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Checking In On Top Remaining NBA Free Agents

July 2nd, 2025 at 7:17am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s free agent period officially opened less than 40 hours ago, but the list of this year’s top available players has already been pretty picked clean, with 35 of the players from our list of 2025’s top 50 free agents having already agreed to terms with a team.

Here are the players from our list remain available:

Josh Giddey, G, (Bulls RFA)
Jonathan Kuminga, F, (Warriors RFA)
Cam Thomas, G, (Nets RFA)
Quentin Grimes, G, (Sixers RFA)
Deandre Ayton, C (waivers)
Chris Paul, G
Russell Westbrook, G
Al Horford, C
Malcolm Brogdon, G
Moritz Wagner, F/C
Chris Boucher, F/C
De’Anthony Melton, G
Amir Coffey, G/F
Precious Achiuwa, F/C
Ryan Rollins, G

While four of our top 10 free agents are still on the board, all four are restricted, which means it may take some time for their situations to play out. Sign-and-trades are always a possibility, but few clubs are in position to make an aggressive play for any of these restricted free agents, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN pointed out during a TV appearance on Tuesday evening (Twitter video link).

“If this isn’t the worst market for restricted free agents in the last generation, I don’t want to see it,” Windhorst said. “There’s just no money out there for cap space, and sign-and-trades are very tough to pull off…with restricted free agents, because the team that has the rights isn’t motivated to play ball.”

There have essentially been no rumors linking Giddey, Thomas, or Grimes to any rival suitors since free agency began, so there’s still a widespread expectation that those three players will ultimately end up returning to their current teams.

That may happen with Kuminga too, but there has certainly been more chatter about alternative landing spots for the Warriors forward. Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) checked in on Kuminga’s market late on Tuesday night, suggesting that the Heat, Bulls, Pelicans, and Kings are still being monitored as teams to watch for the 22-year-old, despite an apparent absence of traction on any of those fronts so far.

According to Fischer, Miami has also been linked to potential forward trade targets like DeMar DeRozan and John Collins; Chicago still has Giddey’s own restricted free agency to resolve, and Golden State appears to have “moved away” from past trade interest in Nikola Vucevic; New Orleans doesn’t have an obvious path to make a realistic offer for Kuminga; and while Sacramento would have interest in sending out Malik Monk as part of a sign-and-trade, no momentum has developed there.

With those top four RFAs in limbo for the time being, Ayton – who will clear waivers at 4:00 pm Central time on Wednesday – may be the most intriguing option on the board. According to Fischer, a number of front offices around the NBA expect the former No. 1 overall pick to end up with the Lakers, but the Pacers have also shown interest, as did the Bucks before they agreed to a surprising deal with Myles Turner. Indiana, notably, is the team that signed Ayton to a maximum-salary offer sheet in free agency three years ago, and the same decision-makers are still running that front office.

Paul and Westbrook are two of the most accomplished NBA point guards of the last two decades. Paul is known to want to play close to his home in Los Angeles, so while the Bucks are among the teams that have expressed interest in him, per Chris Haynes on NBA TV (Twitter video link), a team like the Clippers or Suns may be a more realistic landing spot. Haynes adds that he thought Westbrook would land with the Kings, but as long as Monk remains on Sacramento’s roster, that looks like a long shot.

It’s worth noting there’s one big name who was not on our pre-free-agency top 50 because he has only become available since then: Damian Lillard.

The Bucks haven’t officially waived Lillard yet, but he’s expected to reach the open market in the near future, and according to Eric Nehm, Sam Amick, and Joe Vardon of The Athletic, many teams – including the Lakers, Celtics, and Warriors – have reached out and registered interest in signing him even while he recovers from his Achilles tear.

Still, Jamal Collier of ESPN hears that there’s no guarantee that Lillard will sign anywhere for the 2025/26 season, which he’ll likely miss most or all of. He’s reportedly expected to remain based in Portland while doing his rehab work.

Among the other names in the back half of our top 50, Horford is the most intriguing. He has been linked to several teams, including – most consistently – Golden State. The Warriors are still a leading contender to land the veteran big man, per Fischer.

Finally, we should mention Malik Beasley, who ranked 15th on our initial top-50 list before word broke that he was under investigation for gambling allegations. Beasley was reportedly discussing a three-year, $42MM deal with Detroit prior to that news, but it’s hard to imagine any team signing him until that legal situation is resolved, which is why we took him off our list entirely. Since that investigation was reported, a pair of follow-up reports have detailed Beasley’s financial issues, though it’s crucial to note that he doesn’t currently face any charges.

