With the 2024/25 NBA season in the books, the offseason has begun, and so has free agency — sort of.
A tweak in the league’s most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement means that teams are permitted to begin negotiating with their own free agents one day after the NBA Finals end rather than having to wait until June 30 to do.
Clubs still aren’t allowed to talk to rival teams’ free agents until June 30, and most contracts can’t be officially signed until July 6, but some free agents will almost certainly reach tentative agreements prior to the typical opening of the free agent period.
Listed below are our top 50 free agents for the 2025/26 NBA season. Our rankings take into account both a player’s short-term and long-term outlook and lean a little more heavily toward market value than present on-court value.
Players who are under contract for next season aren’t listed here, even if their salaries aren’t fully guaranteed and they’re candidates to be waived. However, we’ll continue to update this list up until June 30, so certain players may be added or removed as option decisions are made and other roster moves are finalized.
In addition to the players listed below, there are plenty of other free agents available this summer. You can check out our breakdowns of free agents by position/type and by team for the full picture.
Here are our top 50 free agents of 2025:
1. Kyrie Irving, G, Mavericks (player option)
It’s a reflection of the relative weakness of this year’s free agent class that a 33-year-old who will spend the rest of 2025 recovering from a torn ACL tops our list. But there’s some precedent here that bodes well for Irving’s chances of scoring a big payday — Klay Thompson signed the most lucrative free agent contract of the 2019 NBA offseason (five years, $189.9MM) despite having suffered an ACL tear a few weeks earlier that would sideline him for all of 2019/20. I don’t expect Irving, who is four years older now than Thompson was in 2019, to receive quite that lengthy a commitment from Dallas, but he has a chance to top Klay’s average annual salary. After trading Luka Doncic earlier this year, the Mavericks are pot-committed to Kyrie, the only star ball-handler and play-maker on their roster, who will have some leverage in spite of his injury.
Update: Irving reportedly intends to sign a three-year, $119MM contract with the Mavericks.
2. James Harden, G, Clippers (player option)
While his field goal percentage (41.0%) and three-point percentage (35.2%) were both well below his career averages, Harden enjoyed a bounce-back year of sorts in 2024/25, registering his highest scoring average (22.8 PPG) since 2020/21 and earning a spot on an All-NBA team for the first time since ’19/20. With Kawhi Leonard out for the first half of the season, Harden was the primary offensive engine for a Clippers team that performed better than expected after losing Paul George. The former MVP won’t get a long-term contract as he enters his age-36 season, but I could see him getting multiple guaranteed years with a salary bump, assuming he declines his $36.3MM player option.
Update: Harden reportedly intends to sign a two-year, $81.5MM contract with the Clippers.
3. Myles Turner, C, Pacers
The top option among a solid group of free agent centers, Turner has increased his value this spring by anchoring the Pacers’ defense during their unexpected run to Game 7 of the NBA Finals. The 29-year-old isn’t perfect – notably, he’s a subpar rebounder for his size – but as a big man who can protect the rim on defense and stretch the floor on offense, Turner has a rare, coveted skill set. Brook Lopez, who has a similar game to Turner, is coming off a two-year, $48MM contract that he signed at age 35. Given that he’s six years younger than that, I expect the Pacers center to get at least three or four years and to comfortably clear Lopez’s last deal in terms of per-year salary. Indiana will have competition for him, but reports have suggested the club is willing to enter luxury tax territory for the first time since 2006 to keep their core intact. We’ll see if that’s still the case in the wake of Tyrese Haliburton‘s Achilles injury.
4. Josh Giddey, G, Bulls (RFA)
I don’t know that Giddey is a top-five player among this year’s free agents, but he’s reaching the market at age 22, making him one of the strongest candidates to sign this summer’s biggest free agent contract. He was reportedly seeking $30MM per year when he and the Bulls discussed a rookie scale extension last fall. After a slow start, he finished his contract year strong by averaging 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 9.3 assists per game on .500/.457/.809 shooting after the All-Star break. One factor potentially working against Giddey is that the Bulls may be wary of bidding against themselves again after committing five years and $90MM to restricted free agent Patrick Williams a year ago.
