam doesn’t fit the mold of a traditional star, but he provides positive value in a lot of different ways and should have several more prime years left in him as he enters his age-30 season. I’m not sure the Pacers will go up to five guaranteed years, but Siakam’s deal will be one of the summer’s largest.
Update: Siakam reportedly intends to sign a four-year, maximum-salary contract with the Pacers.

4. LeBron James, F, Lakers
You can certainly make the case that James, a four-time MVP and one of the NBA’s all-time greats, belongs at the top of this list, given that he’ll receive another maximum-salary contract this offseason unless he decides to accept a pay cut. But the three players above him are also considered good bets to sign for the max or close to it, so their overall paydays this summer figure to surpass that of James, who is ineligible for a deal longer than three years due to the Over-38 rule. James will turn 40 in December and may not even want to play for three more years, but after averaging at least 25 points per game for a 20th straight season, I expect the Lakers – and any other suitor – to give him whatever deal he asks for.

5. OG Anunoby, F, Knicks
If there were a version of Anunoby who was a lock to play 75 games every year, he’d probably be a legitimate maximum-salary candidate. Teams will be reluctant to make that sort of commitment to this version. As dynamic a three-and-D player as Anunoby is, injuries have cost him 29, 34, 15, and 32 games in the past four seasons. Still, it’s hard to overstate the impact he had on the Knicks following a midseason trade from Toronto. New York’s net rating during his 802 regular season minutes was an eye-popping +21.7. Both the Knicks’ offensive rating (122.6) and defensive rating (100.9) during those minutes would’ve ranked first in the NBA.
Update: Anunoby reportedly intends to sign a five-year, $212.5MM contract with the Knicks.

6. DeMar DeRozan, F, Bulls
The Bulls raised some eyebrows in 2021 when they gave up a handful of assets, including a first-round pick, to sign-and-trade for DeRozan and awarded him a three-year, $82MM contract. It turned out to be perhaps the best move the team’s current front office has made. DeRozan’s scoring average of 25.5 points per game since arriving in Chicago is the highest of any three-year stretch in his career, and he showed no signs of slowing down during his age-34 season in 2023/24, improbably leading the NBA in total minutes. He’s not going to get a massive long-term contract, but there’s no reason to think DeRozan will have to take a pay cut on his ’24/25 salary of $28.6MM.

7. Immanuel Quickley, G, Raptors (RFA)
It may be surprising to see Quickley rank this high, but he’s going to get paid this offseason. Recent rookie scale extension recipients like Tyler Herro (four years, $120MM), Jordan Poole (four years, $123MM), and Devin Vassell (five years, $135MM) are a few points of comparison for Quickley, who was the centerpiece of Toronto’s return in the Anunoby trade and averaged 18.6 points, 6.8 assists, and 4.8 rebounds per game with a .395 3PT% in his first 38 games as a Raptor. I fully expect Quickley’s new deal to be in the nine figures.
Update: Quickley reportedly intends to sign a five-year, $175MM contract with the Raptors.

8. Nic Claxton, C, Nets
Referred to as a future Defensive Player of the Year by his new head coach, Claxton will enter the offseason as the top center in a relatively weak class of free agent big men, with many teams around the NBA in need of rim protection. The Nets have called re-signing Claxton a top priority, but figure to face significant competition for his services, so a long-term contract worth $25MM per year certainly seems within reach for the 25-year-old.
Update: Claxton reportedly intends to sign a four-year, $100MM contract with the Nets.

9. James Harden, G, Clippers
The former MVP is no longer an offense unto himself like he was during his prime with the Rockets, having taken a step back in recent years in Brooklyn, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles while playing with other stars. Harden’s usage rate, which got up to 40.5% one season in Houston, was just 20.6% in 2023/24, easily the lowest it’s been since his Thunder days. Harden is still a talented scorer and play-maker (8.5 APG last season), but it’s harder to justify an investment anywhere close to the maximum for this version of the veteran guard, who will be 35 in August.
Update: Harden reportedly intends to sign a two-year, $70MM contract with the Clippers.

