LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson are among those who could become free-market players next summer.
As the free agent market in 2023 draws to a close, it's time to start looking ahead to 2024. If your team missed out on free agency this year, you may find a target among potential free agents next summer.
Some of the following players may sign contract extensions before July 1, 2024, but at this time, they are all potential free agents.
1. Anthony Davis and LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
James' son, Brownie James, will qualify for the draft next year, while his father has a player option for the 2024-2025 season, allowing him to become a free agent and sign anywhere. Davis can also make the same choice with the player option early termination option.
Since their 2020 championship, the Lakers have reshuffled their roster four times. And the only players who remain with the team are these two star players. And the biggest turmoil is likely to occur in 2024.
2, Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics
Jaylen Brown is a player you don't want to lose for nothing, so the Celtics will definitely want to sign him to a contract extension this summer. While the Celtics have scored the most regular season and playoff wins over the past six years, they haven't won a championship, and Brown's shortcomings were exposed late in the playoffs. But he's still a very talented and versatile player, and the Celtics added Kristaps Porzingis in the offseason to try something different.
3, Pascal Siakam, Toronto Raptors
With Fred VanVleet's departure, Siakam (the only remaining member of the 2019 championship lineup) has some uncertainty about the future of the Toronto Raptors. If he doesn't sign a contract extension, the Raptors risk losing another important veteran. So there could be a lot of trade rumors (and/or trades) before he becomes a free agent. In 2022-23, he performed well, averaging a career-high 24.2 points and 5.8 assists per game.
4. OG Anunoby, Toronto Raptors
Anunobi has yet to fully reach his potential as an all-around winger. But in 2022-23, he shot 38.7 percent from beyond the three-point line while also being named to the second-team defensive team. He's three years younger than Siakam, so if the Raptors were going to believe in the process, they would value Anunobi more. Anunoby has a $20 million player option for the 2024-2025 season, but he is likely to drop that option in search of a higher salary.
5. James Harden, Philadelphia 76ers
James Harden unexpectedly exercised his player option for the 2023-2024 season and reportedly wants to be traded to leave Philadelphia. If he doesn't sign a contract extension with his team by next summer, he will become a free agent.
It's not clear why Harden wants to leave the team, which finished third in the regular season. But the 76ers certainly won't be trading Harden easily, wasting MVP Embiid's prime. And Harden (despite his own declining scoring ability over the past two years) is a big part of why Joel Embiid is the league's MVP.
6, Tyrese Maxi, Philadelphia 76ers
So far, five first-round picks from the 2020 draft have signed rookie extensions: Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Halliburton, Isaac Stewart and Desmond Bane. Maxi is the best player among non-renewals, including Devin Vasser (Spurs), Emmanuel Quickley (Knicks) and Jayden McDaniels (Timberwolves).
If none of these players sign a contract extension this summer, they will become restricted free agents in 2024. If the 76ers want to retain flexibility in salary space, Maxi is likely to be in that situation. Currently, they only have four players (including Embiid) on guaranteed contracts for the 2024-25 season, while Harden, Tobias Harris and DiAnthony Melton are all full free agents (unless they sign an extension).
7. Nikola Claxton, Brooklyn Nets
Nicklas Claxton has had a breakthrough year for 2022-23 and looks set to be a key figure in the future of the Brooklyn Nets.
Claxton is one of the league's most cost-effective and improved players, following a two-year, $17.3 million contract. He's a big man with agility and one of the highest shooting percentages in the league, defending both inside and outside. He is only 24 years old and will be an unlimited free agent next summer. But the Nets (who have few good players on the inside) certainly don't want to lose him.
8. DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls
DeMar DeRozan will enter his 15th NBA season and begin his third season with the Bulls in 2023-24.
DeRozan will turn 35 at the start of the 2024-2025 season. But he remains a great scorer, missing just 14 games in his two seasons with the Bulls, and in 2022-23, he shot 59.2 percent from the field, second in his 14-year career. This time next year, he'll be making very interesting decisions in terms of competing for championships, locations and salaries.
9. Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
Will Klay Thompson remain on the Golden State Warriors core next summer?
The new season will be the 11th with Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Thompson, while Green signed a new four-year contract this summer. Thompson, who will be the next player to become a new free agent, signed a five-year, $190 million contract in 2019 (when he suffered a knee injury).
Since returning from a two-and-a-half-year injury in January 2022, Thompson has played in 136 of 161 games (84%). He shot just 21 percent inside in the 2022-2023 season, the lowest percentage of his career, while he shot 41 percent from three-point range.
10 Buddy Heard, Indiana Pacers
Buddy Hield shot 42.5 percent from three-point range in 2022-2023.
Hield is one of the best shooters in the world, not only is he good at catch-and-shoot, but of the 95 players he has attempted at least 75 long-range three-pointers this past season, only Curry and Malcolm Brogdon have a higher percentage (43.8%). Every team needs goalscorers and Hield (who turned 31 in December and missed just six games in his seven-year career) is still in very good competitive form.
11. Miles Bridges, Charlotte Wasp
Bridges missed all of them last season and will be banned for 10 games at the start of the 2023-24 season. He has signed a qualifying contract with the Hornets and will be completely free next summer. The last time we saw him, Bridges was a candidate for the Progressive Player of the Year, averaging 20.2 points per game on a top-ten offensive team. Last season, without his involvement, the Hornets ranked bottom in offensive efficiency, with the biggest drop in points per 100 turnovers.
12. Caleb Martin, Miami Heat
Martin, who played well in the playoffs and nearly won the Eastern Conference Finals MVP award, averaged 19.3 points per game in seven games against the Celtics while shooting 60 percent from the field. He will turn 29 at the start of the 2024-2025 season, so his ceiling may not be much higher than his current level. But Martin is a very well-rounded flanker and every team wants to have such a player.
Several other possibilities: Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Drew Holliday
One team has won a championship, while another team has never made it to the NBA Finals. But both the Bucks and Clippers will likely face the challenge of veteran rosters with a "let's try again" mentality.
The Clippers signed Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in the summer of 2019 when they were a high-profile team. But in the four years since, the two stars have played just 142 games together (41 percent of the 347 games), including just 38 games in the past two seasons (none in the playoffs). The Bucks only played a total of 195 minutes (including the playoffs) with their four core players last season, which shows that these four players rarely appear on the court at the same time.
All three players have player options for the 2024-2025 season, and given their age and/or injury history, it's hard for them to turn down a $49 million (George and Leonard) or $39 million (Holliday) salary. That's why they're here and not in the list above. But maybe there will be players among them who are looking for long-term contracts or want to change the environment