From contenders still fighting to advance in the NBA playoffs to lottery-bound bottom-feeders whose seasons effectively ended months ago, free agency is always top of mind.

That may sound strange, especially as it applies to clubs actively engaged in postseason survival mode. You'd think the immediate goal of staying alive in the playoffs would monopolize an organization's bandwidth. But running an NBA team is a nonstop exercise in multitasking.

The most successful clubs divide their energy between winning the game in front of them and building the best possible roster for next year.

July 1 is fast approaching, bringing the difficult choices of free agency with it.

Here, Bleacher Report's Dan Favale and Grant Hughes lay out the free-agent decision that will cost each team's front office the most sleep.

Retention. Addition. How much to offer? For how long? At what opportunity cost?

Let's talk hard choices.

Atlanta Hawks: Saddiq Bey

The Atlanta Hawks will burn most of their offseason mental energy weighing whether or not to break up the Trae Young-Dejounte Murray backcourt via a blockbuster trade, but that'll be far from the only roster decision on their minds.

Whatever's left over will go to Jalen Johnson's extension negotiations.

Will Atlanta skirt any drama by securing its best young player with a four-year extension worth over $100 million? Will it have to go even higher to prevent the 22-year-old from playing out next season and hitting restricted free agency in 2025? Or will it hold off on negotiations altogether and risk irking him as other members of his rookie class lock down new deals this summer?

The actual free-agent questions aren't nearly as pressing as the trade and extension concerns Atlanta faces, but it still has at least one tricky decision.

Several rotation players are up for new deals, including 2023 trade-deadline acquisition Saddiq Bey, who started 51 of the 63 contests in which he appeared and averaged the fourth-most minutes on the team prior to going down with a torn ACL in March.

He shot just 31.6 percent from deep in 2023-24, and his injury means he'll miss significant time next year. Normally, that would rule out much interest in retaining him.

But the Hawks gave up three second-rounders in the four-team deal to acquire him last year, and the wing rotation isn't exactly overflowing with quality options. Wesley Matthews and Vit Krejci are also free agents.

Don't expect Atlanta to match sizable offer sheets for Bey if any materialize in the first place, but this may not be a situation where it can afford to just let him walk away for nothing—especially with limited flexibility to replace him.

-Hughes

Boston Celtics: One of the Backup Bigs

Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Jaden Springer and Sam Hauser are all eligible for extensions, with Tatum's inevitable new deal likely to exceed $300 million in total value.

That makes the Boston Celtics another team whose extension questions are far more pressing than any free-agency issues.

That said, the 64-win Celtics could do nothing and bring back each of their top eight players in minutes per game. All of them are under team control for 2024-25.

The ninth, Luke Kornet, and 10th, Xavier Tillman Sr., could present Boston with an either/or decision, as it may not be worthwhile to retain a pair of centers on a roster that already has Kristaps Porziņģis and Al Horford, not to mention Neemias Queta, whom the Celtics viewed as valuable enough to convert to a standard contract in April with a $2.2 million team option for 2024-25.

Kornet played about three more minutes per game than Tillman after the All-Star break and shot the ball much more efficiently (75.6 true shooting percentage to Tillman's 57.9 percent). Though Tillman brings switchability on defense, Kornet's size and shot-blocking could make him the higher priority.

Neither is likely to get much more than the minimum, but Boston's decision on which backup big (if any) to keep is the only free-agent question on the table.

-Hughes

Brooklyn Nets: Nic Claxton

The Brooklyn Nets have a delicate balance to strike with unrestricted free agent Nic Claxton, whose switchable defense, rebounding and rim protection are worth keeping around, but whose list of suitors might be shorter than his game deserves.

That's not to say Brooklyn should low-ball the 25-year-old center, but a little caginess would be wise. Claxton is a starting-caliber 5, but he's not a star, floor-spacer or functional offensive hub. Smart teams don't overpay helpful but limited big men.

Among teams with at least $25 million in projected cap space—Detroit, Oklahoma City, Orlando, Philadelphia, Toronto and Utah—it's hard to find a no-brainer landing spot with a willingness to break the bank for Claxton.

All those teams have young prospects, established stars or more pressing non-center needs on their rosters, so the Nets can begin negotiations knowing his options are somewhat limited.

Though his block rate and scoring efficiency slipped last season from the levels he set in finishing ninth in DPOY during the 2022-23 campaign, Claxton still rated as a clear positive by Defensive Estimated Plus/Minus and held opponents to 55.3 percent shooting inside six feet, which is in the same neighborhood as Anthony Davis and Jarrett Allen.

If Brooklyn can get something like Allen's four-year, $80 million deal done with Claxton, it'll count as a win. Go beyond that, and the Nets risk compromising long-term flexibility by paying a solid starter like a star.

-Hughes

Charlotte Hornets: Miles Bridges

When teams make free-agent decisions, large or small, they're telling us about themselves. Not just what they need positionally or where they believe themselves to be on the rebuilding/contending spectrum, but what they value. What they care about as an organization.

For Jeff Peterson and the rest of the Charlotte Hornets' new ownership and management group, Miles Bridges' free agency will be especially revealing.

Bridges pleaded no contest to a felony domestic violence charge and lost the entirety of the 2022-23 season to a combination of PR fallout and a 30-game suspension, 10 games of which he served at the start of 2023-24.

After returning, he put up a career-high 21.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, despite sacrificing scoring efficiency as he was somewhat overextended on offense with LaMelo Ball missing so much time.

