NBA Free Agency 2024 Update 3.0: Role Player Fantasy Breakdowns

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Updated on July 3, 2024 1:44PM EST

This article will continue to be updated with deals and analysis as free agency moves along.

Big Names Changing Teams

Paul George, 76ers - 4 years, $212 million

Daryl Morey remains addicted to doing everything possible to add star talent, and this seems like something that was likely in the making since he traded James Harden for spare parts and cap space. George leaves the Clippers after an injury-riddled five years next to the injury-riddled Kawhi Leonard and one year next to the ghost of the aforementioned Harden. George's average games played in the past half-decade is 52.6, though he appeared in 74 last season. The injury questions around him remain, and Joel Embiid matches George's fit with Kawhi in that respect, as Embiid has averaged 55.0 games played over the past five years.

From a fantasy perspective, I think this is a neutral move for George. He replaces fighting for touches with Kawhi and Harden with fighting for touches with Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. And George doesn't seem to mind taking a backseat as the No. 3 option in an offense. I could see Maxey and Embiid take fairly small hits to their usage as George effectively replaces Tobias Harris. Obviously, that's a big jump in talent, but Harris quietly averaged 17.2 points and 3.1 assists to George's 22.6 points and 3.5 assists.

For the Clippers, well, they lost George for nothing. They added Derrick Jones Jr. and Kevin Porter – not exactly replacements. More touches

This article will continue to be updated with deals and analysis as free agency moves along.

Big Names Changing Teams

Paul George, 76ers - 4 years, $212 million

For the Clippers, well, they lost George for nothing. They added Derrick Jones Jr. and Kevin Porter – not exactly replacements. More touches for Kawhi and Harden should be on the horizon, and we'll see what Terance Mann, Kevin Porter and Norman Powell can contribute. It doesn't look good for this team in the tough Western Conference.

Dejounte Murray, Pelicans - Trade

I love this move for the Pelicans, acquiring Murray for Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance Jr., EJ Liddell and two first-round picks. CJ McCollum is not a point guard and not a point-of-attack defender, and both of those problems become solved with Murray. It doesn't sound like the Pels are done making moves, potentially looking to move Brandon Ingram, but I'm a fan of the roster as it stands – simply ignoring right now that Jonas Valanciunas left and they have no starting center.

I would grade this change of scenery as a neutral for Murray. He doesn't have to share the rock with Trae Young anymore, but now he's contending with more players who still want the ball, like McCollum, Ingram (for now), Zion Williamson and even Trey Murphy. Hopefully, Murray can focus more on passing and defense and it shows up in the box score.

For Atlanta, it's officially back to being Trae's team. He was the No. 8 player in 8-cat, per-game value the year before Murray showed up. We'll see if Clint Capela and other vets get moved, but it should ultimately be Trae orchestrating for the young guys, including No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher.

Isaiah Hartenstein, Thunder - 3 years, $87 million

This move makes so much sense for OKC. They were a bottom-five rebounding team last year, and Hartenstein had the 13th-highest rebound percentage (18.5%) in the NBA last year. He also won't take any touches away from the young core, and the team gets to explore minutes with Chet Holmgren at power forward next to a traditional center. Hartenstein is also someone who can play in the Thunder's ball-movement system, having averaged 4.7 assists per 36 minutes back in 2021-22. We'll see if they try to make him space from three. It's a mixed bag, but Hartenstein is a non-disastrous 23-of-70 (32.9%) from three over the past three seasons.

I think Hartenstein's fantasy value will remain similar, though I also think it depends on how well he works with Holmgren. At the very least, Hartenstein should retain the 25.3 minutes per game he saw last year, which led to him being a top-100 fantasy asset. The move could decrease Holmgren's impact on the glass and as a rim protector, but the Thunder traded Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso earlier in the offseason, so there will be more touches available for Holmgren.

Can the Knicks get by at center with just Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims? Randle should be trusted to play small-ball five for a handful of minutes, so it's possible. I still think they need another body, given how much Robinson gets injured and how bad his conditioning is. As it stands, Robinson's fantasy value is on the upswing.

Klay Thompson, Mavericks - 3 years, $50 million

The Warriors' dynastic Big 3 unceremoniously comes to a close. Golden State fans seemed to be packing Thompson's bags, and coach Steve Kerr even moved him to the bench for a stretch. You'd think he was averaging 10 points the way people talked about him, but Thompson made the fourth most threes in the league last year while posting 17.9 points per game. He's not the defender he used to be and doesn't get to the rim much anymore, but this is the kind of spacing you want around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

I could see this move hurting Thompson's fantasy value, given the usage rates of Luka and Kyrie. But with Tim Hardaway, Derrick Jones and Josh Green leaving Dallas, there are certainly shots available. Ultimately, Thompson is a fringe fantasy asset anyway as a category specialist.

