Salary Cap, Tax Line Set For 2024/25 NBA Season
The NBA has officially set the salary cap for its 2024/25 season. The cap has come in at $140,588,000, slightly below the most recent projection of $141MM. It represents an increase of about 3.36% on last season’s $136,021,000 cap.
Here are the details, courtesy of a league press release and Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report (Twitter link):
- Salary cap: $140,588,000
- Luxury tax line: $170,814,000
- First tax apron: $178,132,000
- Second tax apron: $188,931,000
- Minimum salary floor: $126,529,000
- Non-taxpayer mid-level exception: $12,822,000
- Taxpayer mid-level exception: $5,168,000
- Room exception: $7,983,000
- Bi-annual exception: $4,668,000
- Maximum salaries:
- 6 years or fewer: $35,147,000
- 7-9 years: $42,176,400
- 10+ years: $49,205,800
- Early Bird exception: $12,991,650
- Estimated average salary: $12,930,000
- Trade cash limit: $7,240,000
- Maximum Exhibit 10 bonus: $77,500
The first tax apron for the 2024/25 league year ($178,132,000) will be the hard cap for any team that acquires a player via sign-and-trade, signs a player using more than the taxpayer portion of the mid-level exception, signs or acquires a player using a bi-annual exception, uses any portion of its mid-level exception to add a player via trade or waiver claim, acquires more than 100% of the outgoing salary in a trade, or uses a trade exception generated prior to the start of the 2024 offseason.
The second tax apron ($188,931,000) represents the hard cap for a team that uses any portion of the mid-level exception, aggregates two or more player salaries in a trade, sends out cash in a trade, or uses a signed-and-traded player to take back salary.
The salary floor ($126,529,000) is the minimum amount a team must pay its players in 2024/25. A team that doesn’t spend up to that amount by the start of the regular season will pay the shortfall to the NBA and won’t be eligible for its full share of the luxury tax distribution at season’s end.
We have separate stories breaking the full year-by-year figures for this season’s maximum salaries, minimum salaries, and mid-level and bi-annual exceptions.
The Early Bird amount represents the maximum starting salary a team can offer a player it intends to re-sign using his Early Bird rights, assuming that amount is greater than 175% of his previous salary.
Players earning below the estimated average salary in 2024/25 who are eligible for a veteran extension can receive a starting salary of up to 140% of the estimated average salary on a new deal. So the maximum starting salary for a player earning below the league average who signs an extension that begins in 2025/26 will be $18,102,000.
The trade cash limit is the maximum amount of money a team can send or receive during the 2024/25 league year. The sent and received categories are separate, so if a team sends out $7,240,000 in one trade and receives $7,240,000 in another, they aren’t back at square one — they’ve reached both limits.
The maximum Exhibit 10 bonus is, as its name suggests, the highest possible bonus available to a player who signs an Exhibit 10 contract with an NBA team, gets cut, then spends at least 60 days with that club’s G League affiliate.
This amount ($77,500) is also the maximum two-way protection amount, which means a player who signs a two-way contract before the season can get up to $77.5K guaranteed upon signing. A player who signs a contract with more than $77.5K guaranteed is not subsequently eligible for a two-way contract with that team in 2024/25.
The NBA’s cap increased by the maximum allowable 10% during the 2022 and 2023 offseasons and is expected to do so again in 2025 as the league’s new media rights deal takes effect, so this year represents an outlier, creating more challenges circumstances for teams navigating the cap and the aprons. The NBA has officially issued a $154,647,000 cap projection for 2025/26, Pincus confirms (Twitter link).
FA/Trade Rumors: Okoro, Pistons, Lakers, Lopez, Grant, Knicks
The Pistons are a rival suitor to keep an eye on for Cavaliers free agent forward Isaac Okoro, reports Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link).
As Fedor explains, Okoro’s former coach J.B. Bickerstaff is being hired as the Pistons’ new head coach, and the rebuilding squad could afford to be more patient than Cleveland in developing the wing into more of a two-way threat. Additionally, Fedor cites Okoro’s “toughness, competitiveness, tenacity and defense-first credo” as important traits that would help Bickerstaff instill the kind of culture he wants in Detroit.
Okoro received a qualifying offer from the Cavaliers, making him a restricted free agent and giving Cleveland the ability to match any offer sheet he receives. Still, the Pistons will have a significant amount of cap room this summer and could make life hard on the capped-out Cavs with an aggressive offer sheet.