5. Julius Randle, F, Timberwolves (player option)
Randle wasn’t scoring or shooting as much during his first year as a Timberwolf as he had gotten accustomed to during his years in New York, but after finding his footing in Minnesota, the 30-year-old continued to be an effective scorer, rebounder, and play-maker, putting up averages of 18.7 PPG, 7.1 RPG, and 4.7 APG. Given the lack of league-wide cap room available this summer, declining his $30.9MM player option isn’t a no-brainer. If he goes that route though, Randle should be able to lock in a much bigger overall guarantee on a multiyear deal — even if it means taking a slight short-term pay cut for 2025/26.
Update: Randle reportedly intends to sign a three-year, $100MM contract with the Timberwolves.
6. Fred VanVleet, G, Rockets (team option)
An underrated point guard whose contributions go far beyond his box-score stats, VanVleet has helped transform the culture in Houston, serving as a veteran leader for a young team that improved by 19 wins in his first season as a Rocket, then by 11 more wins in his second season. The Rockets could afford to overpay VanVleet during those two years because their young players were all still on their rookie scale deals, but with the roster starting to get more expensive, the club may decline the 31-year-old’s $44.9MM team option in order to sign him to a longer-term deal with a more manageable first-year cap hit.
Update: VanVleet reportedly intends to sign a two-year, $50MM contract with the Rockets.
7. Jonathan Kuminga, F, Warriors (RFA)
The final few weeks of Kuminga’s season were a microcosm of his first four years in the NBA. After falling out of the Warriors’ rotation entirely for the regular season finale, the play-in game, and most of the first round, the 22-year-old got another opportunity in round two following an injury to Stephen Curry and took full advantage, scoring 24.3 points per contest on 55.4% shooting in Golden State’s final four games. That tantalizing upside as a big-time scorer makes Kuminga one of the year’s most intriguing free agents, even if the fit with the Warriors has been a challenge at times.
8. Naz Reid, F, Timberwolves (player option)
The NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2023/24, Reid put up pretty similar numbers in ’24/25, increasing his points (14.2), rebounds (6.0), and assists (2.3) per game. A beloved Timberwolf, Reid has been the third big man in Minnesota’s frontcourt in recent years, but could be in line for a much more significant role if the team doesn’t retain Randle — or if Reid leaves the Wolves to sign elsewhere. Teams in need of a forward/center who can knock down outside shots will likely take a long look at Reid, with the Pistons said to be among his potential suitors. Still, it will take more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($14.1MM) to make him a competitive offer, so Minnesota is in the driver’s seat to retain him.
Update: Reid reportedly intends to sign a five-year, $125MM contract with the Timberwolves.
9. Cam Thomas, G, Nets (RFA)
There are a lot of red flags to consider with Thomas. He’s not a great play-maker for a ball-dominant guard, isn’t a strong defender, and hasn’t shot three-pointers especially efficiently since entering the league (.345 3PT%). He’s also coming off a series of hamstring injuries that limited him to just 25 outings in 2024/25. But there are few players in the NBA who are better at simply getting the ball in the basket. Thomas has improved his scoring average every year since being drafted in 2021, establishing a new career high with 24.0 PPG this past season. The Nets, who barely have any multiyear contracts on their books, are well positioned to give the 23-year-old a lucrative multiyear deal and hope that he continues to develop the non-scoring aspects of his game.
10. Quentin Grimes, G, Sixers (RFA)
After establishing a reputation during his first three-and-a-half NBA seasons as a solid three-and-D role player, Grimes showed after being traded to the Sixers at the deadline that he’s capable of playing a featured role too, averaging 21.9 points and 4.5 assists per game on .469/.373/.752 shooting in 28 games with Philadelphia. It’s hard to know how much stock to put in those stats, given that the 76ers were very much in tank mode during that stretch of the season, but even if he returns to his complementary role, Grimes is a valuable piece. The Sixers will be looking to re-sign him without going too deep into tax-apron territory.