Bridges is a 26-year-old combo forward who might have commanded a max contract just two years ago, before his off-court issues changed the course of his career.

Are the Hornets prepared to let that player walk away for nothing in unrestricted free agency as a signal to fans that conduct off the floor matters as much to them as productivity on it? Would they rather keep a valuable player and say they're in the business of giving second chances? Will another team see an opportunity to pounce, play the change-of-scenery angle and secure the services of a quality starter?

Every free-agent situation comes with questions. Bridges' features some of the toughest.

-Hughes

Chicago Bulls: DeMar DeRozan

If the Chicago Bulls were like most teams, they wouldn't have a decision to make on DeMar DeRozan at all...because he wouldn't even be on the roster.

Most squads that hover around the .500 mark and have a 34-year-old veteran ticketed for free agency would have dealt him away at the trade deadline. More proactive organizations would have pulled the trigger last year.

However, because the Bulls' relentless pursuit of mediocrity demands they eschew cap space, flexibility and asset maximization, they have to decide how much to invest in a player whose age indicates decline is imminent and whose current level is, well...good enough to lead a team to 39 wins and a play-in exit.

DeRozan was undeniably productive, yet again dominating in the clutch and leading the Bulls in total points, assists, field goals and free throws. Chicago was 2.5 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor than off, and there's plenty to be said for a player who can suit up for 79 games in the load-management era.

The good news for Chicago is that prime landing spots for DeRozan are few and far between. The Orlando Magic need more spacing than he offers, the Philadelphia 76ers probably have bigger fish in mind, and the Utah Jazz should have zero interest in an aging mid-30s scorer.

Even if little competition for DeRozan's services emerges, the Bulls must still be careful about their spending. Or, at least that would be the case for a team that ever planned to free up room, bottom out and build a roster capable of winning more than 40-something games.

-Hughes

Cleveland Cavaliers: Isaac Okoro

Isaac Okoro is still just 23, something the Cleveland Cavaliers will have to keep in mind as they assess his growth trajectory this offseason.

A restricted free agent with four full seasons and 216 starts under his belt, the 2020 No. 5 overall pick will command offer sheets from teams that crave his defense and finishing skills.

If any of them believe he can make strides as a volume shooter or on-ball attacker, the contract figures could be surprisingly high.

The Cavs brought in Max Strus and retained Caris LeVert last summer, a signal they viewed Okoro as the weak link in the starting five. Though he logged 42 starts in 2023-24 and improved his three-point hit rate to 39.1 percent on a career-high 3.1 attempts per game, most of those first-unit appearances were due to injury-related absences of other starters.

Okoro still doesn't shoot often enough or with enough variety—he almost never fired unless catching at a standstill—to really concern defenses. But again, he's 23. Players that young with lottery pedigrees, high-revving motors and bankable defensive games are often good bets to keep improving.

Does Cleveland believe it needs Okoro with Strus and LeVert around? Does it foresee him making strides offensively?

The Cavs have higher-level personnel issues to address (cough, Donovan Mitchell's imminent exit, cough), but making the right call on Okoro is their most pressing free-agent concern this summer.

-Hughes

Dallas Mavericks: Derrick Jones Jr.

Critical free-agent decisions do not await the Dallas Mavericks this summer. Assuming they guarantee deals for Dante Exum and Jaden Hardy, Derrick Jones Jr. is the lone rotation player set to hit the open market.

Re-signing him will no doubt register as a priority—unless Dallas does something seismic on the trade market. Jones has handled many of the toughest defensive assignments all year, and he buried enough of his threes during the regular season (34.3 percent) to evade liability status.

The catch? The Mavs only have his non-Bird rights, which allows them to offer him a 120 percent raise before tapping into cap space or, in their case, an exception.

That increase probably won't fly when he's working off a minimum contract. And while Dallas has some wiggle room under the first apron, it currently isn't enough to access the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception.

Granted, the 27-year-old shouldn't come close to commanding the $12.4 million MLE. Even if the Mavs end up limited to the $5 million mini MLE, he could remain inside their price range.

This is more about spending allocation. Do they want to use a chunk, if not the lion's share, of their best spending tool to keep Jones? Or can that money go further by funneling more of it into someone else or holstering it as a glorified traded player exception (which teams are now allowed to do)?

—Favale

Denver Nuggets: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Player Option)

Logistically speaking, keeping Kentavious Caldwell-Pope isn't much of a brain-bender for the Denver Nuggets. They can pay whatever it takes to keep him if he opts out and hits the open market. (Basically, this is the inverse of last summer's Bruce Brown situation.)

Yet, things get dicey when the dreaded second apron is involved. And as of now, the Nuggets profile as a "super-tax" squad—before ever baking in a raise for KCP.

Pencil him in for his player-option value ($15.4 million), and Denver will be around $9.1 million into the second apron if Reggie Jackson exercises his player option and the team picks up its club option for Vlatko Čančar.

That number—and the tax bill attached to it—will climb if KCP requires a substantial raise. And he might require a substantial raise. He is among the league's grittiest, most underappreciated guard and wing defenders and fits like a glove across any offensive system. Tack on a shallow free-agent market, and his infinitely scalable skill set could earn him multiyear windfalls north of $20 million annually.

Denver shouldn't care. The 31-year-old is an invaluable member of a championship core. Having Christian Braun, Peyton Watson and Julian Strawther waiting in the wings doesn't change that. The Nuggets won't have the financial resources, trade assets or in-house experience to adequately replace him.