Here are a few more rumors from around the NBA:
- The Lakers have been exploring potential trade scenarios involving D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, and Rui Hachimura, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, who hears from sources that Bucks center Brook Lopez is among L.A.’s potential targets. Meanwhile, Anthony F. Irwin of LakersDaily.com has heard the Lakers have had conversations with the Trail Blazers about forward Jerami Grant.
- It was no coincidence that the Knicks signed Miles McBride to a contract extension on December 30, allowing him to become trade-eligible on June 30 following a six-month waiting period, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. However, that move was more about giving them team flexibility and was made prior to McBride’ breakout. Although New York needs to add salary to its Mikal Bridges trade with Brooklyn to avoid a hard cap at the first tax apron, the club has “virtually no interest” in moving McBride as part of that deal, says Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
- The Knicks have had some discussions about trades involving big man Jericho Sims, according to Begley. Sims’ minimum-salary team option was picked up before Saturday’s deadline, so he’s on an expiring deal entering 2024/25.
Report: Growing Optimism Sixers Will Land Paul George
There’s “growing optimism” that the Sixers will be able to win the Paul George sweepstakes and land the star forward, reports Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (Twitter link).
George, who declined his 2024/25 player option with the Clippers on Saturday, is expected to meet with the 76ers, the Magic, and the Clips on Sunday night after the free agent period officially opens. Both Philadelphia and Orlando are said to be willing to offer a four-year, maximum-salary contract for George and have the cap room necessary to do so.
In addition to putting a four-year max deal on the table for him, the Sixers can offer George the opportunity to team up with 2023 MVP Joel Embiid and 2024 Most Improved Player Tyrese Maxey, creating a formidable big three that would make Philadelphia a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference.
Marc Stein reported this afternoon that the Sixers are exploring ways to maximize their cap room and land both George and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. As cap expert Yossi Gozlan tweets, a maximum-salary contract for George would leave Philadelphia with only about $13MM in cap room, plus the $8MM room exception.
Acquiring either George or Caldwell-Pope via sign-and-trade could allow for a higher starting salary for KCP, but would require the cooperation of the player’s old team and would hard-cap the 76ers’ team salary at the first tax apron.
Teams aren’t permitted to negotiate or reach agreements with outside free agents until after the NBA’s free agent period officially opens at 5:00 pm Central time today.
FA Rumors: KCP, Harden, Kennard, Hartenstein, Jones, Highsmith, More
After Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported earlier today that the Nuggets are preparing to lose Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype confirms there’s a growing belief around the league the veteran wing won’t remain in Denver.
The Magic have “significant” interest in Caldwell-Pope and there has been growing buzz about the possibility of Orlando aggressively pursuing him, Scotto says, adding that the Magic’s interest in Klay Thompson has cooled by comparison. Multiple executives who spoke to HoopsHype believe Caldwell-Pope will sign for $20-25MM per year.
The Sixers, who have also frequently been cited as a Caldwell-Pope suitor, have been exploring the feasibility of landing both KCP and Paul George using their cap room, tweets Marc Stein.
Here are several more rumors with the official start of free agency just a couple hours away:
- While James Harden has been mentioned as a possible mid-level ($12.9MM) target for the Lakers, the expectation is that the Clippers will be willing to pay him approximately double that amount, Scotto writes, echoing a comment made by Adrian Wojnarowski on ESPN (YouTube link).
- Rival executives aren’t expecting Luke Kennard to be truly available as an unrestricted free agent, according to Fischer, who says Kennard and the Grizzlies seem to be interested in continuing their relationship after the team turned down its option the sharpshooter on Saturday.
- New Pistons head of basketball operations Trajan Langdon is known to be a fan of center Isaiah Hartenstein, so Detroit is considered a candidate to make a play for the Knicks big man, Fischer reports. A return to the Knicks still hasn’t been entirely ruled out for Hartenstein, though the Thunder continue to be viewed as a probable suitor as well, Fischer notes.
- With point guard Tyus Jones seeking starter-level money as a free agent this offseason and the Wizards still in the early stages of their rebuilding project, there’s a growing sense that Washington will be open to moving Jones via sign-and-trade, per Scotto.
- Free agent wing Haywood Highsmith is expected to draw interest from a mix of cap-room teams such as the Pistons, Hornets, Jazz, Spurs, and Sixers, as well as over-the-cap clubs like the Pacers, Kings, and Warriors, league sources tell Scotto, who suggests the 27-year-old could end up with a deal in the range of the full mid-level.