11. Nickeil Alexander-Walker, G, Timberwolves
The third Timberwolf on our list already, Alexander-Walker has rejuvenated his career in Minnesota after having been an afterthought in the three-team February 2023 trade that sent him from the Jazz to the Wolves. A talented perimeter defender, Alexander-Walker has displayed a reliable outside shot over the past three seasons (.385 3PT%) and will still be just 27 years old when training camps get underway this fall. I’d expect him to be a popular target for teams with the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception available, and he could even end up exceeding that figure.
12. Santi Aldama, F, Grizzlies (RFA)
Aldama flies somewhat under the radar in Memphis, where he plays a complementary role to stars like Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., but he quietly had a career year in his fourth NBA season, averaging 12.5 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 25.5 minutes per contest. His 48.3% mark on shots from the floor and 36.8% percentage on three-point tries were both career bests too. A solid, versatile frontcourt defender, Aldama will be a priority for the Grizzlies this offseason and has a pretty good case to match or exceed the four-year, $58MM contract Obi Toppin signed with Indiana a year ago.
13. Brook Lopez, C, Bucks
If Lopez were 10 years younger, he might be up in the top five of this list alongside Turner, his fellow rim-protecting, floor-spreading center. At age 37, he’ll still draw plenty of interest on the open market, but he’ll have a hard time getting more than a couple guaranteed years. I’ll be interested to see whether Lopez prioritizes one last big payday or if he’s open to accepting a substantial pay cut to take on a role with a team that may be closer than Milwaukee to contending for a title in 2026. He nearly left the Bucks for the Rockets in 2023 — maybe this will be the year he finally changes teams.
14. Bobby Portis, F/C, Bucks (player option)
A reliable part of the Bucks’ frontcourt for the last five seasons, Portis earned Sixth Man of the Year votes in three of those years — he started too many games to qualify in one of the other two seasons, then only suited up a total of 49 times last season due to a 25-game suspension that cost him much of the second half. His consistency is an asset, and it’s one Portis believes he should be rewarded for. He recently spoke about a desire to be “compensated fairly” after accepting what he views as team-friendly contracts in recent years. Given that context, it seems relatively safe to assume he’ll decline his $13.4MM player option in search of a more sizable commitment, either from Milwaukee or another team.
Update: Portis reportedly intends to sign a three-year, $44MM contract with the Bucks.
15. Caris LeVert, G/F, Hawks
With three ball-dominant guards (Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, and Ty Jerome) on the roster in Cleveland, LeVert wasn’t an ideal fit for a team that needed more of a three-and-D wing in his spot. The Cavaliers ultimately ended up sending him out in a trade to get exactly that sort of player (De’Andre Hunter). But LeVert thrived leading the second unit in Atlanta following his change of scenery, looking more like the player who frequently averaged between 17 and 20 points per game earlier in his career. The Hawks reportedly want to bring him back in that role and have plenty of cap flexibility to do so.
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16. Ty Jerome, G, Cavaliers
One of the most unexpected breakout seasons of 2024/25 belonged to Jerome, who was limited to just two appearances during his first year in Cleveland in ’23/24 due to an ankle injury. He exceeded all expectations in his second season as a Cavalier by averaging 12.5 points and 3.4 assists in just 19.9 minutes per game and posting a .516/.439/.872 shooting line. Jerome finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting and might’ve placed higher than that if he had played a little more. He’s not a great defender and didn’t boost his stock with some shaky postseason performances, which may limit his earning potential to some extent this offseason, but an eight-figure annual salary still seems likely.
17. Dorian Finney-Smith, F, Lakers
Finney-Smith’s stats in Los Angeles (7.9 PPG, 3.6 RPG) definitely don’t jump off the page, but the Lakers badly needed shooting and defense when they traded for the veteran wing in December and he gave them both. Remarkably, the Lakers had a +11.1 net rating during Finney-Smith’s 1,239 minutes on the court and a -3.5 mark in the 1,214 minutes he didn’t play after the trade. His player option salary of $15.4MM probably reflects his value pretty well, but I’d argue he deserves to have multiple years tacked on around that same number.
