Every NBA Team’s Best Free-Agent Signing of All Time
We're in the thick of NBA free agency, and as usual, there has been no shortage of blockbuster news.
The biggest head-turn of the summer thus far by a clear margin came when the Milwaukee Bucks signed Myles Turner away from the Indiana Pacers...but had to waive Damian Lillard to make it happen. It's hard to imagine any news will top that, but we know better than to question the NBA when it comes to jaw-dropping transactions.
As we take in the annual whirlwind of player movement, it's good to take a step back and acknowledge that we can't truly judge any of these moves yet. Some new pairings will be wildly successful and others...won't. Many will fall somewhere in between.
With the benefit of hindsight, though, we can look back and judge each team's best free-agent acquisition from years past, which is exactly what we'll try to do here. Below are the ground rules for deciding on each team's best free-agent acquisition of all time:
- The player must have been acquired as an unrestricted free agent, restricted free agent or via a sign-and-trade.
- The player must have signed with a new team (players who re-signed with their incumbent team, even as an unrestricted free agent, are not included).
- The player must have made a significant impact on his new team, though judging that contribution will not be limited to the player's initial contract with that team.
- Players who changed teams this summer will not be considered for inclusion, since we don't yet know how their situations will play out with their new teams.
Atlanta Hawks: Joe Johnson
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Acquired via a sign-and-trade with the Phoenix Suns in 2005, Joe Johnson arrived in Atlanta looking for a bigger role than what he would have had in Phoenix.
He not only got that first-option opportunity, but "Iso Joe" also made the most of it.
Johnson averaged 20.9 points, 5.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game while starting 508 contests over seven years. His reliable, multi-level shooting and ability to create and make tough buckets helped him turn the Hawks into a thorny playoff opponent. Unfortunately for Johnson and the Hawks, his time in Atlanta coincided with Boston building its Big Three and LeBron James putting the Eastern Conference in a stranglehold.
Still, six All-Star nods in seven years is a heck of a return on investment for the Hawks.
Honorable mentions: Dikembe Mutombo, Paul Millsap
Boston Celtics: Al Horford
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Considering their long and storied history, you might expect the Boston Celtics to have numerous options among their best free-agent signings of all time. However, most of Boston's biggest stars have been either homegrown or acquired via trade.
Al Horford, fresh off nine seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, had a big decision to make in the summer of 2016, and he ultimately picked the Celtics over the Washington Wizards.
The move immediately paid off for Boston, which went into the 2017 postseason with the No. 1 seed in the East. However, that year marked the first of two in a row the Celtics had their season ended by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Still, Horford was great, averaging 13.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists over those three seasons while also earning an All-Star berth and finishing fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2018. It may be cheating, but if you add in Horford's second stint with the team from 2021-2025 that included helping Boston claim the 2024 championship, Horford's case as the Celtics' best free-agent signing only gets better.
Honorable mentions: James Posey, Eddie House, Dana Barros
Brooklyn Nets: Kevin Durant
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Ah, what could have been?
The Brooklyn Nets took a big swing in 2019 when they acquired Kevin Durant via sign-and-trade while also signing free agent Kyrie Irving. Later, they added James Harden to theoretically complete a fearsome Big Three.
Unfortunately, that trio was mostly theoretical, as they only played 16 games together (regular season and playoffs) during the parts of two seasons they were on the same roster. They were 13-3 in those games, by the way.
Durant, in particular, arrived nursing a torn Achilles that caused him to miss the 2019-2020 season, and he wasn't altogether healthy any of his three seasons in Brooklyn after that. When he was on the court, though, he averaged a staggering 29.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.8 assists.
He almost carried the Nets to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2021, averaging 34.3 points and 9.3 rebounds while shooting 51.4 percent from the field and 40.2 percent from three-point range during Brooklyn's 12-game playoff run. In Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals with Irving out and Harden playing through injury, Durant scored 48 points and nearly gave the Nets the win in regulation with a toe-on-the-line jumper with one second left.
Durant only appeared in 145 games (including playoffs) with the Nets over three seasons, and while the franchise had higher aspirations, he still played a central role in them getting as far in the playoffs as they've ever been in their Brooklyn era.
Honorable mention: Kyrie Irving
Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats: Al Jefferson
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If you value steady, long-term contributions, then the Charlotte Hornets signing David Wesley in 1997 is the pick here. However, if you value both high-level achievement and defunct team logos/mascots, then the clear pick here is the Charlotte Bobcats signing Al Jefferson in 2013.
Jefferson joined the Bobcats on a three-year, $40.5 million contract and was tasked with taking the starring role on a 21-win team and turning them around. Make no mistake, Jefferson did just that.