- The Lakers are expected to have interest in re-signing both Taurean Prince and Spencer Dinwiddie, with Dinwiddie also likely to draw interest from the Mavericks, Scotto writes. NBA executives who spoke to HoopsHype projected Prince to potentially land a contract in the range of $5MM+ annually over two years.
Trade Rumors: LaVine, Johnson, Ingram, Pacers, Carter
The Bulls don’t appear to have made any progress on the Zach LaVine trade front, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (YouTube link). Chicago has made an effort this offseason to find a taker for LaVine, but hasn’t found many teams with interest — even if a draft pick is attached to the two-time All-Star.
“Literally, there is no market for Zach LaVine,” Marks said. “They are trying to give him away and attach a first-round pick. I’ve been told that by multiple people.”
LaVine’s maximum-salary contract looks especially onerous as teams grapple with the implications of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. He’s owed $43MM next season coming off foot surgery and has a guaranteed salary of $46MM in 2025/26, with a player option worth nearly $49MM for ’26/27.
Here are a few more trade rumors from across the league:
- Nets forward Cameron Johnson is generating trade interest from the Raptors and Kings, with the Pacers and Magic among the other teams to register exploratory interest, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. The Cavaliers have been mentioned as another possible suitor for Johnson, but “nothing has materialized on that front” yet, according to Scotto. Brookyn is believed to be open to inquiries to most of the veterans on its roster after having agreed to send Mikal Bridges to New York.
- The Kings are a team to keep an eye on as a possible suitor for Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, Scotto writes, confirming reporting from Jake Fischer. For now, Sacramento’s interest in Ingram has only been exploratory, Scotto notes.
- Teams talking to the Pacers have inquired about youngsters Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker, per Scotto. While there has been no indication that Indiana is looking to move either player, the team made the Eastern Conference finals without Mathurin available and has reached lucrative new free agent deals for two power forwards who are ahead of Walker on the depth chart (Pascal Siakam and Obi Toppin), so it’s fair to wonder whether they’ll be available this summer.
- With the Magic considered a potential suitor for Isaiah Hartenstein, teams have expressed interest in trading for Orlando center Wendell Carter, according to Scotto, who says the Pelicans are among the clubs to inquire on Carter.
FA Rumors: KCP, Pacers, Mid-Level Usage, Suns, Gillespie, Bullock
While teams with cap room have been mentioned most frequently as the top suitors for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Mike Singer of The Denver Post (Twitter link) has continually heard the Pacers mentioned as a team to watch for the veteran swingman.
A previous report suggested that a cap-room club like the Sixers or Magic could make an oversized short-term offer (e.g. two years, $50MM) for Caldwell-Pope, but Singer says he’s heard KCP would prefer a longer-term deal.
As John Hollinger of The Athletic writes, if the Nuggets are willing to negotiate a sign-and-trade deal, a package along the lines of Aaron Nesmith and Jarace Walker might work financially, based on Caldwell-Pope’s projected salary range. However, a sign-and-trade involving Caldwell-Pope would hard-cap the Pacers at the first tax apron and the Nuggets at the second apron, so some financial creativity could be required, especially on Denver’s end.
Here are a few more free agency rumors and notes from around the NBA:
- Within his latest round-up of rumors, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports says not many teams around the NBA are expected to use the full mid-level exception to sign a player, since it can now be used as a de facto trade exception, so there’s some value in retaining a portion of it. Of course, even last season, before the mid-level could be used to accommodate trades, only one team used the entire amount on a single player (Toronto on Dennis Schröder).
- The Suns have been linked to a ton of potential minimum-salary point guards, according to Fischer, who names Kyle Lowry and Monte Morris as two of the players viewed as possible targets for Phoenix. There has even been some chatter about the possibility of a reunion with Chris Paul if he’s waived by Golden State, Fischer adds.
- After being made an unrestricted free agent by Denver, guard Collin Gillespie is expected to receive interest from the Hawks, Hornets, Suns, and Timberwolves, sources tell Fischer. Gillespie may have to accept a two-way contract and compete for a standard roster spot, Fischer adds. Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News and SKOR North (Twitter link) confirms Minnesota’s interest in Gillespie but says the team doesn’t seem likely to land him.
- Veteran wing Reggie Bullock is unlikely to re-sign with the Rockets, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link). According to Iko, multiple teams have interest in Bullock, who figures to be a minimum-salary target.