All of the free agent deals agreed upon so far can be found within our 2025 free agent tracker. The full list of free agents still available can be found right here (or here, if you prefer to sort by team rather than by position/type).

Suns Notes: Booker, Green, Beal, Hayes-Davis

July 1st, 2025 at 12:26pm CST by Rory Maher

The Suns and Devin Booker are discussing a contract extension, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes, who notes (via Twitter) that the star guard will soon be eligible to add two years and $150MM onto his current deal.

Marc Stein and Brian Windhorst both reported last month that Phoenix was likely to offer Booker a maximum-salary extension once he’s eligible on July 6 and the 28-year-old was expected to accept it, so Haynes’ report doesn’t come as a surprise.

Here are few more notes and rumors out of Phoenix:

Doug Haller of The Athletic spoke to a handful of Jalen Green‘s former coaches to get a better idea of how he and Booker will be able to coexist in the Suns’ backcourt. Green, a former No. 2 overall pick, will be sent to Phoenix from Houston as part of the Kevin Durant trade. “First off, they’re really good guys,” former Rockets head coach Stephen Silas said of Green and Booker. “They’re both selfless. They both want to win. They both have seen the goods and the bads and have a really good feel for team basketball and what it takes to help you get over the top and win. It remains to be seen, but I think when you start with the base that those two guys have, it could work.”
Arizona Sports 98.7’s John Gambadoro has predicted that Phoenix will either trade or buyout Bradley Beal, who still has two years left on his maximum-salary contract, which features a full no-trade clause. While Beal would be open to certain trade scenarios, his preference is to stay with the Suns, as he doesn’t want to uproot his family or move away from them, a source close to the three-time All-Star tells Fred Katz of The Athletic.
Katz also takes a look at why using the waive-and-stretch provision on Beal isn’t possible unless he gives up at least $13.8MM in a buyout and spoke to some NBA executives about what type of contract the veteran shooting guard might be able to get if he were a free agent (in the range of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception).
Nigel Hayes-Davis‘ contract with Fenerbahce included a €1 million NBA buyout clause, notes Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com. The NBA’s “excluded international player payment amount” for 2025/26 is $875K, which means the Suns could pay up to that portion of Hayes-Davis’ buyout — the rest would come out of his NBA salary, unless Fenerbahce agrees to lower the amount of the buyout. The veteran forward agreed to a guaranteed one-year deal with Phoenix on Monday.

Luke Adams contributed to this article.

Suns To Sign Nigel Hayes-Davis To One-Year Deal

June 30th, 2025 at 7:42pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Suns have agreed to a one-year deal with free agent forward Nigel Hayes-Davis, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (via Twitter). The deal is fully guaranteed.

Hayes-Davis is coming off being named Final Four MVP as he helped Turkish club Fenerbahce win the 2025 EuroLeague championship. He averaged 16.8 points and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 42.3% from three-point range in 34 EuroLeague contests in 2024/25 (31.1 MPG).

After starring at Wisconsin in college, Hayes-Davis played nine total NBA games during the 2017/18 season, bouncing between the Lakers, Raptors, and Kings. He has been out of the league ever since.

While the 6’7″ forward’s first NBA stint was brief, he has been one of the top players in the EuroLeague over the past three seasons with Fenerbahce. With the Suns loaded with shooting guards and centers, the 30-year-old will provide forward depth alongside Royce O’Neale.

Fenerbahce’s GM said Hayes-Davis was drawing serious NBA interest shortly after the team won the title and was preparing for his potential departure.

Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Jerome, Kennard, Capela, Lakers, Bulls, More

June 30th, 2025 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

In their latest round-up of scuttlebutt ahead of the start of free agency on Monday, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link) reiterate or confirm a few of the rumors that have been percolating in recent days, writing that Dennis Schröder appears to be on track to join the Kings on a two-year deal worth the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, while D’Angelo Russell is widely expected to join the Mavericks on a two-year deal that utilizes the taxpayer mid-level.

Stein and Fischer also stress that the Grizzlies are increasingly regarded as the favorites to land free agent guard Ty Jerome, with rival teams expecting him to sign for a deal in the neighborhood of $9-10MM annually (Twitter link).

Additionally, Stein and Fischer confirm that the Rockets are now eyeing Luke Kennard in addition to Dorian Finney-Smith. Besides Houston, the Hawks and Nuggets are considered potential suitors for Kennard, one of the league’s best outside shooters, according to The Stein Line duo.

