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Top Available Unrestricted Free Agents
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Many of the top-end, would-be free agents are reportedly off the market already.
Kyrie Irving, James Harden and Julius Randle all had player options for next season, but they’re instead reportedly planning to re-sign with their current teams on multiyear extensions. Meanwhile, LeBron James and John Collins both picked up their player options, which also kept them out of free agency.
Focusing only on players who have not picked up an option or indicated a clear intent to sign an extension with their current team, here are some of the biggest names among the available unrestricted free agents at the outset of the new league year.
Turner has been a mainstay with the Indiana Pacers over the past 10 seasons, anchoring their defense in the paint with his great shot-blocking ability while also spacing the floor as a three-point threat. He was a key factor in their run to the NBA Finals this year, and he’s now in line for a massive payday.
Will the Pacers be willing to go into the luxury tax for Turner—even with star point guard Tyrese Haliburton presumably out for all of next season due to the Achilles injury that he suffered in Game 7 of the Finals—or will they get outbid? Will Turner, who clearly loves Indiana, be willing to stay and hold down the fort while Haliburton is out, or will he try to chase a championship immediately somewhere else?
Sticking with veteran centers who are great defensively and spread the floor on the other end, Lopez is also hitting unrestricted free agency today. The last time he was in that position, he bet on himself by taking a one-year, $3.4 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks. That proved fruitful for both parties, as the Bucks got the exact center they needed to help them win a championship in 2021, and Lopez ultimately got paid via a long-term extension.
Will Lopez try to repeat that feat by looking for greener pastures as he aims for one last big payday toward the end of his career? Or will he stay with the Bucks as they try to navigate their 2025-26 season without Damian Lillard, who also suffered an Achilles injury in the playoffs?
While he may not be an MVP candidate anymore, Westbrook is still a capable bench leader for any contender looking for a second-unit spark. Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 6.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds while logging nearly 28 minutes per game across 75 contests for the Denver Nuggets last season, and he declined his player option to test the waters this summer.
Similar to Westbrook, Paul is no longer the Point God he once was now that he’s 40 years old. But there’s certainly still interested in the veteran star, who appeared in all 82 games for the youthful San Antonio Spurs last year.
The question now is what Paul will value as he looks for a new team. Will he want chase rings even if it’s at the expense of playing time? Will he aim to land with a team where he can remain a starter, even if that team may not be a contender? Will he go wherever he can get the biggest paycheck?
As recently as Saturday, it was possible that Beasley wouldn’t even reach free agency, as he was reportedly negotiating an extension with the Detroit Pistons. But after a shocking report on Sunday that he’s being investigated by the U.S. District Attorney’s office regarding “allegations of gambling related to NBA games and prop bets,” Beasley’s future is suddenly in question and negotiations are paused.
