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NBA free agency grades 2024: Live analysis of every major signing, trade and new contract

Stephen Noh
2024-07-03
•
30 min read
(Getty Images)

There is no break in the NBA calendar.

Following the Finals and NBA Draft, teams will be able to negotiate with free agents starting at 6 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 30. At 12:01 p.m. ET on July 6, teams can officially sign free agents.

There is going to be a ton of player movement starting Sunday evening, and we are grading all of the free agency signings live at The Sporting News. Details and analysis will be updated for all of the major moves throughout the evening, so keep on checking back on this page for what to think of your favorite team's moves. 

NBA FREE AGENCY: Signings tracker | Ranking top 50 free agents | Best free agency sleepers

NBA free agency grades 2024: Live analysis for every signing

LeBron James re-signs with Lakers

The terms of this deal still aren't set in stone — James may take a $1 million pay cut to get the Lakers under the second apron. But we knew that this deal was coming a long time ago, even more so after the Lakers drafted his son Bronny.

James opted out to get a no-trade clause, and he was going to get close to this maximum possible salary after finishing Third Team All-NBA. This is a fair deal for the production that he will give over the next two years. The Lakers could have offered a third year potentially, but the parties settled on two.  

Grade: A

MORE: What's next for Lakers about LeBron James signing

Paul George signs with 76ers

The biggest free agency domino fell at 3:30 am ET. It was widely speculated that George would sign with the Sixers after the Clippers refused to offer a fourth year on his deal.

Philadelphia had no such reservations, giving George the most possible amount of money that it could. He now forms a dynamic trio with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

George was the premier free agent in this class. The 76ers were able to make a run at him thanks to diligent planning. Their $60-plus million in cap space paid off, getting them a star that puts them right next to the Knicks as the Celtics' greatest challengers. George is still very capable of making an All-NBA team and is one of the best two-way wings in the game.

Grade: A

MORE: Inside Paul George's decision to leave Clippers for 76ers

Tyrese Maxey re-signs with 76ers

Maxey was always going to get a maximum deal. The Sixers gave it to him and won a tiny piece of the negotiation by not having to offer a player option in the fifth year. 

Maxey is going to be worth every penny of this new deal. He's turned into an All-Star with upside to break into All-NBA by the end of this contract. He is going to be worth more than what the 76ers can pay him.

Grade: A

Donovan Mitchell extends with Cavaliers

This was Mitchell's maximum extension and will put to rest trade rumors for at least a little while. The Cavs had to be nervous that Mitchell would leave in free agency had he not signed this extension, so it's a good day for them. He will easily be worth the money. 

Grade: A

(Getty Images)

Jayson Tatum extends with Celtics

Tatum was widely expected to sign his supermax, and the Celtics wasted no time offering it to him. He will be the highest-paid player in NBA history until the record is broken next summer. 

The Celtics could have haggled over the player option in the fifth year that they awarded Tatum, but really, they didn't have much wiggle room here. Tatum is a clear top-10 player, and these are the types of contracts that those guys get. 

Grade: A-

Derrick White extends with Celtics

White is a great role player and a fringe All-Star candidate who holds together the Celtics. This is a lot of money for him, but it won't meaningfully affect the team's chances to keep their run going. Giving him more dollars simply translates to a bigger tax burden for ownership.

Give Boston credit — where Denver cheaped out in a similar situation with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the Celtics doubled down and did what was needed to keep their top six locked up for the foreseeable future. 

Grade: A-

Klay Thompson sign-and-trade with Mavericks

The Mavericks needed more reliable shooting. They got it with Thompson, who is still one of the better movement shooters in the game. His defense isn't nearly at the same level as it was earlier in his career, but he can still start for a good team. 

Thompson is going to be earning less-than-average starter money over the course of this deal. The Mavs were creative in creating an avenue toward landing him, and they deserve their flowers for getting this deal across the finish line.

Grade: A-

MORE: Full grades for Warriors, Mavericks and Hornets in Klay Thompson sign-and-trade

Chris Paul signs with Spurs

This was the most fun possible landing spot for Paul after the Warriors non-guaranteed his $30 million salary. The Spurs desperately needed a veteran point guard, and they got the Point God to help Victor Wembanyama's development. 

Paul was still a good bench guard for the Warriors last season, rarely turning the ball over. He's not capable of playing big minutes anymore, so this is the perfect mentorship role for him. 

