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The first wave of NBA free agency has come and gone. While the majority of big-money moves have already been made, there are still a lot of talented players left on the open market. In fact, rarely is so much talent available this deep into free agency. That is because the Brooklyn Nets came into the free agent period as the only team with true cap space. There just hasn't been much money to go around, so the players holding out for a big payday have yet to get it. Here are the 10 best remaining free agents.
HM. Damian Lillard, UFA
Damian Lillard is in an interesting place as a free agent. He became by far the most talented player on the open market once he was let go by the Milwaukee Bucks, but he only gets an honorable mention tag among the best free agents this offseason because he will likely miss all of next season with a torn achilles tendon.
Lillard has averaged 25.1 points per game over a career that includes nine All-Star appearances. He is one of the best shooters the game of basketball has ever seen, and he could provide a team a big boost during the 2026-27 season. However, regression can be expected, given that he is coming off of the worst injury in sports and is already 34 years old. Because he might not play this season, Lillard may not sign a deal this summer. Instead, it would make sense for the Weber State product to see how the field looks next offseason, or even later in the year, if he recovers quicker than expected.
10. Russell Westbrook, UFA
Russell Westbrook had almost no market last year when he was traded from the Los Angeles Clippers to the Utah Jazz and thereafter waived. Nikola Jokic liked his attitude and play style, though, so the Denver Nuggets gave the former MVP a chance on a two-year minimum contract, the latter of which was a player option.
Westbrook, who is one of the greatest point guards ever, had somewhat of a resurgence last season. It has not to led to a new deal. The future Hall of Famer was particularly impressive playing alongside Jokic last year. Then again, the three-time MVP from Serbia makes everybody look good. Even so, Westbrook's improvement from 3-point land and his newfound willingness to take more of a backseat role than he has in the past should allow him to continue his NBA career.
Unfortunately, the all-time leader in triple-doubles is pretty situation dependent at this point in his career, and there aren't many teams that make sense for him to sign with. The Sacramento Kings, New York Knicks, and a return to the Nuggets were the three teams with rumored interest. The Kings already found a point guard in Dennis Schroder, the Knicks are reportedly no longer interested in Westbrook, and the Nuggets are unlikely to bring him back after making a number of other offseason moves. Denver seemingly went in a new direction when they traded for Cam Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas and signed Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr.
9. Gary Payton II, UFA
Gary Payton II might not be the caliber of player his father, Gary Payton, was, but he is still one of the best players on the open market. Payton has a unique skill set. He is just 6-foot-2, yet he often operates out of the dunker spot. The guard nicknamed The Mitten is also a fantastic cutter and a reliable defender.
Payton's niche skill set has worked best with the Golden State Warriors playing alongside legends such as Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. This was evidenced by Payton's short and failed tenure with the Portland Trail Blazers that was sandwiched in between two Warriors stints.
The Warriors have been shockingly inactive during free agency, though, and Jimmy Butler does a lot of the little things that Payton does, but at a much higher level. A return to Golden State is becoming less and less likely.
8. Al Horford, UFA
Al Horford is 39 years old. Retirement is just around the corner for the 18-year veteran, and it is still on the table this offseason. Despite his age, Horford has still been playing a valuable role on a contending team for the last handful of seasons. In fact, he played a key role on the 2024 championship-winning Boston Celtics squad.
Kristaps Porzingis' injury history has led to Horford still playing big minutes. He played 27.7 minutes per game last season, still providing reliable 3-point shooting and rebounding. A one-year contract on a new team in a ring chasing season seems likely for Horford, especially now that the Celtics have moved on from a number of veterans. The Warriors and Nuggets have been rumored as landing spots. The Warriors have won four championships during this era. The Nuggets, meanwhile, are less likely to sign Horford now that they've confirmed they plan on playing Valanciunas. Denver traded for Valanciunas, but he was briefly rumored to be interested in leaving the NBA for a team in Greece.
Horford knows what it takes to win, and his body hasn't let him down yet. He has played at least 60 games in every season but one since 2013-14. He likely has enough left in the tank for one more year.
7. Amir Coffey, UFA
Amir Coffey has turned into quite the 3-and-D player, so it is somewhat shocking that he is still available in free agency. Coffey shot 40.9% from deep last season while giving solid effort on the other end of the floor. Unlike the aforementioned free agents, Coffey has yet to hit the age of 30.
He is worthy of a rotation role on a team, but a lack of roster spots and cash flow has prevented that from happening so far. Coffey spent a lot of time at the small forward and shooting guard positions for the Los Angeles Clippers last season, as did Norman Powell. Powell was just traded in a deal that landed John Collins in Los Angeles, so perhaps the Clippers will bring Coffey back to fill some of those lost wing minutes.
