NBA free agency: The most notable July 4 transactions in league history as teams wait on LeBron James
NBA free agency is in full swing, but the best player available remains unsigned. Former Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James has his sights set on a new franchise next season, and various teams are already reportedly lining up to sign him.
Given James' penchant for hijacking the news cycle, could that decision come July 4? The holiday doesn't often feature major sports stories, giving James a chance to dominate coverage if he makes his announcement on that day.
There's some precedent for James switching teams around the date. Two of James' major free-agent decision have come around July 4. In 2018, James' decision to join the Lakers broke July 1. Back in 2010, James held "The Decision" — when he left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat — on July 8.
There's a pretty obvious reason why James hasn't made those announcements July 4. The date is a federal holiday in the United States. Most people don't have to work, instead spending the day celebrating with friends and family. NBA players, agents and team execs are no exception to that.
With that said, there have been a few significant transactions that were either announced or made official on July 4. Here are the biggest ones:
2012: Steve Nash traded to Lakers
There haven't been many official NBA transactions that have occurred on July 4. In fact, if you dig through Basketball-Reference searching for that date, you essentially get nothing any earlier than 2014. It appears the entire NBA world essentially went on a holiday with everyone else on the date until fairly recently.
But that’s also not an entirely accurate look at the date. Some moves get completed July 4 but aren’t officially announced by the league until after the fact.
That’s exactly what happened when Steve Nash was traded to the Lakers in 2012. After a stellar career with the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks, Nash was included in a sign-and-trade with the Lakers.
The then-veteran proceeded to have the “most frustrating season” of his career. Things never came together on the court with Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard. Injuries didn’t help, as Nash played in just 50 games in his first season with the team.
The next year went even worse, as Nash played in just 15 games due to a nerve issue. He intended to return the following year, but was ruled out for the season due to a back injury. That back injury ultimately resulted in Nash’s retirement in 2015.
2016: Kevin Durant announces he's joining the Warriors
Kevin Durant grabbed all the headlines July 4 that year, announcing he was officially joining the Golden State Warriors. Durant made the announcement in The Players Tribune on July 4 and officially signed his deal July 7.
It was a league-altering contract, one that changed the shape of the NBA for years to come. If James' original "Decision" was the start of the player empowerment and superteam era, Durant's choice was more evidence that era was here to stay.
Durant's decision paid off immediately. The Warriors won two championships in his first two years with the team. After losing in the Finals during the 2018-19 NBA season, Durant — who got hurt during that series — decided to leave the franchise in favor of the Brooklyn Nets.
In three seasons with the Warriors, Durant averaged 25.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game.
2017: Heat waive Chris Bosh
After repeated issues with blood clots, Chris Bosh was officially released by the Miami Heat on July 4 in 2017. He first dealt with blood clotting in 2015, but was able to return to play. The issue came back in 2016, forcing Bosh to miss time late in the season. While Bosh tried to return for the 2016-17 NBA season, it wasn't meant to be. The Heat released Bosh in 2017. His jersey and number have since been retired by the franchise.
It's tough to understate Bosh's excellence in his 13 years in the NBA. From the 2005-06 season until he was forced to retire, Bosh made 11-straight All-Star appearances. He also helped lead the Heat to two championships.
2018: Timberwolves sign Derrick Rose, Clippers sign Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
With his career essentially hanging in the balance, Derrick Rose opted to re-join the Minnesota Timberwolves on July 4, 2018. It proved to be a pivotal decision in his career. After averaging a career-worst — to that point — 8.4 points per game the previous season, Rose resigned with the Timberwolves after playing in nine games for them the previous season.
Relegated to mostly a backup role, Rose was able to re-discover himself in Minnesota. He not only upped his scoring average to 18.0 points in his first full season with the team — earning him Sixth Man of the Year votes — but he also dropped a career-high 50 points in his first start with the Timberwolves. It made for an emotional evening for Rose and his teammates.
On the same day Rose made the move that would re-vive his career, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made the one that would start his. Gilgeous-Alexander officially signed his rookie contract with the Los Angeles Clippers on July 4, 2018.
After showing promise with the team as a rookie, Gilgeous-Alexander was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a package that involved Paul George.
Since then, Gilgeous-Alexander has emerged as one of the best players in the game. The two-time MVP has averaged 28.0 points, 5.7 assists and 5.1 rebounds in seven seasons with the Thunder.
2024: Buddy Hield traded to Warriors
With Klay Thompson on the way out, the Warriors needed a player who could pick up the slack from beyond the arc. Enter Buddy Hield, who was traded to the Warriors as part of a $21 million sign-and-trade deal. Hield had his moments with the Warriors, though ultimately averaged 11.1 points in his first season with the team.
After seeing his playing time decrease during the 2024-25 NBA season, Hield was traded to the Atlanta Hawks.
Honorable mentions
The 2010 offseason featured two massive moves right around July 4. On July 7, reports emerged announcing Bosh was signing with the Heat. Just a day later, James would join the team during "The Decision."
Back in 2008, Gilbert Arenas decided to re-sign with the Washington Wizards on July 3. He took less than the max to help the team build for the future. The move didn't work out, as injuries sapped Arenas' ability and future in the league. He was traded to the Orlando Magic a few years into that deal and out of the NBA by the 2012-13 season.
Going back to 2004, Nash’s decision to leave the Mavericks in favor of going back to the Suns occurred just a few days before July 4. Nash made that move July 1 and won back-to-back MVP awards in his first two seasons back with the team, much to the chagrin of Shaquille O’Neal.