Technically, this is a sign-and-trade, so Golden State will get something back. But losing Thompson doesn't make this roster look prettier. As of now, he'll have to have his minutes replaced with some combination of Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, De'Anthony Melton and Jonathan Kuminga. We'll see how they handle it in preseason, but all three could have fantasy upside.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Magic - 3 years, $66 million

Talent continues to swirl down the drain in Denver. A year after losing Bruce Brown to the Pacers, the Nuggets have lost Caldwell-Pope to the Magic. This is a great move for Orlando, who desperately needs shooting, and the championship pedigree doesn't hurt, either. KCP should slot in as the starting shooting guard and asked to continue doing his job. I don't foresee a big usage increase for KCP, and open shots will be harder to come by when not being spoon-fed by arguably the best passer on Earth in Nikola Jokic.

Christian Braun and Peyton Watson better work on their games this offseason. Braun is expected to convert to a starter, while Watson should occupy a sixth-man role on the wing. We all like this pair, but it's not exactly like when the Hawks dumped John Collins to slot in Jalen Johnson. Neither of them predict to have meaningful value in fantasy, even in expanded roles. With Michael Porter Jr.'s injury history, this Nuggets team might get really thin, really fast.

Jonas Valanciunas, Wizards - 3 years, $30 million

Get your money, Valanciunas. After two years of a declining role in New Orleans, the 32-year-old center has latched onto the deeply, deeply rebuilding Wizards. Valanciunas and the also re-signed Richaun Holmes will presumably handle the bulk of the center minutes, with No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr looking to be the team's starting power forward. The potential for increased minutes and usage for Valanciunas should have fantasy managers intrigued. He was a top-50 fantasy player as recently as 2021-22.

New Orleans losing Valanciunas means their center rotation is down to rookie Yves Missi and Jeremiah Robinson-Earl – not great! I assume they'll find a way to get another big, but maybe they'll just roll with Missi, a rim-running big who can protect the paint. Dare I suggest more minutes of Zion Williamson at center?

Tobias Harris, Pistons - 2 years, $52 million

Harris effectively spent two years Detroit, suiting up for 157 games between the 2015-16 season and 2017-18 season. But now he's turning 32 years old and was practically run out of Philadelphia by the fans. As much of a mixed bag his time in Philly was, Harris brings needed floor spacing and general potential to score the basketball to Detroit, who averaged the fourth-fewest points and fewest made threes per 100 possessions last year.

Going to Detroit and moving away from the high usage rates of Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid should result in more touches for Harris, who still managed to average 17.2 points and 3.1 assists in 33.8 minutes last season. However, his presence does complicate the roles of Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart and No. 5 overall pick Ron Holland.

The Sixers replaced Harris with Paul George, as discussed above.

Chris Paul, Spurs - 1 year, $11 million

We could quibble about whether or not Paul is good enough to still qualify as a big name or major signing, but I just love this move for both parties. The main things Victor Wembanyama was missing last year were floor spacing and point guard play – no offense to Tre Jones; full offense to Jeremy Sochan. The spacing did not get fixed, but adding Paul brings the team up a notch from an experience standpoint, and he's the exact coach-on-the-floor type to help Wemby develop.

I could see Paul having a slight bounceback from his stint in Golden State, though I'm not sure he'll see more than the 26.4 minutes he did last year. I'd consider him draftable in fantasy, but not someone you want to jump the pack for considering his age and injury history. Tre Jones gets a hit to his value, partially due to rookie Stephon Castle entering the picture as well.

Golden State replaced Paul with De'Anthony Melton and have Brandin Podziemski and Gary Payton for backcourt minutes, too.

Big Names Staying

Jayson Tatum, Celtics - 5 year, $315 million extension

It's the richest contract in NBA history, but there's not much to see here. Tatum is coming off another strong individual season, minus some playoff letdown, that ultimately still resulted in a title for Boston. The surrounding roster hasn't fundamentally changed, so we should again expect Tatum to be worth a top-15 pick in fantasy, especially since he practically never misses games.

