The NBA free agency period for 2025 is officially active. Teams were permitted to begin negotiations with players earlier this week, and the coming days are expected to be filled with significant transactions. A notable early surprise occurred when the Milwaukee Bucks signed center Myles Turner, who had spent his entire career previously with the Indiana Pacers, to a four-year contract. To accommodate this unexpected move, Milwaukee reportedly waived Damian Lillard and stretched his contract, making the nine-time All-Star effectively a free agent.
Wednesday`s most significant development involved the Los Angeles Lakers. According to reports, L.A. signed former No. 1 overall draft pick Deandre Ayton. Ayton became available after his contract was bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday. He is now set to join Luka Dončić and LeBron James on the Lakers roster, providing the team with a much-needed presence in the paint.
The Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, and Houston Rockets have also been among the most active teams since free agency commenced. The Nuggets acquired Cam Johnson via trade from the Nets (sending Michael Porter Jr. in return) and added Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. through free agency signings. The Hawks continued their offseason activity by adding Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard. The Rockets, who recently traded for Kevin Durant, are reportedly planning to sign Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela.
The 2025 NBA free agent class is not highlighted by a large number of top-tier superstars. Many of the biggest names who could have entered the market chose to remain with their current teams. Players like LeBron James, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Fred VanVleet all agreed to contracts extending into the 2025-26 season. LeBron James, specifically, opted into his $52.6 million player option with the Lakers for that season. However, despite this decision, the NBA superstar remains a potential subject of trade discussions, as his agent Rich Paul indicated that James` camp would `evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career.` Thus, while James isn`t a free agent, a team change remains a possibility.
With many prominent players already under contract, who are the notable names still available in free agency? As of Tuesday night, Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey, and Boston Celtics big man Al Horford are among the highest-ranked players remaining on the market. Additionally, well-known veterans such as Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook are also seeking new teams.
2025 NBA Free Agency Tracker Table
| Rank | Player | POS | Last Team | New Team | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LeBron James (40) | SF |
 Los Angeles Lakers |
Los Angeles Lakers |
Picked up $52.6 million player option |
| 2 | James Harden (35) | PG |
 Los Angeles Clippers |
Los Angeles Clippers |
Agreed to two-year, $81.5 million deal |
| 3 | Kyrie Irving (33) | PG |
 Dallas Mavericks |
Dallas Mavericks |
Agreed to three-year, $119 million deal |
| 4 | Julius Randle (30) | PF |
 Minnesota Timberwolves |
Minnesota Timberwolves |
Agreed to three-year, $100 million deal |
| 5 | Myles Turner (29) | C |
 Indiana Pacers |
 Milwaukee Bucks |
Agreed to four-year, $107 million deal |
| 6 | Fred VanVleet (31) | PG |
 Houston Rockets |
Houston Rockets |
Agreed to two-year, $50 million deal |
| 7 | Naz Reid (25) | C |
Minnesota Timberwolves |
Minnesota Timberwolves |
Agreed to five-year, $125 million deal |
| 8 | Jonathan Kuminga (22) | PF |
 Golden State Warriors |
Restricted free agent | |
| 9 | Josh Giddey (22) | PG |
 Chicago Bulls |
Restricted free agent | |
| 10 | Nickeil Alexander-Walker (26) | SF |
Minnesota Timberwolves |
 Atlanta Hawks |
Agreed to four-year, $62 million deal |
| 11 | Deandre Ayton (26) | C |
 Portland Trail Blazers |
Los Angeles Lakers |
Agreed to two-year, $16.6 million deal |
| 12 | Dorian Finney-Smith (32) | PF |
Los Angeles Lakers |
Houston Rockets |
Agreed to four-year, $53 million deal |
| 13 | Keon Ellis (25) | SG |
 Sacramento Kings |
Sacramento Kings |
Team picked up $2.3 million option |
| 14 | Malik Beasley (28) | SG |
 Detroit Pistons |
Unrestricted free agent (under federal gambling investigation) | |
| 15 | Ty Jerome (27) | SG |
 Cleveland Cavaliers |
 Memphis Grizzlies |
Agreed to three-year, $28 million deal |
| 16 | Brook Lopez (37) | C |
Milwaukee Bucks |
Los Angeles Clippers |
Agreed to two-year, $18 million deal |
| 17 | Al Horford (39) | C |
 Boston Celtics |
Unrestricted free agent | |
| 18 | Santi Aldama (24) | PF |
Memphis Grizzlies |
Memphis Grizzlies |
Agreed to three-year, $52.5 million deal |
| 19 | Quentin Grimes (25) | SG |
 Philadelphia 76ers |
Restricted free agent | |
| 20 | Gary Trent Jr. (26) | SG |
Milwaukee Bucks |
Milwaukee Bucks |
Agreed to two-year, $7.5 million deal |
| 21 | Dennis Schroder (31) | PG |
Detroit Pistons |
Sacramento Kings |
Agreed to three-year, $15 million deal |
| 22 | Tyus Jones (29) | PG |
 Phoenix Suns |
 Orlando Magic |
Agreed to one-year, $7 million deal |
| 23 | Cam Thomas (23) | SG |
 Brooklyn Nets |
… |
Jasper Hawthorne