Projecting 2024 Player and Team Options

Keith Smith
Keith Smith, Resident NBA ExpertJune 20, 2024
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#nba #nba free agency #team options #player options
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A handful of players got a jump on “option season” already. Lonzo Ball of the Chicago Bulls and Christian Wood of the Los Angeles Lakers picked up their player options several weeks ago. Gary Payton II of the Golden State Warriors joined them this week.

As a point of order, a player or team option isn’t really declined. It’s simply not exercised. A player must exercise, or opt in, to his option year, while a team must take the same action when they have control. The lone exception here is an Early Termination Option. For an ETO, a player must decline or opt out. No action would result in that player staying under contract.

With three decisions already made, we’re going to take a shot at predicting what happens with the remaining 50 player and team options.

(Note: This article does not include players on partial or non-guaranteed contracts. Although those are often referred to as options, they are a different thing. We’ll cover those in an upcoming article.)

Atlanta Hawks

Garrison Mathews - $2.2M team option

Mathews put together his best NBA season. He’s an elite shooter, even if he doesn’t offer much else. That skill for the minimum is worth it for the Hawks to pick up their option.

Boston Celtics

Oshae Brissett - $2.5M player option

Brissett gave the Celtics terrific energy off the bench. If he wants a bigger role, he may opt out and move to a new team. If Brissett is good with his role in Boston, he’ll be back. We’re assuming he’s back to try to win another title.

Sam Hauser - $2.1M team option

Hauser is an elite shooter and a better-than-you-think defender. He also started to do some things off the dribble this season too. If Boston wants to keep their tax bill down, they’ll pick up Hauser’s option. The challenge is that will make him an unrestricted free agent next summer. The other possibility for Boston is to decline their team option, and make Hauser a restricted free agent this summer. That would give the Celtics the chance to re-sign him on a long-term deal. Bet on the former, but then Hauser inking an extension before the end of next season.

Neemias Queta - $2.2M team option

Boston will pick up their option for Queta. The real question is if the big man will be the team’s third center next season or if he’ll be further down the depth chart. He’s definitely worth having around on the minimum though.

Brooklyn Nets

Keita Bates-Diop - $2.6M player option

Bates-Diop had a rough season between his time with the Nets and the Phoenix Suns. He’s better than what he showed at either stop. With the Nets prioritizing other players, Bates-Diop is likely to opt out and move on.

Charlotte Hornets

Davis Bertans - $16M player option

Bertans is a lock to pick up his option. His deal will then become partially guaranteed for $5.25 million. From there, it’s likely Charlotte will waive him to open up a roster spot and some additional cap flexibility.

J.T. Thor - $1.9M team option

The Hornets will pick up Thor’s option. He’s been a part of the rotation the last two seasons. For the minimum, that’s just smart business.

Chicago Bulls

Torrey Craig - $2.8M player option

Craig has become a pretty good 3&D player. He may not be a lock to get more than the minimum, but he should be able to find a role with a contender for at least the same money as he could make with the Bulls.

Cleveland Cavaliers

No pending options

Dallas Mavericks

No pending options

Denver Nuggets

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope - $15.4M player option

Caldwell-Pope is going to opt out, but he’s likely to stay with the Nuggets. Look for him to re-sign on a deal that adds a couple of additional years for him to stay in Denver.

Vlatko Cancar - $2.3M team option

The Nuggets will pick up their option for Cancar. He looked to be headed for a big season off Denver’s bench before tearing his ACL over the summer. He’ll be in the rotation as a backup forward next season.

Reggie Jackson - $5.3M player option

Jackson isn’t going to opt out, because he won’t see that much money in free agency. He’ll be back for another year in Denver.

Detroit Pistons

Evan Fournier - $19M team option

The Pistons aren’t going to pick up Fournier’s option. Letting him go will be a part of clearing out $64 million in cap space. Fournier will then look to catch on with a team that can give him real minutes.

Chimezie Metu - $2.6M team option

Metu is in the same boat as Fournier. He’s going to have his option declined, then he’ll be renounced to create cap space. Unlike Fournier, Metu may be re-signed by Detroit, pending how the new front office feels about him.

Stanley Umude - $2.1M team option

Umude is in the exact same spot as Metu. His option will be declined to create cap space. But he could be re-signed, pending where the roster stands after Trajan Langdon does his other work.

Golden State Warriors

No pending options

Houston Rockets

Jeff Green - $8M team option

The Rockets aren’t likely to be a cap space team this summer. As such, they’ll pick up Green’s option. If nothing else, they’ll have additional couple of weeks to decide on keeping him, as his contract doesn’t guarantee until July 11.