Jefferson led the league in made two-pointers per game (9.5) during the 2013-14 season, dominating inside to the tune of 21.8 points and 10.8 rebounds per game. His efforts earned him a spot on the All-NBA third team—the only All-NBA nod of his career—as well as eighth place in MVP voting.
Led by Jefferson, the Bobcats more than doubled their win total to 43, though they were swept by the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs. Jefferson's performance slipped during his second and third seasons in Charlotte before he moved on to Indiana where he closed out his career.
While Jefferson—like the Bobcats—may have been a flash-in-the-pan in Charlotte, his star burned brighter than any other free agent who has signed with the franchise.
Honorable mention: David Wesley
Chicago Bulls: DeMar DeRozan
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Arguably at the peak of his prime, DeMar DeRozan landed with the Chicago Bulls via a sign-and-trade from the San Antonio Spurs in the summer of 2021 to try to shake the franchise out of its post-Derrick-Rose funk. In the four seasons prior to DeRozan's arrival, Chicago's best campaign topped out at 31 wins.
DeRozan turned things around immediately.
A master of the midrange in an increasingly three-point-focused world, DeRozan dominated inside the arc during the 2021-22 season. He made (724) and attempted (1,393) more two-point shots than anyone in the league while averaging a career-high 27.9 points per game, not to mention 5.2 rebounds and 4.9 assists per contest.
With DeRozan at the top of his game, the Bulls reached 46 wins and snapped their four-year playoff drought. For his efforts, DeRozan earned an All-Star nod as well as a spot on the All-NBA second team.
DeRozan remained solid over the next two seasons, though the Bulls—for various reasons—stagnated and settled into mediocrity. Still, DeRozan's addition helped rejuvenate the franchise.
Honorable mentions: Steve Kerr, Ron Harper
Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James
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Who else could it be?!
Fresh off winning two championships in four years with the Miami Heat, LeBron James made the shocking decision to leave South Beach and head back home to Northeast Ohio for a second stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
"When I left Cleveland, I was on a mission," LeBron wrote in Sports Illustrated at the time. "I was seeking championships, and we won two. But Miami already knew that feeling. Our city hasn’t had that feeling in a long, long, long time. My goal is still to win as many titles as possible, no question. But what’s most important for me is bringing one trophy back to Northeast Ohio."
James immediately thrust Cleveland into the national spotlight, earning All-NBA first team nods in each of the next four years while leading the Cavaliers to four straight NBA Finals appearances. He made good on his goal of bringing a championship to Cleveland in 2016 when he carried the Cavs out of a 3-1 series deficit against the Golden State Warriors to earn the franchise's only title (and he was Finals MVP to boot).
Though he left for the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018, LeBron's four-year second stint in Cleveland was undoubtedly a massive success—especially considering the Cavs didn't expect him to come back at that time.
Honorable mention: Lauri Markkanen
Dallas Mavericks: Shawn Marion
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Though Shawn Marion may not feel like a free-agent addition since he arrived as part of a four-team trade, that July 2009 deal was indeed a sign-and-trade, which allows him to be included here.
The veteran glue guy was arguably the last piece Dallas needed to become champions in 2011.
Marion averaged 11.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game over his five seasons in Dallas, but most of his greatest contributions aren't the kinds of things that show up on the stat sheet. He was versatile both on the court and in the rotation, including coming off the bench for most of the 2010-2011 season. Marion excelled at doing the dirty work, particularly on the defensive end where he soaked up big minutes often against some of the toughest assignments.
When needed, Marion could get buckets, but he was also both willing and able to defer to Dallas' primary weapons, notably Dirk Nowitzki.
Sometimes, a team needs a first-option star to get to the mountaintop. In Dallas' case, it needed a player like Marion—a reliable, gritty veteran who would do whatever it took to help the team win.
Honorable mentions: Brad Davis, JJ Barea, Monta Ellis
Denver Nuggets: Antonio McDyess
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Antonio McDyess spent the first two years of his career with the Denver Nuggets and then was traded to the Phoenix Suns ahead of the 1997-98 season. His time in Phoenix lasted all of one year, and he found himself on the free-agent market in the summer of 1998.
After the NBA's lockout concluded, McDyess signed as a free agent to return to Denver, where he immediately had the best campaign of his 15-year career. McDyess averaged 21.2 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game while playing in all 50 regular-season games of that shortened season.
While the Nuggets finished with a miserable 14-36 record, McDyess earned a spot on the All-NBA third team, marking the only time in his career he would make All-NBA.
Two seasons later, the Nuggets were on the rise, and McDyess was a big reason why. Good for a double-double on pretty much any night, McDyess made his first and only All-Star team in 2000-2001 while helping Denver push close to .500 for the season, finishing at 40-42.
