As the calendar turns over to June, the end of the 2023-24 NBA season is finally upon us. The NBA Finals matchup between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks will begin this coming week, and the draft will take place before the end of the month. Then, on June 30th, free agency will begin, and players around the league will be finding new homes for next season and beyond.
Five Star Players Who Will Be NBA Free Agents In 2024
Who are some of the biggest names that will be on the open market? Here are five stars who will become NBA free agents this coming summer:
(This list does not include players who will be restricted free agents, or ones who have player/team options for 2023-24. This leaves out guys like LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George)
Pascal Siakam
The Pacers were questioned when they made the trade for Pascal Siakam during the middle of the most recent season. His contract was set to expire at the conclusion of the year, and Indiana gave up three first round picks in the deal, sacrificing some of their future capital for what may have been a rental.
While they wound up coming up short, the Pacers had a nice run to the Eastern Conference Finals, with Siakam being a key contributor. They already have big money wrapped up in Tyrese Haliburton, and it remains to be seen whether they choose to make Siakam their other highly paid star.
DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan had been the subject of trade rumors during most of his time in Chicago, but the Bulls never wound up pulling the trigger. The team will likely look to get younger during the coming off-season, which could mean the end of guys like Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic in addition to DeRozan.
DeRozan will be 35 years old when the 2024-25 NBA season begins.
Klay Thompson
One of the more interesting situations to follow will be that of Klay Thompson. The Warriors have a decision to make on whether they want to keep the trio of Thompson, Steph Curry, and Draymond Green together, and they already gave an extension to the latter last off-season.
Will they do the same for Thompson? The second splash brother had a tough season by his standards, and was even relegated to bench duty for Golden State. There will be plenty of teams that will be interested in his services depending on his price tag, with the Orlando Magic being one of the rumored suitors.
Malik Monk
Given his age, Malik Monk will be one of the free agent candidates to sign a long-term, lucrative deal this off-season. The Kings can only offer him so much due to his Bird Rights, and Monk earned a big pay day by being the 6th Man of the Year favorite before having his season cut short by injury.
Like with Thompson, the Magic could be interested, but there will be no shortage of teams that make offers to Monk. He’ll be just 26 years old still when the NBA season starts, and has proven to be one of the better scoring off guards in the league.
James Harden
Is there any team out there that is willing to give James Harden another big contract? The soon-to-be 35-year-old has certainly seen his skill diminish, but can still be an effective scoring option for a team that already has an established star. Any contract he signs will likely be of the 1-2 year variety, as Harden could see a considerable drop-off in his already-floundering effectiveness.