18. Dennis Schröder, G, Pistons
It was a tale of three seasons for Schröder, who got off to a great start in Brooklyn, was a horrible fit in Golden State, and then found a better match in Detroit, where he gave the Pistons another reliable ball-handler in the wake of Jaden Ivey‘s season-ending leg injury. Ugly Warriors stint aside, Schröder typically has a pretty high floor as a scorer and ball-handler, and his above-average length helps ensure he’s not a liability on defense. Although he may not start on a contender, he’d be a very high-end backup for a team with a starting point guard already in place. I’m curious to see how interested he’ll be to return to Detroit with Ivey set to rejoin the Pistons’ backcourt rotation.
19. Deandre Ayton, C (waivers)
Ayton technically won’t become a free agent until July 2, when he clears waivers following his buyout agreement with the Trail Blazers, but it won’t be a surprise if he already has his next team lined up by that point. The former No. 1 overall pick has faced criticism over the year for the things he can’t do, as well as questions about his drive and compete level, and he wasn’t a great value on a maximum-salary contract. But on a much smaller deal, he actually could be underrated — the big man, who is still in his prime (27 in July), has averaged at least 14.4 points and 10.0 rebounds in each of his seven NBA seasons and was the starting center for a Suns team that made the NBA Finals in 2021.
20. Gary Trent Jr., G, Bucks
Like Beasley a year before him, Trent accepted a minimum-salary contract to play a starting role for a Bucks team with championship aspirations in the hopes of rebuilding his value. And even though he lost his starting job pretty early in the fall, Trent’s year in Milwaukee was a success — he knocked down 41.6% of 5.9 three-point tries per game and submitted some memorable playoff performances, averaging 18.8 points, 4.4 threes, and 2.6 steals per game in Milwaukee’s first-round loss to Indiana. I’d be pretty surprised if he has to settle for another minimum deal this time around.
21. Clint Capela, C, Hawks
Capela lost his starting job in Atlanta midway through the 2024/25 campaign, but that seemed to be more about the team wanting to pass the torch to Onyeka Okongwu than a loss of confidence in Capela. He’s one of the best rebounders in the NBA, is a solid rim protector, and is still just 31 years old. Multiple reports since the season ended have suggested a reunion with the Hawks may not be in the cards. I expect Capela to seek out a situation where he could reclaim a starting role and would expect him to get offers between the taxpayer mid-level exception ($5.7MM) and the full mid-level.
22. Guerschon Yabusele, F/C, Sixers
Yabusele looked like a different player in his return to the NBA after a failed stint with Boston in his early 20s from 2017-19. The big man did a little of everything in an unexpectedly prominent role for the Sixers, posting 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game on .501/.380/.725 shooting. Yabusele has the size to match up with big men in the post and the athleticism to switch onto perimeter players. Since the 76ers only hold his Non-Bird rights, they’d have to dip into some form of mid-level exception to offer him more than 20% above his minimum, so there’s no guarantee he’ll be back with Philadelphia.
23. Day’Ron Sharpe, C, Nets
Of the players we’ve discussed so far, Sharpe has one of the thinnest NBA résumés. He has appeared in just 191 total games (14 starts) and averaged 7.9 points and 6.6 rebounds in 18.1 minutes per night this past season. But he’s becoming one of the NBA’s best offensive rebounders and has some sneaky play-making skills. Notably, a Nets team that finished the season with a 26-56 record and a -7.3 net rating outscored its opponents by 2.1 points per 100 possessions when Sharpe was playing, which was – by far – the best mark of any rotation player who finished the season on Brooklyn’s roster. I won’t be shocked if the 23-year-old, who should continue to improve, gets an eight-figure annual salary.
Update: Sharpe reportedly intends to sign a two-year, $12MM contract with the Nets.
24. D’Angelo Russell, G, Nets
Russell’s reputation has taken a hit since he fell out of favor with the Lakers, and his surface-level numbers after being traded to Brooklyn (12.9 PPG on .367/.297/.826 shooting) looked pretty bad. But he earned praise for the way he organized a young Nets team, and Brooklyn was 6.1 points per 100 possessions better when he was on the court than when he wasn’t. Russell’s poor shooting year also looks like an aberration, given that he had made about 37% of his career three-pointers prior to this past season. I don’t expect him to match his $18.7MM salary on his next contract, but he could potentially get half of that, and maybe even a little more.