Multiple injuries to McDyess' left knee derailed his time in Denver, though he was able to continue his career elsewhere before retiring in 2011. While the Nuggets didn't have much team success after signing McDyess, it certainly for any lack of effort on his part.
Honorable mentions: Kenyon Martin, Andre Miller, Paul Millsap
Detroit Pistons: Chauncey Billups
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Sure, it's both difficult and disingenuous to compare past salaries to current ones. But that being said, it's mind-boggling to consider that the Detroit Pistons signed Chauncey Billups—a future Hall of Famer and NBA Finals MVP—to a five-year, $35 million contract back in 2002.
No matter the era, that's an incredible value.
Now, Billups wasn't yet a star when he signed that deal. The No. 3 overall pick in 1997, Billups had already played for four teams over his first five seasons. He was far from a bust, but his performance wasn't exactly where most teams would hope given his draft status.
The Pistons unlocked Billups' potential. Handed the point guard duties, Billups thrived in Detroit's system. The Pistons, armed with tons of grit, positional versatility and a defense built to grind you down, spent Billups' time there as an annual contender at top of the Eastern Conference, including winning the title in 2004 and making it back to the Finals in 2005.
Billups averaged 16.5 points, 6.5 assists and 1.0 steal per game during eight seasons with the Pistons, while also earning the nickname "Mr. Big Shot" for his clutch play, particularly in the postseason.
Honorable mentions: Antonio McDyess
Golden State Warriors: Kevin Durant
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Most of the time, you have to let the dust settle and allow some games to be played before you judge a free-agent signing. That wasn't the case in 2016.
From the moment 2014 MVP Kevin Durant signed with the Golden State Warriors—you know, the team that had just gone 73-9 during the previous regular season—it felt like you could put a Warriors championship in Sharpie for as many years as the team could stay together and healthy.
And that's exactly what happened.
With Durant adding 25-plus points per game alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, the Warriors dominated all comers on the way to back-to-back titles—with Durant earning Finals MVP each time. During the 2017 playoffs, KD and the Warriors went a staggering 4-1 on the way to the championship.
It took brutal injuries to both Durant and Thompson for that era of the Warriors dynasty to end in 2019, but adding Durant to the mix for three seasons—no matter how unfair people complained it was—certainly took the Warriors to new heights.
Honorable mentions: Rick Barry, Andre Iguodala
Houston Rockets: Dwight Howard
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There's no doubt that Dwight Howard is the splashiest star to sign a free-agent contract with the Houston Rockets. Superman arrived in the Space City close to the peak of his powers as a double-double machine, top-tier defender and perennial All-NBA center.
While he was no longer poised to be in the MVP conversation like he was during his days in Orlando, Howard was a marquee superstar when he joined the Rockets.
Where you may quibble about Howard, though, is that he didn't necessarily live up to his four-year, $87.6 million contract. Howard was an All-Star and All-NBA second teamer in his first season with the Rockets, but a knee injury limited him to 41 games the next season and forced him to consider retirement. He returned for the 2015-16 season, and though he appeared in 71 games, Howard wasn't the same force he had been.
Now, was that injury and subsequent drop-off foreseeable? Probably not. But taking a big swing on a 28-year-old future Hall of Famer still seemingly in his prime is the kind of thing we should be applauding.
Honorable mentions: Eric Gordon, Fred VanVleet
Indiana Pacers: David West
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David West is the right, logical answer here. Arriving on a young team with veteran savvy, playoff experience, a couple All-Star nods and oozing adult-in-the-room leadership, West was the exact player the Indiana Pacers needed at the time—and also the caliber of free agent who doesn't usually opt for Indiana.
It should come as no surprise, then, that West's arrival ushered in an era of Pacers success not seen since before the infamous Malice at the Palace. With West providing a steady, positive influence, physicality and plenty of elbow jumpers, he was the perfect fit alongside ascendant players like Paul George, George Hill and Roy Hibbert.
West averaged 14.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game during his four years in Indiana. During that time, he helped the Pacers made two Eastern Conference Finals, where they fell to LeBron James and the star-studded Miami Heat each time.
While we mentioned West as the correct choice here, it's worth mentioning that it took a whole lot of recency bias to stave off recency bias and slot T.J. McConnell here. McConnell joined the Pacers on a two-year, $7 million contract in 2019 and has become an irreplaceable sparkplug off the bench and fan favorite ever since, especially after his incredible play in the 2025 NBA Finals and throughout Indiana's magical run.
But signing McConnell—as great of a decision as it ended up being—was a low-risk, low-profile proposition that just so happened to pay unbelievable dividends. Bringing in West was a sea-change signing that just doesn't happen all that often for small-market teams.