Fischer’s Latest: Clippers, George, Warriors, Mavs, KCP, Klay, Nuggets, More
As they navigate the challenges of the second tax apron for 2024/25 and beyond, the Clippers have been adamant to this point that they don’t want to complete a contract longer than three years for any players, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Barring a change of heart, that means Los Angeles will be unwilling to go higher than three years for its own star free agents, Paul George and James Harden.
While Harden seems likely to end up on a new three-year agreement with the Clippers, per Fischer, that three-year limit has been a point of contention in negotiations with George. Both the Sixers and Magic – who are set to meet with George late on Sunday night – are willing to offer the star forward a four-year, maximum-salary contract, Fischer confirms.
Outside of the Clippers, Sixers, and Magic, there’s another team “lingering on the periphery” of the George situation, according to Fischer, who says the Jazz‘s “dreamiest plot” for the offseason would be to use their trade assets to acquire an impact player on the trade market (they pursued Mikal Bridges before Brooklyn agreed to send him to New York) and to use their cap room to land George. However, as Fischer acknowledges, it’s extremely unlikely that George will decide to sign in Utah.
Here’s more from Fischer’s latest rumor round-up, with the official start of free agency just hours away:
- The trade options the Warriors have considered – using Chris Paul and/or Andrew Wiggins as outgoing pieces – range from giving up draft picks in a deal for Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram to acquiring a pick along with Bulls guard Zach LaVine, sources tell Fischer. If they don’t find a trade they like and lose Klay Thompson via free agency, the Warriors will have the full mid-level exception available. They’re considering possible targets using that MLE, says Fischer.
- The Mavericks likely would have attempted to make a trade with the Nuggets to acquire Kentavious Caldwell-Pope if he had picked up his $15.4MM player option, Fischer reports. Now that Caldwell-Pope has opted for free agency, Thompson appears to be the free agent wing most likely to end up in Dallas, according to Fischer, who says Thompson also continues to be one of the Sixers‘ secondary targets if they miss out on George.
- As for Caldwell-Pope, the Nuggets are preparing to lose him, with the Sixers and Magic both holding “strong” interest in the veteran swingman, per Fischer. A deal with one of those cap-room teams in the range of $50MM over two years could be a possibility for KCP, Fischer adds.
- Having traded away Reggie Jackson, the Nuggets are in the market for a backup point guard. Sources tell Fischer that Russell Westbrook would have been a target using the taxpayer mid-level exception if he had opted out of his contract with the Clippers. Fischer also mentioned Hornets guard Vasilije Micic as a Denver target, noting that Zeke Nnaji – who is on the trade block – could be sent out in a deal for Micic.
- The Nuggets have also long had interest in big man Dario Saric, who could be a target in free agency, Fischer says.
- While it won’t be one of their top short-term priorities as free agency begins, the Clippers are expected to eventually work out an extension with center Ivica Zubac, sources tell Yahoo Sports.
2024 NBA Free Agency Primer
While teams have been permitted to negotiate with their own free agents since the day after the end of the NBA Finals, the league’s 2024 free agency period officially begins on Sunday at 5:00 pm central time. Several contract agreements have been reported during the last week or two, but that number will significant increase beginning on Sunday evening.
Here are a few links to prepare you for one of the most exciting days on the NBA calendar:
- Top 50 Free Agents Of 2024
Our list is up to date to account for the latest option decisions. Paul George ranks atop the summer’s best available players who have yet to agree to a new deal. - 2024 Free Agents By Position/Type
2024 Free Agents By Team
Want the full breakdown of players available this summer? Take your pick from these two lists. - 2024 Free Agent Tracker
We’re keeping tabs on all the reported free agent agreements here
Note: Our more mobile-friendly tracker isn’t ready yet, so this is best viewed on desktop. - Key Offseason Dates/Deadlines
A breakdown of the important dates to watch beyond today. - Maximum Salary Projections For 2024/25
Minimum Salary Projections For 2024/25
Mid-Level, Bi-Annual Exception Projections For 2024/25
Our projections are based on a salary cap of $141MM. We should find out in a matter of hours what the exact cap for 2024/25 will be. - Player Option Decisions For 2024/25
Team Option Decisions For 2024/25
The deadline for these decisions was on Saturday, so they’re all in now. - 2024 Qualifying Offer Recap
We have the full list of which players are becoming restricted free agents. - 2024 Offseason Trades
Fifteen trades have already been officially completed so far this offseason, with 10 others agreed upon and many more to come. - Outstanding Trade Exceptions
A number of teams have traded player exceptions available to take on salary without sending any salary back. - Players Eligible For Rookie Scale Extensions In 2024
Several of these players will receive big paydays this offseason, keeping them off the 2025 free agent market. - Early Salary Guarantee Dates For 2024
Teams will have to decide whether to guarantee these salaries or waive these players before their respective deadlines. - 2024 Offseason Preview Series
We took a closer look at all 30 teams’ cap situations and key offseason decisions. - Hoops Rumors Glossary
Need a refresher on how sign-and-trades work, what it means to have “Early Bird rights” on a player, how a team becomes hard-capped, or what exactly it means to operate over a tax apron? We explain all in our glossary.