Grade: A+

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope signs with Magic

The Nuggets were going to be hard-pressed to re-sign Caldwell-Pope due to second apron concerns. The Magic took advantage, nabbing an above-average starting wing to show that they are serious about taking a step forward. 

This was a great signing for Orlando. It got one of the top free agents in the marketplace and a proven winner who can show the franchise how to succeed in the playoffs. The Magic had a dearth of 3-point shooting on their roster, ranking 29th in attempts last season. Caldwell-Pope will juice that number while adding to the team's already-lethal defense. 

Grade: B+

James Harden re-signs with Clippers

I had Harden at $27 million in value for next season, so this is a bit of an overpay.

Harden started off the season terribly after getting traded to the Clippers but picked it up in the middle of the year, looking like an All-Star caliber player again. His scoring has dropped off considerably, particularly as a finisher in the paint, but he's still a great 3-point shooter and facilitator. 

The Clippers didn't have a ton of avenues to replace Harden, so bringing him back on a short-term deal at a reasonable price is a good move for them. 

Grade: B

Pascal Siakam re-signs with Pacers

The Pacers were always going to give Siakam a huge deal after trading three first-round picks to acquire him. He looked great in helping them advance to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, showing that he can create a good shot whenever he wants in a playoff setting. 

Siakam was eligible for a five-year max contract. Getting off that fifth year is a nice piece of negotiating for the Pacers. This is a slight overpay, but Siakam was one of the best free agents in this class and the Pacers did what they needed to to get him. 

Grade: B

(NBAE via Getty Images)

Isaiah Hartenstein signs with Thunder

This sounds like a lot of money for what was a backup center on the Knicks last year, but Hartenstein shined during Mitchell Robinson's various injuries, looking every bit like an above-average starting center.

Hartenstein is a jack-of-all-trades on defense with a high feel, rim protection and rebounding. He should get some All-Defensive votes next season. 

On offense, Hartenstein has an effective floater and is a terrific offensive rebounder. He was a great passer in the Knicks' system and should fit right in with the Thunder's heavy reliance on cutting in their offense. 

This is a bit of an overpay. I thought that Hartenstein would land on the Thunder for three years and $65 million, but OKC filled a big need (literally), and it had the cap space to spend.  

Grade: B

Derrick Jones Jr. signs with the Clippers

Jones had the best season of his career last year playing next to Luka Doncic. He's always been a terrific athlete and underrated defender, but his lack of offensive production has put him on five teams over eight years. He may have moved towards solving that problem on the Mavericks, hitting 34.3 percent of his 3s during the regular season and 36.9 percent during the playoffs.

How real is that shot, though? Jones' shot failed him in the Finals, where he hit only 25.0 percent of his 3s and had the Celtics ignoring him again on offense. 

If Jones really is a capable starter on a Finals team, then this will be a massive bargain. If he reverts back to a non-shooter who gets exposed in the playoffs, then it will be a slight overpay for a still-solid bench piece. 

Grade: B

Naji Marshall signs with Mavericks

This signing would not have been possible had the Mavericks not traded Tim Hardaway Jr. to the Pistons earlier in the week. They used that cost-cutting move to open up their mid-level exception, allowing them to sign Marshall to a very reasonable contract.

Marshall was one of my top free-agent sleepers. He's been a good Swiss army knife for the Pelicans, hitting 3s at a good clip last season while playing solid defense. He is a great fit for the Mavericks to go alongside fellow addition Quentin Grimes. This does mean that the team will likely move on from Derrick Jones Jr.

Grade: A

Gary Harris signs with Magic

Harris has had an up-and-down career. He was considered a premier 3-and-D player on the Nuggets before injuries hampered his production. He quietly had a great year for the Magic last season. He's still somehow only 29 years old. This is great value for what should be his last remaining prime years. 

Grade: A-

Goga Bitadze signs with Magic

This is essentially the same contract that Jalen Smith received from the Bulls, so it seems to be the going rate for mid-tier backup centers this summer. 

Bitadze is a better player than Smith. Give credit to him for completely reinventing his game and finding a role as a tough rebounder who is willing to do the dirty work. 

Grade: B+

Monte Morris signs with Suns

We don't know how many years Morris is getting, but it will be a minimum deal. The Suns keep on adding nice pieces at the minimum, getting around second apron restrictions. Morris was a great backup point guard prior to injuries setting him back. He gives the team a reliable game manager.

