NBA free agency is in full swing and another major domino has fallen. Saturday saw one of the top remaining free agents, Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan agree to a three-year, $74 million deal with the Sacramento Kings.
Meanwhile, a number of deals went official, including Paul George’s pact with the Philadelphia 76ers and Klay Thompson’s sign-and-trade with the Dallas Mavericks, which wound up being more complicated than anyone expected.
Meanwhile, LeBron James ended up taking a two-year, $101.4 million deal, $3 million less than the max. That will allow the Los Angeles Lakers to avoid the dreaded second apron. James had been reported to be willing to take an even bigger paycut for a veteran such as Thompson or James Harden, but both opted to go elsewhere.
James declined his player option with the expectation of signing a new deal last week, then got a bit of incentive to return to the Lakers when they drafted his eldest son, Bronny James, with the No. 55 pick. The four-time NBA MVP has said for years that he’d like the opportunity to play with his eldest son before retiring.
Yahoo Sports has you covered for NBA free agency from the top 40 available players to the top players at each position who are available this summer.
Keep up with all of the signings and deals with Yahoo Sports’ NBA free agency tracker.
Live132 updates
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LeBron James takes a $3 million pay cut to put Lakers below second apron
LeBron James’ final two-year deal total, per sources: $101.355 million – almost $3M less than his $104M max, placing Lakers below second apron. https://t.co/Fm9VEVSkr7
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 7, 2024
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DeMar DeRozan goes to Kings on 3-year, $70 million sign-and-trade deal
The deal will also see Harrison Barnes head to the San Antonio Spurs and Chris Duarte to the Chicago Bulls.
ESPN Sources with @TimBontemps: The Sacramento Kings are agreed on a sign-and-trade that will land DeMar DeRozan on a three-year deal, send Harrison Barnes to the San Antonio Spurs and Chris Duarte, two second-round picks and cash to the Chicago Bulls. pic.twitter.com/eopPkSPBvc
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 7, 2024
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Klay Thompson’s sign-and-trade is the first six-team trade in NBA history
The Dallas Mavericks announced today that they have acquired 5-time All-Star Klay Thompson and a future 2nd-round pick as part of a six-team sign-and-trade deal in exchange for Josh Green and a future 2nd-round pick.
It marks the first six-team trade in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/BKHszomMay
— Mavs PR (@MavsPR) July 7, 2024
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Miles Bridges stays with Hornets, agreeing to 3-year, $75 million contract
Miles Bridges will be staying with the Charlotte Hornets. The sixth-year forward agreed to a three-year, $75 million contract with the team, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Free agent F Miles Bridges has agreed on a three-year, $75 million deal to return to the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/8uQ2fLaDDC
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2024
The deal includes no team or player options, according to Wojnarowski.
Bridges, 26, is a talent. No doubt. The 26-year-old averaged 21 points (on 46/35/83 shooting splits), 7.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 37.4 minutes over 69 games for the Charlotte Hornets this past season.
Of course, he missed the first 10 games of the season, plus the entire 2022-23 campaign, for pleading guilty to a brutal felony domestic violence charge. Upon his return to the NBA, he allegedly violated a resulting protective order, though that charge was dropped this past February for insufficient evidence.
Bridges was in line for a nine-figure contract when news of his initial arrest on domestic violence charges broke on the eve of 2022 NBA free agency. He played this past season on a $7.9 million qualifying offer.
Read the full story here.
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Devonte Graham being traded from Spurs to Hornets, who plan to waive him
Devonte’ Graham is being traded by the San Antonio Spurs to the Charlotte Hornets, along with a second-round pick. Charlotte will then waive the sixth-year guard, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The San Antonio Spurs are trading guard Devonte Graham and a second-round pick to the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell ESPN. The Hornets will waive Graham, allowing him to become a free agent. pic.twitter.com/khvOdlyrDy
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2024
The Hornets will pay Graham the $2.85 million partial guarantee remaining on his contract as part of the deal. That increases San Antonio’s available cap space to $19.1 million, which could help them take part in a deal between the Chicago Bulls and Sacramento Kings involving DeMar DeRozan, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
Graham, 28, appeared in only 23 games for the Spurs last season, averaging five points and 2.1 assists. He played the first three seasons of his NBA career with Charlotte before getting traded to the New Orleans Pelicans. After nearly two seasons with the Pelicans, he was dealt to San Antonio.
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Caleb Martin agrees to 4-year, $32 million contract with Sixers
The Philadelphia 76ers’ big offseason continues. The team added forward Caleb Martin, agreeing to a four-year deal worth more than $32 million, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Free agent F Caleb Martin is finalizing a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN. Impactful pickup for the Sixers, who bring on the playoff-tested veteran from Miami. pic.twitter.com/wc4hC6qJbm
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 6, 2024
Martin put up the best numbers of his five-year career for the Miami Heat last season. In 64 games, the 6-foot-5 veteran averaged 10 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Of note to the Sixers and their fans, Martin has played particularly well against the Boston Celtics during the past two seasons, averaging 13.6 points per game while shooting 50% from the floor.
He is expected to be the Sixers’ starting power forward, reports Wojnarowski, teaming in the frontcourt with Paul George and Joel Embiid. To make room for Martin, Philadelphia will waive forward Paul Reed.
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Buddy Hield to join Warriors in sign-and-trade deal with Sixers
The Golden State Warriors are adding a shooter after Klay Thompson left for the Dallas Mavericks. Buddy Hield will join the Warriors in a sign-and-trade deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, reports The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
The Golden State Warriors have agreed to a deal acquiring Buddy Hield via sign-and-trade from the 76ers, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. New teammates Hield and Stephen Curry are leaders for most 3-pointers made over the last 5 NBA seasons – and now will be teammates. pic.twitter.com/a12kp9sYuV
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 4, 2024
Hield agrees to a two-year, $21 million contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The agreement includes a partial guarantee for a third year and player option for a fourth year. Philadelphia will receive a 2031 second-round pick as part of the deal.
Hield averaged 12.1 points per game with the Sixers and Indiana Pacers last season, shooting 39% on 3-pointers. Shooting is Hield’s specialty. For his career, he’s a 40% shooter from long-range. He’s the only player to make more 3-pointers during the past five seasons than Stephen Curry. Now the two sharpshooters will be teammates.
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Shake Milton going to Nets, added to Mikal Bridges trade with Knicks
The big trade that sent Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks is being expanded. Shake Milton is also being added to the deal in a sign-and-trade agreement, reports The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Sources: The Knicks are signing-and-trading Shake Milton as part of Mikal Bridges/Bojan Bogdanovic trade to the Nets, who will also send Keita Bates-Diop to New York. Milton will sign a three-year, $9 million contract, with over minimum in year one and two non-guaranteed years.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 4, 2024
Milton joins Bojan Bogdanovic, four unprotected first-round picks (in 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2031), a protected first-rounder from the Milwaukee Bucks in 2025, a 2025 second-rounder and a protected pick swap in 2028 going to the Nets. Keita Bates-Diop will go to the Knicks as part of the trade.
For Milton, the Nets will be his fourth team in a year. The sixth-year guard signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, was traded to the Detroit Pistons, who soon waived him. He then signed with the Knicks.
He agreed to a three-year, $9 million deal with the Knicks, in which the final two years are not guaranteed.
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