6. Chris Paul, UFA
Like Horford, Chris Paul doesn't have much time left in the NBA. He might not be the player he once was, but he is still a reliable floor general. Paul's 12,499 career assists are the most ever. He helped get Victor Wembanyama to the next level last season by ensuring the San Antonio Spurs star was getting passed to.
With the trade for De'Aaron Fox, the emergence of Stephon Castle, and the draft selection at pick two for Dylan Harper, a return to the Spurs now seems unlikely for Paul. Returns to previous teams like the Los Angeles Clippers or Phoenix Suns have been rumored as landing spots, though.
The all-time great point guard still doesn't have a championship ring in his collection, so ring chasing on a team with championship aspirations would make sense. Paul has started every game of his career, excluding his time with the Warriors two seasons ago. He might be forced into a role off the bench if he plays again this upcoming season, though.
5. Malik Beasley, UFA
There is a caveat with ranking Malik Beasley among the best remaining NBA free agents. He is currently under investigation for illegal gambling allegations related to NBA games. If Beasley is convicted, he will surely be banned from the league. Because of that, teams will likely be unwilling to give him a chance until more is known about his future.
If it wasn't for the investigation, Beasley would have been one of the most coveted free agents available. Beasley had a massive year, averaging 16.3 points per game on 41.6% shooting from beyond the arc in his first season with the Detroit Pistons. This shooting expertise was immensely valuable in Detroit and helped turn the Pistons into one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference just a year after they tied the record for consecutive losses.
Beasley doesn't play much defense, but shooting is coveted in the NBA. He is an underrated athlete capable of finishing at the rim, too. If Beasley's name is cleared, he will quickly find a new home. It likely won't be back with the Pistons, though, because they found his replacement in Duncan Robinson.
4. Jonathan Kuminga, RFA
The aforementioned six free agents are all unrestricted and free to sign wherever they so choose. The next four players on the open market, including Jonathan Kuminga, are all restricted free agents. Restricted free agents can sign offer sheets anywhere, but their previous team reserves the right to match contracts.
Kuminga has had an up-and-down career for the Warriors. He was reportedly looking for a massive extension last season after averaging 16.1 points per game. However, there have also been points in time when Steve Kerr refused to play him. That was the case at times during the first round of the playoffs this past season. However, Kuminga ended the year strong after being re-inserted into the lineup in Round 2. He scored 18, 30, 23, and 26 points in the Warriors' last four games before being eliminated.
The G-League Ignite product has tons of potential, he just hasn't been able to put it together consistently throughout his young career. In the right situation, Kuminga could blossom.
3. Cam Thomas, RFA
At times, Cam Thomas looks like an absolute star. He has had stretches of nearly unmatched scoring production, and he was even averaging 24 points per game last season before going down with a hamstring injury. At his best, Thomas can score from anywhere, anyway he likes.
However, he is a little bit inefficient and has been given the shot-chucker label. Just as frequently as he looks like a star, he can also look like just a sixth-man spark plug scorer. It is unclear if Thomas's play style can contribute to winning, and missing the majority of this past season with injury isn't helping his free agent case, either.
At the end of the day, though, scoring is the name of the game. Considering the Nets have money to blow, it would make sense for them to bring Thomas back into the fold.
2. Josh Giddey, RFA
The Oklahoma City Thunder may have won the Josh Giddey-Alex Caruso trade because it resulted in a championship, but Giddey took leaps forward in his development after moving to the Chicago Bulls. He improved most as a 3-point shooter (37.8%), which was a necessary step in his development.
It hasn't resulted in a new contract yet. A new deal with the Bulls seems inevitable, especially since the team traded fellow jumbo initiator Lonzo Ball. Giddey is 6-foot-8 and can play the point guard position. He has an incredible feel for the game and great passing abilities. Giddey is also one of the best rebounding guards in the NBA. With averages of 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game, Giddey can stuff the stat sheet like very few players in the NBA.
1. Quentin Grimes, RFA
Quentin Grimes has been a 3-and-D role player throughout most of his career, but he broke out into near star status last season after being traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. Grimes averaged 21.9 points per game in 28 games with the 76ers, and he wants to get paid in a big way because of that breakout stretch.
While improving his scoring output by over double his career averages, Grimes proved that he has way more in his bag than anybody knew. Grimes is more than capable as an isolation scorer off the bounce. The 76ers were depleted by injuries during this stretch by Grimes, though, so it is unclear if he can keep it up while sharing the floor with Joel Embiid, Paul George, Tyrese Maxey, and Jared McCain.
Regardless of whether he is a star in the making or if he will revert back to more of a role player archetype, Grimes has a spot in the NBA and could still be paid handsomely this offseason.
