The biggest names in the 2024 NBA free agent market left the board almost immediately. Paul George kept NBA insiders up until 3 a.m. before choosing the Philadelphia 76ers, and the rest of the big names quickly followed suit with their decisions the next morning.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are gearing up for an NBA championship, the Orlando Magic have found a veteran who perfectly complements their young core, and the Dallas Mavericks have gotten creative to add talent to an NBA Finals team.
However, not everyone can be a winner in free agency. Some teams have lost key players to the open market, while others have remained static while their rivals have improved. While there is still plenty of time in the offseason to add talent, the picture for the 2025 NBA championship is already taking shape. With most of the big names already choosing new homes, here is our look at the winners and losers of NBA free agency.
Winner: Philadelphia 76ers
When Paul George changes teams, there are usually All-NBA players and a bunch of first-round picks going the other way. The Oklahoma City Thunder gave up Domantas Sabonis and Victor Oladipo when they acquired George in 2017, while the Los Angeles Clippers lost Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a cascade of draft capital to get George in 2019.
The Philadelphia 76ers agreed to terms with George early in free agency, and they all gave in to clear salary cap space. George’s four-year, $212 million deal with Philly is certainly rich for a 34-year-old, but acquiring a talent like that for nothing but cash is a clear win for Philly.
Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and George aren’t just arguably the best big three in the league in terms of pure talent — they’re also a trio that meshes perfectly. Embiid can dominate the paint, Maxey can pressure the rim with his speed, and George can space the floor and fill the role of ball-handler when needed. It won’t be easy to crack the East with the Celtics reigning supreme and the Knicks looming, but the Sixers have given themselves a real chance.
Loser: Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers set a very strict line for George: Either accept a three-year deal similar to the one Kawhi Leonard signed or leave. George was determined to sign a four-year deal, and when Philadelphia offered him one, he left.
The Clippers cited the new collective bargaining agreement and second-round concerns in their bizarre statement about George’s departure, but the worst of those penalties wouldn’t come for years. While the Kawhi Leonard-George duo never lived up to the hype, losing them for nothing is just a disastrous outcome for the Clippers. To make matters worse, the Sixers already own the Clippers’ unprotected 2028 pick and have trade rights in 2029.
Couldn’t the Clippers just offer George a fourth year and deal with the consequences later? There would likely still be a trade market for George and Leonard if the Clippers ever decided to dismantle the team. LA has bounced back with solid role-player signings like Derrick Jones Jr., Nic Batum, Kris Dunn and Mo Bamba, but they don’t make up for the impact of PG-13. The Clippers’ ceiling is so much lower without George this year, and they still don’t control any of their first-round draft picks through 2030.
The Clippers have smart management and a great ownership team. They will likely find a way to stay competitive in the short term and keep their options open in the long term. However, losing George for nothing does not bode well.
Winner: Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder started the offseason by stealing Alex Caruso from the Bulls for just Josh Giddey. Then OKC selected the No. 1 player on our draft board with the 12th pick in Nikola Topic. The Thunder still needed reinforcements in the middle and rebounding help, and they filled those gaps in a big way with a big signing in free agency.
Isaiah Hartenstein signed a three-year, $87 million deal with the Thunder. Hartenstein fits right in with the group: he’s an elite interior defender, a high-level passer, and an excellent rebounder. The fact that the Thunder made him accept that the final year of his contract isn’t guaranteed makes this signing even better.
Last year, the Thunder were 29th in defensive rebounding percentage and 28th in offensive rebounding percentage. Hartenstein was arguably the best offensive rebounder in the league and he was also very adept at cleaning the glass on defense.
OKC’s poor rebounding didn’t stop them from winning 57 games and leading the West last year. The team loved playing five last year and Hartenstein isn’t a shooter, so his arrival will change the dynamic of the team. Whether he can play alongside Chet Holmgren or replace him primarily when he’s on the bench, he’s still an inspired signing that adds the kind of toughness and physicality to the middle that OKC desperately needed. The Thunder appear to be the go-to team in the West on paper heading into the season.
Loser: Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets continue to bleed talent from their 2023 championship team with nothing coming back. First, it was Bruce Brown and Jeff Green last offseason. Now, it’s Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
KCP was a perfect fit for the Nuggets as a three-point wing who could take on the toughest defensive assignments and make three-point shots. He was a near-sniper and the team’s best defender against faster guards. Denver could have re-signed him, but they were too afraid of the second apron—and too stingy!—to do so.
Nikola Jokic is the best player in the world and he’s in the middle of his prime at age 29. These should be years where Denver goes all out to win titles, but instead they’re choosing to maintain some flexibility moving forward. If the Nuggets’ young players like Christian Braun, Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther develop, Denver could still be a championship-caliber team. It’s just a very bold bet to make when you have the three-time MVP and a player who fits so perfectly with him in Caldwell-Pope.
Winner: Orlando Magic
The Magic were the most surprising team in the Eastern Conference last year, winning 47 games. Orlando made a big jump in the standings despite being one of the worst teams in the NBA in terms of three-point shooting, both in volume and percentage. Signing KCP gives the Magic a veteran who can shoot around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner without taking the ball out of their hands.
KCP’s defensive team is also in a great position in Orlando. Jalen Suggs and Caldwell-Pope will form one of the most ferocious defensive back lines in the league. Add in an elite defender like Jonathan Isaac, who is on the bench, and versatile players like Franz Wagner, Anthony Black and Wendell Carter Jr., and the Magic are starting to build a complete team on both ends of the floor.
Replacing Markelle Fultz with KCP is a significant upgrade for the Magic.
Winner: Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs entered this offseason with limited flexibility, but still found a way to add talent to a team that had just reached the NBA Finals. Dallas created cap space by trading Tim Hardaway Jr. for Quentin Grimes, then aggressively targeted free agents who could help their defense and improve their shooting.
Naji Marshall seemed like one of the best under-the-radar players on the free-agent market, and Dallas got him for three years, $27 million. Marshall will be the team’s de facto replacement for Derrick Jones Jr., and while he’s not as explosive or as fast defensively, he’s a stronger forward with a bit more shooting power. Speaking of shooting, the Mavs also brought in Klay Thompson on a three-year, $50 million deal. Thompson is still such a good shooter who rushes around screens, and with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving drawing so much attention defensively, he should be able to run to open shots whenever he wants.
It won’t be easy for Dallas to make it to the Western Conference Finals again, but it feels like they’ve improved their roster even after losing Jones. That deserves some praise.
Losers: Milwaukee Bucks
The Eastern Conference contenders have come together this summer to chase down the defending champion Celtics. The Sixers drafted Paul George, the Knicks drafted OG Anunoby and the Milwaukee Bucks… well, they didn’t do anything. After Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury scuppered their first-round playoff run last season, Milwaukee’s plan seems to be nothing more than crossing its fingers and hoping that an imperfect team can stay healthy and find answers.
The Bucks have performed well under Doc Rivers when their full roster was available. The team has never had much opportunity to add talent over the summer. Still, Milwaukee doing nothing is disappointing as its core pieces age a year and the Knicks and Sixers add top-tier talent down the road. If the Giannis-Damian Lillard duo is going to work, it will be this year.