With some notable deals already in the books, we can go ahead and share our list of five winners and losers of the 2024 NBA free agency. Some teams have had disappointing starts.
For example, the Suns’ postseason did little to make fans believe that the team will be better next season. Similarly, other teams have had great success, and even if they can’t win a championship, they are definitely moving in the right direction.
Fasten your seatbelt, we're about to begin.
5 of the NBA's Biggest Free Agency Winners for 2024
James Harden
Our list of winners and losers of the 2024 NBA free agent market begins with former MVP James Harden, who has been offered a two-year, $70 million deal to return to the Los Angeles Clippers despite missing much of the postseason.
This version of James Harden isn’t good enough to lead a team to the Promised Land, yet he’s still getting paid a lot of money. Needless to say, no other team would even consider giving him that kind of money.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Early analysis of NBA free agency indicated that the Oklahoma City Thunder were in dire need of a big man, and the team met that need almost immediately by signing Isaiah Harstenstein.
Some might argue that they overpaid for a great backup player, and they might be right. However, they were able to afford it, and they structured the deal in a way that made sense for them if they wanted to part ways with him in the future. They are a problem.
Dallas Mavericks
The Dallas Mavericks struggled with shooting from beyond the arc in the NBA Finals, so it made sense for the team to sign one of the greatest forwards in basketball history. And the addition of Klay Thompson to the roster is something you can’t ignore.
Thompson made the second-highest number of threes in the league after the All-Star break, all while shooting 42 percent from the middle. It's not over yet, and they got him at a great price.
Victor and Yambanayama
It wasn't long before stars wanted to take their talents to the San Antonio Spurs to play under Victor Weyambanama. This shows not only his potential, but also the kind of appeal he already has.
The Spurs are certainly not a playoff team, but they have landed one of the most intelligent playmakers in NBA history in Chris Paul. The team needed a true playmaker, and Wembayama will take their offensive game to a whole new level in his second season.
Joel Embiid
Rumors and reports of Paul George moving to the Philadelphia Sixers have been circulating on social media for months. Now, the Philadelphia Sixers definitely have the best three players in the league, regardless of your feelings on George.
Philadelphia has added another great player, and the best part is that they no longer need him to score 25 points a game. That's also great news for Joel Embiid, who may be able to catch some rest and stay in shape for the postseason. He could make it past the second round for the first time in his career.
5 Biggest Losers of the 2024 NBA Free Agent Market
Milwaukee Bucks
The Milwaukee Bucks have done absolutely nothing to improve their roster, other than add another defensive winger in Taurean Prince. And that won't be enough.
Not only did Dr. Rivers' team fail due to injuries, but also because the supporting cast was deteriorating after the absence of Jrue Holiday. On top of that, the Boston Celtics re-signed their key players, the Philadelphia Sixers got Paul George, and the New York Knicks got Mikal Bridges.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers clearly didn’t value Paul George as much as they did Kawhi Leonard. It cost them their second-best player, and they reportedly turned down a trade with the Golden State Warriors that would have given them a first-round pick and Jonathan Kuminga.
Tyronn Lue's team has been active and they've signed a lot of players, but there's no way they're a better team without George than they were with him.
Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors lost one of the greatest players in team history. Their relationship with Klay Thompson seemed irreparably broken, so he left them, leaving them with only two second-round picks in return.
To make matters worse, they failed to reach a deal on Paul George, while they traded Chris Paul, which means they traded Jordan Paul as well. Mike Dunleavy Jr. doesn't seem to have a clear plan, and his chance to win a title may be gone.
chicago bulls
The Chicago Bulls’ postseason performance in the NBA might seem like a relief at first glance, but there’s no doubt that the team is feeling very angry about the organization. It was great to see them finally embrace the rebuilding project, but they missed a huge opportunity to maximize the value of their assets.
DeMar DeRozan will leave as a free agent, just like Andre Drummond did. They could have traded both of them and Alex Caruso last season, and they wouldn’t have gotten any big names in return.
LeBron James
LeBron James is undoubtedly one of the greatest small forwards in NBA history. He’s also a master at convincing players to play for him, which is why he thought that spreading the word that he was willing to take a pay cut to get another star in Los Angeles would be enough.
It wasn’t. James may have lost his appeal and influence outside of his own team. And honestly, with the circus that includes Brony, JJ Redick and the current roster, why would any high-profile free agent want to be a part of it?