Jae’Sean Tate - $7.6M team option

Houston will pick up Tate’s option. But given the Rockets are deep in forwards, they’ll likely shop him in trade talks this offseason and up to the trade deadline.

Indiana Pacers

Jalen Smith - $5.4M player option

Smith is likely to opt out. His role with the Pacers has been inconsistent, especially as Isaiah Jackson has emerged as Myles Turner’s backup. Smith will pursue a bigger role and more long-term money elsewhere.

LA Clippers

Paul George - $48.8M player option

George is going to opt out. That much is a certainty. What happens from there is getting increasingly interesting. It once felt like a lock that George would extend or re-sign with LA. Now, it seems like George may consider leaving town. This is THE situation to watch in free agency.

Kai Jones - $2.2M team option

The Clippers will pick up this option. They’ll want to have a full offseason to work with Jones and see if they can continue to help him get his career on track.

P.J. Tucker - $11.5M player option

Of every player this offseason, Tucker may be the lockiest of all locks to pick up his option. From there, maybe the Clippers try to move him in a trade for a rotation upgrade.

Russell Westbrook - $4M player option

Westbrook made some noise about possibly opting out and looking for a bigger role with another team. The chances of that happening seem fairly slim, however. Westbrook is best off picking up his option, but he’s rarely done what conventional wisdom says.

Los Angeles Lakers

Jaxson Hayes - $2.5M player option

Hayes is right on the borderline of picking up his option or not. He’ll likely be on a minimum contract next season anyway. The real decision for Hayes is if he wants to be back with the Lakers or to move on.

LeBron James - $51.4M player option

James is going to opt out. After that, he’s probably staying with the Lakers on a new max deal…right? Or could the ultimate curveball be coming and James moves to a new team?

Cameron Reddish - $2.5M player option

Reddish is in the same situation as Hayes. If he wants to be a Laker, he’ll pick up his option. If he wants to go elsewhere, he won’t. Either way, Reddish will be on a minimum contract.

D’Angelo Russell - $18.7M player option

Russell is going to opt out. He’ll be looking for a long-term deal. He’s also going to be one of the better free agents available. That means Russell isn’t a lock to return to the Lakers.

Memphis Grizzlies

Luke Kennard - $14.8M team option

On its face, Kennard’s option should get picked up by Memphis. He’s worth nearly $15 million because of his shooting alone. But the Grizzlies are up against a whole new payroll level with their looming tax bill, in addition to running out of roster spots. That has it more like 50-50 on picking up Kennard’s option. Maybe there’s a deal or two in place to make it less of an issue. We’ll guess his option is picked up, and the Grizzlies figure it out down the line.

Yuta Watanabe - $2.6M player option

It’s been widely reported, including by Watanabe himself, that he plans to play in Japan next season. That will mean opting out of his deal.

Miami Heat

Thomas Bryant - $2.8M player option

Bryant is likely to opt out. He didn’t get much playing time this season, as Miami went with other options behind Bam Adebayo. He may seek a bigger role elsewhere, considering he’ll likely be on a minimum deal either way.

Kevin Love - $4M player option

Love is going to opt in. He won’t get more than a minimum deal if he opts out. He’s still got something left in the tank, but he’s more of a regular season backup than a key through-the-playoffs rotation guy now.

Caleb Martin - $7.1M player option

Martin will opt out. He’s got a chance to cash in for the first time in his career. He’ll be a sought-after 3&D wing. The real question is if Miami can re-sign him or not? The Heat don’t have a replacement lined up, but they are dealing with real tax apron issues. A big enough deal could pull Martin away from Miami.

Josh Richardson - $3.1M player option

Richardson will probably opt in. Had he not finished the season out with an injury, Richardson looked like an opt-out candidate. As it stands now, he’ll likely opt in and hope for a healthier season with the Heat next year.

Milwaukee Bucks

No pending options

Minnesota Timberwolves

No pending options

New Orleans Pelicans

Jose Alvarado - $1.9M team option

This is another situation that is like Sam Hauser’s. Alvarado is a key rotation guy for New Orleans, so there could be benefit to declining his option. The team could then re-sign Alvarado while controlling the process through restricted free agent. However, the Pelicans are up against the tax and would likely rather benefit from the smaller contract for next season. Pencil this option in as being picked up.

Jeremiah Robinson-Earl - $2.2M team option

Robinson-Earl didn’t have a huge impact on the Pelicans last season. However, he did flash some ability to step in for some backup big minutes. That’s basically what he did for the Oklahoma City Thunder for two seasons too. For the minimum, on a team whose frontcourt is in transition, Robinson-Earl should stick around.

New York Knicks

OG Anunoby - $19.9M player option

Anunoby is going to opt out. The questions from there are:

Will he get anything approach a max deal?