Honorable mentions: T.J. McConnell, Bojan Bogdanović
Los Angeles Clippers: Kawhi Leonard
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Kawhi Leonard was on top of the basketball world in June 2019.
He had just completed a stellar postseason run during his long season with the Toronto Raptors, carrying the franchise to its first and only NBA championship. Not only was he a champion, but he was the Finals MVP, to boot.
Oh, and he was also entering unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career.
The Los Angeles Clippers, which had some of the best teams in their history in the 2010s yet still couldn't make the franchise's first conference finals, announced themselves as legitimate title contenders by signing Leonard that summer. It was a huge splash—the kind usually reserved in L.A. for the rival Lakers.
Leonard was immediately effective, finishing top-five in MVP voting and making the All-NBA second team in 2019-2020. Despite only playing 52 games in 2020-21, he still managed All-NBA first team honors while also piloting the Clippers to their first conference finals appearance during an impressive postseason run in which he averaged 30.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.1 steals across 11 games.
While Leonard's impact has been limited by injuries and load management, he's also brought the Clippers to new heights and turned the franchise into more of a marquee destination for other stars.
Honorable mentions: Jamal Crawford, Nicolas Batum
Los Angeles Lakers: Shaquille O'Neal
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What, were you expecting LeBron James?
Sure, LeBron is also one of the greatest players of all time, but he arrived in Hollywood toward the latter stages of his career and has only delivered one title. Shaquille O'Neal, on the other hand, was just 24 years old when he signed a suitably massive seven-year, $120 million contract to join the Los Angeles Lakers. Oh, and he helped deliver a historic three-peat, too.
During O'Neal's eight years in Southern California, he made seven All-Star teams, was named to the All-NBA first team six times along, won the 1999-2000 MVP award and was the Finals MVP in all three of the Lakers' title runs from 2000-2002.
While teammate Kobe Bryant is possibly the greatest Laker ever because his personal and team successes all while playing for the Lakers for the duration of his 20-year career, Shaq may have been the greatest player while wearing a Lakers jersey.
O'Neal's averages of 27.0 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game with the Lakers don't do justice to the kind of indomitable force he was. At 7'1" and regularly hovering around 300 pounds, Shaq's combination of strength and athleticism redefined the center position and forced every team, particularly those in the West, to scramble to find someone—or multiple people—who could maybe slow him down.
While LeBron and Kobe have their own high places in Lakers lore, Shaq's arrival was the greatest thing since Showtime. And like Showtime, Shaq didn't disappoint.
Honorable mentions: LeBron James, Jamaal Wilkes
Memphis Grizzlies: Tony Allen
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Tony Allen didn't arrive in Memphis as a highly sought-after or heralded free agent. In the summer of 2010, he was coming off a decent six-year run with the Boston Celtics, where he lost his grip on a steady role over time. Joining the Grizzlies on a modest three-year, $9.5 million deal offered a chance for him to start fresh somewhere new.
By the time Allen left Memphis in 2017, though, he had become a Grizzlies legend. He was the originator of the team's Grit 'n Grind mantra, one of the prominent faces of that era and ultimately became known as "The Grindfather."
Allen, with his tenacious defense, endless energy and never-quit attitude, embodied everything Memphis and the Grizzlies were about in the 2010s. His ball-hawking earned him spots on an All-Defensive team six times during his seven years in Memphis, including three first-team nods.
In their relatively short time as an NBA franchise, the Grizzlies haven't been known as a destination for star free agents. In most places, Allen isn't considered a star...but Memphis isn't most places. And now, Allen's jersey hangs in the rafters of FedExForum—a.k.a. The Grindhouse.
Honorable mentions: Vince Carter, Tyus Jones
Miami Heat: LeBron James
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As far as "Decisions" go, this is a pretty simple one. When LeBron James says he wants to take his talents to your team, it's hard to top that as far free-agent signings are concerned.
And James didn't just go to South Beach in 2010. Rather, he arrived as part of a superteam with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. And though they didn't win quite the number of championships LeBron mentioned at their Big Three introduction party, the Heat went to four straight Finals and won two while James was in Miami.
Those four years were some of the best of James' career, as he made the all-NBA first team in each of them and took home a pair of MVP trophies. He averaged 26.9 points, 7.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game while also collecting All-Defensive team honors every year—including three seasons on the first team.
James also won Finals MVP in both 2012 and 2013. The Skip Baylesses of the world may be quick to point out LeBron's struggles in the 2011 Finals and the Heat's five-game loss to the Spurs in 2014, but overall, James' time in Miami should roundly be characterized as a success.
