Tracking the latest signings, rumors and news in NBA Free Agency 2024

NBA free agency will officially get underway June 30 at 6 p.m. ET as the negotiation period opens up for teams and players. There have already been some agreements in place, though these won’t become official until July 6. New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby, Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams and Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley were some of the early contracts to be reported. The Raptors also picked up Bruce Brown’s option for next season to bring him back.

LeBron James, Klay Thompson and Paul George headline the list of unrestricted free agents this summer. James is expected to return to the Los Angeles Lakers on a new deal, though him hitting free agency opens up a maximum contract spot LA could use to potentially lure Thompson or George. The Golden State Warriors are reportedly preparing for Thompson to walk in free agency, while George is set to take meetings with the Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic before making a decision. The 76ers are expected to re-sign Tyrese Maxey, who is a restricted free agent.

There was already one blockbuster trade before the free agency madness began with Atlanta Hawks guard Dejounte Murray got shipped to the New Orleans Pelicans in exchange for a few first-round picks, Larry Nance Jr. and Dyson Daniels. The Knicks made a huge deal within their own division, sending four unprotected first-round picks to the Nets to snag Mikal Bridges and complete the Villanova Knicks. We’ll see if there are any more deals as free agency opens, as sign-and-trade moves often help franchises who are losing key players.

Here are the latest transactions, news, rumors and signings as free agency opens. I’ll be handing out grades for every major signing once details become known.

NBA Free Agency 2024 updates

July 6

• The Sacramento Kings landed DeMar DeRozan as part of a sign-and-trade agreement with the Bulls. Chicago gets two second-round picks along with Chris Duarte, while the Spurs get in the deal as a third team and grab Harrison Barnes. It’s a three-year, $74 million deal for DeRozan, although his fit with Sacramento is a bit off especially at the cost of Barnes and Duarte. Grade: C+

July 4

• The Warriors are sending a 2031 second-round pick to the 76ers to acquire Buddy Hield in a sign-and-trade agreement. Hield is a big-time shooter who will have a decent role on this team but he had a rough close to the 2023-24 season and fell out of Philadelphia’s rotation. It’s a fine move but one that comes with significant downside for Golden State. Grade: B-

July 3

• LeBron James has agreed to a two-year deal with the Lakers worth $104 million. The Lakers have not made many moves to surround James with a championship-caliber team but they’ve made the big financial commitment to him in what will likely be his final contract. Grade: A

July 2

• Kyle Anderson is joining the Warriors in a sign-and-trade deal. It’ll be a three-year deal worth $27 million, and Golden State is giving Minnesota a future second-round pick swap in return. It’s not a move that pushes the Warriors over the top but it’s not a bad pickup for them in the rotation. They still have some major work to do to build a contender. Grade: B
• Xavier Tillman has a two-year deal with the Celtics and will return to the defending champions.
• The Magic and Jonathan Isaac have agreed on a five-year, $84 million extension, which is also a re-negotiation according to Adrian Wojnarowski.
• The Pacers are giving James Wiseman a two-year deal, hoping they can spark something from the former No. 2 overall pick.
• The Cavaliers and Donovan Mitchell agreed on a three-year extension worth $150.3 million. The deal contains a player option. This is not a surprising move for the Cavaliers given they had expressed a desire to retain Mitchell but it’s interesting to see the guard reciprocate after two lackluster playoff showings. Despite his personal accomplishments, the pieces around Mitchell remain less than spectacular when it comes to showing up in the postseason. Grade: B+

