The NBA is just one day away from the start of the period when teams are allowed to talk to free agents who aren’t currently on their rosters. Saturday was the deadline for players with a player option for next season to decide whether to exercise that option, and some key decisions have been made.
D’Angelo Russell, the Los Angeles Lakers’ starting point guard, decided to exercise his player option, while backup center Jaxson Hayes followed suit.
As expected, LeBron James has opted out of his contract, although the general expectation is that he will remain with the Lakers on a new contract.
Rich Paul of Klutch Sports told ESPN that LeBron James has officially opted out with L.A. and will work with LAL on his next deal if it means adding an impact player: "He is prioritizing a roster improvement. He's been adamant about exuding all efforts to improve the roster."
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) June 29, 2024
Teams can start talking to free agents not currently on their rosters on Sunday at 6 p.m. New York time. They can officially sign such players to new contracts beginning on Saturday, July 6.