Once more, though, the Second Apron Era poses a wild card. It's new, expensive, extremely punitive and restrictive. If nothing else, KCP's free-agent status will test the Nuggets' stomach for plowing right on through it in the name of preserving its title-winning nucleus.

—Favale

Detroit Pistons: Evan Fournier

Evan Fournier put up 7.2 points per game and shot 27.0 percent from deep in 29 contests with the Detroit Pistons last year. That poor performance came on the heels of one-and-a-half seasons spent almost entirely out of the New York Knicks' rotation.

Given those facts, you might not see any mystery about what Detroit should do with the 31-year-old guard's $19 million team option.

The Pistons will have loads of cap space whether they decline Fournier's option or not, but it might not be the worst decision to keep him on the books. An expiring $19 million salary could have value to teams looking to offload longer-term deals with draft picks attached. Coming off a 14-win season during which some of their recent first-rounders failed to impress, the Pistons should be in the market for as many lottery tickets as possible.

If Fournier's salary can be at all helpful in procuring young talent, it's worth holding onto. And even if other teams are totally uninterested in taking that money on in a one-for-one deal, Detroit could still use that expiring $19 million to insert itself into multi-team exchanges that need matching salary.

The Knicks found a taker for Fournier last season when his contract structure was essentially the same, bringing back Bojan Bogdanović and Alec Burks. That's proof the Pistons could extract some value here, even if simply wiping $19 million from their cap sheet seems like the more obvious play.

-Hughes

Golden State Warriors: Klay Thompson

Free-agency decisions don't get much more complex—emotionally and logistically—than what the Golden State Warriors face with Klay Thompson.

Contrary to the narrative taking hold amid the Dubs' tough-to-watch transition out of title contention, the 34-year-old still has value. He is coming off a season in which he averaged nearly 18 points and downed almost 39 percent of his nine three-point attempts per game. That level of shot-making, which continues to include looks off motion, can be a boon for spacing.

But what do you pay that player when his offense is subject to more variance? And when his defense has fallen off? And when starting or closing games with him is often no longer in the best interests of your team?

That's the question the Warriors must grapple with. And they have to reconcile it while also accounting for emotional components—mainly his four title runs and closeness to Stephen Curry and Draymond Green—as well as financial realities.

The latter may dictate what happens in the end. Golden State isn't merely a non-contender flirting with the second apron, it's an organization that may be looking to entirely exit the luxury tax.

Managing team governor Joe Lacob told The TK Show (h/t CBS Sports' Sam Quinn) earlier this year that "our Plan 1, or 1A, is that we'd like to be out of the tax, and we think that we have a way to do that. That kind of is the plan, not just under the second apron."

Juggling this agenda with the return of Thompson isn't necessarily a mutually exclusive proposition. The Warriors will have over $25 million in room beneath the luxury tax if they waive Chris Paul and can carve out more depending on what happens with Kevon Looney ($3 million guaranteed) and Gary Payton II (player option).

Failing other cost-cutting maneuvers, though, Golden State is likely looking at a scenario in which re-signing Thompson is effectively all it can do while exiting that tax. That won't help their playoff equity, let alone odds of reentering contention.

Plenty of factors can change the calculus. The Warriors could dump Andrew Wiggins' deal, though that loops us back to the "Does it help them actually win?" discussion. Thompson could accept less than the Detroit Pistons or Orlando Magic (might) offer him to stay put. But how much less?

And what number makes sense for a Warriors organization trying to trim operating costs and remain competitively relevant?

—Favale

Houston Rockets: Jock Landale (Non-Guaranteed)

Mega-tough free-agency decisions are not on the Houston Rockets' summer menu. Their offseason deliberations will be more geared toward extension talks for Jalen Green and Alperen Şengün and determining whether signing one or both makes sense in advance of what could be a squeaky-clean cap sheet in 2025.

Absent any pivotal dilemmas, the Rockets are left to figure out the utility of Jeff Green ($9.6 million) and Jock Landale ($8 million). Both players' contracts for next season are non-guaranteed. And though neither is irreplaceable, they can have value as matching salaries in prospective trades.

Guaranteeing Green's deal feels like a no-brainer. He played real backup minutes in the frontcourt.

Landale is a different story. He was barely part of the rotation prior to the All-Star break, before additional injuries hit and games started mattering less. Keeping him on the payroll doesn't serve much of an on-court purpose, but it does arm Houston with $8 million in expiring money to dangle during trade talks.

Then again, the Rockets will have 13 players under contract if they guarantee Green and Landale, pick up Jae'Sean Tate's team option and keep Brooklyn's first-round pick.

Sure, they have the breathing room beneath the tax to retain Landale and spend their mid-level exception. But do they also have the roster-spot runway?

—Favale

Indiana Pacers: Pascal Siakam

It's possible that little about Pascal Siakam's next contract is up for negotiation. The Indiana Pacers cannot have given up three first-rounders without having a good idea of what it was going to take to retain him in free agency.

That said, Indiana should have some concerns about giving the 30-year-old the full boat.

The two-time All-NBA forward is eligible for a five-year deal worth up to $247 million, an enormous sum that, objectively, would feel like an overpay. Don't expect Siakam's representation to care when it starts talks by asking for the absolute max and sits back while Indy squirms.

The trade that brought him aboard created immense leverage. The Pacers don't tend to sign players as good as Siakam in free agency, so in addition to not being able to replace him if he falls off their cap sheet, they'd also have to stomach giving up picks and players for a three-month rental.

