Major surprises have been revealed by the 2025 NBA free agency period, as players like Deandre Ayton and Myles Turner have switched teams. While the Lakers, Bucks, and Rockets made headline moves, Westbrook and Horford, two veterans, are still unsigned. Complete tracker and recap.
NBA free agency has officially begun. On Monday night, players were legally permitted to start negotiating with clubs around the league, and this week will be a busy one. The Bucks’ announcement Tuesday morning that they were signing big man Myles Turner, who has played his entire career with the Pacers, to a four-year contract was the most unexpected free agency announcement to date. How was that unexpected shift made possible in Milwaukee? By virtually making the nine-time All-Star a free agent by releasing Damian Lillard (and extending his deal).
The Lakers made the greatest move on Wednesday. Deandre Ayton, a former No. 1 overall selection, reportedly reached an agreement with Los Angeles after the Portland Trail Blazers bought out his contract on Sunday. Ayton will now join LeBron James and Luka Dončić in Los Angeles, providing the Lakers with a much-needed big man. ESPN reported on Thursday that the Lakers agreed to re-sign Jaxson Hayes for a one-year contract, adding depth at centre.
The Nuggets, Hawks, and Rockets have been among the most active clubs since the beginning of free agency. The Nuggets acquired Cam Johnson in a deal with the Nets for Michael Porter Jr., as well as Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr. in free agency. The Hawks’ summer continues with the acquisitions of Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luke Kennard, while the Rockets plan to sign Dorian Finney-Smith and Clint Capela after acquiring Kevin Durant in a trade less than two weeks ago.
There aren’t many superstars in the 2025 NBA free agency class. The most well-known names who might have joined the pool of free agents chose to remain in their current positions rather than try their luck. For the 2025–2026 season, LeBron James, James Harden, Kyrie Irving, Julius Randle, Naz Reid, and Fred VanVleet all inked deals with their current teams. James chose to exercise his $52.6 million player option for the Lakers’ 2025–2026 campaign. However, after his agent, Rich Paul, informed ESPN that LeBron’s camp will “evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career,” the NBA star will continue to be the focus of trade rumours. LeBron may thus be moving, but not as a free agent.
Who is remaining in free agency now that several stars are no longer involved? As of Tuesday night, the top players still available are Celtics big man Al Horford, Bulls guard Josh Giddey, and Warriors wing Jonathan Kuminga. Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul, two well-known veterans, are also searching for new residences.
Throughout NBA free agency, CBS Sports will be monitoring the most recent developments and sharing all of the noteworthy player movements in our NBA free agency tracker below.
Courtesy: https://www.covers.com, https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/, https://pechanga.net, https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/