2024 NBA Qualifying Offer Recap
Players eligible for restricted free agency don’t become restricted free agents by default. In order for a team to make a player a restricted free agent, it must extend a qualifying offer to him. The qualifying offer, which is essentially just a one-year contract offer, varies in amount depending on a player’s previous contract status.
A qualifying offer is designed to give a player’s current team the right of first refusal. Because the qualifying offer acts as the first formal contract offer a free agent receives, his team then has the option to match any offer sheet the player signs with another club. If a player doesn’t receive a qualifying offer, he becomes an unrestricted free agent and is free to sign with any team — his previous club is given no formal opportunity to match.
You can read more about qualifying offers here.
Listed below are the details on which players did and didn’t receive qualifying offers this summer. Our list is based on various reports and team announcements leading up to the June 29 deadline, along with confirmation from RealGM’s official NBA transactions log.
It’s possible that one or two qualifying offers slipped through the cracks and will be reported later today before free agency officially gets underway — if so, we’ll update this list.
For now though, this is what the qualifying offer landscape looks like. The players who received QOs will be restricted free agents, while the players who didn’t will be unrestricted. We’ve updated our free agents lists by position and by team to reflect the changes.
Received qualifying offers:
Players on standard contracts:
Note: Qualifying offers marked with an asterisk (*) are based on a projected $141MM salary cap and would increase or decrease if the cap comes in higher or lower than that.
- Patrick Williams, Bulls ($12,973,527)
- Note: Williams reportedly has a five-year, $90MM contract agreement in place with the Bulls.
Isaac Okoro, Cavaliers ($11,828,974)- Tyrese Maxey, Sixers ($8,486,620)
- Immanuel Quickley, Raptors ($8,486,620)
- Note: Quickley reportedly has a five-year, $175MM contract agreement in place with the Raptors.
- Obi Toppin, Pacers ($7,744,601)
- Simone Fontecchio, Pistons ($5,216,324)
- Sandro Mamukelashvili, Spurs ($2,726,603)
- Trendon Watford, Nets ($2,726,603)
- Neemias Queta, Celtics ($2,368,944) *
- Aaron Wiggins, Thunder ($2,368,944) *
- Max Christie, Lakers ($2,293,637) *
Players on two-way contracts:
Note: Qualifying offers for two-way players are one-year, two-way contracts with a guarantee of approximately $78K unless otherwise indicated.
- Emoni Bates, Cavaliers
- Colin Castleton, Lakers
- David Duke, Spurs
- Johnny Juzang, Jazz
- Note: Juzang’s qualifying offer is a one-year, minimum-salary contract with a partial guarantee of approximately $93K.
- Note: Juzang’s qualifying offer is a one-year, minimum-salary contract with a partial guarantee of approximately $93K.
- Quenton Jackson, Pacers
- Vit Krejci, Hawks
- Seth Lundy, Hawks
- Nico Mannion, Warriors
- Note: Mannion hasn’t played in the NBA since 2021, but the Warriors issued him a qualifying offer in order to retain his RFA rights in case he returns to the league.