Will that deal come from the Knicks or another team?

DaQuan Jeffries - $2.5M team option

Jeffries is clearly a player the Knicks like, because they’ve had him around for a couple of years on a few different contracts. This decision might be related to roster spots, more than Jeffries himself. The Knicks have three picks in the top-38 in this draft. They’ll need room for at least two of those players. That probably squeezes Jeffries out…for now.

Jericho Sims - $2.1M team option

The Knicks will pick up this option for Sims. He’s an ideal third center for them. He stays ready when his number is called, but doesn’t gripe when he doesn’t play. He also won’t be a priority free agent next summer, so there’s no need to speed up the process by making him a restricted free agent this offseason.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Isaiah Joe - $2.2M team option

This is one of the bigger locks on the board. The Thunder can’t make Joe a restricted free agent if they decline his option. OKC will also want to maximize cap space this summer. That means picking up this option. From there, keep an eye on a long-term extension for Joe before next season ends.

Lindy Waters III - $2.2M team option

The Thunder like Waters a lot. The challenge is that Oklahoma City is running out of roster spots. That, combined with a chance at a ton of cap space, probably leads to this option being declined. But don’t rule out a return to the roster down the line for Waters.

Aaron Wiggins - $1.9M team option

Wiggins is also in the Sam Hauser situation. He’s become a pretty good rotation guy for the Thunder. They might try to work out a long-term deal with him as a restricted free agent. They could also take a similar approach as to the one they’ll take with Joe, by picking up the option and hammering out an extension. Bet on the latter.

Orlando Magic

Joe Ingles - $11M team option

The Magic loved what Ingles brought to them as a veteran. He helped a young team grow up on and off the court. But $11 million is too steep for a team that has big dreams. This option will get declined, but don’t rule out Ingles re-signing after Orlando makes some bigger moves.

Moritz Wagner - $8M team option

Wagner is a key rotation player for Orlando. He was one of the best backup bigs in the NBA last season. He’ll be back, but probably after having this option declined. That way Orlando can use cap space, then re-sign Wagner, possibly via the $8 million Room Exception.

Philadelphia 76ers

Jeff Dowtin - $2.2M team option

The Sixers are looking to maximize cap space this summer. That means Dowtin likely has his option declined. There’s a slight chance his option is initially picked up, at which point his deal would become non-guaranteed. Then Dowtin could be waived later if Philadelphia needs the extra $2.2 million in space.

Phoenix Suns

Drew Eubanks - $2.6M player option

Eubanks is a little hard to predict. He could opt out and look for a deal with a different team. The Suns seem likely to bring in at least another option or two for backup center. But Eubanks is a minimum guy either way, and may want the security. This is more of a guess than anything, but Eubanks will probably opt out.

Eric Gordon - $3.4M player option

Gordon will opt out, but he might then re-sign immediately with the Suns. He could do a similar 1+1 situation with Phoenix, where he’d make the same money, but add an additional season.

Damion Lee - $2.8M player option

Lee missed all of last season with a knee injury. He’ll pick up his option and look be the knockdown shooter the Suns hoped he would be when they signed him last offseason.

Josh Okogie - $2.9M player option

Okogie will likely opt out. He’s not technically on a minimum deal, but he’s close. He could find a bigger role, and possibly more money, with another team. He may also run it back with the Suns on a year-to-year basis now.

Portland Trail Blazers

Dalano Banton - $2.2M team option

Banton played pretty well for Portland down the stretch last season. Was it a situation of good stats on a bad team with nothing to play for? Or was it a further sign of the talent Banton has previously flashed? The Blazers have tax issues (yes, despite being a bad team), so they might move on. But bet on them keeping Banton on this minimum deal, and solving tax issues in other ways.

Sacramento Kings

No pending options

San Antonio Spurs

No option decisions pending

Toronto Raptors

Bruce Brown - $23M team option

When the Raptors extended Kelly Olynyk late last season, it was a sign that they don’t intend to be a cap space team this summer. That means Brown will have this option picked up. Then he becomes a key trade chip this offseason and up to the trade deadline.

Utah Jazz

No option decisions pending

Washington Wizards

Richaun Holmes - $12.9M player option

Holmes is going to pick this option up. His once-promising career has stalled some. For that reason, Holmes isn’t going to give up on that much guaranteed salary.

Tristan Vukcevic - $2.4M team option

Vukcevic came over from Europe late last season. The contract he signed is designed for the Wizards to decline their option, but then re-sign Vukcevic to a long-term deal. Look for that to be the case, as the team can use his Non-Bird rights to give him up to a four-year contract.

 


#nba #nba free agency #team options #player options
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