25. Davion Mitchell, G, Heat (RFA)
Halfway through the 2024/25 season, I didn’t even view Mitchell as a good bet to receive an $8.7MM qualifying offer. But the 26-year-old had an incredible finish to the year after being traded from Miami to Toronto, emerging as a starter and averaging 10.3 points and 5.3 assists per game with a .504/.447/.702 shooting line and his usual strong defense in 30 regular season games for the Heat. He was even better in the postseason, making 59.3% of his field goal attempts and 52.0% of his three-pointers with averages of 15.2 PPG and 6.5 APG in six play-in and playoff outings. A multiyear deal with an annual salary exceeding $10MM shouldn’t be out of the question for Mitchell.
Update: Mitchell reportedly intends to sign a two-year, $24MM contract with the Heat.
26. Chris Paul, G, Spurs
Paul’s 20th NBA season was his most durable to date — he appeared in (and started) all 82 regular season games for the first time in his career and averaged 28.0 minutes per contest. Still a reliable floor general, CP3 seems unlikely to return to San Antonio, where the Spurs’ crowded backcourt includes De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle, with projected No. 2 pick Dylan Harper potentially joining the mix soon as well. Paul looks to me like a clear fit with San Antonio’s division rivals in Dallas, but the Mavericks will likely be just one of several teams expressing interest in the veteran point guard.
27. Luke Kennard, G, Grizzlies
Shooting remains an extremely valuable commodity in the NBA and few do it better than Kennard, whose 43.3% rate in 2024/25 tied for sixth in the league among qualified players. Amazingly, that was actually his worst single-season mark since 2019/20 and was below his career percentage (43.8%). Kennard isn’t an asset on defense, but his offensive abilities – including his passing – should ensure that he continues to earn mid-level type money. He made $9.25MM this past season and could match or exceed that number on his next deal.
28. Tyus Jones, G, Suns
Jones reportedly decided to pass on more lucrative offers last offseason because the Suns, coming off a playoff berth, gave him the opportunity to start. Unfortunately, the decision didn’t really pan out for him or his new team. Phoenix had a disappointing year and the veteran point guard wasn’t quite the right fit alongside the team’s other ball-dominant stars. While it’s possible Jones will get typecast as a minimum-salary player after settling for the veteran’s minimum in 2024, I think he’s still too young (29) and too good in his specific role for that to happen. No one takes care of the ball better than Jones, who has averaged fewer than one turnover per game over the course of his 10-year career, and he’s a reliable outside shooter too, having knocked down 41.4% of his three-pointers in each of the past two seasons.
29. Luke Kornet, C, Celtics
A solid defender and rebounder, Kornet averaged a career-high 18.6 minutes per game in 2024/25 due to Kristaps Porzingis‘ health issues and Al Horford‘s carefully managed role. Boston had a +14.9 net rating during Kornet’s 1,361 minutes of action — no Celtics player had an individual net rating higher than that. By comparison, the team’s net rating during the 2,605 minutes he didn’t play was just +6.3, the lowest of anyone on the roster. As he enters his age-30 season, Kornet won’t be paid like an up-and-comer just finishing his rookie contract, but his eighth-year breakout should make him more than just a minimum-salary player.
30. Tre Jones, G, Bulls
Jones’ low three-point volume (he has made just 141 in five NBA seasons) limits his appeal to some extent, but his assist-to-turnover rate has always been solid and he’s considered a smart, hard-nosed player. After a miserable start to last season in San Antonio, Jones thrived in Chicago following a deadline deal, with head coach Billy Donovan repeatedly lauding the point guard for his high basketball IQ and his knack for making winning plays. Tre may not be quite as popular on the open market as his brother Tyus, but he’s a pretty appealing alternative for teams in the market for help at the point.
31. Russell Westbrook, G, Nuggets
Westbrook held a minimum-salary player option with Denver, which he decided to turn down. That came as no surprise, since Westbrook’s new minimum salary – based on a 10% cap increase – will be higher than his option salary, which was based on a 5% raise from last season’s minimum. Now the question is whether Westbrook will be happy to once again sign a modest contract with a contending team willing to give him a significant role, or whether he might seek out a more lucrative offer after having played on team-friendly deals in recent years. He’s not going to get paid like an MVP anymore, but I bet there would be teams willing to give him at least double or triple the veteran’s minimum.