Honorable mentions: Chris Bosh, Jimmy Butler
Milwaukee Bucks: Brook Lopez
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It's possible that Myles Turner—the biggest free-agent addition of the summer to date—could one day top this list for the Milwaukee Bucks. However, Turner's got some huge shoes to fill.
The man Turner is replacing in the middle of the Bucks' starting lineup, Brook Lopez, is also the player who takes the top spot here as Milwaukee's best free-agent signing of all time.
In 2018, the Bucks and Lopez took a chance on each other. Milwaukee needed a big man who could defend at a high level while also spacing the floor for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Lopez wanted a place where he could win big. The two sides agreed on a one-year deal for the bi-annual exception rate—just under $3.4 million.
The match was perfect. Lopez, thanks to his newly-added three-point shot, earned the nickname "Splash Mountain" during his time in Milwaukee. His presence afforded more space for Antetokounmpo and point guard Eric Bledsoe slash into the paint. On the defensive end, his mastery of drop protection ultimately turned him into one of the top shot-contesters in the NBA and top defensive centers (and players overall) in the league.
Though Lopez's floor-stretching shot drew considerable attention because of his 7'1" stature, he was always liable to turn back the clock as necessary. At times, including in Game 5 of the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals when Antetokounmpo was out with an injury, Lopez was capable of becoming "Brooklyn Brook" and dominating inside like he did early in his career with the Nets.
The one-year pact between Lopez and the Bucks blossomed into a seven-year relationship, including a championship run in 2021.
Honorable mentions: Greg Monroe, Bobby Portis
Minnesota Timberwolves: Sam Mitchell
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Sam Mitchell took a uniquely long road to the NBA.
He was drafted by the Houston Rockets in the third round of the 1985 draft (54th overall) but was cut before the season started. He then bounced between the Continental Basketball Association and the U.S. Basketball League before spending two years playing in France.
Then, in 1989, he signed as an original member of the expansion Minnesota Timberwolves as a free agent and immediately began to make his mark. He appeared in 244 of the team's 246 regular-season games over his first three seasons, averaging 12.4 points and 6.0 rebounds in 31.5 minutes per game. While he wasn't spectacular, he was certainly steady.
Mitchell then spent three years with the Pacers before returning to Minnesota for the final seven years of his career, which solidified him as a franchise favorite. In Mitchell's first year back with the T-Wolves, Minnesota drafted Kevin Garnett straight out of high school, and Mitchell became one of Garnett's best friends and mentors.
Honorable mention: Chauncey Billups
New Orleans Pelicans/Hornets: Peja Stojakovic
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With Chris Paul and a solid core in place, the New Orleans Hornets signaled they were going for it in the summer of 2006 when they orchestrated a sign-and-trade with the Indiana Pacers to bring in sharpshooter Peja Stojaković. They paid a hefty sum, too, as Stojaković's contract was for four years and $64 million.
Though he was no longer at the All-Star level he displayed early in his career with the Sacramento Kings, Stojaković projected as the perfect complementary presence for a Hornets team that felt it was one piece away from real contention.
After an injury-plagued first season in the Big Easy, Stojaković paid off in a major way during the 2007-2008 campaign. That season, he led the league by making 3.0 three-pointers per game while shooting a blistering 44.1 percent from long range.
Unsurprisingly, that season went down—and still stands—as the best in franchise history, as New Orleans compiled a 56-26 record good for the No. 2 spot in the West. They pushed the San Antonio Spurs to seven games in the Western Conference semifinals but ultimately bowed out, signaling an untimely ending for the greatest season basketball New Orleans has seen.
Stojaković wasn't able to keep up his hot shooting in subsequent years and the Hornets similarly faded. That 2007-08 season, though, was quite the ride.
Honorable mentions: Ryan Anderson, Julius Randle, Jose Alvarado
New York Knicks: Jalen Brunson
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If you're a Knicks fan and think it's bordering on sacrilege that Allan Houston's name isn't listed here, you have our sincerest apologies. Houston has been the go-to answer as the Knicks' greatest free-agent signing of all-time for more than two decades, but recent developments have spurred us to go in a new direction.
Jalen Brunson may not have the tenure Houston does or the deep playoff runs, but all signs are pointing to great things to come for both the Knicks and their 28-year-old leader.
While Houston joined a solid Knicks team as a complement to their existing star power, Brunson was brought on board in 2022 to lift the Knicks out of mediocrity and be the star power. So far, Brunson has been as advertised—and more.
Over his three years in New York, Brunson has averaged 26.9 points and 6.7 assists per game while shooting 39.9 percent from three-point range. He's played a central role in rejuvenating the proud franchise, earned multiple All-Star nods and a pair of berths to the All-NBA second team—not to mention the Clutch Player of the Year award in 2025.
