NBA Free Agency 2024 Instant Reactions: Winners, Losers, and more

The NBA is quickly joining the NFL as a year-long sport. It feels like we just crowned the Boston Celtics as champions, but we’re already well into the start of next year. It started with the NBA Draft, and it continues with the start of NBA free agency 2024.

Free agency has only been open for less than 24 hours, but we’ve already seen a host of moves that will have an impact on next year. Let’s dive into some of the biggest takeaways from a wild first day.

Instant Reactions to NBA Free Agency 2024

Paul George Heads East

The first big domino of the NBA offseason was figuring out where George was going to land. He had a player option, so he could’ve chosen to stay with the Clippers or arrange some sort of sign-and-trade. If he had gone that route, the Warriors had expressed interest in bringing him into the fold.

Instead, George decided to opt out, meaning he could only sign with a team that had enough cap space to fit him. Multiple teams expressed interest in the star winger, but the 76ers ultimately got the job done.

Adding George to Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey reestablishes themselves as a true contender in the East. They’re still behind the Celtics, but they’re neck-and-neck with the Knicks from an odds standpoint. Philly is still available at +400 to win the East on FanDuel and BetMGM, while the Knicks’ best price is +450.

On paper, George fits the 76ers perfectly. He fills a position of need, and his perimeter spacing fits perfectly around their star center. George knocked down 41.3% of his 3-pointers in 2023-24, and he was 45.4% on catch-and-shoot opportunities. He should get plenty of those with Embiid attracting maximum attention.

The big question now is can this team stay healthy? Embiid has yet to make it through a full year without getting banged up, while George hasn’t been the picture of health either. However, if both guys do make it to the finish line – and Maxey continues to develop – this team will be a serious threat. I’ll have some exposure on them to win the Finals.

Chris Paul On the Move Again

The days of an NBA player staying put in one location are pretty much dead, but it still feels weird for a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer like Paul to change teams so often. He’s going to be playing for the seventh team of his career and his fifth in a seven-season stretch.

This time, Paul will be taking his talents to San Antonio to team up with the NBA’s newest prodigy. Victor Wembanyama put together one of the greatest rookie seasons in history, averaging 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 3.6 blocks per game. He was even better over the second half of the year, so he has the potential to be an MVP-caliber player in just his age-21 season.

It remains to be seen how much gas CP3 has left in the tank, but his ability to mentor a young player like Wembanyama cannot be overstated. It’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, but Paul was able to help Shai Gilgeous-Alexander establish himself as a superstar during his one year with the Thunder. If he can do the same with Wembanyama, the league better take notice.

Thunder Beef Up Their Frontcourt

Speaking of the Thunder, they were clearly ahead of schedule last season. They weren’t a team that most had as playoff-caliber, yet they finished with the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The team still has an unlimited number of future assets, so the future is exceptionally bright.

One weak spot for the Thunder last year was on the interior. Chet Holmgren can do a lot of things really well, but he doesn’t have the mass to bang on the interior. That was apparent during their playoff loss to the Mavericks, with Dereck Lively and Daniel Gafford giving them fits on the glass.

That shouldn’t be an issue any longer, with the team agreeing to a three-year, $87M deal with Isaiah Hartenstein. Hartenstein was outstanding for the Knicks last season, averaging 8.7 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game as a member of the starting unit. He did that in just 28.0 minutes while anchoring one of the best defenses in basketball.

Hartenstein joining the Thunder will give the team plenty of versatility next year. They can choose to play him alongside Holmgren, with Holmgren sliding to center while Hartenstein sits. Versatility is key in the modern NBA, so this is an excellent addition to a budding team. They’re still priced behind the Nuggets to win the Western Conference, but with the Nuggets losing some key pieces, I think that’s a mistake.

News and Notes from NBA Free Agency 2024

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope signs with Magic (three years, $66M) – KCP has proven to be a valuable role player, winning championships with two different franchises. He should fit perfectly on a Magic squad that was a major surprise in 2023-24.
Derrick White re-signs with Celtics (four years, $125.9M) – The champs are going to keep their entire core intact for next year, which is why they’re the favorites to go back-to-back. White provides immense value defensively and as a 3-point shooter, so this is a massive W for the franchise.
Tobias Harris signs with Pistons (two years, $52M) – Harris was painted as the scapegoat in Philly, but in his prime, he averaged around 20 points per game with decent efficiency. The Pistons already re-signed Cade Cunningham to a massive extension, and this will be the best running mate of his young career.
Jonas Valanciunas signs with Wizards (three years, $30M) – Valanciunas feels like he was born 20 years too late. He’s one of the most dominant interior presences in the league, but that skill set is no longer valued. Still, it’s a nice upgrade for a Wizards’ squad in desperate need of talent.