Siakam can't get a fifth year from another team, so Indy will have that advantage in its back pocket. Indiana can also pay him about $7 million more than any other team over the life of a four-year deal ($190 million vs. $183 million).

The real question for the Pacers is where to draw the line...or maybe where to pretend they're drawing a line. You wouldn't think Siakam would sign elsewhere if Indiana puts the four-year, $190 million offer on the table. But if it dips anywhere below that figure, things could get interesting.

-Hughes

Los Angeles Clippers: Paul George

This spot is a toss-up between Paul George (player option) and James Harden. The former wins out by virtue of his curb appeal.

George is bound to have a more robust market than Harden, mostly because 6'8" wings who can get it done on defense and plug into just about any offensive role imaginable are forever hot commodities.

The 34-year-old will have his pick of teams in free agency—even ones without cap space. Sign-and-trades are on the table, and he can always opt into the final year of his contract to grease the wheels of a deal.

The Los Angeles Clippers should have the inside track on retaining him. He wanted to be in Tinseltown, and they can extend him now. But this has all been true for, well, the entire season. The continued absence of an extension could merely be a sign that he wants to opt out and ink a brand-new four-year deal. It could also suggest he's holding out for max money the Clippers aren't currently ponying up.

Kawhi Leonard signing a three-year, $149.7 million extension that checks in a notch below his own max makes George's situation that much weirder. Is he unwilling to sign the same deal? Was he even offered it?

A four-year max for George this summer would run $221.1 million. You can understand the Clippers' trepidation relative to his age and own availability warts. But they just traded for Harden and then extended Kawhi, who is again sidelined with a right knee issue. Pinching pennies now would be bizarre.

If this is a matter of George's role or supporting cast, it may be out of Los Angeles' hands. He could go somewhere else and rank as the No. 2 option rather than a No. 3. He could also go somewhere else and be flanked by a healthier, less fragile set of complements and co-stars.

If this is an issue of money, the Clippers better be prepared to back up the Brinks truck. Another team can and will give George a four-year, $212.2 million max if he explores his options. Combined with Leonard's latest injury, L.A.'s leverage in negotiations is zilch.

—Favale

Los Angeles Lakers: D'Angelo Russell (Player Option)

Rolling with the LeBron James (player option) doesn't jibe with the spirit of this exercise. His free agency isn't a decision for the Los Angeles Lakers.

He's LeBron James and still playing like LeBron James. Whether he wants to opt in and extend, opt out and sign a new three-year deal, ink an even shorter-term contract—whatever it is, you do it, happily and without hesitation.

D'Angelo Russell's future is nowhere near as simple. He sounds like he'll decline his $18.7 million and explore free agency. That's probably the right call. He is coming off another unspectacular playoff performance but wrapped up the regular season averaging 18.0 points and 6.3 assists while downing 41.5 percent of his triples, including a 39.1 percent clip on off-the-dribble treys.

Cap-space teams in search of secondary ball-handling and spacing will surely sniff around his asking price. The Lakers have a trounce card (his Bird rights) and can't hope to replace what he brings using some version of the mid-level exception. But part of his appeal last summer was a contract structure specifically formulated to be traded. The terms may not be as favorable this time around.

And even if they are, the Lakers are obligated to operate with more urgency. This isn't a wait-and-see-at-the-deadline scenario. Their trade-market hustle has to take place over the offseason. Russell can't advance that agenda as a salary-matching tool unless he agrees to be moved as part of a sign-and-trade, which gives him even more leverage.

There's also the chance any blockbuster the Lakers strike renders the 28-year-old's skill set redundant. What do you pay him, and for how long, if you don't envision him as your co-lead guard or even someone who won't be on the roster past February 2025?

A lot hinges on the outside interest he is able to drum up. That could work out in L.A.'s favor (again). It could also force it into a difficult decision, especially if it's yet to get a firm grasp of the trade opportunities at its disposal.

—Favale

Memphis Grizzlies: Luke Kennard (Team Option)

The Memphis Grizzlies are in a comfy spot when it comes to their own free agents, mostly because they don't have any important ones. Luke Kennard's team option looms as the biggest decision, and it's a choice that's entirely the club's prerogative.

This is different from saying it's an easy decision. It's not. At least, it shouldn't be.

Left knee issues limited the 27-year-old to 39 appearances this past season. The state of his knees in general is a red flag. That may be enough to coax Memphis out of the Kennard business given its proximity to the tax.

Declining his team option leaves the Grizzlies inside $7 million of the luxury-tax line, depending on where their lottery pick lands. Bringing him back raises their payroll squarely into tax territory, a potential no-go for team governorship relative to the number of question marks peppered up and down this roster.

Still, Memphis' acquisition of Marcus Smart last summer was borne from a sense of urgency—an obligation to win now. That has not dissipated in the wake of a campaign derailed by injuries. On the contrary, urgency increases right along with your payroll.

Kennard remains valuable from a basketball perspective. He just drilled 45 percent of his triples, which he launched at a rate of 8.6 per 36 minutes. Even at full strength, the Grizzlies' offense is in no position to simply move on from this level of outside volume and efficiency, particularly when it comes from someone who can score off motion and do a bit off the dribble.

Does Memphis eat a projected tax bill and then reevaluate its place in the league at the trade deadline? Would it prefer to get rid of Kennard and attempt to sign shooting with the (mini) mid-level exception?

