Top 9 Best NBA Free Agents Still on the Market for 2024, Ranked

DeMar DeRozan remains in the NBA, even though almost all of the major players are gone from the market. Approaching his 35th birthday, the Chicago Bulls star is the best player still available on the open market, and he doesn’t appear to have a clear fit elsewhere. DeRozan, a veteran winger who is still capable of playing at a level close to that of an All-Star level, is available for grabs as the Bulls appear prepared to embark on a rebuild.

Free agency has already seen a great deal of activity. Isaiah Hartenstein signed with the Thunder, Paul George with the 76ers, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with the Magic at the beginning of the free agency period. Even middle-tier free agents have found new homes, including Derrick Jones Jr. (Clippers), Tobias Harris (Pistons), Jonas Valanciunas (Wizards), and Naji Marshall (Mavericks). Another well-known player in free agency left the board when Klay Thompson agreed to a three-year contract with the Dallas Mavericks.

There are still some good values to be found in this year’s free agency class, even though the stars of the show have virtually all disappeared. On the NBA free agent market, who is left? Thank you for asking. The top 11 players available in the 2024 NBA free agency class are listed below. Additionally, view our live NBA free agency tracker and read our instant grades for free agency.

This list has been updated in the wake of the Hornets re-signing Miles Bridges, the Warriors signing Buddy Hield, the Pistons signing Malik Beasley, and the 76ers signing Caleb Martin.

1. Tyus Jones

Jones is a classic point guard who routinely records high assist and low turnover rates. As a shooter, he took a huge step forward for a terrible Washington Wizards team last season, making 41.4 percent of his 256 three-point attempts. Jones’s effectiveness as a driver and defender is limited by his smaller guard without top-end athleticism. Jones is a reliable caretaker point guard who can create opportunities for teammates and is still only 28 years old. Despite this, his impact will likely be smaller than his stats suggest.

2. Isaac Okoro

As the former No. 5 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, Okoro’s development was gradual; however, during his fourth season as a pro with the Cleveland Cavaliers last year, he made significant progress. The 6’5 wing is a tenacious backcourt defender who is both strong and quick enough to keep up with quicker guards on bigger assignments. Although Okoro’s jump shot has always been his biggest weakness, he made 39% of his three-pointers on low volume last season. Teams still won’t cover Okoro from the outside, so he needs to keep upping his volume from three, but his point-of-attack defense is so valuable that Cleveland should eventually offer him a nice contract.

3. Gary Trent Jr.

Trent has a decent long-range shooting ability. Over 6.4 attempts per game with the Toronto Raptors last season, he made 39.3 percent of his three-pointers. Although he regularly finds himself out of position, he is a respectable stealth player defensively. Despite Trent’s limited skill set, shooting is an essential component for any team. Despite not receiving the large salary he had been hoping for, Trent, who is still only twenty-five, will eventually find a place to call home.

4. Lonnie Walker IV

Walker is a lightning-fast scorer who, when necessary, can lead his own offense. The 25-year-old guard has the ability to shoot three points with a lot of intensity and is a quick finisher when in transition. It feels like a bigger breakout with a more significant role is possible because he’s had enough good games this year, including a few for the Lakers in the playoffs. The 6’4 guard, after DeRozan, is the best pure scorer available.

5. Spencer Dinwiddie

Dinwiddie’s rim finishing and three-point shooting plummeted during his stints with the Lakers and Brooklyn this past season, but that could make him a viable buy-low option for a contender. Although the 31-year-old is a large guard with some playmaking ability and the ability to shoot pull-ups, he was unable to score effectively from any other area of the court during the previous campaign. Even though Dinwiddie’s foul-baiting and shooting aren’t very good, there is still some market for guards who shoot less than 40% from the field.

6. Haywood Highsmith

One of the greatest success stories of the Heat’s development program is Highsmith, who went from a DII college program (Wheeling) to eventually helping the Heat make the playoffs a few years later. Highsmith, a forward who is currently 27 years old, offers toughness, defensive versatility, and spot-up shooting. Last season, he made a career-high 39.6 percent of his three-pointers while playing for the Heat. At six feet five, he is not the ideal size, but Highsmith has playing ability.

7. Markelle Fultz

The former first-overall pick has had some successful seasons as a downhill guard with competitive defensive skills, but he has yet to find a solution for his broken jump shot. Unfortunately, Fultz had a horrible season with the Magic right before he was allowed to enter free agency. Even though he is only 26 years old, he probably won’t have much of a market anymore. To preserve his NBA career, Fultz must find a way to resume finishing at the rim. Even without the possibility of scoring on his own, he can still be a very good playmaker, but his passing is less effective.

8. Kyle Lowry

Even though his play is deteriorating quickly, Lowry is still useful at 38 years old. During the Philadelphia 76ers’ first-round series against the New York Knicks, the veteran point guard somewhere played close to thirty minutes every game. Between Miami and Philadelphia, he made 39 percent of his three-pointers for the season, and he continues to be an irritant on defense. For a team that is trying to win a championship, Lowry will be a great buy-low veteran addition.

9. Saddiq Bey

Bey may miss the entire season due to an ACL tear that he sustained on March 11. For a player who could have made a good living this summer on the open market, it’s terrible luck. Although the 25-year-old wing has always been a good shooter, he only made 31% of his threes last season with the Hawks due to his poor shooting performance. For him to recover from his injury and see whether he can return to his pre-injury levels for the 2025–2026 season, it might make sense for a team to sign him to a cheap multi-year contract.