We have truly hit the doldrums of the summer. That doesn’t mean there haven’t been impactful moves made. With training camp on the horizon, teams will complete their final moves before they come together for the 2024-2025 NBA season. We’ll cover the latest moves, NBA trade rumors, and available free agents.
In a twist, the LA Clippers and Russell Westbrook have parted ways. Following a trade to the Jazz, Utah released Westbrook for the second time. With Westbrook as a free agent in the market, it was widely rumored he had set his sights on Denver. Several weeks after being released from Utah, he signed a two-year, 6.5 million-dollar contract with Denver.
For Denver, this helps to replace some of the talent they have lost in the last couple of years. Losing Bruce Brown last year and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to Orlando this off-season. The talent drain has been apparent for the former championship team. Adding Westbrook will help give Denver a boost off the bench and a reliable backup for Jamal Murray.
A couple of players who missed out on big money this year, Tre Jones and Gary Trent Jr., take minimum contracts. Trent signed with the Milwaukee Bucks, landing him next to former teammate Damian Lillard. Betting on himself, Trent is taking a severe hit to his salary, making nearly 16 million dollars less than last year. However, the Bucks may be the best team for Trent to prove his value, as he can play off an elite trio who have their eyes set on a title run.
Tre Jones was another victim of a difficult free agency. Failing to garner a more significant deal, he opted to sign in with Phoenix on a minimum contract. The 24-year-old remains one of the most efficient point guards in the league in terms of assist-to-turnover ratio. With his main critique being his 3-point shooting, he’ll be surrounded by some of the best shooters in the league. While this may not be an ideal situation money-wise, Jones will be invaluable to a team looking for playmaking. Either way, this is an excellent signing for Phoenix, which now has a significant upgrade at point guard.
Markkanen has been one of the most lusted after-trade targets this off-season. The 27-year-old is coming off another stellar season with the Utah Jazz. On one of the best contracts in the league, Markkanen became the main trade target for multiple teams, including the LA Lakers and Golden State Warriors. However, their hopes of acquiring the versatile 7-footer talents have been dashed, as he had just signed a new 228 million dollar contract. This will prevent him from being traded for the next 6-months, which means he cannot be traded this season.
The contract is 5yrs with a 220 million dollars in new money. This will make Markkanen one of the top earners in the league, placing his yearly salary near 50 million dollars a year. We'll see how this advances Utah, as they are likely to hold onto Markkanen long term.
The market for guards in free agency has been brutal, with several notable names being left to sign minimum deals. Lonnie Walker remains a free agent after a down year in Brooklyn. The former 18th pick in the draft has struggled to find a home after his rookie contract. As a shifty athletic guard, numerous teams could use his services. As training camp looms closer, teams will likely look to add their finals pieces, but it’s unclear if Walker currently has suitors. With six years of NBA experience, he remains one of the top free agents available.
Talen Horton-Tucker's career has been an up-and-down affair to this point. Originally drafted in the second round by the LA Lakers, Horton-Tucker found success playing next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. This success was short-lived, as he failed to develop a reliable outside shot and soon fell out of favor with the team. This led the Lakers to trade Horton-Tucker to Utah in exchange for Patrick Beverly. Talen’s’ time in Utah has been uneventful, but he remains a solid two-way option. As a free agent, it’s unclear if he’ll find a team in the NBA. With five years of NBA experience and only being 23 years old, it’s likely a team will take him on as a deep bench prospect.
The former #1 overall pick has had anything but a smooth NBA career. The former Washington phenom struggled to transition to the NBA after being selected by Philadelphia. After two seasons with the team, he was traded to Orlando, where he’s spent the last four seasons. During that time, he had his ups and downs, but ultimately, injuries sidelined him for much of his time there. With such a checkered career thus far, Fultz might not find a team willing to risk his health. Despite this, when healthy, Fultz has proven himself to be a serviceable point guard. Proving playmaking and interior scoring, his lack of an outside shot has hampered his career. He’ll likely find his way onto a roster this season, but if not, his time in the NBA could be over.
Jerami Grant has remained in trade talks for months, with Portland setting a high price to acquire the 30-year-old's talents. Suitors like the LA Lakers and Golden State Warriors are making inquiries but are unwilling to meet Portland’s asking price.
Grant has a valuable skill set for teams looking to make a run for a championship. The 6’7 forward is a legitimate two-way threat, shooting over 40% from 3 and providing excellent defense. He is among the few available players; with most off-season transactions complete, he may be the last chance teams have to improve. This doesn’t guarantee he’ll be traded, however, as Portland will likely have no issue holding on to him for the season.
Brandon Ingram is the last big name surrounded by trade rumors. The 6’8 wing has struggled to remain healthy in New Orleans and will likely ask for a massive contract extension. These factors have crashed his trade value, as New Orleans is likely looking to move on following their acquisition of Dejounte Murray. With so much uncertainty around Ingram, we’ll likely see the situation drift into the NBA season. Several teams have been suggested as suitors, including the Detroit Pistons and Utah Jazz, but with a loaded draft class coming up, neither team seems likely to make moves to improve.
Kyle Kuzma has become an exciting trade candidate from several teams. Following another solid season with the Washington Wizards, Kuzma remains one of the best forwards available on the trade market. He could fill holes for multiple contending teams by providing high-level scoring and solid positional rebound. With numerous teams needing scoring from the forward position, this could be the year that Washington finally moves Kuzma.