Does it ascribe any value to Kennard's expiring contract as a trade chip, when it lacks many alternative salary-matching tools? Is the organization strictly concerned with ducking the tax to make entering it later on more realistic? How does the search, the need, for at least one frontcourt reinforcement impact all of this?

Get ready for another high-stakes offseason in Grind City.

—Favale

Miami Heat: Haywood Highsmith

A handful of players who logged rotation minutes for the Miami Heat in 2023-24 have player options they could decline to enter free agency, most notably Caleb Martin and Kevin Love.

Among those guaranteed to hit the market, though, Haywood Highsmith is the most interesting.

He is a prime example of Miami's player-development machine. Undrafted in 2018, he bounced around the G League and played in Germany before the Heat got hold of him in 2022. Always a high-energy defender and slasher, the combo forward carved out more minutes in each of his three seasons with the Heat, bumping up his three-point mark to a career-best 39.6 percent in 2023-24.

With length and lateral quickness that makes him extremely useful in Miami's zone defenses, Highsmith generates high steal and block rates while also holding up well against bigger matchups inside.

Two factors work against Highsmith and in favor of Miami retaining him relatively cheaply. At 27, he may not look like a player with much room to grow his game. What's more, it generally hasn't been a great idea for other teams to trust they can coax the same level of performance from prospects the Heat discover and mold in their unique crucible.

His restricted status means Miami can match any offer sheets he signs with other teams. Considering the investment they've made in him to this point, the Heat should want to keep him around. At the same time, they've got plenty of reason to believe they can simply locate and build the next Highsmith off the scrap heap if the offers get too pricey.

-Hughes

Milwaukee Bucks: Beasley or Beverley?

With several rotation players ticketed for free agency—Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley and Jae Crowder chief among them—the Milwaukee Bucks' 2024-25 roster is going to have some holes.

Capped out by the salaries of Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez alone, Milwaukee won't have many ways to fill them.

Beverley and Beasley offer vastly different skill sets, with the former bringing defensive intensity and the latter offering elite sharpshooting. Both should be retention priorities over Crowder, but Milwaukee doesn't have Bird rights on either guard and may simply have to hope minimums are enough to keep one or the other around.

Beasley, just 27 and coming off the best three-point shooting season of his career, is bound to field offers far larger than Milwaukee can manage. He came up big in a bet-on-yourself campaign and is going to cash in.

Does that mean Beverley, a 35-year-old journeyman, is the Bucks' most pressing free-agent concern? Given Milwaukee's season-long struggles on defense, he might be.

If that doesn't illustrate the dire straits Milwaukee faces with an aging roster and virtually no flexibility, I don't know what does.

-Hughes

Minnesota Timberwolves: Kyle Anderson

This one comes down to Kyle Anderson or Monte Morris. The former gets the nod because of the longer tenure and defensive versatility, and because even though backup point guard is a greater need than frontcourt depth, he figures to cost substantially more than Morris.

Of course, re-signing either could prove taboo for the Minnesota Timberwolves. They will basically be right at the second apron before factoring in new deals for Anderson or Morris.

This has left the sustainability of the core billowing in the wind essentially since it was assembled. The issue is even more front and center now that Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez are entering arbitration with Glen Taylor to determine who controls the organization moving forward.

Ideally, it shouldn't matter who's spearheading the C-Suite. Barring an epically discouraging flameout in their second-round matchup with the Denver Nuggets, the Wolves have shown they're the real deal—on the right track at minimum.

If those in charge aren't willing to swallow one season's worth of a supertax bill, they first and foremost have no business controlling an NBA franchise. At the very least, though, they should be willing to run it back, key free agents and all, and figure out how to save money later. Teams have until the end of the league's calendar to shave payroll.

With all of this said, Anderson's free agency will be a point of contention even if Minnesota isn't Scrooge-ing it up. The rotation has plenty of minutes (and money) invested in Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid. Anderson has already seen his role shrink (so far) during the playoffs.

There is value in crafty regular-season innings eaters. But if Anderson is looking for bigger-MLE-type money ($12.4 million in Year 1) or more, the Timberwolves must decide whether paying for another non-wing is the smartest use of not only their money but also their roster space.

—Favale

New Orleans Pelicans: Jonas Valančiūnas

Naji Marshall and Jose Alvarado (team option) both received consideration for the New Orleans Pelicans. Retaining the former becomes a bigger priority if the team uses one or more of its wings in a trade, and declining the latter's club option now in hopes of getting an annual discount on his next deal is a scenario worth exploring.

Jonas Valančiūnas comfortably wins out anyway. He is an incredibly useful offensive player and rebounder who provides both (some) stretch and oodles of physicality. He's also far from the ideal big to pair up front with Zion Williamson, or to trust in a multitude of different playoff matchups.

Upgrading his spot in the rotation should be on the Pelicans' to-do list, but they have bigger fish to fry. Given Zion's spotty health bill and Brandon Ingram's limitations, it's time for New Orleans to aggressively prowl the trade market for a caps-lock FLOOR GENERAL—-preferably one who can run more two-man stuff with and play off Williamson in the event he's available come postseason time.

Making that the focus does not altogether end the search for a center who offers more rim protection and either additional shooting or vertical spacing. But it does nudge the hunt down a peg or two on the offseason wish list.

And regardless of how the Pelicans organize their priorities, there is an element of "if not Valančiūnas, then who?" They have trade assets to make stuff happen, but the optimal center is such a specific archetype, they're kind of reliant on a half-dozen or so players shaking loose.