Here are a few more fresh pieces of intel from Stein and Fischer:

The Clippers are viewed as a viable candidate to land free agent center Clint Capela. Los Angeles is known to be in the market for an Ivica Zubac backup, with Drew Eubanks not expected to return.
If the Lakers end up losing Finney-Smith in free agency, they’re expected to express interest in another talented perimeter defender, De’Anthony Melton, Stein and Fischer report. Dan Woike of The Athletic (Twitter link) has also heard that there’s mutual interest between Melton and the Lakers. The veteran guard signed for the full non-taxpayer mid-level a year ago, but seems unlikely to land another deal in that range after missing nearly the entire season with a torn ACL.
There’s a “strong expectation” that free agent point guard Tre Jones will remain with the Bulls, Stein and Fischer say. K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Sports Network previously reported that the odds of a reunion between the two sides were rising following the team’s Lonzo Ball trade.
The Bucks are working on potential Pat Connaughton trade scenarios and have a couple possible pathways to a deal, per Stein and Fischer. Milwaukee would likely have to attach a sweetener to move Connaughton, but perhaps could acquire a player in return who would upgrade the rotation.
The Wizards have been gauging the trade market for a pair of veterans on expiring contracts, guard Marcus Smart and big man Kelly Olynyk, Stein and Fischer write. Olynyk technically isn’t even a Wizard yet, as the deal sending him from New Orleans to Washington will become official after the July moratorium — it sounds like there’s a chance he’s flipped to another team.
DeMarre Carroll and former Wizards assistant Brian Randle are expected to have two of the front-of-bench spots on Jordan Ott‘s coaching staff, but the new Suns coach is still seeking a lead assistant who has previous head coaching experience, according to Stein and Fischer.

Hornets Trade Mark Williams To Suns For McNeeley, 2029 First-Rounder

June 30th, 2025 at 1:26pm CST by Rory Maher

June 30: The trade is official, according to press releases issued by both the Suns and Hornets.

Williams is headed to Phoenix, while Micic, this year’s No. 29 pick (Liam McNeeley), and a 2029 first-round pick (least favorable of Utah, Cleveland and Minnesota) are going to Charlotte.

Rather than the swap of second-rounders (outlined below), the Hornets sent the Suns their own 2029 second-round pick in order to complete the trade.

June 25: Right around the same time they drafted Khaman Maluach, the Suns agreed to acquire another Duke center, according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the Hornets are sending Mark Williams to Phoenix in exchange for 2025’s No. 29 overall pick and a 2029 first-rounder.

Sources tell Charania that the 2029 first-round pick will be the least favorable of the selections controlled by Utah, Cleveland and Minnesota (Twitter link). The Wolves’ pick is top-five protected, so it would have to fall outside of that range to be in play.

According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link), Vasilije Micic is also involved in the trade, as he’ll be sent back to Charlotte, which just traded him to Phoenix in February. Micic’s $8.1MM team option for next season will have to be exercised for that to occur.

The full trade is as follows, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).

Hornets receive:

Micic.
2025 No. 29 pick.
2029 first-round pick with the least favorable language listed above.
2026 second-rounder (least favorable of Golden State and Denver).

Suns receive:

Williams.
2026 second-round pick (most favorable of Golden State and Denver).

Williams, 23, was nearly traded to the Lakers at the February deadline, but Los Angeles wound up rescinding that deal due to concerns about his physical.

A 7’0″ big man with an enormous 7’7″ wingspan, Williams was productive when healthy this past season for Charlotte, averaging 15.3 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks in 44 appearances (26.6 minutes per game). He shot 60.4% from the field and a career-best 80.4% from the foul line.

However, health has been a huge issue for Williams through three NBA seasons, having played a total of just 106 games. He also has been a negative defender, particularly when trying to switch onto smaller players on the perimeter.

It’s telling that Charlotte was so determined to move Williams despite his very real upside as a scorer and rebounder. The Hornets only won 19 games last season, but they were substantially worse when Williams was on the court (-12.7 net rating) compared to when he was off it (-7.7).

Obviously, Phoenix is betting that Williams and Maluach will be long-term answers in the middle. After trading away Deandre Ayton two years ago, the Suns have been lacking reliable play up front.

Interestingly, the Suns sent Josh Okogie and multiple second-round picks to Charlotte in January in order to acquire Nick Richards, whose $5MM salary for 2025/26 is non-guaranteed. Adding Maluach and Williams might signal that Phoenix will opt to waive Richards — yet another center — instead of retaining him.

Suns Placing Cody Martin On Waivers

June 30th, 2025 at 12:11pm CST by Rory Maher

The Suns are waiving Cody Martin, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link).