Cade Cunningham, Pistons - 5 year, $226 million extension

Since being drafted first overall in 2021, Cunningham has appeared in just 138 games, winning 38 of them (28%). Despite the awful record, I'm still of the belief Cunningham is hugely responsible for Detroit not losing even more games. Hopefully, the young players around him start catching up soon.

Jamal Murray, Nuggets - 4 year, $209 million extension

Murray has yet to make an All-Star game in the tough Western Conference, but he's quietly coming off his best season next to Nikola Jokic. The talent drain in Denver continued this offseason, with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope heading to Orlando, so the Nuggets may need more out of Murray next year, depending on how ready guys like Christian Braun and Peyton Watson are for expanded roles.

Tyrese Maxey, 76ers - 5 year, $205 million extension

Last season's Most Improved Player and a first-time All-Star, Maxey is coming off a fantastic 2023-24. He should continue adding to his game since he's just 23 years old, but a small usage decrease may be in store due to the addition of Paul George. I'm not going to downgrade him for fantasy, though.

Pascal Siakam, Pacers - 4 years, $189.5 million

Siakam was a perfect fit when he got traded to Indiana in the middle of last season, and he arguably got better during the playoffs. It's a huge get for a small market like Indiana to secure a player of Siakam's caliber to a deal like this, even if he's quietly 30 years old already. He should remain the Pacers' No. 2 offensive option behind Tyrese Haliburton.

Bam Adebayo, Heat - 3 year, $166 million extension

Adebayo is coming off his second straight All-Star nod and his fifth straight top 5 Defensive Player of the Year finish. We know who he is at this point, and assuming Miami runs back the same roster, it should be another year of high-quality production from the 26-year-old center.

Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers - 3 years, $150.3 million

Despite rumors Mitchell wanted out of Cleveland, he's inked a lucrative extension with the team. Nothing is stopping him from asking for a trade sooner than later, but for now, the Cavaliers appear to be running it back. Mitchell is coming off his fifth straight All-Star game and should continue providing excellent guard numbers for fantasy managers.

Derrick White, Celtics - 4 years, $125.9 million

White is coming off a career-best season that helped fuel Boston to an NBA title. The veteran guard made the All-Defensive Second Team for the second straight season while setting a career high in assists (5.2), threes (2.7) and blocks (1.2) per game. His role should remain the same in 2024-25.

LeBron James, Lakers - 2 years, $104 million

No shock here after the Lakers secured Bronny in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft. For now, it appears the Lakers are running back essentially the same roster as last season. LeBron continues to play high-level basketball entering his age-39 season, and he's worthy of being drafted in the second or third round of fantasy.

Nic Claxton, Nets - 4 years, $100 million

Washington and Brooklyn are fighting for the worst NBA roster heading into 2024-25, but that bodes well for Claxton's upside as a fantasy asset. He slipped a bit last season due to decreased efficiency and defense, but his scoring and passing responsibilities could increase this season as one of the Nets' core young players. He should be in contention for a top-50 fantasy selection.

Patrick Williams, Bulls - 5 years, $90 million

The soon-to-be 23-year-old forward has started just 175 games since being selected No. 4 overall in 2020. I'm out on him as anything more than a role player, but maybe he could crack the top 100 in fantasy this year if Chicago commits to the rebuild. There have just been practically no signs of life from Williams, who has scored 20+ points just 10 times in his career.

Malik Monk, Kings - 4 years, $78 million

Suffering an injury at the end of last season put a damper on Monk's great season, where he finished second in Sixth Man of the Year voting behind career highs in points (15.4) and assists (5.1) per game. He should be all clear to repeat his performance in 2024-25, making him a worthy fantasy selection outside of the top 100.

James Harden, Clippers - 2 years, $70 million

Dare I suggest there's a Harden bounceback season incoming with Paul George now in Philadelphia? Harden fell down to 16.6 points and 8.5 assists per game last year, but George left without a replacement, and we know Kawhi Leonard can't stay healthy. There will be plenty of nights where Harden is the No. 1 option by a mile. Harden is on the brink of his 35th birthday, so there's a push and pull with age vs. usage, but the situation will present fantasy managers with a tough choice when Harden is there in the second round.

