With the 2023-24 NBA season officially over, it is now time for teams to evaluate their rosters and see what went wrong or diagnose how they can improve. With free agency approaching, teams will need to sign replacements for the players they are slated to lose and add upgrades to their weakest positions. Although some of the most exciting upcoming free agent point guards likely won't be playing for a new team next year, there are some intriguing names, as well as some good depth options, set to hit the open market this offseason.
The free agent negotiation period begins on Sunday, June 30 at 6 p.m. ET, and free agents can officially sign new deals at 12:01 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 6. With that said, here are the top 15 free agent point guards available in the 2024 NBA offseason.
15. Cam Payne: Philadelphia 76ers UFA
Teams won't ask Cam Payne to do too much, but he has had some big moments over the last few seasons, and he can plug and play into just about any rotation next season as a backup point guard.
14. Delon Wright: Miami Heat, UFA
The often-forgotten Delon Wright might be suiting up for his ninth team next season. However, he makes an impact on the defensive end wherever he plays, and he will surely do so again next season.
13. Patrick Beverley: Milwaukee Bucks, UFA
Patrick Beverley does Patrick Beverley things, and that makes him loved by his teammates. Even though he is a journeyman, winning tends to follow him. He is an irritant on defense who will always have his teammates' backs. However, whichever team signs him for next season will have to do so knowing that he will be suspended for the first four games of the season.
12. Kyle Lowry: Philadelphia 76ers, UFA
Kyle Lowry isn't the player he once was, but he was serviceable for both the Miami Heat and the Philadelphia 76ers last season. Lowry will be 38 next season, but he might still have a little something left in the tank. The Raptors legend is a prime ring-chasing candidate this offseason.
11. Reggie Jackson: Denver Nuggets, player option
Reggie Jackson had an up-and-down season with the Nuggets, but his free agency fate is in his own hands, considering he has a player option with the team.
10. Spencer Dinwiddie: Los Angeles Lakers, UFA
Spencer Dinwiddie might not be as valued as he once was, as illustrated by the fact that he was waived after a trade deadline trade to the Raptors. His tenure with the Lakers after the team picked him up was uninspiring, too. Still, this is a guard who averaged over 20 points per game not long ago. He can provide a team with isolation scoring off the bench.
9. Monte Morris: Minnesota Timberwolves, UFA
There is one player on this list who tends to be better than Monte Morris when it comes to assist-to-turnover ratio, but the Timberwolves backup point guard is still one of the best players in the league in that regard. Morris hasn't performed as well on the three teams he has played for since playing for the Denver Nuggets, but he is still a steady backup option who won't cost you games. If he can return to the level he played at in Denver, then he will be viewed as one of the best backup point guards in the league.
8. Jose Alvarado: New Orleans Pelicans, team option
Jose Alvarado's nickname is Grand Theft Alvarado, and that is a very suiting nickname. The pesky defender's sneaky ability to steal the ball has become notorious, and he can give a team high-energy minutes off of the bench, However, it seems unlikely that he will hit the open market, considering the Pelicans hold a team option for him.
7. Markelle Fultz: Orlando Magic, UFA
The start of Markelle Fultz's career was anything but ordinary. After being drafted number one overall, Fultz lost the ability to shoot the basketball, and it led to him being traded after only 33 games played with the 76ers. Fultz had a resurgence with the Magic and has become a legitimate rotation player, though.
While his jumper is still lacking, and injury problems are not to be forgotten, Fultz's driving ability and success in transition will land him a gig somewhere this offseason. That may not be back in Orlando, though, considering the Magic are a pretty deep team.
6. Russell Westbrook: Los Angeles Clippers, player option
Russell Westbrook is a hard player to rank. He is a future Hall of Famer and one of the best point guards in NBA history. However, he isn't the MVP-caliber player he once was. His lack of efficiency and questionable jump shot have made him a liability at times. No one will ever question Westbrook's motor or heart, though, and he still works well as a slasher.
He has struggled to find a home in recent years, but he seems to fit well as the Clippers backup point guard. Los Angeles allows him to run the offense when he plays with the backups, and he is capable of doing the dirty work when he plays with the starters. It would make sense for the legendary point guard to pick up his player option.
5. Tyus Jones: Washington Wizards, UFA
Unlike the four free agent point guards ahead of him on this list, Tyus Jones is probably destined for a bench role rather than a starting position. That is okay, though, as Jones just might be the best backup point guard in the NBA. Backup lead guards are expected to take care of the basketball and get their teammates involved. No one does that better than Jones.
The Wizards' guard just led the league in assist-to-turnover ratio for the sixth time. No one came close to reaching Jones' 7.3 mark in that category. Jones doesn't turn the ball over but is still able to find open players and make plenty of plays for his teammates.
4. D'Angelo Russell: Los Angeles Lakers, player option
Opinions vary on D'Angelo Russell. He is more than capable as a starter, considering he is a former All-Star who has made 2.6 three-pointers per game and averaged 17.8 points per game for his career. Those are marks very few players have hit in the NBA's existence.
However, Russell is a streaky player, and he leaves a lot to be desired defensively. Those flaws will prevent some teams from signing him, and he very well may just pick up his player option. The point guard is coming off of his best season in years, though.
3. Immanuel Quickley: Toronto Raptors, RFA
The Raptors are undergoing a rebuild, but rather than trading for a bunch of draft capital, they chose to add young building blocks when they traded OG Anunoby to the New York Knicks at the trade deadline. One of those pieces was Immanuel Quickley, and the team will surely look to bring him back this offseason.
Quickley can score in a variety of ways, including with one of the best floaters in the NBA. He took his game to new heights after the Raptors handed him the keys to their offense.
2. James Harden: Los Angeles Clippers, UFA
James Harden's offseasons have been weird for years, and now he is set to hit the open market again. The former MVP and scoring champion at the shooting guard position has settled into a role as a playmaking point guard in the twilight of his career.
He has requested multiple trades throughout his career, so you never know when he will want to jump ship. Los Angeles seems like the best home for Harden, though, considering they were the only team willing to give him a chance last season. Harden's ball-dominant play style doesn't fit everywhere in the NBA, but it does fit with the Clippers roster.
1. Tyrese Maxey: Philadelphia 76ers, RFA
Tyrese Maxey is not just the best upcoming free agent point guard, but he is the best player at any position who is due for a new contract. During the 2023-24 season, the 76ers' guard developed from an up-and-coming player to truly one of the best players in the NBA, and his status as a restricted free agent means there is basically no chance that the 76ers won't have their star guard back in uniform next season.
Maxey became a first-time All-Star last season en route to scoring 25.9 points per game, which was the 12th most in the NBA. He will only be 24 years old next season, meaning he has a lot of good years ahead of him. Expect Maxey to receive one of the biggest contracts in the NBA this offseason, especially considering Philadelphia only has three players under contract for next season and about $55 million in cap space to work with.
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