With the NBA’s 2025 free agency period is set to begin at 6 p.m. ET on Monday, a lot has already taken shape with big names coming off the board. LeBron James, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Julius Randle, Fred VanVleet and Naz Reid have all either exercised contract options or agreed to new deals to stay put. James picked up a $52.6 million player option to remain on the Lakers (at least for now).
Harden (two years, $81.5 million with the Clippers), Irving (three years, $119 million with the Mavericks), VanVleet (two years, $50 million with the Rockets) and the Wolves’ duo of Randle (three years, $100 million) and Reid (five years, $125 million) all plan on signing new deals.
None of these developments are shocking. This was expected to be a pretty thin free agent class because all of the names above were expected to stay put. So who’s left? Below is my ranking of the top 50 free agents on the market as of Monday morning.
Haggle over the rankings if you must, or perhaps you feel someone belongs in the top 50 that isn’t there, but these are all names to watch with varying degrees of intrigue, beginning with a big man who is expected to be back in Indianapolis.
Unrestricted free agents can sign with any team. Restricted free agents can sign offer sheets with new teams, but the player’s original team can match the offer and retain the player. Let’s get to it.
2025 NBA top 50 free agents
1. Myles Turner (Unrestricted)
Played a major role as a stretch-shooting/rim-protecting big in Indiana’s surprise run to the Finals. Pacers have made it known they intend to bring him back. Would be shocking if they didn’t.
2. Jonathan Kuminga (Restricted)
Potentially one of the biggest swing pieces of the offseason. Kuminga, a career Warrior to date, is an athlete with potential All-Star scoring chops. A team like Brooklyn could offer him somewhere north of $30 million annually and force the Warriors to match or let him walk for nothing, or he could be the piece Golden State uses in a sign and trade.
3. Josh Giddey (Restricted)
Chicago is a good bet to match any offer Giddey might get on the open market. He absolutely exploded over the final two months of the season as a nightly triple-double threat, high-end scorer with a suddenly competent 3-point shot, and the same passing skills he’s always had. Giddey is not the same player off the ball.
4. Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Unrestricted)
In line for a major pay bump this summer, which the Wolves likely won’t be able to give him without going past the second apron after re-signing Julius Randle and Naz Reid to a combined $225 million in contracts. Serious defender who can knock down 3s and make some plays off the dribble. Will be in high demand in a pretty bare market.
5. Deandre Ayton (Unrestricted)
The newest addition to the 2025 free agency class, it was reported Sunday night that Ayton is finalizing a buyout with the Trail Blazers. He will get to choose his new team. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, Ayton turns 27 in July and instantly becomes one of the most-coveted players on the market. He averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game last season with the Blazers and has averaged a double-double in every season of his career. Ayton helped the Suns reach the NBA Finals in 2021 but then fell out of favor in Phoenix.
6. Dorian Finney-Smith (Unrestricted)
Finney-Smith declined his $15.4 million player option and will enter free agency. He will have no shortage of suitors as a plug-and-play wing in any system. Can defend all over the perimeter and knock down 3s at a high clip. Are the Lakers going to let him get away for nothing? It could happen. Jake Fischer and Marc Stein are reporting that the Rockets have emerged as a viable landing spot for Finney-Smith.
7. Malik Beasley (Unrestricted)
Made 319 3-pointers last season, just one behind Anthony Edwards for the league lead, and he did it at a 42% clip. He is fearless when it comes to shooting and a major boost to any offense. But now with this gambling investigation hanging over him, “serious” talks with the Pistons about a new $42 million deal have reportedly been paused.
8. Ty Jerome (Unrestricted)
Jerome was incredible for the Cavs last season and went absolutely wild in some playoff games. Cemented himself as a top-shelf backup who can legitimately carry offenses for stretches. Shooter. Creator. Defender. Probably the premier reserve point guard on the market.
9. Brook Lopez (Unrestricted)
Can still protect the rim and shoot 3s. Shot 37% from deep last season on five attempts per game. Veteran big who can still loosely anchor a regular-season defense but basically can’t come out of drop coverage, which is a problem. Reporting indicates he’ll be on the move from Milwaukee with the Lakers being one serious suitor.
10. Al Horford (Unrestricted)
Can still reasonably count on him for 60-plus games. Remains a high-level defender and capable 3-point shooter that defenses have to respect. Still an extremely impactful player that can help a contender immensely if he doesn’t stay in Boston. Can Atlanta bring him back? That would be a great fit.
11. Santi Aldama (Restricted)
A seven-footer who has made 3s at a 36% clip over the last three seasons? That’s valuable. Aldama is a really intriguing player who could have a lot more upside than he was able to show in Memphis. Not a good defender. He reportedly is being considered in Detroit as a floor-spacing big that could further unlock Cade Cunningham’s driving lanes. Memphis has right to match any offer he gets, but with the Grizzlies trying to cut cap space to give Jaren Jackson Jr. a raise, Aldama is probably out.