- Drew Peterson, Celtics
- Trevelin Queen, Magic
- Adama Sanogo, Bulls
- Cole Swider, Heat
- Jacob Toppin, Knicks
- Oscar Tshiebwe, Pacers
- Alondes Williams, Heat
- Brandon Williams, Mavericks
- Jeenathan Williams, Rockets
Did not receive qualifying offers:
Players on standard contracts:
Precious Achiuwa, Knicks- Dominick Barlow, Spurs
- Saddiq Bey, Hawks
- Brandon Boston, Clippers
- Jeff Dowtin, Sixers
- Kessler Edwards, Kings
- Malachi Flynn, Pistons
- Luka Garza, Timberwolves
- Kira Lewis, Jazz
- Chuma Okeke, Magic
- Lester Quinones, Warriors
- JT Thor, Hornets
- Stanley Umude, Pistons
- Tristan Vukcevic, Wizards
- Malik Williams, Raptors
- James Wiseman, Pistons
Players on two-way contracts:
- Ibou Badji, Trail Blazers
- Amari Bailey, Hornets
- Jules Bernard, Wizards
- Charlie Brown, Knicks
- Greg Brown, Mavericks
- Jamal Cain, Heat
- JD Davison, Celtics
- Moussa Diabate, Clippers
- Henri Drell, Bulls
- Jordan Ford, Kings
- Harry Giles, Lakers
- Collin Gillespie, Nuggets
- Jacob Gilyard, Nets
- Jordan Goodwin, Grizzlies
- Ashton Hagans, Trail Blazers
- Kevon Harris, Magic
- Nate Hinton, Rockets
- Jay Huff, Nuggets
- Keyontae Johnson, Thunder
- Braxton Key, Nuggets
- Saben Lee, Suns
- Skylar Mays, Lakers
- Justin Minaya, Trail Blazers
- Isaiah Mobley, Cavaliers
- Xavier Moon, Clippers
- Pete Nance, Cavaliers
- Daishen Nix, Timberwolves
- Micah Potter, Jazz
- Jared Rhoden, Pistons
- Jermaine Samuels, Rockets
- Olivier Sarr, Thunder
- Dereon Seabron, Pelicans
- Admiral Schofield, Magic
- Jalen Slawson, Kings
- Terquavion Smith, Sixers
- Ish Wainright, Suns
- Duane Washington, Knicks
- Dylan Windler, Hawks
- Isaiah Wong, Pacers
FA Rumors: Lakers, LeBron, Harden, Klay, George, Magic, DeRozan, More
Having confirmed on Saturday that LeBron James would be open to accepting less than the maximum salary in certain scenarios, agent Rich Paul tells Dave McMenamin of ESPN that the idea would be for the Lakers to add an “impact player” using that extra flexibility.
James Harden, Klay Thompson, and Jonas Valanciunas are a few of the “impact” players who might fit that criteria, sources tell McMenamin. While it might be difficult to convince Harden or Thompson to settle for the mid-level (worth approximately $12.9MM), a sign-and-trade could also be a possibility to land that sort of player. Acquiring a player via sign-and-trade would hard-cap the Lakers at the first tax apron for 2024/25, but so would using more than the taxpayer portion ($5.2MM) of the mid-level exception.
[RELATED: Lakers, Clippers, Mavericks among Klay Thompson’s suitors]
If the Lakers aren’t able to add a player of that caliber, the plan would be for James to seek a max deal to return to the Lakers, Paul tells McMenamin. If LeBron does accept a pay cut, the most likely scenario would see him accept a two-year deal with a 2025/26 player option so that he’d have the ability to negotiate a raise a year from now, sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
Elsewhere on the Lakers front, after tendering a qualifying offer to Max Christie to make him a restricted free agent, the team would like to retain the 21-year-old guard, envisioning him as a rotation player next season, sources tell Buha. However, if L.A. hard-caps itself by adding an impact player via sign-and-trade or the MLE, fitting a new deal for Christie under the first apron could be a challenge.
Here are a few more rumors from around the NBA ahead of the official start of free agency on Sunday evening:
- Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN referred to the Sixers this morning on SportsCenter as a “legitimate threat” to sign Paul George away from the Clippers (hat tip to Adam Zagoria of NJ.com), while Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack story that Philadelphia has a “significant measure of renewed hope” in its ability to land the star forward.
- Although the Magic are one of three teams to secure a meeting with George, the free agents connected most frequently to Orlando by league insiders are Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein and Nuggets wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, per Stein.
- There’s a belief that DeMar DeRozan may wait to see what happens with George’s free agency before making a decision, according to Stein, since he’d have a better feel for his options outside the Bulls at that point. Multiple reports this offseason have suggested the Clippers could be a suitor for DeRozan (likely via sign-and-trade) if they lose George.
- While the Lakers have emerged as a legitimate option for Klay Thompson, the Mavericks have made the veteran sharpshooter their top free agent priority, even ahead of starting small forward Derrick Jones, says Stein. Dallas hasn’t ruled out the possibility of signing both players – that would require a sign-and-trade for Thompson and an MLE deal for Jones – which would be the team’s true “Plan A,” Stein writes, adding that Naji Marshall continues to be mentioned as a likely Mavs target if they lose Jones.
- The Clippers and Spurs are among the teams expected to have interest in Chris Paul if the veteran point guard ends up being waived by Golden State and becoming a free agent, reports Stein.