Getty LeBron James of the Lakers
There is still plenty of regular season games to be played, not to mention the entirety of the playoffs. But it is never too early to look at which players will be available to sign in free agency. Some of the biggest names that might be available include players like LeBron James, James Harden, and Paul George.
Before diving into the players, a quick look at which teams will actually have cap space this summer.
Teams With Money
Following the February 8 trade deadline, Keith Smith, who is a cap specialist and contributor to Spotrac, released which teams he expected to have cap space this summer. Here is his list:
- Detroit Pistons: $61.3 million
- Orlando Magic: $45.1 million
- Utah Jazz: $42.7 million
- Philadelphia 76ers: $42.4 million
- Toronto Raptors: $41.5 million
Smith goes on to explain the list by writing “This is the smallest group of teams we can confidently project to have cap space in a decade of doing this exercise. As more and more teams prioritize extensions and trades, cap space (and the number of impact free agents) has dried up.”
He continues “having this kind of room doesn’t just mean signing free agents. Cap space can also be used to facilitate trades, either for yourself or others.”
Biggest Names Available
One more caveat to address, this list did not include players who will be restricted free agents. Those players, like Tyrese Maxey and Immanuel Quickley for example, will all but certainly remain where they are.
LeBron James
James is on the final year of two-year $99 million contract. He does have a player option, worth $51.4 million, for the 2024-25 season. Dave McMenamin of ESPN reported that James is undecided on whether or not he will pick up the option.
While he is currently the oldest player in the league, he has showed little to no signs of slowing down. James is averaging 24.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 7.8 assists.
During his All-Star game press conference, James stated he was happy being a Laker and hoped that it remained that way.
LeBron James: “I am a Laker and I am happy and have been very happy being a Laker the last six years and hopefully it stays that way”
With that being said, the Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers are reportedly both teams who will look to pry the superstar away from Los Angeles this summer.
Paul George
George remains one of the best two-way players in the league. He is averaging 22.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, while shooting efficiently from the floor and from three.
Similar to James, George has a player option for the 2024-25 season, worth approximately $48.8 million. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported on his podcast, The Hoop Collective, that the Los Angeles Clippers and George are still trying to work out a new contract, and that there has “been intent on both sides to find a deal.”
While that may be the case, Jake Fischer of Yahoo reported on February 8 that both the 76ers and Indiana Pacers could be potential landing spots for George, writing “there have been growing whispers not only of Philadelphia’s eye toward George, but also George’s own intrigue by returning to Indiana and becoming the latest running mate for Tyrese Haliburton alongside Siakam.
James Harden
While Harden is no longer the perennial MVP-candidate he was during his prime, he has proven a lot of doubters wrong with his play so far with the Clippers. Since joining the team either this season, the Clippers have transformed into a powerhouse in the Western Conference, with Harden averaging 17.5 points and 8.4 assists, while averaging a career-best 42.1% from three.
Harden will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Some other names that could be available include Jrue Holiday, Klay Thompson, OG Anunoby, and DeMar DeRozan.