2024 NBA Free Agency Tracker: Top players, news, live updates, rumors, deadline, signings (2024)

The chase to beat the Boston Celtics — or, for a lot of teams, the chase toward respectability — gets serious today with the official start of NBA free agency (and a busy trade window).

Not every team waited for today — the Knicks pushed themselves into contention by trading for Mikal Bridges before the NBA Draft.

Teams can officially talk to free agents starting at 6 ET (although, in the NBA world of tampering, many of these discussions are already done or at least well along). In this tracker we will give you all the latest signings, trades, rumors and reports all in one place (all in order of when they happened, with the most recent news on top). This is a short synopsis with first-blush thoughts on any deals; follow the links to see a more detailed analysis.
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NBA official salary cap numbers are out

The NBA announced the official salary cap numbers for the 2024-25 season, and they are just a little lower than expected. The official numbers are:

• Team minimum salary $126.529 million
• The NBA salary cap is $140.588 million
• NBA luxury tax line is $170.814 million
• The first tax apron is $178.132 million
• The second tax apron is $188.931 million

What does that mean for your team (if you're a Suns fan and wonder why being above the second apron hamstrings your team), Keith Smith has this cheat sheet that should help.

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Max Christie agrees to re-sign with Lakers for four years, $32 million

If Max Christie is the rotation player the Lakers think he is — and he's penciled in as a rotation player for next season — this is a good deal for both sides. Christie agreed to a four-year, $32 million contract with the Lakers, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Just a reminder that Christie is just 21 years old — he's two years younger than just drafted Dalton Knecht. Last season he was playing 14 minutes a game, but the Lakers hope to see that number go up under J.J. Redick, Christie has shot 37.8% on 3-pointers in his two NBA seasons and the Lakers are going to be launching from deep more next season.
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Would Klay Thompson really take a huge discount to be in Los Angeles?

Negotiations between the Warriors and Klay Thompson have fallen apart — they have not spoken in weeks and there is no offer currently on the table — but when they talked, the Warriors reportedly were offering a couple of years (maybe a team option on a third) at around $20 million a year. Thompson found that insulting enough to want to leave the team he has been with for 13 years and won a title with.

Now comes an interesting report from Jake Fischer at Yahoo Sports that Thompson might be open to taking the mid-level exception — $12.7 million a season — to play in Los Angeles with the Lakers or Clippers.

That would be some real spite toward the Warriors.

LeBron James opting out of his $51.4 million player option (along with some smaller moves) means the Lakers can offer that full mid-level, it means LeBron would take about a $16 million pay cut but he is reportedly open to it if it lands Thompson (or DeMar DeRozan). Whether the Clippers can offer the MLE depends on what happens with Paul George (keep reading below) and James Harden.

The Mavericks, Lakers and Clippers are all reportedly talking to the Warriors about a sign-and-trade deal that could get Thompson more money (salaries would have to match in a trade). The challenge for all three teams is that any sign-and-trade or use of the mid-level exception hard caps them at the first tax apron ($178.7 million), a number all three teams were expected to exceed that number.
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Paul George remains the lynchpin of free agency

There will be a flurry of action the second NBA free agency opens — not that there’s any tampering in the NBA, how could you say such a thing? — but the biggest move will likely be on hold for a bit.

That’s because a lot of things will be on hold until Paul George makes a decision.

Paul George to Philadephia rumors are heating up, according to Chris Hanes at Bleacher Report in their live stream. The 76ers will offer George the four-year max ($212 million from them) the Clippers would not (reportedly only three years at around $150 million, the discounted amount Kawhi Leonard signed for to stay home in Southern California).

George will reportedly go old school and take a free agent meeting with the 76ers, Orlando Magic and Clippers, then make his decision.

DeMar DeRozan is going to wait to decide on his free agency until after George makes his call — and he could end up with the Clippers if George leaves. The Lakers are also interested if DeRozan wants to play in his home city.

Any trade of Brandon Ingram also would likely be on hold until George makes a call. There are other moves that would be dominoes to fall after that, but it’s all waiting on George.

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Signing: Obi Topin agrees to four-year, $60 million to stay with Pacers

Obi Topin is as good a lob finisher as there is in the NBA. Tyrese Haliburton is as good a lob passer as the league has right now.

Indiana wisely wants to keep them together and struck a deal to do so.

This is a fair deal for a solid rotation player, in a couple of years that will basically be the mid-level exception or a little lower.