12. Quentin Grimes (Restricted)
Grimes picked a perfect time to go crazy after getting traded from Dallas to Philly, where he averaged 22 points on 59% true-shooting over 28 games. That’s a small sample, but likely enough to get him a decent payday this summer.
13. Gary Trent Jr. (Unrestricted)
Top-notch shooter off the bench. Made over 41% of his 3s last season on almost six attempts per game for the Bucks. Went wild in two playoff games, scoring 37 and 33 in Games 3 and 5 against Indiana. In line for a major raise after playing on a vet minimum last season.
14. Dennis Schröder (Unrestricted)
Schroder basically had three different seasons last year. He went crazy as a go-to scorer with the Nets, then disappointed with the Warriors, before finally slotting into his sweet spot as a high-minutes reserve in Detroit. Self-starter scorer who applies tremendous paint pressure when he’s clicking. Had some huge games in the playoffs.
15. Tyus Jones (Unrestricted)
One of the best backup point guards in the league who was perhaps stretched too much as a starter in Phoenix. Not a defender. Natural floor general and tough pull-up shooter. Made 41% of his 3s last year. Put your second unit in his hands, and you’re in great shape.
16. Cam Thomas (Restricted)
Gifted scorer who can flat out fill it up. Averaged 24 PPG albeit on relatively inefficient shooting marks. You’re not going to build a contender around him, but for pure buckets, he’s one of the best in the league.
17. Caris LeVert (Unrestricted)
Slippery scorer who really ticked up his 3-point volume and had his most efficient scoring season because of it. Probably best suited to come off the bench but can be a starter on a non-contending team.
18. Gary Payton II (Unrestricted)
It’s somewhat difficult to gauge Payton’s value outside the Golden State ecosystem where he benefits so much from all the movement and attention paid to Stephen Curry. Curry’s unique spacing effect covers for Payton’s bad shooting, although he is capable from 3. Either way, no matter where he plays, he’s going to be a perfect high-octane bench player, elite on-ball defender and extraordinary cutter. He’s a winner. And winning teams should want him.
19. Moe Wagner (Team Option)
Wagner was one of the best per-minute bench scorers in the league and a legit Sixth Man of the Year candidate before he tore his ACL in late December. Can get you 15-20 points any night and on a big night more. Very good 3-point shooter. High energy. Magic can exercise his $11 million team option or try to ink him to a long-term deal or let him become an unrestricted free agent.
20. Day’Ron Sharpe (Unrestricted)
The Nets declined to to tender Sharpe his one-year, $5.98 million qualifying offer, so he becomes unrestricted and that will raise the antenna of many teams. A mobile big who can shoot it and defend. The Nets outscored opponents by over 13 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor last season. Reports indicate the Nets want to bring him back, but they’ll definitely be other bidders.
21. Russell Westbrook (Unrestricted)
Had something of a renaissance season with the Nuggets and decided to decline his $3.4 million player option. You know what you get with Westbrook. A ton of energy. Downhill force. Some recklessness and poor shooting baked into an equation that can still feasibly come out on the plus side for a contender.
22. Chris Paul (Unrestricted)
Played in all 82 games last season for the Spurs. Can still help a good team, but probably won’t be back in San Antonio. Paul finished top-10 in assists per game, but should not be your starting point guard at this point. Marc Stein reports that a reunion with the Clippers or the Suns is a possibility.
23. Clint Capela (Unrestricted)
A lob finisher, decent defender and plus rebounder, Capela should be a backup center for a team with ambition to truly compete. He’s almost certainly out in Atlanta with Onyeka Okongwu and the freshly acquired Kristaps Porzingis in line to man the center position.
24. Luke Kornet (Unrestricted)
In this age of stretch-big obsession, Kornet is workhorse big who doesn’t shoot a lick but impacts winning in a lot of ways. Physical defense and rim protection. Rebounding. Screening. The Celtics outscored opponents by almost 15 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor last season. He’ll have suitors, and there’s also talk that the Celtics could flip Anfernee Simons to create enough money to bring Kornet back. He’s valuable.
25. D’Angelo Russell (Unrestricted)
Had his moments over two seasons and change with the Lakers but really struggled after getting sent back to the Nets. Shot under 30% from 3 and 36% overall over 29 games to close the season in Brooklyn. Ultimately, Russell is best suited as a regular-season innings eater, which has real value to preserve star scorers/creators, with much more questionable playoff viability.
Below is the second half of the top 50 free agents, from 26-50. Ben Simmons previously rounded out this list, but got bumped once Ayton joined the free-agent pool.
NBA free agent rankings: 26-50
Watch all your favorite Amazon Prime Video Sports broadcasts live and free. Get access to NFL, NBA, NASCAR, WNBA, and more – all included with your Prime membership!