A Way-Too-Early Ranking of the 2025 NBA Free Agents

Talking about next summer’s offseason already? Yes, but with good reason.

The new NBA season kicks off roughly five weeks from now. Soon, fans will quickly learn just how well or poorly their teams will perform in 2024-25. For franchises with marquee or key free agents in July, expect pressure to build up early particularly the underwhelming teams.

Plus, an exercise like this provides a general perspective for which players could be on the move next. A key trend from this past offseason: teams sought to trade for a player who they would end up re-signing on a new deal. OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam notably got dealt at the trade deadline, then signed long-term contracts with New York and Indiana, respectively.

Team success helps to clear the air on what could come next on the player movement front.

For context, this is not necessarily a top-25 ranking for upcoming free agents. Rather, it’s 25 names to monitor the most as a new NBA season is set to begin.

(Writer’s note: all contract information according to Spotrac.)

Interesting big-name player options

• LeBron James – $52.6M
• Jimmy Butler – $52.4M
• Rudy Gobert – $46.7M
• Kyrie Irving – $44.0M
• James Harden – $36.3M
• Khris Middleton – $34.0M
• Julius Randle – $30.9M
• Aaron Gordon – $22.8M

Talk about a weird mix of names here.

Two common threads hold this group of eight players together. Among the 2025 free agents, all these players remain under contract in 2024-25 but hold player options for 2025-26. Additionally, their next contract and general future feel like a mystery.

LeBron James could either retire or continue his recent trend of re-signing on a one-year deal with a player option. Among this list, James feels like the least likely to change teams. As with any year, especially when he’ll be nearly 41 next offseason, what comes next is something to monitor.

Four other players — Jimmy Butler, Rudy Gobert, Kyrie Irving and Khris Middleton — mainly face questions with age and the financial situations of their respective teams. Ironically, Irving appears to be the player least likely to leave his current team. Dallas traded for him and his fit with Luka Dončić as a scoring duo remains elite. Even as a 33-year-old next summer, it’s hard to see Irving getting max money elsewhere.

The other three are a bit more interesting. Tension seems to be building between Butler and Miami over his next deal. Another season with Butler’s availability in question could make that next contract more of a tougher negotiation for JB. Gobert was a foundational piece for Minnesota’s success last season, but he’ll be 33 next summer. Middleton faces a similar situation— a money-strapped team that may be forced to pay big money for someone on the wrong side of the aging curve.

Aaron Gordon is not a superstar out of anyone on this list, but look at Denver letting Bruce Brown and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope both walk in back-to-back offseasons. Will the Nuggets pay up this time?

And then, there’s Julius Randle. He’s been productive at times, but underwhelming playoff performances and general uncertainty with his role moving forward leaves that situation very much in flux.

Unrestricted free agents (big money)

• Brandon Ingram – $31.6M in 2024-25 (bird)
• Brook Lopez – $24.0M in 2024-25 (bird)
• Clint Capela – $22.9M in 2024-25 (bird)
• Bruce Brown – $22.5M in 2024-25 (bird)
• Myles Turner – $20.4M in 2024-25 (bird)

Outside of Myles Turner, the rest of this group faces uncertainty with their future on their current teams. All remain on one-year deals at substantial money and possess bird rights. Turner is again the one likely to stay with his team, while it’s a bit more unclear with everyone else.

Brandon Ingram remains the biggest name to watch for. Negotiations between New Orleans and Ingram have not led to a resolution. Ingram could be the main piece the Pelicans look to move on from, and Ingram brings production but an oftentimes tough skill set to build around.

Some other fun names to monitor

This last group is a mix of players all over the place with contract situations, fit on the team, production and so on. Out of the remaining free agents, these names are just ones to keep an eye on with what could happen next.

• Naz Reid – $15.0M (player option)
• Fred VanVleet – $44.9M (team option)
• D’Angelo Russell – $18.75M (UFA, bird)
• Bobby Portis – $12.1M (player option)
• Terance Mann – $11M (UFA, bird)
• Tre Jones – $9.5M (UFA, bird)
• Alex Caruso – $9.2M (UFA, bird)
• Kelly Oubre Jr. – $8.2M (player option)
• Jalen Suggs – $7.5M (RFA, bird)
• Josh Giddey – $6.8M (RFA, bird)
• Jonathan Kuminga – $6.2M (RFA, bird)
• Jalen Green – $10.2M (RFA, bird)
• Alperen Sengun – $3.9M (RFA, bird)