Grade: A-

Kyle Anderson sign-and-trade with the Warriors

Anderson is a weird player to fit into a system, but it might work in Golden State. He's a good decision-maker and defender who doesn't spread the floor well due to his slow shooting form. He's also one of the slowest wings in the league. This is a good value signing, though, at just $9 million average annual value. 

Grade: B+

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Jonathan Isaac re-signs with Magic

If Isaac stays healthy, then this is a steal of a contract for the Magic. That hasn't happened in recent years, but Isaac is a Defensive Player of the Year caliber talent. 

Grade: B+

(NBA Entertainment)

Moe Wagner signs with Magic

Wagner was one of the better bench big men in the league last year. He's a great spark plug scorer off the bench and a good offensive rebounder, although he's not much of a defender. This is a fair price for him.

Grade: B

De'Anthony Melton signs with Warriors

Melton is going to be worth way more than this contract if he can stay healthy. He was one of my top sleepers due to his great defensive instincts and steady 3-point shooting. He is a good Thompson replacement at a mid-level price. 

Grade: A-

Nicolas Batum signs with Clippers

Batum showed that he still had some juice left in the playoffs, having some big games for the 76ers. He's a reliable 3-point shooter and a one-position defender at his age. He played well for the Clippers in his previous stint, and he should be able to give them solid minutes for the next two years on this deal. 

Grade: B+

Delon Wright signs with Bucks

The Bucks didn't have a ton of avenues to add talent to their roster. Wright is a solid backup guard at a veteran's minimum deal who can defend at a high level and play the role of game manager off the bench. He's an OK 3-point shooter, hitting 36.8 percent of his attempts last season with the Heat and Wizards. He's an upgrade over what Patrick Beverley gave them in a similar role last year.

Grade: B+

Tobias Harris signs with Pistons

This is a pay cut for Harris, but it's still a lot of money for a player who completely disappeared in the playoffs. 

Harris has received a lot of hate for being overpaid. He's still an OK defender and scorer but he's declining and doesn't make a ton of sense on this Pistons team. They had cap space to spend, and if he improves his play then he will be a tradeable asset for a playoff team. 

Grade: B-

TRADE GRADES: Did Mavericks or Pistons win Quentin Grimes trade?

Kelly Oubre re-signs with Sixers

Oubre was a great signing at the veteran's minimum last summer. He was going to get a pay raise, and this was a reasonable one for him. 

Oubre isn't the type of player who can fit anywhere. His stint with the Warriors a few years ago was disastrous because he couldn't play in that type of read-and-react system. But he found a niche in Philadelphia as a scorer and good on-ball defender. 

George will garner all the headlines, but the 76ers also had to be judicious in bringing cheap players to fill in around him. Oubre and Eric Gordon are nice lower-level signings who could make a difference in the playoffs.

Grade: B+

Jonas Valanciunas signs with Wizards

The Pelicans indicated that they would not be re-signing Valanciunas, so we knew that he would go to a different team. Not many thought it would be the Wizards. 

Valanciunas was starting games for the Pelicans last season but wasn't closing all of them. His old-school style of play doesn't quite fit with many teams, but he's still an effective bruiser who can step out to 3 once in a while. It's a strange fit for sure but not a terrible signing. 

Grade: B

Jalen Smith signs with Bulls

The Bulls badly needed a center prospect behind the rapidly declining Nikola Vucevic after they lost backup Andre Drummond to the Sixers. Smith gives them a player young enough to still have some upside as they lean into getting younger. 

Smith has improved dramatically as a 3-point shooter, hitting 42.4 percent of his mostly wide-open attempts last season and even throwing in the occasional drive to the rim. He finally started hitting on the potential that had him as the 10th pick in the 2020 NBA Draft last season. He could be a good backup over the course of this deal. 

Grade: B

Aaron Wiggins signs with Thunder

Not a lot of people outside of Oklahoma City are familiar with Wiggins, but he has turned into a very good role player for a deep Thunder team. He's a good defender with plus tools. He's also become a reliable 3-point shooter, hitting 49.2 percent of his looks last season. This is a good price for a player who is capable of spot starting.

Grade: B+

Isaiah Joe signs with Thunder

Joe is a nice success story for the Thunder. He was picked up off the scrap heap and turned into a reliable rotation player for the team, hitting a ton of 3's at a 41.6 percent clip last season. His volume shooting is worth this price.

Grade: B

(Getty Images)

Bulls re-sign Patrick Williams

Williams hasn't performed like an $18 million player through his first four years in the league, but he certainly has the potential to go way past that mark. 

