8 NBA stars most likely to bolt in free agency in 2024
By Cal Durrett
NBA free agency isn’t what it used to be, with big free agent signings being fewer and further in between. This has been the result of longer contracts for stars, as well as many of them signing extensions before they can reach the point of leaving in free agency.
While the offseason is still plenty exciting with multiple blockbuster trades each summer, the summer of 2024 could mark the return of NBA stars signing with other teams in free agency. In fact, there are a total of eight NBA stars who could leave their current team in the summer of 2024, but which ones are the most likely to leave? Let’s take a look!
NBA Stars #8: Jrue Holiday
In late September, it seemed like former Bucks star Jrue Holiday would enter this season with Milwaukee. Then the Damian Lillard trade happened, and Holiday was dealt to the Portland Trail Blazers and then the Boston Celtics in a matter of five days. That dramatic change has reshuffled the top of the East. The Bucks and Celtics both got even better, while the Miami Heat failed to make significant improvements.
Considering that the Heat have won the East twice in the last four seasons, Holiday’s addition could help the Celtics get past their rivals and return to the NBA Finals. But Holiday has a player option for the 2024–25 season and re-signing him could prove incredibly costly to Boston. Holiday will likely make $30 million per season on his next contract and may still only be the third highest-paid player on their team after Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, and just ahead of Kristaps Porzingis.
Derrick White could soon cash in too and then there is Tatum’s looming super max contract. All that is to say that re-signing Holiday, even though they hold his bird rights, might not be a done deal and he has even talked about retirement.