Every NBA off-season, there comes a time when each of the league’s 30 teams has a chance to participate in the feeding frenzy for fresh talent that is NBA Free Agency.
That’s the stretch of the off-season where some of the league’s best players become available to be signed by other teams, and it’s often a golden opportunity to coax a truly game-changing player away from a rival.
So, which NBA players are at the top of the list for NBA Free Agency in 2025? Here’s our take on which players can be expected to make the biggest splash in free agency. Here’s a sneak peek: There’s more than a few superstars and one true legend on this list.
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When Does NBA Free Agency Start in 2025?
The NBA’s free agency period officially began on June 30, 2025 at 12:01 p.m. ET. Teams were able to begin negotiating with their own free agents and other teams’ pending free agents on June 30, during the “legal tampering” period. They still can’t start signing players under contract until the official start of free agency on July 6.
Free agency is a good opportunity both for players to secure a better contract or team fit elsewhere and for teams to acquire much-needed talent at a specific position or open up some cap space.
How Does NBA Free Agency Work?
So, how exactly does the NBA’s free agency period work?
NBA Free Agency is a period during the offseason during which players whose contracts have expired or are expiring can sign with a different team. The whole process is governed by the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement, a contract between the league and the players’ union, the National Basketball Player’s Association (NBPA).
During this period, players fall into one of five categories of free agents:
Unrestricted Free Agent: These players are able to sign with any team that offers them a contract, without any restrictions or special rights afforded to their current team.
Restricted Free Agent: Restricted free agents can sign with another team during free agency, but their current team has the right to offer a matching contract within the next 48 hours after signing.
Player Option: Players with a Player Option clause in their contracts have the ability to decide whether to play another year of their contract or opt to become a free agent and pursue a contract with a different team.
Team Option: A player’s team gets to decide whether to allow them to become a free agent or keep them for another season.
Early Termination Option: Players with an early termination option clause in a five-year contract can decide whether to play the fifth season of their contract or become a free agent.
What are Bird Rights in the NBA?
Bird rights allow an NBA team to exceed their salary cap to resign one of their own players, making it easier to provide these players with longer-term contracts and helping teams retain their top players during free agency.
These rights are named after NBA legend Larry Bird, who was resigned by the Boston Celtics above their salary cap in 1983.
Players earn Bird rights by playing for the same team for three straight seasons.
The Top 10 NBA Free Agents in 2025
Here are the top NBA players who will be available in free agency in 2025, plus which teams they’re most likely to end up playing for. We’ll keep this list updated as players and teams make decisions.
1. James Harden – Los Angeles Clippers
Position: Point Guard
2024-25 Season Stats: 22.8 points per game, 8.7 assists per game, 5.8 rebounds per game, 41% field goal percent, 35.2% three-point percent, 87.4% free throw percent
2025-26 Salary: $36.3 million
Free Agent Type: Player Option
Decision: Re-signed with the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year, $81.5 million deal
James Harden is easily one of the most talented basketball players of the modern era, and he’s remained as effective as ever despite being 35 years old. While inconsistent in the playoffs over the years, he was a key player in the Clippers’ seven-game series against the Denver Nuggets during the 2024-25 playoffs.
2. LeBron James – Los Angeles Lakers
Position: Small Forward
2024-25 Season Stats: 24.4 points per game, 8.2 assists per game, 7.8 rebounds per game, 51.3% field goal percent, 37.6% three-point percent, 78.2% free throw percent
Salary: $48.7 million
Free Agent Type: Player Option, Bird rights
Decision: Re-signs with the Los Angeles Lakers on one-year, $52.6 million player option
At 40 years old, LeBron James is the oldest active player in the NBA. But, he’s also a living legend and one of the most recognizable names in both basketball and sports at large. He’s still performing near the top of his game, and his son, Bronny James, is also rostered by the Lakers. He’s an institution in L.A., and that’s where he’ll stay.
3. Julius Randle – Minnesota Timberwolves
Position: Power Forward
2024-25 Season Stats: 18.7 points per game, 4.7 assists per game, 7.1 rebounds per game, 48.5% field goal percent, 34.4% three-point percent, 80.6% free throw percent
Salary: $33.1 million
Free Agent Type: Player Option, Bird rights
Decision: Re-signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves on a three-year, $100 million deal
Julius Randle was a big part of what helped propel the Timberwolves through two rounds of the 2025 playoffs and into the Western Conference Final. He wasn’t exactly the most game-changing of acquisitions when he landed in Minnesota, but his performance surged in the second half of the season. He’ll stick around with the Wolves for another three years.
4. Myles Turner – Indiana Pacers
Position: Center
2024-25 Season Stats: 15.6 points per game, 1.5 assists per game, 6.5 rebounds per game, 48.1% field goal percent, 39.6% three-point percent, 77.3% free throw percent
Salary: $19.9 million
Free Agent Type: Unrestricted, Bird rights
Decision: Signed with the Milwaukee Bucks on a four-year, $107 million deal.
Almost everyone thought Pacers star Myles Turner would stay put in Indiana, but he shocked the NBA world when he signed a $107 million, four-year contract with the Milwaukee Bucks, who also waived Damian Lillard, on July 2.
