The opening of 2024 NBA free agency didn't spark quite the spending frenzy as some previous iterations, but cash came showering down across the Association nevertheless.
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Klay Thompson, Dallas Mavericks (3 Years, $50 Million)
There were certainly scenarios in which Klay Thompson exited this offseason with an even more considerable contract in hand. And it's easy to let the imagination run wild with possibilities of what could happen with him on the receiving end of drive-and-kick deliveries from Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving. However, this still feels a little steep for someone who could spend their twilight years primarily functioning as a perimeter shooting specialist.
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Immanuel Quickley, Toronto Raptors (5 Years, $175 Million)
Toronto effectively tipped its hand about a contract like this coming for Immanuel Quickley by making him the foundation of its return from the December deal that sent OG Anunoby to New York. The Raptors clearly valued the 25-year-old's current skill set and chances for expansion over time, and this is a mostly understandable investment in both. It's still a mountain of money for someone who has spent most of his first four NBA seasons as a high-end reserve and not a primary playmaker.
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Pascal Siakam, Indiana Pacers (4 Years, $189.5 Million)
When the Pacers and Pascal Siakam reached this agreement during the pre-free agency exclusive negotiating window, it came with zero sticker shock attached. If this wasn't preordained once Indiana coughed up three first-round picks to lure him away from the Toronto Raptors, the fate was sealed once it promptly produced the franchise's first Eastern Conference Finals appearance in a decade. And, to be frank, this isn't the most Indiana could have offered. While the Pacers gave Siakam a four-year max, they could have taken things farther with a five-year, $245.3 million mammoth deal if they wanted.
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OG Anunoby, New York Knicks (5 Years, $212.5 Million)
OG Anunoby's impact on the Knicks was instant and enormous. It was also relatively short-lived, as multiple bouts with the injury bug caused multiple stints on the sideline, including the bulk of the Bockers' second-round series loss to the Pacers. Because injuries are such a common enemy of the two-way swingman—he's topped 50 games in just one of the last four seasons—he figured to be a tricky player to price in free agency. New York's decision-makers disagreed with that assessment and handed over this mammoth agreement (which features both a player option and a trade kicker) during the exclusive window.
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Patrick Williams, Chicago Bulls (5 Years, $90 Million)
If Patrick Williams was a little older or not a relatively recent top-five pick (No. 4 in 2020), he could have been a candidate to sign a prove-it pact this offseason. His game has shown little discernible growth across four NBA campaigns, and half of those seasons were hugely impacted by injuries. Yet, that's not how the Bulls operate. They have been stubbornly committed to their core—though that grip appears to be loosening finally—and here showed their stubborn commitment to the idea the 22-year-old may yet make good on those old Kawhi Leonard 2.0 talks.