Martin’s $8.6MM salary for 2025/26 would have become guaranteed had he remained on Phoenix’s roster through June 30. Instead the Suns will cut him loose, making him eligible for unrestricted free agency in a couple days if he clears waivers, which seems likely.

Jake Fischer and Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported earlier this month that Martin had drawn interest from “several” teams as part of the wider trade talks involving Kevin Durant; the following day, Phoenix agreed to send Durant to Houston. Only one club was specifically mentioned as a possible Martin suitor at that time: the Heat.

Martin was acquired by Phoenix in February ahead of the trade deadline. He spent his first five-and-a-half seasons in Charlotte, the team that selected him 36th overall in 2019.

While the 29-year-old is a strong, versatile defender and solid play-maker, he hasn’t been much of a scoring threat in the NBA, holding career averages of 6.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.0 steal on .436/.308/.661 shooting in 21.9 minutes per game across 259 appearances.

Martin has also been plagued by injuries the past few seasons, including a sports hernia ailment in 2024/25 which delayed his Suns debut. Still, he could hold appeal as a bench option for teams looking for defensive help.

Suns Re-Sign Collin Gillespie

June 30th, 2025 at 11:41am CST by Luke Adams

July 2: Gillespie’s deal is now official, per NBA.com’s transaction log. The fact that it was signed during the July moratorium signals that it is, as expected, a minimum-salary contract.

“Collin earned this opportunity with his work ethic, toughness, and the way he competes every single day,” Suns general manager Brian Gregory said within a press release confirming the signing. “He brings a gritty edge and a high-energy presence that lifts everyone around him. He plays with heart, battles on every possession, and is the kind of guy you want in your organization.”

June 30: Restricted free agent point guard Collin Gillespie has agreed to a guaranteed one-year contract to return to the Suns, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

The lack of financial details in Charania’s report suggests it’ll probably be a minimum-salary deal for Gillespie, though that hasn’t been confirmed.

Even if it is worth the minimum, that will represent a substantial pay increase for the 26-year-old, who has played on three consecutive one-year, two-way contracts since entering the NBA as an undrafted free agent out of Villanova in 2022.

After spending two seasons in Denver, Gillespie joined the Suns last summer and enjoyed his best season as a pro. He averaged 5.9 points, 2.4 assists, and 2.4 rebounds in 14.0 minutes per game across 33 appearances (nine starts) and made 43.3% of his three-point tries.

Phoenix made Gillespie a restricted free agent over the weekend by tendering him a qualifying offer that would have been the equivalent of another one-year, two-way contract. Many two-way free agents end up simply accepting that QO, but Gillespie’s solid play in 2024/25 gave his representatives the leverage to negotiate a fully guaranteed standard deal and a spot on the Suns’ 15-man roster.

A one-year, minimum-salary contract would pay Gillespie a projected $2.38MM while counting against the cap for just under $2.3MM.

Scotto’s Latest: Alexander-Walker, Richards, Capela, Kennard, Shamet

June 30th, 2025 at 10:34am CST by Arthur Hill

Echoing multiple reports, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype confirms that the Hawks and Pistons are considered to be the front-runners for Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, but he lists other contenders as well. League sources tell Scotto that the Clippers and Raptors remain in pursuit of Alexander-Walker along with other teams. He adds that the Magic were also interested before trading for Desmond Bane.

Toronto may be a surprise considering its position near the bottom of the standings this year, but the Raptors are reportedly determined to make a quick turnaround. Scotto notes that Alexander-Walker is a Toronto native and the franchise has a history of bringing in Canadian players, with four on the roster this season.

Scotto talked with several executives around the league who expect Alexander-Walker to sign for at least the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception. League sources told Scotto they don’t expect him to return to the Wolves after they reached new deals with Naz Reid and Julius Randle.

Scotto shares more rumors as the start of free agency draws near:

Center Nick Richards appears to be a trade candidate after the Suns drafted Khaman Maluach and agreed to acquire Mark Williams from Charlotte. Richards’ $5MM contract for next season became fully guaranteed on Sunday, and Scotto hears from league sources that the Knicks, Pacers and Lakers are among the teams with interest.
Clint Capela isn’t expected to return to the Hawks in the wake of the Kristaps Porzingis deal, and Scotto lists the Clippers, Lakers and Spurs as teams to watch for the free agent center.
Sources tell Scotto that Luke Kennard is likely to move on from the Grizzlies. The 29-year-old guard is one of the league’s top three-point shooters.
The Knicks would like to keep free agent guard Landry Shamet, but he’s being eyed by several contending teams, Scotto adds.