Complicated still, New Orleans won't gain any flexibility by letting Valančiūnas walk. They project to be around $13 million under the luxury tax before tackling new deals for him or Marshall.

Can the mid-level exception nab the Pelicans a better complement up front than Valančiūnas? Or someone who approximates a larger percentage of the optimal fit? And if not, is New Orleans ready and able to consolidate some of its assets into someone who makes more sense? Or, for now, is it most prudent to bring back Valančiūnas and figure out the grander scheme later?

—Favale

New York Knicks

OG Anunoby could have extended with the Toronto Raptors for up to four years and $118 million. He's a member of the New York Knicks today, in part, because the Raptors knew that number wasn't going to beat what he could get in free agency.

A trade was the best way to avoid the risk of losing OG for nothing.

The New York Knicks face the same issue now, with Anunoby likely to decline his player option in order to enter unrestricted free agency. They've known all along that they'll have to pay handsomely to keep their most consequential in-season acquisition.

New York gave up RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to acquire Anunoby, a heavy cost that indicates it'll spend what it takes to retain the 26-year-old forward. Also boosting Anunoby's earning power: The Knicks destroyed the competition whenever he was on the floor, running up a plus-21.7 net rating during his 802 minutes this year.

Isaiah Hartenstein was one of the best defensive bigs in the league this season, and his unrestricted free agency would top the list of priorities for many teams. But Anunoby could field multi-year offers that start above $40 million per season in a thin free-agent market.

The Knicks will be highly motivated to keep him, but they won't be able to do it cheaply.

-Hughes

Oklahoma City Thunder: Isaiah Joe (Team Option)

Isaiah Joe won't be a free agent if the Oklahoma City Thunder want to keep him under extreme cost control, at roughly $2.2 million, for another year. But 1) the lack of alternative selections forces my hand, because I have no desire to pretend Gordon Hayward's free agency is a priority, and 2) this is an actual decision that executive vice president and general manager Sam Presti must weigh.

Repressing Joe's salary for another season has its advantages, most notably maximizing what should be north of $27 million in cap space. But declining his team option now (theoretically) turns free agency into less of an issue.

Going this route allows the Thunder to re-sign Joe using Early Bird rights and offer him a starting salary up to 105 percent of the league's average before tapping into cap space. In exchange for giving him a raise one year earlier, the 24-year-old would presumably table talks with other teams—and potentially not cost as much as he would in 2025.

This feels like the smartest path. Especially when Joe's initial cap hold would be so low that Oklahoma City can preserve its overall free-agency spacing power. And particularly when it could save the team money on an annual basis as Josh Giddey, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams come up for new deals.

But this decision is not without risk. The Thunder have to be sure Joe won't get seduced by over-the-top offers from cap-space squads on the prowl for plop-and-play motion shooting attached to an air of open-space dribbling and defensive hustle. There will be interest—loads of it—if he's considered available.

Presti is smart enough not to be gobsmacked by alternative outcomes. But that doesn't render this any less of a situation worth monitoring.

—Favale

Orlando Magic: Which Offensive Guard to Sign

Offensive first-round outbursts against the Cleveland Cavaliers notwithstanding, the Orlando Magic backcourt was among the league's worst at generating offense all season.

A trade could address the issue (Anfernee Simons, anyone?), but the Magic are also poised to have as much as $66 million in cap space this summer.

Considering Orlando ranked 22nd in offensive efficiency and 25th in three-point percentage, it should be looking to improve its offense via trade and free agency.

Malik Monk profiles as a clean fit, even if the Magic should be careful about overspending on a player who showed out during a contract year. Though he only shot 35.0 percent from deep, he posted the highest assist rate on drives (minimum 6.0 drives per game) in the league.

Orlando's shooting is a weakness, but so is its lack of backcourt facilitation. Monk addresses the latter better than most other options. The Sacramento Kings can only offer four years and $78 million, a figure the Magic should be comfortable exceeding.

After Monk, they could consider Klay Thompson, Buddy Hield, Gary Trent Jr., Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Malik Beasley and Bruce Brown.

If Orlando wants to get wildly aggressive, a 34-year-old Paul George could decline his player option and get on the market if he doesn't reach an extension agreement with the Clippers.

-Hughes

Philadelphia 76ers: What to Do with Over $60 Million

Joel Embiid is the only player on the Philadelphia 76ers roster with fully guaranteed money on the books for next season. By definition, no team has more free-agent decisions to make.

Other than Tyrese Maxey, whom the Sixers didn't extend last offseason as part of a plan to maximize cap space this summer, everyone else who suited up for Philly this past year could be gone.

Maxey, 23 and coming off a Most Improved Player award, should be a lock for a max extension.

But Tobias Harris, Buddy Hield, Nicolas Batum, De'Anthony Melton, Kyle Lowry, Kelly Oubre Jr. and all the rest are flight risks as the Sixers look to make a splash with over $60 million in spending power under the cap.

Some of those players could be back, but the number will depend on which outside free agents Philadelphia lands.

Paul George has yet to extend with the L.A. Clippers, and he'd quickly become the top target if he were to decline his player option. Poaching OG Anunoby from the Knicks would be highly satisfying after that rough first-round elimination.

Klay Thompson? DeMar DeRozan? A massive overpay to steal Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (player option) from the Denver Nuggets?

The only certainty is that the Sixers will add significant (and costly) talent this summer. Their biggest priority needs to be figuring out how much to spend and on whom.