July 1

• The Magic are bringing Gary Harris back on a two-year deal worth $14 million.
• The Warriors are getting two second-round picks in the Thompson trade, while Josh Green goes to Charlotte and Thompson goes to Dallas. This seems like an underwhelming return for Golden State given the reports of the Lakers offering D’Angelo Russell for Thompson in a deal, but Thompson must’ve not wanted to play in LA.
• The Celtics have given Jayson Tatum a five-year, $315 million extension for what is now the largest contract in NBA history. The deal does have a player option. Boston’s championship window remains wide open as majority owner Wys Grousbeck puts the team up for sale. Grousbeck is still expected to serve as the team’s governor until 2028.
• The Clippers have brought back Nicolas Batum on a two-year deal worth $9.6 million.
• In an effort to replace Thompson, the Warriors are adding De’Anthony Melton on a one-year, $12.8 million deal.
• The Mavericks have added former Warriors sharpshooter Klay Thompson to a three-year, $50M deal with a player option for the final season, per ESPN. This will be a sign-and-trade agreement with Josh Green going to the Hornets, according to reports. Thompson leaves the only team he’s ever known to pursue something different with the reigning West champs. It’s an interesting move for both parties, since Thompson’s up-tempo style isn’t a great fit with Dallas’ methodical isolation offense. Still, Thompson will look to rebound from some down seasons and prove he’s still one of the most lethal shooters in the game. At this particular contract, he’s a potential bargain. Grade: B+
• The Celtics have re-signed Derrick White to a four-year extension worth $125.9 million, locking in a key starter from the championship team a year ago. This is a big extension for both parties and keeps White with Boston for what looks to be an extended title window. The third and fourth years might be a bit tough if White declines significantly but he should remain a good perimeter shooter. The deal does include a player option. Grade: A-
• Delon Wright and the Milwaukee Bucks have agreed on a one-year, $3.3 million deal.
• Jalen Smith has agreed to a three-year, $27 million deal with the Bulls.
• Tobias Harris and the Pistons are in agreement on a two-year, $52 million deal. Harris has largely struggled to make good on his big contracts, falling off significantly from his production in the late 2010s and early 2020s. It’s not an outright bad deal since Detroit isn’t using the space elsewhere and can always move Harris, but he’s not changing this team’s trajectory. Grade: B-
• The Thunder have made three signings. They’ve inked Isaiah Joe to a four-year, $48 million deal, Aaron Wiggins to a five-year, $47 million deal and Isaiah Hartenstein to a three-year, $87 million deal. Joe and Wiggins now become potential trade chips with better salary numbers, while Hartenstein adds some much-needed center depth behind Chet Holmgren. The Thunder have been savvy operators and continue to create flexibility for themselves in this latest contention window. Grade: A
• After adding George, the 76ers re-signed Tyrese Maxey to a five-year, $205 million deal. Even though there weren’t many teams who could’ve given Maxey an offer as a restricted free agent, it’s good for Philadelphia to get a deal done without much fuss. Maxey should have the keys to the offense as the lead guard and will look to continue beating expectations. Grade: A
• The 76ers have signed Paul George to a four-year, $212 million deal. George is coming off one of the best seasons of his career and was able to stay relatively healthy throughout the year, which has been an issue for him in the past. He’s a clear upgrade over Tobias Harris for the 76ers, who add a high-level wing on both ends of the floor as they attempt to surround Joel Embiid with enough to be a championship-caliber team. This contract could be tough to look at in a few years but George gives the 76ers a boost for at least the next two seasons. Grade: B+

June 30

• The Clippers signed Derrick Jones Jr. to a three-year, $30 million deal. It doesn’t make up for the loss of Paul George, but Jones Jr. is an athletic forward who has some upside if his perimeter shot can come around. It’s a low-cost signing for the Clippers, who are pivoting from the Harden-PG-Leonard core. Grade: B
• Naji Marshall is signing a three-year, $27 million deal with the Mavericks.
• Jonas Valanciunas has inked a three-year, $30 million deal with the Wizards. Valanciunas is a productive center but he’s still a defensive liability and doesn’t really fit Washington’s timeline to contend. The contract is very friendly and Washington can move him without much hassle to a contender, but it’s a bit strange to commit here. Grade: B-
• The 76ers signed Eric Gordon to a one-year deal and are now considered the frontrunners to land Paul George after the Clippers made an official announcement saying a return is out of the cards. Gordon adds a veteran guard presence for Philadelphia and will space the floor well for Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and potentially George. Grade: B+
• Chris Paul is heading to San Antonio to join the Spurs, per Chris Haynes. We’ll see how much playing time Paul actually gets this season but he’s a great mentor for Stephon Castle, Malaki Branham and Devin Vassell. Grade: B
• The Orlando Magic are signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a three-year, $66 million deal with the third year being a player option. This is a big get for the Magic, who need some perimeter shooting and defense to continue moving forward as a franchise. KCP brings championship experience to this young roster and should be a good presence for Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs. Grade: A
• Even though Russell Westbrook accepted his player option, Chris Haynes says he and the Clippers are working on a trade for the point guard.
• Andre Drummond is joining the 76ers on a two-year deal worth $10 million. It’s a solid get for Philadelphia to add some depth behind Joel Embiid. Grade: B
• The Clippers are signing Kevin Porter Jr. to a two-year deal.
• The Celtics are bringing back Luke Kornet on a one-year deal. Kornet will be in the rotation early with Kristaps Porzingis expected to miss time to start the season.
• Kevin Love is returning to the Miami Heat on a two-year, $8 million deal. Love is an inexpensive veteran presence who can space the floor for Miami. Grade: A
• Klay Thompson is expected to leave the Warriors, per Shams Charania. It’ll be a sign-and-trade agreement so Thompson can get a better payday. The Clippers, Lakers and Mavericks are interested in Thompson, who was inconsistent offensively but remains one of the league’s top shooters from the perimeter. The 76ers are reportedly also in play for Thompson.
• James Harden and the Clippers have agreed to a two-year deal worth $70 million, which means the star guard will look to build on an impressive 2023-24 campaign with LA. The Beard was elite as the third star but might step into a bigger role depending on what happens with Paul George. Grade: B+
• The Warriors are waiving point guard Chris Paul, who will now become an unrestricted free agents. Golden State reportedly had an agreement in place to land Paul George, but the Clippers were not able to agree on a trade. The Warriors will be looking to make upgrades around Stephen Curry, and we’ll see if they sacrifice Klay Thompson as well in that endeavor.