32. Sam Merrill, G/F, Cavaliers
A solid outside shooter (career .386 3PT%), Merrill took a step forward as a defender in 2024/25, earning kudos from coaches and teammates for his effort on that side of the ball. I don’t expect Merrill to do as well in free agency as fellow Cavaliers reserve Jerome, but he has shown he deserves a raise after having only played on minimum deals to this point in his NBA career. Whether or not Cleveland will be able to afford that raise remains to be seen, as the Cavs project to operate well into second-apron territory this season, even before potentially re-signing Jerome and/or Merrill.
Update: Merrill reportedly intends to sign a four-year, $38MM contract with the Cavaliers.
33. Al Horford, C, Celtics
Horford was ahead of Kornet on the Celtics’ depth chart this season and perhaps deserves to be ahead of him on this list too, but I could see Kornet getting offered multiple guaranteed years; I’m not sure that will be the case for Horford, one of the NBA’s oldest players who may not play more than one final season. The big question is whether Horford remains in Boston, where he has been most comfortable (and where he won a title) in recent years, or whether he’ll explore other options with Jayson Tatum expected to spend most or all of the 2025/26 season recovering from an Achilles tear. Contenders around the NBA would likely be excited to pitch Horford on accepting a spot in their frontcourt.
34. Bruce Brown, G/F, Pelicans
It was just two years ago that Brown was one of the most popular free agents on the market, fresh off playing a crucial role for the Nuggets during their championship run. The jack-of-all-trades swingman has battled some injuries and bounced around the NBA since then, spending time with Indiana, Toronto, and New Orleans. None of those fits have been as good for him as Denver was, but Brown’s versatile skill set should still make him an intriguing target for a playoff team that’s looking to fill out its rotation and has a good sense of how it wants to use him.
35. Duncan Robinson, F, Heat
Robinson’s option with Miami is essentially a mutual option. He’ll likely opt in, but that will only partially guarantee about half of his $19.9MM salary, putting the ball back in the Heat’s court. They’ll have to decide if they should guarantee his remaining $10MM and hang onto him or waive him to create cap savings. Facing a potential tax crunch, the Heat may take the latter path, though you could certainly make a case that Robinson’s shooting ability makes him worth that $10MM. He has made 39.7% of his career three-pointers, including 39.3% this past season.
36. Tim Hardaway Jr., G/F, Pistons
Hardaway won’t show up on many highlight reels, but he played a key role on a Dallas team that went to the NBA Finals in 2024, then started 77 games in ’24/25 for an overachieving Pistons team that earned its first playoff berth since 2019. Hardaway is a pretty good volume shooter, having averaged 36.4% on 7.2 three-point attempts per game over his last eight seasons, and he has the size and athleticism to match up with a variety of wings, even if he’s not exactly a shut-down defender. At age 33, he should still have a few decent seasons left in the tank.
37. Kevin Porter Jr., G, Bucks
Porter finished the season strong in Milwaukee, averaging 11.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 19.9 minutes per game while shooting 49.4% from the floor, including 40.8% on threes. Still, his off-court history – ranging from a locker-room incident that ended his time in Cleveland to a domestic altercation that led to his exit from Houston – will likely cap his potential earnings, since teams will be reluctant to invest heavily in a player they’re not sure they can fully trust.
38. Malcolm Brogdon, G, Wizards
Brogdon missed the start of the 2024/25 season while recovering from thumb surgery and was afflicted by hamstring, foot, and ankle injuries later in the season, limiting him to 24 total appearances for the Wizards. Maybe Brogdon would’ve played a little more if Washington had real playoff aspirations, but health issues have been a problem over the course of his career. He has played more than 56 regular season games just once in the past six seasons. He won the league’s Sixth Man of the Year in that one healthy season and has generally been a very effective two-way player when he’s on the court, with career averages of 15.3 PPG, 4.7 APG, and a .388 3PT%. The 32-year-old won’t get big offers due to his injury history, but he should be a popular target for teams seeking a low-cost option who could return real value on a modest contract.