-Hughes

Phoenix Suns: Royce O'Neale

Hammering out the Grayson Allen extension leaves just one option for the Phoenix Suns: The future of Bol Bol Royce O'Neale.

Losing him is a non-option on its face. The Suns have his Bird rights and zero means of replacing his minutes and defensive responsibilities using anything other than minimums. And we all just saw how fragile, if not impossible, it is to tether so much of your team's depth and its fate to strings of minimum deals.

This is great news for Royce O'Neale. He has all sorts of leverage in a vacuum.

Except the Suns' payroll doesn't exist in a vacuum.

Their cap sheet will approach $190 million in guaranteed money before ever digging into O'Neale negotiations. Re-signing him should slingshot their payroll past $200 million while inflating their tax-bill galaxies above the $35 million-ish at which it currently sits.

Stomaching these costs is part and parcel of purposely housing three of next season's seven highest-paid players. But there's a difference between implicit commitment and actual commitment. It'd be a whole lot easier for team governor Mat Ishbia to crack open his supertax slush fund if the team didn't just get the snot kicked out of them in the first round.

Disappointing 2023-24 season and all, the Suns remain obligated to pony up. Otherwise, what the hell are they doing? But every team has a breaking point.

Depending on outside forces, Ishbia's faith in this core and any concern that Kevin Durant or even Devin Booker might ask for out, O'Neale's free agency will stress test Phoenix's capacity to keep doubling down on a collective product yet to pan out as intended.

—Favale

Portland Trail Blazers: Do They Need to Open Roster Spots?

Unless you have a special fondness for Dalano Banton (team option) or Moses Brown, the Portland Trail Blazers have nothing critical brewing entering free agency. Theirs is a situation more intriguing for its logistics, functionally and financially.

Once the Blazers guarantee the salaries of Toumani Camara and Jabari Walker, they will have 15 guaranteed contracts done (assuming they keep both of their first-rounders). Portland will also be more than $5 million into the tax at that point.

Neither situation is going to stand. The Blazers will want more roster space with which to work, even though they're allowed to carry more players during the offseason. And they most definitely aren't staying inside the tax when they're firmly entrenched in the early stages of a rebuild.

Where will the cost-cutting and roster space come from? A Malcolm Brogdon or Jerami Grant trade? An Anfernee Simons, Matisse Thybulle or Robert Williams III trade? A far less significant move?

Equally important: How soon will the Blazers look to reorient its roster and cap sheet? Will they make moves sooner rather than later and use some version of the mid-level exception to take swings on the open market? Or are they content to ride this out as presently constructed, perhaps into the season, as interest in their top trade chips presumably mushrooms?

—Favale

Sacramento Kings: Malik Monk

Malik Monk's shooting and driving and how he leverages both into playmaking are functionalities the Sacramento Kings can ill-afford to lose.

But they might.

Having Early Bird rights on Monk allows the Kings to pitch him on a four-year contract worth up to $78 million. Once upon a time, this felt like more than enough. This isn't once upon a time anymore.

Monk is just 26. He will have interest from the cap-space brigade, certain members of which may be prepared to beat out Sactown's best offer or sign him to an inflated short-term deal that lets him re-explore the open market sooner. (Think: Bruce Brown last summer, with a second guaranteed year).

To that end, much of this is out of the Kings' hands. As Morten Stig Jensen explained for Forbes, they could try signing him to a deal that has him hitting free agency in 2025 with full Bird rights and the promise of paying him up the wazoo. But a hush-hush, wink-wink agreement could invite a league investigation. And more to the point, this is Monk's first real opportunity to cash in on his play. Delaying it because Sacramento pinky swears to shell out stacks of Benjamins later may not be an option on his bingo card.

For argument's sake, though, let's say Sacramento's top-shelf offer is enough to keep Monk. Are they ready to pony up? Signing him to the full boat won't thrust them into the tax on its own, but they'd be right there. And that's before caking in any other moves or contracts.

Is Sacramento willing to enter the tax now? After it just missed the playoffs? And with raises for De'Aaron Fox and Keegan Murray coming down the pipeline?

Can the Kings finagle the best of both worlds by offloading other salary to stay under the tax, access the mid-level exception and keep Monk? Who's a goner if that's the route they go? Kevin Huerter? Harrison Barnes? Trey Lyles? And is there any scenario in which they get noticeably better beyond another jump from Murray and more of Keon Ellis while also pinching pennies under the tax line?

—Favale

San Antonio Spurs: Cap Space or Nah?

I can't bring myself to focus on a specific San Antonio Spurs player. Please forgive me Cedi Osman.

San Antonio's macro view is more tantalizing anyway. That would remain true if anyone other than Victor Wembanyama or Devin Vassell were preparing to enter free agency.

And speaking of Wemby: His meteoric rise and subsequent dominance forcibly accelerates the Spurs' timeline. Theirs is no longer a gradual window. They have the luxury of time but not patience. He's ready to headline a contender now.

Browsing through blockbuster-trade scenarios in search of a floor general is San Antonio's most discussed and, perhaps, most likely course. But the Spurs can conjure more than $17 million in space if they renounce all of their own free agents, decline most non-guarantees and waive Devonte' Graham ($2.9 million guaranteed).

Peddling sub-max money may not get San Antonio very far. And in some ways, this is just as well. The floor-general market is rough. Tyrese Maxey (restricted) isn't going anywhere, and the Spurs aren't getting in the James Harden business.