5. Kyrie Irving – Dallas Mavericks
Position: Point Guard
2024-25 Season Stats: 24.7 points per game, 4.6 assists per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, 47.3% field goal percent, 41% three-point percent, 91.6% free throw percent
Salary: $41 million
Free Agent Type: Player Option, Bird rights
Decision: Re-signed with the Dallas Mavericks on a three-year, $119 million deal
Despite an ACL injury ending his 2024-25 campaign prematurely, Kyrie Irving is still a force to be reckoned with on the court, and one that the Dallas Mavericks certainly wanted to remain on their roster. That’s where he’ll play for the next three seasons.
6. Naz Reid – Minnesota Timberwolves
Position: Center/Forward
2024-25 Season Stats: 14.2 points per game, 2.3 assists per game, 6 rebounds per game, 46.2% field goal percent, 37.9% three-point percent, 77.6% free throw percent
Salary: $14 million
Free Agent Type: Player Option, Bird rights
Decision: Re-signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves on a five-year, $125 million deal
Naz Reid was solid for the Wolves this season, and he’s easily one of the league’s top big bench players, if not the best. He brings a major physical presence to Minnesota’s lineup, where he’ll stay for the next five years.
7. Josh Giddey – Chicago Bulls
Position: Point Guard
2024-25 Season Stats: 14.6 points per game, 7.2 assists per game, 8.1 rebounds per game, 46.5% field goal percent, 37.8% three-point percent, 78.1% free throw percent
Salary: $8.4 million
Free Agent Type: Restricted, Bird rights
Potential Landing Spots: Remains with Chicago
Josh Giddey made an immediate impact as a playmaker when he landed in Chicago on a trade from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and it’s likely Chicago will want to retain that talent. Giddey also seems to want to stay put in the Windy City, so expect a pretty sizeable deal to get worked out here.
8. Fred VanVleet – Houston Rockets
Position: Guard
2024-25 Season Stats: 14.1 points per game, 5.6 assists per game, 3.7 rebounds per game, 37.8% field goal percent, 34.5% three-point percent, 81% free throw percent
Salary: $42.8 million
Free Agent Type: Team Option
Potential Landing Spots: Re-signed with the Houston Rockets on a two-year, $50 million deal.
Fred VanVleet is a veteran presence on the Houston roster, but he’s not the same player he used to be. That said, Houston was looking for someone who could have enough of an impact to regain their competitiveness, and they found it in VanVleet by most measures. He’ll stick around another two seasons, and he got a bit of a pay bump to do so.
9. Jonathan Kuminga – Golden State Warriors
Position: Power Forward
2024-25 Season Stats: 15.3 points per game, 2.2 assists per game, 4.6 rebounds per game, 45.4% field goal percent, 30.5% three-point percent, 66.8% free throw percent
Salary: $7.6 million
Free Agent Type: Restricted, Bird rights
Potential Landing Spots: Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat
Jonthan Kuminga and the Golden State Warriors have butted heads in contract negotiations over the last few years, failing to reach an agreement on an extension. His role has also diminished, especially since the arrival of Jimmy Butler, and he’s likely to be sporting a different jersey next season. The Warriors could also hang on to him to look for a trade.
10. Malik Beasley – Detroit Pistons
Position: Shooting Guard
2024-25 Season Stats: 16.3 points per game, 1.7 assists per game, 2.6 rebounds per game, 43% field goal percent, 41.6% three-point percent, 67.9% free throw percent
Salary: $6 million
Free Agent Type: Unrestricted, Bird rights
Potential Landing Spots: Remain in Detroit
Beasley was one of the best three-point shooter in the league this season, beating out even Stephen Curry, the man widely credited with making the shot a fixture of modern play. Detroit will almost certainly not allow a talent like that slip through their fingers, and he’s likely looking at a payday at least double, if not more, than his current salary to remain a Piston.
A wrinkle, however: Beasley is now under investigation by the federal government for gambling.
Other Notable NBA Free Agents in 2025
These ten are the ones we think will have the biggest impact, wherever they end up playing next season, but there are plenty more interesting players coming up in NBA free agency this year. Here’s a look at some of the other top options:
- Nickeil Alexander-Walker: Small forward, signed a four-year, $62 million deal with the Toronto Raptors
- Deandre Ayton: Center, signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on a two-year, $16.6 million deal
- Dorian Finney-Smith: Power forward, signed a four-year, $53 million deal with the Houston Rockets
- Keon Ellis: Shooting guard, picked up on $2.3 million team option by Sacramento Kings
- Ty Jerome: Shooting guard, signed a three-year, $28 million deal with the Memphis Grizzlies
- Santi Aldama: Power forward, re-signed with the Memphis Grizzles on a three-year, $52.5 million deal
- Bobby Portis: Power forward, re-signed with the Milwaukee Bucks on a three-year, $44 million deal
- John Collins: Center, picked up $26.5 million player option to remain with the Utah Jazz.
- Dennis Schroder: Point guard, signed a three-year, $15 million deal with the Sacramento Kings
- Luke Kornet: Signed a four-year, $41 million deal with the San Antonio Spurs
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Frequently Asked Questions
How long is NBA Free Agency?
NBA Free Agency starts June 30 and runs until the start of the regular season on October 21.
Who are the top NBA free agents in 2025?
James Harden, Lebron James and Kyrie Irving are all top available free agents in 2025.
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