The NBA free agency option deadline hit July 9. Three massive moves reshaped rosters in hours. Draymond Green declined his $27.7 million player option. Neemias Queta signed a four-year, $56 million extension with Boston. The Sacramento Kings waived DeMar DeRozan.

These moves matter because the Summer League starts the same day. Young talent debuts. Free agents reset market value. Teams make final roster decisions. July 9 is the hinge between the 2025-26 season and the 2026-27 season.

Draymond Green Opens Warriors’ Championship Window

Draymond Green opted out. The Warriors gain cap space to pursue LeBron James. Golden State can also trade for Anthony Davis. Green’s exit gives the franchise flexibility to swing for a superstar.

Green remains a Warriors target. But now the Warriors can negotiate. Money and flexibility talk. Green wants the ring. The Warriors want his defense. Something gets done, or both move on.

Boston Locks Up Queta Long-Term

Neemias Queta’s four-year, $56 million extension keeps the center in Boston through the prime of his career. The Celtics chose stability over free agent hunting. Queta pairs with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. The core deepens.

This is how contenders operate. Lock up role players early. Keep them cheap relative to their market value. Queta now takes discount dollars to chase rings with a championship roster.

Sacramento Gives Up on DeMar DeRozan

The Kings waived DeRozan. A six-time All-Star hits free agency as a veteran minimum salary player. DeRozan can sign with a contender for cheap. Teams seeking bench scoring win. DeRozan’s market value dropped hard.

But DeRozan is still 34 and can shoot. Some team takes the flier. Maybe he lands in Boston or Phoenix. The minimum is the price, but the chance to win rings drives the decision.

July free agency deadlines compress half a decade of roster building into 24 hours.