But what about Immanuel Quickley (restricted)? Or even Malik Monk? Both would elevate San Antonio's offense. Both may also cost more money than the Spurs have available. Would they consider waiving Julian Champagnie (non-guaranteed) to increase the number? Or more meaningfully, would they grease the wheels of a Zach Collins salary dump?

Far-fetched? Possibly inconsequential? Would the team be content to sign Tyus Jones and move on? Yes, yes and probably. But if San Antonio doesn't have big plans for its cap space, should it keep Graham and re-sign Osman as human trade exceptions and operate as an over-the-cap team?

The individual stakes here are relatively low (unless you're prepared to lose sleep over the fate of Dominick Barlow...which I might be). The overall stakes, though, are astronomically high. And so long as Wemby exists, they'll only soar higher.

—Favale

Toronto Raptors: Immanuel Quickley

When the Toronto Raptors agreed to a two-year, $26 million extension with deadline acquisition Kelly Olynyk, it took one offseason decision off the table. Plenty more remain, led by Immanuel Quickley's restricted free agency.

Brought over as the key return in the trade that sent OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks, Quickley profiles as Toronto's point guard of the future. He averaged 18.6 points, 6.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game while hitting 39.5 percent of his treys in 38 games with the Raptors last season.

Indications from earlier in the year suggest he expects to be paid like a front-line starter, with Sportsnet's Michael Grange reporting the 24-year-old was looking for an extension in the five-year, $135 million range.

HoopsHype's Michael Scotto also reported Quickely didn't accept an offer from the Knicks worth around $18 million per season.

The correct contract figures lie somewhere in the middle, and the Raps have the advantage of matching rights on any offer sheet Quickley inks with another team. Orlando leads a class of guard-deficient organizations that could force Toronto into uncomfortable spending territory.

Ultimately, the Raptors didn't add Quickley as a rental. They'll fork over whatever it takes to lock him down before handling Bruce Brown's team option and Gary Trent Jr.'s unrestricted free agency.

-Hughes

Utah Jazz: Lauri Markkanen (Renegotiate and Extend)

Extensions aren't supposed to be part of this shindig, but let's be honest, do you really want to read me blathering on about Kris Dunn and Early Bird rights?

Oh, also: Lauri Markkanen's case is different.

Renegotiate-and-extends don't thrust players into free agency, but they do give them an immediate raise—provided teams have the cap space to bankroll it. And since these negotiations require cap space, the arbiters of tough free-agency decisions (myself and Mr. Hughes) have decided this counts.

Dredging up the flexibility to offer Markkanen the maximum allowable raise isn't a problem for the Utah Jazz. They have a line to more than $35 million in cap space. A renegotiate-and-extend for Markkanen requires less than $8 million.

At a 140 percent raise (the max allowed), his 2024-25 salary would jump from $18 million to around $25.3 million. The total value of a four-year extension, meanwhile, would come to $113.2 million.

Putting that offer on the table takes zero forethought from Utah's front office. Markkanen just put a bow on his second consecutive season of averaging over 23 points while knocking down more than 55 percent of his twos and 39 percent of his threes. Across league history, just five other players have spit out more than one of these campaigns: Kevin Durant (five), Stephen Curry (four), Kawhi Leonard (three), Karl-Anthony Towns (3) and LeBron James (two).

Which raises the question: Would Markkanen even sign on the dotted line? Or does he roll the dice until next summer, when he's eligible for a max contract worth 30 percent of the salary cap?

Kicking the can is risky yet totally in play. Next season is Markkanen's age-27 campaign. He will still be firmly in his prime entering 2025-26, at which time a four-year max (from his incumbent team) would be worth $208.5 million.

That's a big difference over the long haul. And yet, on the flip side, he could take his raise now and then plan on brokering another, more lucrative extension in a couple of years.

Welcome to the #NewNBA, which is just like the #OldNBA, except the best players tend to sign extensions rather than reach free agency. But like I said, Markkanen's lower salary makes this a unique situation. He could decline all renegotiate-and-extend overtures. And at that point, the Jazz have an entirely different decision to make.

Are they willing to shell out $200-plus million for him next summer? And do they trust he won't have wandering eyes if he finishes out his current deal? And if the answer to either of these questions is anything other than "Hell yes," does the uncertainty lead them to put him on the auction block?

—Favale

Washington Wizards: Tyus Jones

It's a little surprising Tyus Jones finished 2023-24 on the Washington Wizards roster. A low-end caretaker starter, the nine-year vet made more sense as a trade chip than a key piece of an early-stage rebuilding team.

Prior to the season, he seemed like one of the safest bets in the league to be traded.

Maybe inquiring teams weren't keen on giving up assets for a three-month rental. Framed that way, it makes perfect sense for the Wizards to retain Jones on a new deal that offers more security to a potential trade partner. The trick there is landing on a dollar figure large enough to satisfy Jones while not overpaying to a degree that turns off suitors.

Of course, some of the teams that might want to deal for Jones in February 2025 could just sign him outright this summer. That adds another complicated layer to the process.

Let's not discount the possibility Washington wants to run it back with Jones as its point guard. The Wizards need an adult in the room, and there are worse ideas than placing trust in the guy who's led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio for six straight seasons. Then again, Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma spent the 2023-24 season playing very unserious basketball with Jones starting 66 games.

Even he, arguably the most careful floor general in the league, couldn't suppress the Poole-Kuzma chaos.

-Hughes

Stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference and Cleaning the Glass. Salary info via Spotrac.

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