Five best under-the-radar moves of 2024 offseason
Caleb Martin will team up with former Kia MVP Joel Embiid and the 76ers for the 2024-25 season.
The 2024 offseason has seen plenty of marquee names in the headlines – Klay Thompson to Dallas, Paul George to Philadelphia, LeBron James returning to the Lakers, Donovan Mitchell staying in Cleveland – but there are plenty of impactful signings that have flown a bit below the radar.
Caleb Martin, Philadelphia 76ers
Martin turned down a more lucrative offer to re-sign in Miami before agreeing to join the Sixers as a free agent. That discounted price makes this a potential steal for Philly after Martin established himself as a Playoff performer during the Heat’s run to the 2023 Finals.
In three seasons in Miami, the 6-5 wing averaged 9.6 points and 4.4 rebounds while shooting 36.8% from 3-point range and provided defensive versatility. Martin shot 39.4% on wide-open 3s last season and he should get plenty of open looks playing alongside All-Stars Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and George.
DeAnthony Melton, Golden State Warriors
A back injury limited Melton to just 38 games last season in Philadelphia, but the 26-year-old combo guard averaged a career-best 11.1 points per game before signing with Golden State.
Melton’s combination of strong on-ball defense (3.0+ deflections and 1.6 steals per game the last two seasons) and outside shooting (38.3% from 3-point range over the past four seasons combined) should help him fit with Golden State’s new-look backcourt, joining Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield alongside Stephen Curry.
Monte Morris, Phoenix Suns
After attempting to play last season without a traditional point guard, the Suns signed Morris on a veteran’s minimum contract to help fill that void. Morris averaged just 5.0 points and 2.1 assists in 33 games with Minnesota and Detroit last season, but brings career marks of 10.0 points and 3.8 assists with a 5.04 assist-to-turnover ratio.
The addition of Morris allows Devin Booker to play off the ball more rather than splitting his time between playmaking (career-high 6.9 apg) and scoring (27.1 ppg).
Naji Marshall, Dallas Mavericks
Last offseason, Derrick Jones Jr. signed a one-year deal with the Mavs on the veteran’s minimum and established himself as a starting 3-and-D wing for a team that made it to the NBA Finals.
While the Mavs weren’t able to retain Jones, they bring in a player in Marshall with a similar skillset – a versatile wing defender that forced opponents to shoot 4.2% worse than their normal FG% (14th best differential in the league), while shooting a career-best 38.7% from 3-point range last season.
Gary Trent Jr., Milwaukee Bucks
Three weeks after free agency opened, Gary Trent Jr. was still available for teams to sign before he and the Bucks agreed on a one-year deal at the veteran’s minimum on July 20.
The 25-year-old wing is a proven NBA scorer – averaging 15+ points for three straight seasons before his minutes (28.1 mpg) and points (13.7 ppg) dropped last season in Toronto. A career 38.6% shooter from 3-point range, Trent Jr. should get plenty of open looks playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard (a reunion as they played two-plus seasons together in Portland).
