Hoosiers in the NBA: Where things stand ahead of free agency

  • 06/21/2024 1:19 pm in

Several former Hoosiers recently completed their seasons in the NBA and free agency begins soon.

Teams can already negotiate with their own free agents, and on June 30 at 6 p.m. ET, each NBA team may begin negotiating with all other upcoming free agents.

Each team may begin signing free agents to contracts at 12:01 p.m. ET on July 6.

Here’s where things stand with each former Hoosier in the NBA last season ahead of free agency:

Eric Gordon – Phoenix

2023-24 stats (68 games): 11 points, two assists, 1.8 rebounds in 27.8 minutes per game

Gordon is a free agent and Kelly Iko reported Thursday that he’s “50-50” to return to Phoenix next season. Iko also reported that Gordon is interested in returning to Houston, where he spent a significant part of his career.

At 35, Gordon is still a productive player off the bench and should draw significant interest from teams looking for a veteran guard capable of providing a scoring punch. The North Central product has earned over $179 million in his career.

O.G. Anunoby – New York

2023-24 stats (50 games): 14.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.4 steals in 34 minutes per game

Early in the week, Brian Windhorst of ESPN reported on “Get Up” that Anunoby, a free agent, is “not thrilled” with what the Knicks will offer him. He has a player option for next season but is expected to opt-out and become an unrestricted free agent.

“Most people believe Anunoby will stay with New York, but there have been indications he may want to test the market, because he’s not thrilled with what the Knicks are offering,” Windhorst said.

After trading RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to acquire him last season, there’s tremendous pressure on New York to retain Anunoby and not lose him in free agency. With $61 million in career earnings already, Anunoby will command a significant contract that will push him past $200 million in career earnings in the coming years.

Victor Oladipo

2023-24 stats: Did not play due to injury

Is there a market for Oladipo to return to the NBA? After he was traded last season to Memphis and subsequently waived, Oladipo has been a free agent.

It seems unlikely he will secure a guaranteed deal for next season as he continues to recover from an injury that forced him to miss the entire 2023-24 season.

The 32-year-old has earned nearly $125 million in his NBA career.

Thomas Bryant – Miami

2023-24 stats (38 games): 5.7 points, 3.7 rebounds in 11.6 minutes per game

Bryant has a player option for $2.85 million next season in Miami and the deadline to opt-in to the deal is June 29.

He appeared in less than half of Miami’s games last season as a seldom-used backup big man. A second-round pick in 2017, Bryant has amassed career earnings of more than $31 million.

Cody Zeller – New Orleans

2023-24 stats (43 games): 1.8 points, 2.6 rebounds in 7.4 minutes per game

After logging just 7.4 minutes per game in his first season with the Pelicans, Zeller is a free agent this summer.

Zeller earned over $2 million last season with the Pelicans, bringing his career earnings over $78 million. The 31-year-old could be attractive for a team looking for post depth and a veteran locker room presence.

Jalen Hood-Schifino – Los Angeles Lakers

2023-24 stats (21 games): 1.6 points, .6 rebounds in 5.2 minutes per game

Hood-Schifino will begin the second year of his rookie contract with the Lakers after undergoing season-ending knee surgery.

Los Angeles recently hired JJ Redick as their head coach.

Trayce Jackson-Davis – Golden State

2023-24 stats (68 games): 7.9 points, five rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.1 blocks in 16.6 minutes per game

Jackson-Davis narrowly missed making the NBA’s All-Rookie second team after a tremendous rookie season with the Warriors.

As part of a four-year contract he signed before his rookie season, Jackson-Davis is set to earn $1.8 million next season for Golden State.

Filed to: , , , , , ,