While the Boston Celtics gear up for their championship parade on Friday morning, the rest of the NBA is already locked in on the 2024–25 campaign.
Free agency is technically already underway, but players can’t enter negotiations with teams other than the one they ended last season with until June 30 at 6 p.m. ET. Should two sides then come to an agreement, a contract can’t officially be signed until July 6.
But moves are already being made.
The Pacers made the first big splash of the summer, reportedly signing forward Pascal Siakam to a four-year, $189.5 million maximum contract to keep him in Indiana. And things are only going to heat up from here.
Here are three surprising offseason changes we could see this summer:
LeBron James moves on from the Lakers
The clock is ticking for “King James,” and it might not be that much longer until he’s forced to give up the throne.
James, 39, has a player option on his contract that he can exercise until June 29, and if he wants to make one more run at a title, which we’re assuming he does, he’s going to need to say goodbye to Los Angeles.
Back in April, James wrote in a social media post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “after speaking with the fam, my counsel as well as my representation,” he will let everyone know where he’s headed.
So, in the meantime, let’s all freak out.
As for where James would end up, the Cleveland Cavaliers (+750), Phoenix Suns (+1000) and Golden State Warriors (+1400) were the teams that DraftKings had installed as its top choices earlier this month.
Still, the Lakers remain the true betting favorite at -425.
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Clippers subtract, enter a rebuild
It looks like neither team in Los Angeles is safe this summer.
Paul George and Kawhi Leonard have been playing together since the 2019-20 campaign, and what do they have to show for it? One trip to the Western Conference finals.
James Harden was even added to the mix this past season, but George, Leonard and the rest of the Clippers still couldn’t make it out of the first round of the playoffs.
But injuries! Just wait until everyone is healthy! We’ve been waiting for the past five years. It’s time for the Clippers to move on from George and Leonard—and, you know what, Harden, too—if they want to get this franchise moving in the right direction.
They say the best ability is availability, and if that’s the case, George and Leonard are the wrong guys to have on your team come playoff time. Kawhi is back.
But George has a player option, and Harden is an unrestricted free agent. Los Angeles should be doing everything in its power to let those two test the waters.
Knicks grow into a legitimate title contender
We’re headed out East for this one.
A lack of depth killed what once looked like a promising playoff run for New York this season. Sure, there were injuries, but something has got to give when your starters are playing 40-plus minutes a night over the final month of the regular season and into the postseason.
The Knicks don’t need to make a lot of noise this offseason. A core of Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, OG Anunoby (player option), and Josh Hart should be more than enough to get New York in a good spot come next spring.
But that group needs the right role players around it. Donte DiVincenzo can only hit so many threes to keep New York afloat.
If the Knicks can go out and add one or two 3-and-D guys to the second unit, this team will be in real good shape.