If the Knicks can break through the invisible wall halting them in the Eastern Conference semifinals, it will likely have a lot to do with Brunson's scoring, playmaking and leadership. And if and when that happens, Brunson will further cement his status as the Knicks' best free-agent signing of all time.
Honorable mentions: Allan Houston, John Starks, Jeremy Lin (Lin was claimed off waivers, but still!)
Oklahoma City Thunder: Luguentz Dort
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This selection comes with a couple of caveats.
First, free agents who were acquired during the franchise's time in Seattle weren't considered. It's hard to just wipe out four decades worth of history and transactions, but there doesn't seem to be all that much continuity as the franchise moved to Oklahoma City.
If we did include a player from the SuperSonics era, then Spencer Haywood likely would have been the pick. A four-time All-Star during his five years in Seattle, Haywood was a trailblazer because of the way he transitioned from the ABA to the NBA despite being less than four years removed from high school. He even took his case before the Supreme Court and won, which allowed him to sign with the SuperSonics in 1970.
The other caveat here is that Luguentz Dort signed in 2019 as an undrafted free agent, which doesn't fit neatly into our categories. Still, the other options aren't all that great.
Nerlens Noel, Patrick Patterson, Mike Muscala, Anthony Morrow and Isaiah Joe are all decent enough players, but they're not on Dort's level. Caron Butler and Derek Fisher were both big splashes after midseason buyouts, but their scope of impact was limited. Isaiah Hartenstein is clearly the biggest unrestricted free-agent addition since the move to OKC (and maybe franchise history), but he's only been around for a year.
Dort is the exact kind of diamond in the rough you would expect general manager Sam Presti to find. And with five seasons as a regular starter, Dort was also the longest-tenured player on the 2025 championship team. He's averaged 12.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while playing the kind of versatile, physical high-level defense that (finally) earned him first-team All-Defensive recognition this year.
Dort's addition might not have been splashy, but he grew within OKC's system and developed into an indispensable piece on a championship team. It just seems fitting.
Honorable mentions: Isaiah Hartenstein, Isaiah Joe, Spencer Haywood
Orlando Magic: Tracy McGrady
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During the 2000 offseason, Tracy McGrady was looking for an opportunity to get out of Toronto and prove he could thrive as a No. 1 option somewhere.
The Orlando Magic, a franchise that has never been a destination for top-tier free agents and has struggled to keep its homegrown stars, decided to give McGrady a shot by signing him to a seven-year, $92.8 million deal. The partnership paid off for both McGrady and the Magic.
As he had anticipated, McGrady quickly rose to superstar status, earning the Most Improved Player award after averaging 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks in his first season in Orlando. He followed that up with back-to-back All-NBA first team selections, and he led the league in points per game in 2002-2003 (32.1) and 2003-2004 (28.0).
The only problem, though, was that McGrady's greatness didn't translate to team success in the playoffs. The Magic made the playoffs in each of McGrady's first three years with the team...and were summarily bounced in the first round each time. For his part, McGrady was excellent in the postseason, averaging 32.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks in 44.3 minutes per game over 15 appearances.
McGrady just never had the team around him to ensure success. Grant Hill, who was also brought in on the same big-money contract as McGrady in 2000, had his career derailed by injuries and played just 47 games—none in the playoffs—during the four years he and McGrady were both in Orlando.
Ultimately, McGrady wanted to chase higher level of success than the Magic could reach and was traded to Houston. Still, he remains the only major star to both choose Orlando and excel while with the Magic.
Honorable mentions: Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu
Philadelphia 76ers: Julius Erving
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Was Julius Erving technically a free agent when he joined the Philadelphia 76ers? No, not technically. But we're counting him anyway.
You see, Erving was a member of the New York Nets in the ABA. In 1976, the Nets joined the NBA as part of the ABA-NBA merger, and shortly thereafter, they sold Erving's player rights to the 76ers. Since free agency and player movement back then looked nothing like they do now, we're going to say this transaction—which only involved cash and not players or draft picks—feels more like free agency than a trade.
Erving went on to spend all 11 of his NBA seasons with the 76ers, establishing himself as the most legendary player in franchise history. He averaged 22.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks in Philadelphia, earning 11 All-Star nods, seven All-NBA honors, the 1981 MVP award and leading the 76ers to the 1983 championship.
Outside of Erving, the other options here were all solid, complementary players who enjoyed particular success in Philadelphia. Well, that is except for Paul George, who as a nine-time All-Star and six-time All-NBA player was hands down the biggest true free-agent signing in franchise history in 2024, but his first season in Philadelphia was an injury-riddled dud.
