Ahead of the general start of NBA free agency Sunday, several intriguing players have a big decision to make regarding whether or not they’ll leap into the free-agent frenzy.
Per Spotrac, as of this writing, the group of players with contract options for 2024-25 includes four future Hall of Famers, another former All-Star, and several role players who could easily fetch a lucrative sticker tag in free agency.
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers ($51.4 million)
The 20-time All-NBA combo forward, on the cusp of a record-tying 22nd pro season, is somehow still performing at an incredibly high level. Last season, the league’s oldest active player (he’ll turn 40 in December) averaged 25.7 points on a .540/.410/.750 slash line, with 8.3 assists, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 0.5 blocks a night, while appearing in 71 contests as the offensive fulcrum of a 47-35 playoff team. Should he opt out, as Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times expects, the Lakers could offer him a three-season, $162 million contract to return, and could negotiate a no-trade clause with L.A.
Paul George, L.A. Clippers ($48.8 million)
For a star combo forward who was the second-best player on a 51-31 Clippers club in 2023-24, the nine-time All-Star has sure been floated in a ton of trade talks already. Even at 34, the 6-foot-8 forward remains a two-way star. Health has been a major question mark for George prior to this past season. Ahead of 2023-24, the Southern California native hadn’t appeared in more than 56 games since forcing his way to L.A. from the Oklahoma City Thunder in the summer of 2019.
Last year, in 74 games, George posted averages of 22.6 points on .471/.413/.907 shooting splits, 5.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals per bout. Given James’ advanced age, George is perhaps the most valuable asset among this crop of players with contract options. At least one Western Conference rival is reportedly willing to offer George a maximum salary to jump ship. How he decides to proceed could set up a domino effect in how the rest of the league proceeds transactionally this summer.
D’Angelo Russell, Los Angeles Lakers ($18.7 million)
Russell, the starting point guard on James’ Lakers, had a surprisingly solid regular season in 2023-24, after a somewhat bumpy start, followed by an unsurprisingly patchy postseason. In a brisk first-round playoff series loss to the Denver Nuggets, the 6-foot-3 Ohio State product was quickly exploited defensively by Jamal Murray, and averaged 14.2 points on a middling .384/.318/.500 shooting line, 4.2 assists (against 1.8 turnovers) and 2.8 boards per game.
Richaun Holmes, Washington Wizards ($12.9 million)
The 6-foot-10 center/power forward was a salary dump by the Dallas Mavericks at midseason last year. With the lowly Wizards, he averaged just 7.1 points and 6.1 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per contest. There’s no way Holmes will earn $12.9 million on the open market, so it’s a wonder he hasn’t exercised his option already.
Caleb Martin, Miami Heat ($7.1 million)
Martin fell to Earth after a stellar playoff run to the NBA Finals in 2023 with the Heat. A solid 3-and-D forward, the 6-foot-5 vet was somewhat miscast as a small ball power forward for much of his tenure in South Beach, but enjoyed a career-best season in 2023-24 playing the three. He averaged 10 points on .431/.349/.778 shooting splits, 4.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 0.7 steals for the Heat in his 64 games (23 starts). Still just 28, Martin seems likely to earn significantly more next year via free agency than his option would pay.
Russell Westbrook, L.A. Clippers ($4 million)
Rumors are swirling that Los Angeles is interested in replacing the 2017 MVP this summer with two other future Hall of Fame point guards as the team’s backup to James Harden. Westbrook might be compelled to opt in and force his way out of town.
Kevin Love, Miami Heat ($4 million)
Westbrook’s former UCLA teammate, the fourth and final future Hall of Famer with a lingering player option, functioned as a serviceable, floor-stretching backup big man for a frisky playoff Heat club last year. The 6-foot-8 power forward/center averaged 8.8 points on a .440/.344/.787 slash line, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists, although he was only healthy for 55 regular season contests. There should be a market for his skillset as a jump-shooting big with a championship pedigree.
Torrey Craig, Chicago Bulls ($2.8 million)
Craig is ostensibly a power forward, but by the end of his first season with the Bulls he saw himself frequently riding pine for Billy Donovan in favor of 6-foot-4 shooting guard Javonte Green. Given that the Bulls seem to be poised for at least a soft rebuild, Craig might want to seek out a better opportunity next year, although his lackluster season may limit his sticker tag.
Thomas Bryant, Miami ($2.8 million)
Bryant was quickly played off the floor while with Miami, and though he can nail a triple, the veteran center is such a defensive liability that he may be hard-pressed to find a new roster fit.
Damion Lee, Phoenix Suns ($2.8 million)
Lee tore the meniscus in his right knee ahead of the Suns’ ill-fated 2023-24 season and didn’t play a single game. To resolve questions about his health, the 31-year-old shooting guard might be best served exercising his option and trying to prove his mettle.
Yuta Watanabe, Memphis Grizzlies ($2.7 million)
Watanabe was flipped from Phoenix to Memphis midway through the year. The 6-foot-9 small forward was one of the NBA‘s best 3-point shooters in 2022-23. He connected on a more middling 35.3 percent of his 3-point attempts with the Suns and Grizzlies last year, and appeared in just five contests for Memphis.
Jaxson Hayes, Los Angeles Lakers ($2.5 million)
Hayes could barely get off the bench for Los Angeles. In the playoffs, he was cut out of the team’s rotation almost entirely. He’ll be hard-pressed for a new fully-guaranteed deal should he decline his option.
Cam Reddish, Los Angeles Lakers ($2.5 million)
Reddish had some solid defensive moments, but the former Duke Blue Devil’s inconsistency as a scorer could limit interest for his services on the open market.
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