NBA Free Agents 2024: Predictions for Players Who Will Command Most Interest
The 2024 NBA free agent pool is technically deep with household names.
The issue, though, is few of those marquee players are expected to change teams.
Kawhi Leonard already vacated the waters by signing a contract extension with the Los Angeles Clippers. LeBron James reportedly prefers to retire with the Los Angeles Lakers, per The Athletic's Jovan Buha, and the franchise shares that sentiment. Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby feel like strong candidates to re-sign considering how much the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks respectively gave up to get them.
Saying all of that, though, there will be notable names who wind up seeking out greener pastures—or at least seem like big enough flight risks to command significant interest. We'll spotlight three of those impending free agents and predict where they'll put pen to paper on new contracts.
DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls (Unrestricted)
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Given the volume of will-they-or-won't-they-blow-it-up chatter surrounding the Chicago Bulls, it feels like less than a lock that DeMar DeRozan will for sure stay in the Windy City.
For teams in need of an offensive jolt—particularly to their late-game packages—there's enough doubt for them to consider DeRozan as a quick-fix to their problems. Even as he probes deeper into his 30s, he remains an offensive wrecking ball who can demolish defenses as both a scorer (23.5 points per game) and a distributor (5.2 assists).
And when the spotlight brightens as the game clock winds down, he grows even more potent. His 177 clutch points are second-most in the league, per NBA.com, and he's been a 50.5/50/87.7 shooter in those situations.
His offensive menu is sure to entice win-now suitors, and an argument could be made that a split away from the non-contending Bulls could be best for all parties. Still, he hardly sounds interested in a scenery change, and it's hard to think opinion matters more than his.
"It's kind of like with your spouse. It's a relationship. It's like, 'What do we need to do to work on this, baby?'" DeRozan told reporters in February. "'Let's figure this thing out. You want me. I want you.' The love is there."
Prediction: DeRozan re-signs with the Bulls.
Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers (Player Option)
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When Leonard re-upped with the Clippers in January, he sounded confident that his teammates Paul George and James Harden would do the same. While Harden can't sign an in-season extension with the team, George is eligible to do so, which makes one wonder whether the fact he hasn't signed anything yet could be revealing.
It might be, though it could just as easily reflect the difficult nature of contract talks. George perhaps thinks his play is worthy of a max-contract commitment, but the Clippers could be hesitant to commit that kind of coin to someone who has struggled with injuries in recent seasons.
"It's now been three months, give or take, and there's been no agreement on Paul George and the word in the NBA is that they're apart," ESPN's Brian Windhorst relayed on The Hoop Collective Podcast. "...My informed speculation is that, eventually, Paul will agree to a deal with the Clippers. It may not be for the full max, but it may be for more than what the Clippers have been offering."
If L.A. doesn't approach whatever financial level George desires, things could get interesting, as the Philadelphia 76ers loom as a particularly strong suitor for the star swingman. Still, if the money is right, it's hard to imagine George, a Southern California native, wanting to break away from the Clippers and his high-end co-stars in Leonard and Harden.
Prediction: George re-signs with the Clippers.
Tobias Harris, Philadelphia 76ers (Unrestricted)
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Tobias Harris won't top anyone's 2024 free agent big board, but when you narrow the list to players who feel like credible flight risks, he could rocket up the rankings.
No, that interest won't lead to anything like the five-year, $180 million deal he inked in 2019, but he should still fetch a healthy commitment. He can be inconsistent on a game-to-game basis, but his end-of-season stats are typically strong. He is on course to average at least 17 points, six rebounds and three assists for the fourth time in the past five seasons, a feat matched by only 16 other players around the Association, per StatHead Basketball.
That probably won't be enough to extend his stay in Philadelphia, though, especially if the Sixers' biggest dreams for the upcoming offseason become a reality. If they're able to make a significant addition or two, he seems like the obvious subtraction to make room for the new arrival(s).
With most win-now teams being short on cap space, Harris' list of landing spots is tricky to pin down, but the Detroit Pistons reportedly had interest in him at the trade deadline, per The Athletic's James L. Edwards III, and they could value Harris even more as a free-agent addition and not one that would've cost them trade assets. They have cap space to burn and might covet an established veteran to help bring their rebuilding roster along.
Prediction: Harris signs with the Pistons.
