Several key players are deciding their futures with looming player option decisions ahead of NBA free agency.

HoopsHype listed the top player option decisions based on the highest to the lowest salaries in that order and added intel where applicable on what direction each player will go regarding their option.

This story will be updated as each player’s option decision is finalized.

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $50,434,636

LeBron James has talked about his dream to play with his son, Bronny, who was drafted No. 55 overall in the NBA Draft by the Lakers. Many around the league believe James, who holds significant leverage, will remain a Laker in free agency after the organization drafted his son and hired his podcast partner, JJ Redick, to be the new coach.

James is eligible for a three-year, $162 million deal with the Lakers if he opts out and re-ups with the franchise. 

Prediction: James opts out

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Option amount: $48,787,676

The belief around the NBA is that Paul George’s free agency will play out in one of three ways. 

One scenario is George will return to the Los Angeles Clippers by declining his player option and signing a new deal similar to Kawhi Leonard, who signed a three-year, $153 million extension earlier this season. 

Another option is George declines his player option and signs a maximum contract – which he ideally wants – with the Philadelphia 76ers or theoretically another team with such cap space. 

A third option is George exercises his player option to facilitate a trade to another team and eventually extend with the team who trades for him. 

Given two of the three options involved George opting out of his player option, that’s the current prediction based on a logical guesstimate as we await George’s decision. 

Prediction: George opts out 

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Option amount: $21,395,348

Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball exercised his $21.4 million player option, as expected, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Ball last appeared in an NBA game on January 14, 2022, and had cartilage transplant surgery in March 2023, which marked the third surgery on his left knee in a year.

Prediction: Ball exercised his option

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $19,928,571

Knicks forward OG Anunoby agreed to a five-year, $212.5 million deal with New York ahead of unrestricted free agency. The deal includes a player option and trade kicker, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. 

Anunoby helped the Knicks win 20 of 23 games he played in. New York hopes Anunoby and recently acquired Mikal Bridges can shut opponents down on the perimeter as a defensive duo to compete with the Boston Celtics for the Eastern Conference crown next season. 

Prediction: Anunoby opted out

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $18,692,307

Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell told Jordan Richard of Swish Cultures that he intends to exercise his player option and stay with Los Angeles. His top priority is to win a championship, per Richard. 

Over the past two days or so, Russell strongly contemplated exercising his option. Originally, Russell was expected to opt out after averaging 18 points on 41.5 percent shooting from three-point range and 6.3 assists in 76 games. 

In the playoffs, however, Russell averaged 14.2 points on 38.4 percent shooting from the field overall and 4.2 assists in five games against Denver. 

Prediction: Russell opted in

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $16,000,000

Davis Bertans has an early termination option in his contract. However, don’t expect the career 39.6 percent three-point shooter to trigger that early termination clause in his contract after only appearing in 43 combined games last season for the Thunder and Hornets. 

Prediction: Bertans declines his early termination option

Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $15,440,185

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope declined his player option, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Tony Jones. 

Caldwell-Pope is expected to draw interest from several teams in free agency, most notably from the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers. 

Over the past three seasons, Caldwell-Pope has been a stout wing defender, averaged 11.4 points on 40.5 percent from three-point range, and started 229 regular-season games. 

Prediction: Caldwell-Pope opted out 

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

Option amount: $12,876,780

Wizards center Richaun Holmes is expected to exercise his $12.9 million player option for the 2024-25 season, league sources told HoopsHype. 

Holmes averaged 7.1 points and 6.1 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per game for Washington after being acquired in the Daniel Gafford trade. 

Prediction: Holmes exercises his option

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $11,539,000

Los Angeles Clippers forward PJ Tucker exercised his $11.54 million player option, as first reported by HoopsHype. 

The player option was negotiated as part of a three-year, $33 million deal by agent Andre Buck when Tucker signed with the 76ers during 2022 free agency. 

After playing in 146 games the two seasons prior combined, Tucker only played in 31 games this past season. 

Prediction: Tucker exercised his option

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $9,130,000

Warriors guard Gary Payton II exercised his $9.13 million player option, as reported by ESPN’s Kendra Andrews, giving him the flexibility to extend with the Warriors this offseason. He’s appeared in 66 games combined in the past two seasons. 

Prediction: Payton II exercised his option 

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $7,126,900

Miami Heat swingman Caleb Martin is expected to decline his $7.13 million player option and enter unrestricted free agency for a bigger payday this summer, league sources told HoopsHype. 

Martin could command the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception from teams around the league or better in free agency. 

Prediction: Martin opts out 

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $5,417,386

Indiana Pacers big Jalen Smith is declining his $5.4 million player option and will enter unrestricted free agency, as reported by HoopsHype. Smith will look for a pay raise after he shot a career-high 59.2 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from three-point range for the Pacers last season.

Prediction: Smith opted out 

Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $5,250,000

Reggie Jackson exercised his player option, as reported by HoopsHype, and was swiftly traded to Charlotte for salary cap relief, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported.

Prediction: Jackson exercised his option

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $4,027,525

Russell Westbrook finished seventh in the NBA Sixth Man of the Year voting after coming off the bench in all but 11 of his 68 games played during the regular season. 

Westbrook, a California native, could look for a new opportunity for more playing time on the free agent market elsewhere for a similar salary to his current contract. 