Cam Whitmore Has Drawn Trade Interest From Bulls, Nuggets

June 30th, 2025 at 10:22am CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls and Nuggets are among the teams that have registered some level of interest in Rockets forward Cam Whitmore, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported last week that Houston had been engaged in trade discussions involving Whitmore. He’ll earn $3.54MM in 2025/26 with a team option for ’26/27 worth $5.46MM.

Whitmore, who will turn 21 next Tuesday, has seen limited playing time during his first two NBA seasons and has been unable to establish himself as a regular part of the Rockets’ crowded rotation. The former No. 20 overall pick appeared in 51 games this past season, averaging 9.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists in 16.2 minutes per night with .444/.355/.750 shooting numbers. He was out of the rotation completely in the playoffs, making just three brief appearances.

According to Scotto, Whitmore was nearly sent from Houston to Phoenix in the Kevin Durant trade, but the Suns opted for additional second-round draft compensation instead.

The Bulls appear to be keeping an eye out for a forward who can score, having been also linked to Warriors restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga earlier this offseason. While Isaac Okoro – who is more of a defensive specialist – doesn’t really fit that bill, it’s worth noting that Scotto says the Bulls’ interest in Whitmore predated their deal to acquire Okoro, so it’s unclear whether Chicago’s interest in a forward – and Whitmore specifically – persists.

The Nuggets, meanwhile, are looking to supplement a talented starting lineup with reliable depth options. While their pathways to upgrades via trades or free agency are limited, Whitmore’s salary is modest enough that he would be a realistic target.

Stein/Fischer’s Latest: Jerome, Finney-Smith, Turner, Russell, T. Jones, Paul

June 30th, 2025 at 8:49am CST by Arthur Hill

The Grizzlies appear to be the leaders in the race to sign free agent guard Ty Jerome, according to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Substack link). Jerome is coming off a breakout season, but his salary demands are too high for a Cleveland team on the brink of the second apron, so he’s considered a “lock” to leave in free agency. Stein previously mentioned Charlotte and Utah as other teams to watch for Jerome, but Memphis might be separating itself from the pack.

The main question, according to the authors, is how much the Grizzlies are willing to pay Jerome, who is believed to be seeking a deal starting around the $14.1MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception to Jerome. Memphis has been operating recently with the goal of creating enough financial flexibility to renegotiate and extend Jaren Jackson Jr. while matching any offers for restricted free agent forward Santi Aldama, so any offer for Jerome couldn’t get in the way of those goals.

League sources tell Stein and Fischer that the Grizzlies tried to find a taker for Cole Anthony over the weekend. Sending out Anthony’s $13.1MM contract could enable Memphis to acquire Jerome via sign-and-trade.

There’s more inside information from Stein and Fischer:

As reported on Sunday, the Rockets appear to be the top threat to sign Dorian Finney-Smith away from the Lakers. Houston has the $14.1MM MLE available, but the authors hear that its offer may cover four years at a little less than the full amount. L.A. is still hoping to re-sign the 32-year-old forward, who was a part-time starter after being acquired from Brooklyn in December. Finney-Smith turned down a $15.4MM player option on Sunday, and Stein and Fischer report surprise throughout the league that his announcement wasn’t accompanied by a new deal with the Lakers.
There’s “no tangible expectation” that Myles Turner will leave the Pacers in free agency, according to Stein and Fischer. There was some speculation that Indiana might reconsider a new deal with its starting center in the wake of Tyrese Haliburton‘s Achilles injury, but coach Rick Carlisle seemed to squash that when he said on a radio interview last week that re-signing Turner remains the team’s “No. 1 priority.”
The Mavericks are expected to use their $5.7MM taxpayer MLE to sign Nets guard D’Angelo Russell to a two-year deal, Stein and Fischer add. Even with that addition, which would be the team’s 15th standard contract, they state that Dallas still hopes to open a roster spot to re-sign Dante Exum. The authors expect the Mavs to search for a team willing to take on Olivier-Maxence Prosper‘s $3MM contract for next season. The 2023 first-round pick has a $5.3MM team option for 2026/27, so it’s potentially a one-year commitment.
The Magic‘s decision on Sunday to decline an $11MM option on Moritz Wagner and a $2.1MM option on Caleb Houstan could create an opportunity to sign free agent point guard Tyus Jones. If Jones leaves Phoenix, Stein and Fischer speculate it could lead to Chris Paul returning to the Suns, as they first reported on Sunday.