39. Moritz Wagner, F/C, Magic
While he’s not a star like his younger brother Franz Wagner, Moritz has been a legitimate asset for Orlando in recent years and was well on his way to a career year in 2024/25 (12.9 PPG, 4.9 RPG, .360 3PT%) before an ACL tear ended his season in December. The older Wagner’s value will hinge in large part on his recovery from that injury. A year ago, the Magic gave him a two-year, $22MM deal that included a second-year team option worth $11MM. That option is unlikely be exercised, but perhaps if Wagner is expected to miss the start of 2025/26 and wants to stick with his brother, he’ll accept a minimum-salary contract to return. If so, the 28-year-old could be a serious bargain by the end of next season, assuming he can get back to 100% by then.
40. Jake LaRavia, F, Kings
After the Grizzlies turned down his fourth-year rookie scale option for 2025/26 last October, LaRavia responded by playing some of the best basketball of his career through 47 games for Memphis — he made 44.4% of his three-pointers and the team was better when he was on the court than when he wasn’t. The forward’s production dipped a little following a trade-deadline deal to Sacramento, but he still give the Kings good rotation minutes off the bench. Grizzlies head of basketball operations Zach Kleiman admitted after the season that he probably made a mistake by declining LaRavia’s $5.16MM option for the coming year. Sacramento won’t be able to offer him a starting salary higher than that option amount, but other teams will have the ability to exceed that figure.
41. Chris Boucher, F/C, Raptors
The longest-tenured Raptor, Boucher was a member of the championship roster in 2018/19 and has seen his role and his production fluctuate in the years since then. This past season was one of his better years, which was paradoxically reflected by Toronto’s decision to hold him out of the rotation for the last month-and-a-half of the season as the club tanked for improved lottery odds. In 50 total appearances off the bench, Boucher averaged 10.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game, with a .363 3PT%. The 6’9″ veteran has never had the bulk to match up with centers and big power forwards in the post, but he should hold appeal for teams in search of a stretch four.
42. Tre Mann, G, Hornets
Mann showed some promise early in his career with Oklahoma City and had been thriving in Charlotte following a 2024 trade, averaging 12.6 points and 4.5 assists per night on .446/.377/.797 shooting in a half-season’s worth of games with the Hornets. His 2024/25 season ended in November due to a back injury, which could make it hard for the Hornets to justify a $7MM qualifying offer. However, he was recently reported to be fully healthy, which could make that QO a little more likely — and gave us the confidence to move him up from his original No. 50 spot on this list.
43. Ziaire Williams, G/F, Nets
After acquiring him from Memphis in what was a salary-dump deal for the Grizzlies, Brooklyn committed to giving Williams an extended audition and he handled the career-high workload pretty well, averaging 10.0 points and 4.6 rebounds in 24.5 minutes per game across 63 outings (45 starts). His .341 3PT% wasn’t great, but it was a noticeable step up from the 30.1% mark he posted in his first three NBA seasons, and he showed off his defensive versatility, even handling center duties in a pinch. I’m still not sure he gets an $8.4MM qualifying offer from a Nets team looking to maximize its cap room, but his NBA future looks more promising than it did a year ago.
Update: Williams reportedly intends to sign a two-year, $12MM contract with the Nets.
44. Larry Nance Jr., F/C, Hawks
It was a down year for Nance, who was behind Capela and Okongwu in the Hawks’ center rotation and eventually suffered a right knee injury that ended his season early. When he got a chance to play, he acquitted himself well, and as long as he’s fully recovered from his injury, he should draw interest on the open market as a third big man who can play small-ball center or operate alongside another five. The Hawks are reportedly interested in bringing back Nance, with head coach Quin Snyder said to be a fan.
45. De’Anthony Melton, G, Nets
Like Wagner, Melton is on his way back from ACL surgery that cost him most of the 2024/25 season. Melton’s injury occurred in mid-November, so he got a slight headstart on his recovery, but he has a more worrisome injury history in general, having missed a significant chunk of the ’23/24 season as well due to back problems. Melton is still just 27 and has been a really valuable two-way role player when he’s healthy, fitting in nicely in Memphis, Philadelphia, and (in a very limited sample) Golden State. Teams with limited spending flexibility this summer will likely do their due diligence on Melton’s recovery process to see if he’s willing to sign for the minimum in the hopes of restoring his value in 2025/26 and earning a bigger payday next July.
