DeMar DeRozan is officially off the market after he and the Sacramento Kings came to an agreement on a three-year, $70 million contract via a sign-and-trade agreement with the Chicago Bulls. Other than Paul George going from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Philadelphia 76ers, this was the biggest seismic change we have seen in the NBA since free agency began on June 30.
At this stage, with many teams evaluating their financial situation pertaining to the first and second tax aprons, many of the remaining free agents will likely be looking to sign minimum-like contracts for bench roles. However, several impactful talents still remain available as free agents. Perhaps Tyus Jones has been the most disrespected player this offseason due to the fact that he has yet to sign a new deal. Then again, very few teams in the league are in need of immediate backcourt help.
In fact, many players still available in free agency have yet to sign their contracts because of fit and position. Overall, the biggest factor is the tax aprons that virtually every team is scared to cross.
Despite a few teams still having cap space, several key names remain on the free agent market heading into the second week of free agency.
Tyus Jones is by far the best player available in NBA free agency who can make an immediate impact on any roster in this league. While it is surprising to see him still on the market, Jones has been looking for situations where he can be a starting point guard again, like he was with the Washington Wizards this past season. Those opportunities are no longer available, which is why it will be interesting to see where Jones ends up, possibly on a mid-level exception-like contract.
Should he be willing to accept less money and play for a contender as their sixth man, teams like the Phoenix Suns, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, and Denver Nuggets would all have a lot of interest in offering Jones a minimum-like contract. Ultimately, teams like the Orlando Magic, Detroit Pistons, and Brooklyn Nets all appear to be viable landing spots since they have cap space and/or their mid-level exception to use.
It is much more likely that Kyle Lowry will accept a smaller, minimum-like contract compared to Jones because of his age and experience in the league. At this point in his career, Lowry wants to be on a team that has a chance to compete in the playoffs. That is why he went to the Miami Heat a few years ago, and that is also the reason why he decided to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers last season when he was bought out of his contract.
Through his 18 years in the NBA, Lowry has been an All-Star six different times, and he was an instrumental part of the Toronto Raptors’ championship run in 2019. Although he may not be able to make the same impact he did in 2019, Lowry can still be a stabilizing presence in the backcourt for any title-contending organization. After they re-signed Tyrese Maxey and landed Paul George in free agency, do not be shocked if the 76ers bring back Lowry on a one-year deal in NBA free agency.
One of the best shooters on the open market is Luke Kennard. Through his first seven years in the NBA, Kennard has shot 43.9 percent from three-point range, making a total of 790 triples. Since entering the league in 2017, Kennard has led the NBA in three-point shooting percentage two different times. He has also shot over 44 percent from deep in four straight seasons.
The Memphis Grizzlies opted out of Kennard’s $14.8 million team option in order to create a little bit of breathing room financially. Now, they may run into some problems bringing him back as a free agent since they are less than $12 million from the first tax apron. All of a sudden, the Grizzlies no longer have a cheap roster filled with rookie contracts.
After tearing his ACL in March, Saddiq Bey entered free agency with little interest coming his way. It is likely that Bey will miss the first portion of the 2024-25 season as he continues to work his way back from injury, which is why he remains a free agent at this time. In 63 games with the Atlanta Hawks last season, Bey averaged 13.7 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting 41.6 percent from the floor. While he shot only 31.6 percent from deep, Bey has always been a really solid perimeter shooter, as he has averaged 35.2 percent from distance for his NBA career.
Much like how Kelly Oubre Jr. had to take a minimum contract with the Sixers last season to prove himself, the Hawks forward could face a similar situation as the offseason progresses. No matter the case, one team is going to get lucky by landing Bey at a significant discount if he can come back and play like he did pre-injury.
The Cleveland Cavaliers originally held interest in bringing back Isaac Okoro on a new contract when the offseason began. While that interest may still exist, the Cavs are evaluating all of their options due to the fact that Okoro is a restricted free agent. As a result, Cleveland can potentially move Okoro in a sign-and-trade deal to bring in a player such as Cam Johnson from the Brooklyn Nets, a shooter they have their eyes on.
Known for his stout perimeter defense and improvements as a three-point shooter, Okoro could be a valuable player for many teams vying for a playoff spot right now. The question for Okoro and the Cavs is whether or not the team wants to pay him on a new long-term contract when they have Evan Mobley’s extension coming up. Right now, it is reasonable to believe that the Cavaliers will be finding a sign-and-trade for Okoro in free agency.
Gary Trent Jr. is in a similar position to Jones in the sense that both players have valued themselves higher than the market is allowing them to be valued at. Essentially, Trent being a free agent is a product of the cap numbers and teams trying to remain below the tax aprons.
As far as his game goes, Trent is one of the best overall players virtually any team in this league can still sign. He shot 39.3 percent from three-point range with the Toronto Raptors last year, and Trent has always been known for his solid defensive play on the wing. Keep an eye on the Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic, and Detroit Pistons as landing spots for Trent due to the fact that they all still have cap space to spend. The Jazz would make a lot of sense for the free agent sharpshooter given their need for a three-point shooter like Trent next to Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George.
Things didn’t work out as planned for Gordon Hayward and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Hayward is now 34 years old and finds himself as an unrestricted free agent who likely won’t receive anything other than veterans’ minimum deals. While he did not get the opportunity to play much with Oklahoma City, Hayward can still be a useful bench talent. After all, he has averaged 15.2 points and 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting 37.0 percent from three-point range for his career. There will be a playoff-contending team that signs Hayward to a minimum contract by the time NBA free agency is over.
It no longer appears likely that Cedi Osman will return to the San Antonio Spurs after the team renounced his rights as a free agent. The former 31st overall pick in 2015 now searches for a new opportunity to showcase his natural scoring abilities on the wing. Osman had some great years with the Cavaliers, and he can still be an intriguing option for a team to have on their bench. In 17.6 minutes per game last season with the Spurs, Osman averaged just 6.8 points and 2.5 rebounds.
The New York Knicks will likely retain Precious Achiuwa after losing Isaiah Hartenstein to the Thunder in NBA free agency. Achiuwa really stepped up for the Knicks late in the year without Julius Randle, and he would once again be a key bench talent that can provide rebounding and energy in the second unit. In a total of 49 games with the Knicks last season, Achiuwa averaged 7.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting 52.5 percent from the floor. He is the ideal big man to have in Tom Thibodeau’s system.
Marcus Morris Sr. is nothing more than a minimum-contract player at this point in his career. However, Morris has played really well everywhere he has been the last few seasons. The veteran was a productive scorer with the Los Angeles Clippers, he was productive with the 76ers, and he recently stepped up on the wing late in the year for the Cavs. Morris can simply score the ball from anywhere on the court, which is why he still holds value in free agency. For his career, Morris has shot 43.5 percent from the floor and 37.7 percent from three-point range in 832 total regular-season games.
