2 best players Clippers must re-sign in 2024 NBA free agency

Year one of the Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, and James Harden era is officially over for the Los Angeles Clippers. The team won 51 games in the regular season, good enough for the number four seed in the Western Conference. But with Leonard unavailable, the Clippers lost to the Dallas Mavericks in six games in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

The team now faces some important decisions in the offseason. While Kawhi is under contract for three more years, Harden is an unrestricted free agent and PG has to choose whether to exercise his player option or enter free agency. The Clippers must decide whether to keep their big three together and determine the future of six other free agents as the franchise still searches for its first NBA Title.

With these considerations in mind, here are the two best players the Clippers must re-sign in 2024 NBA free agency.

Clippers free agents 2024

• James Harden
• Mason Plumlee
• Brandon Boston Jr. (Restricted)
• Xavier Moon (Restricted)
• Moussa Diabate (Restricted)
• Daniel Theis

The Clippers also have three guys with player options for the 2024-25 season: Paul George, Russell Westbrook, and P.J. Tucker. None of these three are free agents but would enter free agency should they decline their season options.

Clippers players to re-sign

James Harden

The NBA Playoffs always feel like a huge “what-if” when it comes to the health of star players. Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard played just 59 minutes in the team’s First Round loss to the Mavericks, leaving James Harden and Paul George to shoulder the load. Harden was the best player for LA in that series, averaging 21.2 PPG and 8.0 APG while shooting 38.3% from deep.

While Harden posted his lowest scoring season since his sophomore campaign, the 34-year-old finally appears to be adjusting to life post-superstardom. His offensive rating of 125 tied a career-best from 2011-12 and his turnovers per game (2.6) were also the lowest since that year with the Oklahoma City Thunder. With George and Leonard as the team’s primary scorers, Harden has carved out a role as the main facilitator for the Clippers. The 34-year-old lefty also proved that he can be drama-free, providing a stable presence in the LA backcourt.

The Clippers only have two first-round draft picks in the next five drafts, so the franchised has locked itself into championship-or-bust mode for the foreseeable future. This means betting the house on the trio of Leonard, Harden, and George. James Harden has transitioned from being an elite scorer into a player who sets up others while still scoring when needed. Harden is the glue connecting this big three, and re-signing him is a necessity for the Clippers.

Mason Plumlee

Backup centers Mason Plumlee and Daniel Theis are free agents this summer and it is unlikely that the Clippers keep two slow, aging big men on the bench. Plumlee played more minutes than Theis during the playoffs — 66 minutes across six games for Plumee versus just four minutes in one garbage-time appearance for Theis. While Theis can stretch the floor, Plumlee is the better defender, a more efficient scorer down low, and has upside as a passer.

While Mason Plumlee is 34 years old, he is a solid backup center and should be available to re-sign at a bargain price. With little size outside of Ivica Zubac, the Clippers should look to re-sign Plumlee.