Honorable mentions: George McGinnis, Robert Covington, JJ Redick, Paul George
Phoenix Suns: Steve Nash
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To say the Phoenix Suns' big bet on Steve Nash paid off would be a massive understatement.
In the summer of 2004, Phoenix sought to bring back Nash, who the team had drafted in 1996 but traded to Dallas in 1998. Nash had developed into an All-NBA caliber player while with the Mavericks, and the Suns wanted the 30-year-old to be the centerpiece of their retooled roster.
The Suns made Nash an offer he couldn't refuse as an unrestricted free agent—five years, $65 million—reportedly beating the Mavs' offer by at least $20 million.
With Nash at the helm, Phoenix and its "Seven Seconds or Less" offense revolutionized the NBA. They played with unprecedented pace, blitzing teams with their speed, passing and quick decision-making. Nash led the league in assists in each of his first two years with the team and also took home back-to-back MVP awards.
Nash was arguably even better in his third year, leading the league in assists (11.6) and true shooting percentage (65.4)—both career-bests—but he finished second behind former teammate Dirk Nowitzki in MVP voting.
The Suns made the playoffs in five of Nash's first six years with the team, but they never made it to the NBA Finals, stalling in the Western Conference Finals three times (2005, 2006, 2010). Still, the big bet on Nash in 2004 was absolutely the right call, and the future Hall of Famer took the Suns on an incredible ride.
Honorable mentions: Raja Bell, Tom Chambers
Portland Trail Blazers: Rod Strickland
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The Portland Trail Blazers had been knocking on the door, and in the summer of 1992 were looking for the missing piece to help them get over the hump. They were coming off a loss in the NBA Finals—their second in three years—and were trying to keep their championship window open.
Rod Strickland was their big free-agent signing that summer, and the goal was for him to pair well with Clyde Drexler to take the team to the next level.
Strickland averaged 17.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 8.6 assists and 1.7 steals per game over the next four years in Portland, more than holding up his end of the bargain. However, Drexler played just 49 games during the 1992-93 season because of injuries, and was hampered the next season as well.
As a result, the Blazers never returned to high-level contention, instead getting bounced in the first round in both 1993 and 1994 before trading Drexler to Houston during the following season, where he would finally claim his elusive championship.
Strickland was left behind in Portland, where he continued his solid play on a team that would again be a first-round out in both 1995 and 1996. While the original plan didn't go as the Blazers had hoped, you can't blame Strickland. Though he raised the team's floor, Drexler's decline lowered their ceiling and ultimately slammed their championship window shut.
Honorable mentions: Kenny Anderson, Jerami Grant
Sacramento Kings: Vlade Divac
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Around the turn of the century, it was clear that any team that wanted to be truly competitive in the Western Conference needed a big man who could stand his ground against Los Angeles Lakers star center Shaquille O'Neal.
In 1998, the Sacramento Kings got their man by signing veteran 7'1" center Vlade Divac in free agency.
Divac was incredibly dependable during his six seasons in Sacramento, playing in all but six regular-season games. He averaged 14.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists in his first season with the Kings, establishing himself as a key scorer, glass-cleaner and uncannily adept passer—not just for his size, either. He made his only All-Star team in 2001, too.
It should come as no surprise that the Kings' top free-agent signing also coincided with the greatest era in the team's Sacramento history. The Kings won 50-plus games in Divac's last four seasons with the team, including a franchise-best 61 wins in 2001-2002. However, they could just never get past O'Neal and the Lakers, including in 2002 when they lost to L.A. in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals (though the Kings and their fans feel they were robbed).
As a small-market team that doesn't attract many top-level free agents, Sacramento hit big when it got Divac, whose jersey was retired by the Kings in 2009.
Honorable mentions: Bobby Jackson, Malik Monk, Darren Collison, John Salmons
San Antonio Spurs: Bruce Bowen
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With a franchise that's had as much success as the San Antonio Spurs have had over the past three decades, there are going to be plenty of perfect-fit free-agent signings. Specifically, you're going to find a lot of hits on role players who greatly outplayed their contract and provided championship-level value.
For the Spurs, that list feels endless, but there's a clear No. 1—Bruce Bowen. Coming off a season with the Miami Heat in which he earned a spot on the NBA's All-Defensive team for the first time, Bowen signed as a free agent with the Spurs in the summer of 2001.
He blossomed in San Antonio, becoming a reliable starter and epitomizing the three-and-D role before it was cool. Bowen made an All-Defensive team in each of his first seven seasons with the Spurs (five first team), and while he wasn't relied upon for much offense, he was a 40.5 percent three-point shooter on 2.6 attempts per game. Those shooting numbers were even better in the playoffs, where he hit 43.8 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc over 122 contests.
