2024 NBA free agency - Best bargain, head-scratching deals - ESPN

NBA free agency has slowed down considerably more than a week after officially opening on June 30, and since then, teams have adjusted to the league's «apron era» by making transactions that will affect their 2024-25 rosters.

All but three of ESPN's top 20 ranked free agents have found new teams or re-signed with their current ones with the most notable ones including LeBron James returning to the Los Angeles Lakers, Paul George agreeing to a new deal with the Philadelphia 76ers and OG Anunoby staying with the New York Knicks. Gary Trent Jr., Tyus Jones and Markelle Fultz are the three who have yet to agree to new deals.

Which teams, through July 10, have landed the best bargains via player and specific contract deals? Which teams reached on player options and spent too much of their salary cap already? And of the more splashy deals, which players have lucrative incentives or elusive no-trade clauses? Let's check out what we've seen this free agency period.

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Best bargains | Good value | Head-scratchers
Incentives, draft-pick deals and no-trade clauses

The contract: One year, $10.5 million

It would have been easy for Paul to latch on to a contending team and chase that elusive NBA championship. Instead, Paul left the Golden State Warriors and signed a one-year, $10.5 million contract to play for Hall of Fame coach Gregg Popovich and franchise player Victor Wembanyama. We can think of Paul as an extension to Popovich's coaching staff, but the 39-year-old veteran will also help on the court and in the locker room.

The Spurs last season ranked 24th in turnover percentage, 27th in turnovers per game and 28th in percentage of passes leading to a turnover, according to Second Spectrum tracking. Last season, Paul ranked