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NBA Free agency has been far from normal this offseason. The Brooklyn Nets came into the offseason as the only team with cap space, and with so little money to go around, there are still a number of great players available on the open market despite the fact that the negotiation period opened up back on June 30. There could be even more big-name players becoming free agents, though, as a number of talented NBA players have been rumored as buyout candidates.
Deandre Ayton and Jordan Clarkson were already bought out, but check out the gallery to see the five best players who are likely to be bought out next as well as their best fits once they hit the open market.
5. Kevin Love, Utah Jazz
Free-agent fits once bought out: Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers
Kevin Love was just traded from the Miami Heat to the Utah Jazz. The Jazz sent John Collins to the Los Angeles Clippers in the deal, while Norman Powell ended up with the Heat. Kyle Anderson and a 2027 second-round pick are also headed to Utah. The Jazz made this trade, not because they view Love as a contributor to their team but because they are rebuilding.
Moving Collins will allow the youngsters to get more playing time. The lackluster trade return was questionable, as was Utah's decision to deal Collin Sexton for Jusuf Nurkic. These decisions have led to the Jazz having one of the worst offseasons in the NBA so far. Even so, it is clear that they have a plan.
The Jazz have been stuck in mediocrity for too long, so they are getting rid of their veterans and clearing the way for their recent premier draft selections to take over. Because of that, Love won't be long for Utah. The Jazz are expected to buy out Love's contract.
He isn't the player he once was, so he won't be heavily coveted on the open market. Even so, Love should have suitors. The five-time All-Star can still hit 3-point shots, which is coveted at the power forward/center positions that he plays. He is also a well-respected veteran leader with championship experience, and his knowledge could help get a team over the hump.
Teams in need of frontcourt depth could give Love a contract. The Los Angeles Lakers already signed Ayton, but they are still thin inside. Love won a championship in Cleveland with LeBron James, too, so a reunion would certainly be welcomed.
The Denver Nuggets seemingly answered their backup center problem when they traded for Jonas Valanciunas, but he seemingly wants to ditch the NBA for professional basketball in Greece. The Nuggets want to keep Valanciunas, but it isn't a guarantee that he'll be backing Nikola Jokic up next year.
The Indiana Pacers could also use a shooting big man because Myles Turner bolted in free agency for the Milwaukee Bucks.
4. Khris Middleton, Washington Wizards
Free-agent fits once bought out: New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns
The Washington Wizards are hoarding young players. They drafted Tre Johnson and Will Riley in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft and Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, and Kyshawn George the year prior. The team is also loading up on veterans to mentor these youngsters.
This was exemplified by the trade for CJ McCollum and Kelly Olynyk. They will join Marcus Smart, Richaun Holmes, and Khris Middleton as players who are well past their primes but players who know what it takes to be a professional basketball player. However, the Wizards still need to develop their young talent, so they probably shouldn't give minutes to all of these veterans.
That could lead to the Wizards buying out Middleton. He will make over $33 million this year, but he might be willing to give the Wizards some cap relief if they give him the chance to hit the open market and sign with a contender.
The New York Knicks have been too thin for too long. They already brought in Clarkson and Guerschon Yabusele this offseason, but they could use one more piece off the bench to help out.
The San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns also make sense as potential landing spots for Middleton if he is bought out, which might be unlikely because of how steep his contract is this upcoming season.
The Spurs are a team that could add veteran talent this offseason while they try and take the next step forward as an organization, but they instead drafted two lottery picks and have only signed Luke Kornet in free agency so far. Those were good moves and set them up well for the long run, but they weren't the veteran additions that some expected.
Middleton isn't a star anymore, but he is a proven winner. The Suns, meanwhile, were able to avoid all-out rebuilding despite trading Kevin Durant. Middleton has a somewhat similar skill set to Durant and could pick up some of the slack left by him joining the Houston Rockets.
3. Cole Anthony, Memphis Grizzlies
Free-agent fits once bought out: Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets
Although he hasn't been bought out yet, it was reported not long after Cole Anthony was included in a trade package for Desmond Bane that the Memphis Grizzlies wouldn't hold on to the ex-Orlando Magic for long. A buyout seems likely to be right around the corner for the NBA veteran.
Anthony's stats were down last season, but he is still just 25 years old and has a 16.3-points-per-game season to his name. Anthony could fill the sparkplug sixth man role for a team in need of bench scoring. The Bucks need scoring from the lead guard spot more than anybody because they waived Damian Lillard.
The Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets could be free-agent fits for Anthony if he hits the open market, too. Detroit replaced Tim Hardaway Jr. and Malik Beasley with similar archetypes in Caris LeVert and Duncan Robinson. They have yet to find a replacement for Dennis Schroder, though.
The Rockets have had the best offseason in basketball as they've brought in Kevin Durant, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Clint Capela. They are ready to win now, but they will be heavily reliant on Reed Sheppard. The Kentucky product was the third overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, and the Rockets have high hopes for him, especially because he had some big games in the G-League.
However, Sheppard played limited minutes at the NBA level as a rookie, and it isn't a guarantee that he will thrive in year two. Anthony would give the Rockets some veteran insurance at the point guard position.
2. Nikola Vucevic, Chicago Bulls
Free-agent fits once bought out: Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets, Denver Nuggets
Nikola Vucevic has long been rumored as a trade candidate for the Chicago Bulls. The team already traded DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine within the last year, and they dealt Lonzo Ball to the Cleveland Cavaliers at the start of the offseason. Vucevic will be the next to go, but there hasn't been much of a trade market for the stretch five.
That could lead to Chicago and Vucevic agreeing to a contract buyout. After a bad 2023-24 season, the Montenegrin center bounced back this past season.
He most noticeably rediscovered his 3-point shot (40.2%). That level of shooting from the pivot spot is rare and would make Vucevic a hot commodity if he became a free agent even though teams have been hesitant to trade for him.
The Golden State Warriors have been the team that Vucevic has most commonly been linked to over the last couple of years. They've lacked true center depth for most of the Stephen Curry era, but that flaw is even more glaring now that Kevon Looney will be playing for the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Charlotte Hornets are another team that is thin at center. The Hornets traded Mark Williams to the Suns, and the addition of Mason Plumlee won't be enough to fill his minutes and lost production.
The Hornets have aggressively pursued shooting this offseason, evidenced by their draft selections of Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley. Therefore, Vucevic would fit right in. He would fit with the Nuggets only if Valanciunas leaves the team, too. He and Jokic are video-gaming buddies.
1. Bradley Beal, Phoenix Suns
Free-agent fits once bought out: Miami Heat, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves
Bradley Beal is the hottest name that teams expect to be bought out. The Suns looked to trade him ahead of last season's deadline, but a no-trade clause, a bad contract, and on-court regression prevented that from happening.
Clearly, the team wants to move on, though. That is even more so true because Phoenix will need to give shooting-guard minutes to Devin Booker and Jalen Green this upcoming season.
Beal still has two more years at well over $50 million per season left on his contract, and he showed no desire to switch teams last season. That could make a buyout very expensive for Phoenix. Reports suggest that a buyout is coming, though. When he does become a free agent, there will be plenty of suitors.
Despite Beal's disappointing season, he is still a former All-Star who can put the ball in the basket. Beal averaged 17 points per game last season. He has been connected to the Heat before, and the Warriors, Clippers, Lakers, Bucks, and Minnesota Timberwolves have been linked as potential landing spots.