With Bowen playing his role to perfect, the dynastic Spurs won titles in 2003, 2005 and 2007. His No. 12 jersey was retired by the team in 2012, though he temporarily un-retired it in 2015 when team signed LaMarcus Aldridge.
The connection between Bowen and Aldridge is fitting. While Bowen turned out to be the best free-agent signing in franchise history, Aldridge is undoubtedly the biggest star to choose San Antonio in free agency. Bowen, like many others, came to the Spurs to support the team's stars; Aldridge, on the other hand, was already a star and arrived in 2015 with the task of becoming a superstar and the new face of the franchise.
Aldridge played his role well, making a pair of All-NBA teams during his four years in San Antonio. However, the Spurs led by Aldridge and Kawhi Leonard couldn't keep up the elite level of postseason success the franchise had become accustomed to, so Aldridge takes a step back relative to Bowen.
Honorable mentions: LaMarcus Aldridge, Danny Green, Robert Horry, Avery Johnson
Toronto Raptors: Fred VanVleet
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As has been the case with other teams, we're going to make a slight exception here for the Toronto Raptors.
Fred VanVleet, a 6'0" All-American guard out of Wichita State, wasn't drafted in 2016. Seeing potential and an opportunity, the Raptors scooped him up as an undrafted free agent on a minimum contract.
VanVleet was a solid sixth man during his second and third seasons before breaking out in a big way in the 2019 Eastern Conference Finals. He was a critical factor in Toronto's comeback against the Milwaukee Bucks after dropping the first two games of the series, as he shot 57.1 percent from three-point range for the series. Wildly enough, that number undersells VanVleet, as he was 14 of 17 from downtown in the final three games of the series alone (82.3 percent).
After helping Toronto take home the championship, VanVleet moved into the Raptors' starting lineup for good and assumed a much bigger offensive role following Kawhi Leonard's departure to the LA Clippers. After re-signing with the Raptors, he earned an All-Star nod in 2022—a season in which he averaged a career-best 20.3 points per game—and ultimately got his first major payday in free agency in 2023 when he signed with the Houston Rockets.
While the Raptors surely weren't happy to see him go, they definitely got their money's worth—and more—out of the undrafted free agent they first signed back in 2016.
Honorable mentions: Jose Calderon, Anthony Parker
Utah Jazz: Carlos Boozer
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As a small-market team, the Utah Jazz aren't a marquee free-agent destination. So finding a way to acquire talent takes a little creativity.
In 2004, that creativity took the form of identifying a pair of undervalued former second-round picks hitting free agency for the first time—Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur—and overpaying them relative to the rest of the market to ensure they'd come to Salt Lake City.
And you know what? In the cases of both players, it worked. Together, Boozer and Okur are unassailably the top free agents the Jazz have ever signed, and each made at least one All-Star team while in Utah.
Boozer, who controversially reneged on a reported agreement with the Cleveland Cavaliers to become a free agent in the first place, ultimately became the bigger star, though. A low post bruiser and double-double machine, Boozer averaged 19.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.9 assists in six seasons with the Jazz, earning two All-Star nods and being selected to the All-NBA third team in 2007-2008.
Honorable mentions: Mehmet Okur, Bojan Bogdanović
Washington Wizards/Bullets: Bob Dandridge
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The Washington Bullets needed someone to help them get over the hump.
Led by Wes Unseld, they made the Finals in 1971 but got swept by the Milwaukee Bucks. They traded for Elvin Hayes in 1972 and made it back to the Finals in 1975, but they again got swept by the Golden State Warriors.
After two more playoff exits, they needed to make a big swing to avoid squandering the talents of Unseld and Hayes. So, in the summer of 1977, the Bullets added someone with championship experience by signing Bob Dandridge away from the Milwaukee Bucks. Dandridge had been part of Milwaukee's 1971 championship team alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson, averaging 19.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game against the Bullets, including leading all scorers with 29 points in Game 3.
In Washington, Dandridge averaged 19.3 points and 5.9 rebounds during his first season. More importantly, he put the Bullets over the top in the playoffs, helping lead them to their first and only championship in 1978.
Dandridge was even better in 1978-1979, earning an All-Star nod, All-NBA second team honors, a spot on the All-Defensive first team and finishing fifth in MVP voting. However, in a rematch with the Seattle SuperSonics in the NBA Finals, Washington fell in five games.
Still, there's no doubt that Dandridge's four years in Washington were a major success. The Hall of Famer was exactly what the Bullets needed to finally claim the championship that had eluded them.
Honorable mentions: Gilbert Arenas, Michael Jordan
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