Prediction: Westbrook opts out 

Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $4,027,525

Miami’s Kevin Love was a solid role player for the Heat off the bench last season, averaging 8.8 points and 6.1 rebounds in 16.8 minutes over 55 regular-season games. 

Love, who turns 36 in September, said he doesn’t want to retire. 

Prediction: Love exercises his option  

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Option amount: $3,356,271

Suns guard Eric Gordon declined his player option and will enter unrestricted free agency, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Gordon, who’ll play for the Bahamas now, is expected to draw interest from contenders after shooting 37.8 percent from three-point range and appearing in 68 games for the Suns last season.

Prediction: Gordon opted out

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $3,051,153

Miami’s Josh Richardson exercised his $3 million player option, as The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported. Richardson was a key role player for Miami, averaging 9.9 points in 25.7 minutes in 43 games before he eventually underwent a labrum procedure in March. 

Prediction: Richardson exercised his option

Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $3,036,040

Christian Wood exercised his option, as first reported by HoopsHype. Wood averaged 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 17.4 minutes per game over 50 games played for the Lakers. His inconsistent role last season was underwhelming after being expected to be the primary backup big man to Anthony Davis. 

Prediction: Wood exercised his option

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $2,956,734

Suns guard Josh Okogie will decline his $2.95 million player option and enter unrestricted free agency, as reported by HoopsHype.  

Over the past two seasons, Okogie has been a role player for Phoenix, providing defense, and has averaged 17.5 minutes played and started 37 combined games. 

Prediction: Okogie opts out 

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $2,845,342

Bulls small forward Torrey Craig has shot a combined 39.4 percent from three-point range the past two seasons with the Suns and Bulls. 

With uncertainty surrounding Chicago’s direction, Craig could opt out and explore the free agent market while likely being able to recoup his current salary as his floor in another situation.

Prediction: Craig opts out 

Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $2,845,342

Thomas Bryant averaged 11.6 minutes in 38 games played for Miami last season, and his road to playing time likely took another hit at the NBA Draft when the Heat selected Kel’el Ware 15th overall in the NBA Draft. 

Bryant’s decision will depend on whether he wants to lock in a guaranteed salary or risk losing guaranteed money for a potentially better opportunity for playing time elsewhere.

Prediction: Bryant exercises his player option

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $2,845,342

Damion Lee shot a career-high 44.5 percent with the Suns during the 2022-23 season before missing all of this past season due to right knee surgery. After missing a season, it would be logical for Lee to lock in a guaranteed salary and attempt to pick up where he left off, thriving as a shooter off the bench. 

Prediction: Lee exercises his option

Sarah Stier/Getty Images

Option amount: $2,654,644

Keita Bates-Diop exercised his player option, according to a report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania. The move was expected as Bates-Diop only played in 14 games and averaged 4.9 minutes before undergoing a procedure to address a stress fracture in his right tibia for the Nets after being acquired via trade. 

Prediction: Bates-Diop exercised his option

Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $2,654,644

Yuta Watanabe decided to return home to his native Japan after an inconsistent role this past season with the Suns and Grizzlies following his breakout 2022-23 campaign with the Nets, where he shot a career-high 44.4 percent from three-point range. 

Watanabe previously discussed representing Japan and changing Asian basketball stereotypes, how Kevin Durant helped him improve, and more in an exclusive HoopsHype interview.

Prediction: Watanabe opted out

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $2,654,644

After spending one season in Phoenix, Drew Eubanks will decline his player option and enter unrestricted free agency, as ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported.  

Eubanks has solidified himself as a solid backup center over the past three seasons with the Spurs, Blazers, and Suns. He should easily be able to recoup his player option salary as a floor. 

Prediction: Eubanks opted out

Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $2,463,946

Boston Celtics reserve Oshae Brissett will decline his player option, per Spotrac’s Keith Smith, and as confirmed by a league source to HoopsHype. 

The 26-year-old forward appeared in 55 games and averaged 11.5 minutes per game. After seeing his use decrease the past two seasons with Indiana and Boston, Brissett could look for a change of scenery for a better chance to earn more minutes. 

Prediction: Brissett opted out

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $2,463,946

Lakers center Jaxson Hayes will exercise his $2.46 million player option for the 2024-25 season, as reported by HoopsHype. 

The former No. 8 pick of the 2019 NBA Draft shot a career-high 72 percent and tied a career-high with 70 games played during the regular season. 

The 24-year-old center played with his new coach, JJ Redick, in New Orleans for two seasons, and it’ll be interesting to see how their previous relationship affects his decision. 

Hayes probably played well enough to earn a similar contract elsewhere. The question is whether he’d prefer to be the primary center backup for the Lakers or look for a change of scenery and a potentially bigger role elsewhere.

Prediction: Hayes exercised his option 

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Option amount: $2,463,946

Lakers small forward Cam Reddish earned playing time for former Lakers coach Darvin Ham because of his defense. After being traded from the Hawks to the Knicks, Reddish’s career has stalled without a consistent role with the Knicks, Blazers, and Lakers for a sustained period. 

If Reddish feels the market will be dry, he can exercise his option and guarantee his salary for next season. Or, he can look for a better situation elsewhere for more potential playing time but possibly risk a guaranteed salary in the process. 

The former No. 10 overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft turns 25 in September.

Prediction: Reddish exercises his option

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