Smaller Names Over $25 million

Jonathan Isaac, Magic - 5 year, $84 million renegotiation and extension

Despite persistent injury issues resulting in an average of 41 games played over his first five years, Isaac has secured a lucrative long-term deal with Orlando, who drafted him No. 6 overall in 2017. When available, Isaac is one of the best defenders in the league, averaging 2.2 blocks and 1.6 steals per 36 minutes for his career. He's also been a quality rebounder and three-point shooter. Orlando is hoping Isaac can move past his injury issues and start seeing real sixth-man minutes for a suddenly competitive roster. Playing time isn't easy to come by behind Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, but Isaac should be fantasy relevant if he can see minutes in the mid-20s.

Obi Toppin, Pacers - 4 years, $60 million

Toppin's first season away from New York was underwhelming, but he fits Indiana's scheme as a high-flying athlete with three-point prowess. He's already 26 years old, though. Don't expect any serious development to unfold. Toppin will also remain behind Pascal Siakam on the depth chart, and he'll presumably have to fight off Jarace Walker for minutes next season.

Aaron Wiggins, Thunder - 5 years, $47 million

One of the most anonymous players in the league, Wiggins remains with the team that took a chance on him with the No. 55 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He's been a useful rotation player and even looked fine in the playoffs last year. A bigger role probably isn't on the way for Wiggins. This move is more meaningful in real life than in fantasy.

Isaiah Joe, Thunder - 4 years, $48 million

Basically, all of what I wrote about Aaron Wiggins applies to Joe, who is a deadly three-point shooter.

Royce O'Neale, Suns - 4 years, $44 million

O'Neale was a great fit when he got dealt to the Suns in the middle of last season as someone who can hit his threes, is unselfish and will take a tough defensive assignment. Expect his role to be the same and to mostly be a waiver wire streaming option.

Max Christie, Lakers - 4 years, $32 million

Christie quietly appeared in 67 games for the Lakers last season and looked fine. His shooting efficiency decreased, but he's still 38% from three for his career. Unless something dramatic happens with this roster, Christie should continue playing backup shooting guard.

Derrick Jones Jr., Clippers - 3 years, $30 million

Jones is coming off a career-revitalizing campaign with the Mavericks, notably playing 29.4 minutes per game throughout the playoffs. He's never going to be much more than a solid defender, passable three-point shooter and freak athlete, but that's fine for the Clippers at $10 million per year. It's possible he starts at small forward for LA, but that could change if coach Ty Lue opts to start Norman Powell and Terance Mann. Either way, Jones is only going to be fantasy relevant in deep, deep leagues.

Kyle Anderson, Warriors - Sign and trade; 3 years, $27 million

Golden State has been busy after losing Klay Thompson to Dallas, signing De'Anthony Melton and Anderson – not to mention being in serious talks for Buddy Hield. Losing Klay feels wrong, but I have to say, I like what they're putting together. They'll need to land someone like Lauri Markkanen to really get competitive, but this version of the roster is at least not an insult to Steph Curry. Anderson has been fairly relevant in fantasy for most of his career, and I think he fits within the Warriors' ball-movement style. He'll be behind Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Jonathan Kuminga on the depth chart but can probably still work his way into 20+ minutes regularly.

Jalen Smith, Bulls - 3 years, $27 million

Smith is a classic case of someone who's been criticized because he's labeled as a "former top 10 pick" – I'm guilty of this – when he never should have been selected there in the first place (The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor had him mocked at pick No. 20). But he's the perfect guy to take a chance on if you're Chicago and you are leaning toward a rebuild. Fantasy-wise, I don't think this move will amount to much unless Nikola Vucevic gets dealt. Smith, if nothing else, is a per-minute beast, averaging 20.7 points, 11.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.3 blocks per 36 last year.

Naji Marshall, Mavericks - 3 years, $27 million

Marshall has been a solid role player for the Pelicans over the past four years, earning a name as "the guy who plays when Zion doesn't." It makes for a quality Derrick Jones replacement for the Mavericks. Marshall is a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none type who has upside for sixth-man minutes on this roster.

Richaun Holmes, Wizards - 2 years, $25.9 million

Somehow, Holmes is already 30 years old. Washington seems to have decided that No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr is a power forward, so they signed Jonas Valanciunas and Holmes to play center. He's not the per-minute monster he once was, but he may have moments of value if Valanciunas suffers an injury.

Goga Bitadze, Magic - 3 years, $25 million

If the Magic lose Wendell Carter, Bitadze should be targeted in deeper fantasy leagues (and same goes for Mo Wagner). Bitadze has essentially given up shooting threes and embraced more traditional big-man duties, like rebounding and shot-blocking. It's been a positive for his career, and he was a fine fill-in starter last year when WCJ was hurt.