The door to 2025 NBA free agency kicked open yesterday afternoon, and there have already been a bevy of moves. Unlike in past years, few teams have worthwhile cap space, and there aren’t any elite talents available.
However, there were many moves made (or weren’t) that could end up being key for for several teams’ hopes of reaching the playoffs or conference finals next season. With all of that in mind, let’s look at the best and worst moves of 2025 NBA free agency so far.
Milwaukee Bucks sign Myles Turner
The biggest move on 2025 NBA free agency came on Day 2 when the Milwaukee Bucks stunned the league by signing away Myles Turner from division rival the Indiana Pacers. To fit in his contract, the team is also waiving future Hall of Famer Damian Lillard. Turner gets the huge deal he was looking for, and the Bucks make a move they hope will keep Giannis Antetokounmpo happy and away from thoughts of asking for a summer trade.
Atlanta Hawks for sign Nickeil Alexander-Walker
Will Nickeil Alexander-Walker be the missing piece to a title team for the Atlanta Hawks? No, but with the conference being wide open next season, he could make a huge impact. The Oklahoma Thunder showed that even in today’s game, defense can still win a championship.
Alexander-Walker has evolved into a high-level 3-and-D talent. His skills matched up with former first-round pick Zaccharie Risacher and rising star Dyson Daniels give Atlanta several very good perimeter defenders around top star Trae Young. Atlanta is a team to watch in 2025-26.
Los Angeles Clippers re-sign James Harden
Should the Los Angeles Clippers be good next season with James Harden back? Sure. Are they winning a championship? Not by a long shot. When will LA learn this group is not bringing them the title they desperately want, and break them up?
Kawhi Leonard is another year older, and the soon-to-be 36-year-old Harden will eventually hit a wall and his skills will take a steep downturn. The Clippers would have been better off trying to find a sign-and-trade partner and looking toward the future.
Memphis Grizzlies sign Ty Jerome
The Memphis Grizzlies made a bold decision this month to move Desmond Bane. In this new salary cap era, the best route forward is to have two top building blocks and surround them with strong complementary pieces. With the organization firmly behind Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., they added Ty Jerome. He won’t turn them into a favorite in the West. But Memphis isn’t far off from being elite, and a player like Jerome rounds out a sleeper roster.
Los Angeles Lakers lose Dorian Finney-Smith and don’t get a center
The Los Angeles Lakers badly needed to jump into NBA free agency and get an impact center. Two strong options, Clint Capela and Brook Lopez, are now off the board. If they can land DeAndre Ayton, then mission accomplished. But that seems like a long shot. Furthermore, Dorian Finney-Smith took his talent to rivals the Houston Rockets. It has not been a good start for the Lake Show in NBA free agency.
DeAndre Ayton gets to be a free agent
Speaking of Ayton, he is a big winner in free agency. He got $25 million to walk away from the Portland Trail Blazers last week, and now gets to sign with a contending team on the open market. Landing with an impact team and having a big season could give him a fantastic path to a very lucrative return to free agency for a new long-term deal next summer.
Dallas Mavericks sign D’Angelo Russell
The Dallas Mavericks’ signing D’Angelo Russell is making the best of a silly situation the team put themselves into this year. They had an elite superstar and playmaker (Luka Doncic) and decided to trade him for an injury-prone big man (Anthony Davis). And pair him with another injury-prone guard (Kyrie Irving). Russell should be good in Dallas and Irving’s short-term replacement, but there is reason to believe at only 29, his best days are long behind him. What a mess.
Bruce Brown reunites with the Denver Nuggets
A case could be made that the Denver Nuggets don’t win a championship without Bruce Brown. That is how valuable the talented reserve was for them during their title run. He understandably took a wildly high contract in NBA free agency two years ago, but he and the team weren’t the same since their breakup.
Now Brown and the Nuggets have reunited this summer, and both sides surely feel so good. It’s possible things may not be the same, and he flourished with former head coach Michael Malone. But chances are he is just a good fit with this team and should make a big impact in 2025-26.
Houston Rockets curious Clint Capela signing
The Houston Rockets have two worthwhile centers in All-Star Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams. The former they gave a new three-year, $39 million deal this month. Yet they decided to bring back former homegrown product Clint Capela on a three-year pact worth over $21 million. In an era where lineups continue to go small, it is perplexing that the Rockets would invest so much money in three centers.
New York Knicks add Jordan Clarkson to bolster bench
While the New York Knicks’ head coach search has been a mess, the expectation is that their next coach will make far more use of their bench. Which means the second unit needs to get better, and the team did that by landing Jordan Clarkson to a very team-friendly $3.6 million deal. The 11-year veteran gives them a serious Sixth Man of the Year contender and reason to keep top star Jalen Brunson healthy and rested all season.
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