10. Malik Monk, G, Kings
After an up-and-down start to his NBA career, Monk began to show more promise in his final year in Charlotte and his lone season with the Lakers, but he’s taken his game to a new level in Sacramento since 2022. While his three-point percentage has slipped (it was down to 35.0% in 2023/24), Monk has thrived running the Kings’ second-unit offense and playing in closing lineups, averaging a career-high 15.4 points and 5.1 assists in just 26.0 minutes per game this past season. With Monk’s Early Bird rights, Sacramento will be able to go up to about $78MM over four years, but it won’t be a surprise if there’s another team prepared to go even higher than that. Monk is just 26 years old, so his next deal should cover his prime years.
Update: Monk reportedly intends to sign a four-year, $78MM contract with the Kings.

11. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, G, Nuggets
Caldwell-Pope has always been valued for his three-and-D skill set, but he bounced around the league a bit before arriving in Denver in 2022 and never secured the sort of lucrative long-term deal that matched up with his on-court contributions. Over the past two seasons with the Nuggets, he has knocked down 41.5% of his three-pointers and served as one of the team’s go-to perimeter defenders, winning his second championship in 2023 (he also won one in 2020 with the Lakers). He’s on the wrong side of 30, but I still expect him to get the largest contract of his career this offseason — whether that will happen in Denver, where the Nuggets might have to surpass the second tax apron to bring him back, is an open question.

12. Miles Bridges, F, Hornets
If we were evaluating Bridges based solely on his on-court performance, he’d rank as high as sixth on this list. But any team considering signing him will have to account for his off-court history, which includes multiple domestic violence allegations — one of those cases was eventually dropped, while the other resulted in Bridges pleading no contest (accepting punishment without formally admitting guilt). It’s possible Bridges will be a model citizen going forward, but a lucrative long-term contract doesn’t come without risk and would be a tough sell to many fans. With that in mind, I’m hesitant to project the kind of $120MM+ contract he appeared on track for during his first foray into free agency in 2022, unless it comes with significant protections for the team.

13. Isaiah Hartenstein, C, Knicks
After an up-and-down first season in New York, Hartenstein had a career year in 2023/24, stepping in as the Knicks’ starting center following Mitchell Robinson‘s ankle injury and playing strong defense while setting new career highs in several categories, including rebounds (8.3), assists (2.5), and steals (1.2) per game. Like Monk, Hartenstein only has Early Bird rights, so the Knicks’ offer can’t exceed approximately $72.5MM over four years. It seemed unlikely just a few months ago that the big man would get anything close to that, but the center market will be relatively sparse, especially if Claxton re-signs with the Nets, and one report suggested a deal in the $80-100MM range isn’t out of the realm of possibility for Hartenstein.

14. Klay Thompson, G/F, Warriors
Prior to the ACL and Achilles tears that sidelined him for two full seasons from 2019-21, Thompson was a career 41.9% three-point shooter and a strong defender. Since the injury, he’s lost a step on defense and his three-point rate has fallen off a little, but he has still never registered a full-season 3PT% below 38.5% and he averaged 17.9 points in just 29.7 minutes per game in 2023/24. If the Warriors aren’t prepared to give the 34-year-old a two- or three- year contract in the range of $25MM per year, I wouldn’t be surprised if a cap-room team seeking a shooter with championship experience (e.g. the Magic, Thunder, or Sixers) swoops in with an aggressive short-term offer.

15. Tyus Jones, G, Wizards
A nine-year veteran, Jones has never been considered a star, but he’s one of the NBA’s most underrated point guards, and he proved in 2023/24 that he can maintain his strong per-minute numbers in a starting role. 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). Having held onto him at the trade deadline, the Wizards presumably recognize the value of having Jones run the show on a young, rebuilding roster and will look to re-sign him this summer. But I expect him to draw significant interest from playoff teams at the full mid-level ($12.9MM) and potentially well above that.

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