46. Amir Coffey, G/F, Clippers
On paper, it looks like Coffey had a breakout season in 2024/25. His 9.7 points per game were a career high, and his 47.1% field goal percentage and 40.9% three-point success rate were both well above his career averages. Still, his role declined later in the season with Kawhi Leonard back at full strength, and the Clippers performed much better with Coffey off the court (+9.9 net rating) than on it (-1.4), which has been a common theme in recent years. He also had a poor first-round series against Denver in the playoffs, averaging 2.8 PPG on 31.8% shooting in 18.7 MPG. The 28-year-old swingman still has value, but there are enough red flags here that potential suitors will have to proceed with some caution.
47. Nicolas Batum, F, Clippers
Batum’s career has taken a P.J. Tucker-esque turn in recent years. He basically never scores, having averaged a minuscule 4.0 points in 17.5 minutes per game for the Clippers in 2024/25, but he’s a versatile defender who does a lot of things well on the court, including making three-pointers (43.3%). He’s also a respected veteran voice in the locker room. The Frenchman may only play one more season, but there should be offers above the minimum out there for him this summer.
48. Precious Achiuwa, F/C, Knicks
Achiuwa, who is still just 25 years old, is a bit undersized for a center, but he can handle the role in a pinch, and his athleticism makes him a solid frontcourt option for a team that plays a switching defensive scheme — he’ll hold his own if he has to go out to the perimeter to guard a wing. Achiuwa is also a good rebounder who will bring energy off the bench, even if his lack of scoring and shooting limits his upside.
49. Kevon Looney, C, Warriors
An underrated defender and rebounder, Looney grabbed 6.1 boards in just 15.0 minutes per game this past season — his 21.8% rebounding percentage was a career high. And while it may seem like the big man, who was part of those Warriors championship teams in the 2010s, has been around forever, he’s quite a bit younger than longtime teammates Stephen Curry and Draymond Green — he won’t celebrate his 30th birthday until next February. There will be plenty of flashier options on the center market this summer, but teams looking for a steady backup should give Looney a call.
50. Ryan Rollins, G, Bucks (RFA)
Rollins had a bit of a breakout season in 2024/25, taking advantage of the playing time that opened up when Damian Lillard missed time for health reasons. The former second-round pick registered averages of 6.2 points, 1.9 assists, and 1.9 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game, along with a shooting line of .487/.408/.800. Of course, his NBA résumé prior to ’24/25 is almost nonexistent (25 total appearances), so clubs may view last season’s numbers with some wariness, unsure how they’ll translate to a larger role.
Bumped out of the top 50 for new additions:
51. Trey Lyles, F, Kings
Lyles’ three-point percentage has fluctuated a little over the years, but he has made 36.2% of his outside shots since arriving in Sacramento in 2022 and has been a consistent cog in their rotation during that time. Signing Lyles probably won’t energize a team’s fanbase, but he’s a solid reserve who plays his role well and could be an under-the-radar target for a team that misses out on a higher-profile stretch four like Reid or Aldama.
Pre-free agency updates:
The second-rounders going to Boston will be the Knicks’ 2030 pick and the Trail Blazers’ own 2031 selection, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (
“Words cannot express the pain of this letdown,” Haliburton wrote, in part. “The frustration is unfathomable. I’ve worked my whole life to get to this moment and this is how it ends? Makes no sense.
Veteran reporter Marc Stein (
Carter, who signed a three-year, $19.5MM contract with the Bulls after enjoying a career year in Milwaukee in 2022/23, hasn’t played a major role during his first two seasons in Chicago, having had a hard time earning consistent minutes in a crowded backcourt. 
Middleton, who will turn 34 in August, was always expected to take this route, since his option will pay him $33,345,679 next season. That’s significantly more than he would’ve earned next season if he had opted for free agency, given his health issues in recent years.
Seattle, which won the championship in 1979, relocated to Oklahoma City in 2008. The Pacers, who have never won an NBA title, played the last three quarters without