This is a good hedge by the Bulls. There would have been outside interest in Williams, who is a good defender and hit 41.0 percent of his 3s last season. They're giving him less-than-average starter money in the hopes that he can increase his offensive production and stay healthier.

Williams has the tools to do it, but he has to improve his motor to get there. 

Grade: B

Suns re-sign Royce O'Neale

This is good value for the Suns. They had no way to replace O'Neale if he walked, so getting the 3-and-D wing at a reasonable number was a smart move for them. 

O'Neale hit 37.6 percent of his 3's after being acquired via trade midseason. He did more than shoot, though, filling in a ton of holes for the team by doing a little bit of everything.

Grade: B+

Pacers re-sign Obi Toppin

  • Contract details: Four years, $60 million

There was legitimate worry that Toppin would be priced out of Indiana's plans due to a large new deal for Pascal Siakam and Jarace Walker waiting in the wings for Toppin's minutes. Toppin is a young, talented offensive player, though, and keeping him in the fold was nice business for the Pacers. He's a good 3-point shooter and a terrific athlete who helps juice up the team's transition attack.  

Grade: B+

Mo Bamba signs with Clippers

This is probably a deal on the veteran's minimum for Bamba, who didn't get a huge role with the Sixers last season and saw his spot on the roster replaced by Andre Drummond. 

Bamba has never fully lived up to the potential of being the No. 6 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. He's hit 3s at a decent rate, connecting on 39.1 percent of his attempts last season, but his feel on the floor remains well below average, limiting his minutes. 

Grade: B-

Drew Eubanks signs with Jazz

Eubanks wasn't bad as a backup in Phoenix. After the Suns signed Mason Plumlee, he was probably on his way out. He doesn't shoot 3s and he doesn't offer a ton of scheme versatility, but he gives good effort on defense, can finish near the rim and sets smart screens. 

Grade: B

Mason Plumlee signs with Suns

The Suns have no way to add outside talent outside of veteran's minimums. Plumlee is a fine backup center who was squeezed out by LA' depth. He is a limited player, but he can give backup minutes behind Jusuf Nurkic. 

Grade: B-

Eric Gordon signs with 76ers

The Sixers have almost no guaranteed contracts on their books aside from Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and perhaps Paul George. Nicolas Batum is reportedly leaving, and many of their other free agents will likely follow. 

Gordon is still a good 3-point shooter who can fill out that roster. He hit 37.8 percent of his long-range looks for the Suns last season. The final grade will depend on his salary figure, but Daryl Morey is very familiar with how much Gordon is worth based on their days together with the Rockets. 

Grade: B

Kevin Porter Jr. signs with the Clippers

Porter certainly has scoring talent. He averaged 19.2 points per game before going to Greece last season. He lost his spot in the NBA after facing domestic violence charges. 

Porter has had numerous other issues that had him signing a non-guaranteed deal with the Cavaliers. This is a pretty risky signing in terms of disrupting the chemistry in Los Angeles

Grade: D+

Andre Drummond signs with the 76ers

Drummond was a good backup for Joel Embiid in the 2021-22 season. He gets to reprise his role again at a bargain price.

Drummond is still one of the league's best rebounders. He has quick hands that generate a surprising amount of steals, and he is a huge body. He doesn't have a great offensive bag and will make some strange decisions, but he's a top-notch backup center.

This is a great deal for the Sixers

Grade: A-

Kevin Love re-signs with Heat

Love has certainly declined at age 35, but this deal is slightly above the veteran's minimum salary. He was still a rotation-level player for the Heat, hitting 34.4 percent of his 3s and throwing terrific outlet passes.

This is a fine deal for a good veteran that fits the team's culture. 

Grade: B

Lakers re-sign Max Christie

Christie has shown a lot of potential in Summer League and preseason settings. That hasn't quite carried over to his NBA minutes, where he's been shaky as a 3-point shooter and hasn't managed to carve out a consistent spot in the Lakers' rotation. 

Christie was a restricted free agent, and I'm not sure who Los Angeles was competing with to hold onto him. Every dollar is going to be precious for this team going forward as they battle apron concerns.

Grade: C

Celtics re-sign Luke Kornet

Free agency opened with the blockbuster decision of Kornet coming back to the Celtics on what will probably be a veteran's minimum signing. He's been great for team chemistry and filled in as the third-string center in the right matchups. Kudos to him for finding a role on a championship team and resuscitating his NBA career.

Grade: C

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