Landing Spots for Top NBA Free Agents Still Available
NBA free agency is still alive and well as we wait to see where some future Hall of Famers and talented young players coming off their rookie deals will end up.
Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook are still available for teams who need some offensive creation. Damian Lillard as well, as long as a team doesn't mind waiting a year.
Jonathan Kuminga, Cam Thomas, Josh Giddey and Quentin Grimes all have yet to sign an offer sheet with another team or agree to a new deal with their existing franchises as restricted free agents.
Al Horford would be a huge addition to a contender's frontcourt as well given his versatility, shooting and defense even at age 39.
These are the best landing spots for the top eight free agents left.
Chris Paul: Milwaukee Bucks
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If Chris Paul wants to spend the final year of his career around his family in Los Angeles, this isn't exactly the spot.
If the 40-year-old, 12-time All-Star wants one more starting job, however, this may be his only opportunity.
The Milwaukee Bucks are in dire need of a point guard, with Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins currently set to battle for the starting job despite neither being true floor generals.
A team of Paul, Gary Trent Jr., Kyle Kuzma, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner with Bobby Portis, Taurean Prince, Gary Harris, Porter, Rollins and others is probably enough to still make the playoffs in the East.
Being able to sign a point guard of Paul's stature should help convince Antetokounmpo to stay, as the veteran is still a pure passer (7.4 assists against 1.6 turnovers a game last year) who played all 82 contests for the San Antonio Spurs and had a swing rating of plus-9.0.
The allure of staying home in Los Angeles will be tempting, although bench minutes are all the Clippers and Lakers can offer.
If he wants one last big role running an offense, the Bucks are Paul's only choice.
Josh Giddey: Chicago Bulls
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The Chicago Bulls should be pleased with the way the season ended with Josh Giddey, as the 22-year-old led the team to a 12-5 record over his last 17 games while averaging 20.6 points, 10.6 rebounds, 9.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.8 blocks and a 42.9 percent mark from three.
Chicago should be ready to commit financially to Giddey, who doesn't celebrate birthday No. 23 until October despite going into his fifth professional season.
Giddey is one of the better passers in the NBA, as his 6'8" size gives him an advantage over most point guards. The Bulls ranked 28th in assist percentage in 2023-24, yet jumped all the way to 7th last season after making the trade for the former No. 6 overall pick.
Chicago should be able to get Giddey at a decent number given that the only team left with cap space (the Brooklyn Nets) drafted a few ball-handlers last month and still have Cam Thomas left to re-sign.
This team gave up Alex Caruso with the expectation that Giddey would be the long-term answer at point guard. While his defense and outside shooting need to continue to improve, this plan hasn't changed.
Quentin Grimes: Utah Jazz
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Even with two players earning over $50 million next year, the Philadelphia 76ers aren't even a luxury tax team right now and have access to the full $14.1 million mid-level exception.
Bringing back Grimes on a new deal would change this, however, and add a lot of overlap to the wing position.
Any new contract for Grimes is almost certainly going to push Philly past the first apron (currently $9.9 million below). The team already has Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, VJ Edgecombe, Kelly Oubre Jr., Eric Gordon and more on the wing, meaning Grimes isn't going to get the 33.7 minutes per game he received down the stretch of last season when half the team was injured/tanking.
Grimes, 25, still fits a rebuilding Utah Jazz team that has shooting guard minutes available after trading Collin Sexton and agreeing to a buyout with Jordan Clarkson.
After averaging 20.2 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists and shooting 38.7 percent from three in his 37 starts last season, Grimes would be the perfect two-guard in Utah. The team already has Isaiah Collier and Keyonte George handling the ball, Ace Bailey and Cody Williams on the wing, Lauri Markkanen at power forward full time with John Collins traded and Walker Kessler at center. Grimes would round out this core nicely in a sign-and-trade.
Russell Westbrook: Miami Heat
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The Orlando Magic were the only team to make the NBA playoffs last season with a worse offense than this Miami Heat squad (112.4 rating, 21st overall).
Although he's 36 and far from a perfect player at this stage in his career, there's no doubting that Westbrook can still bring the juice to a team's scoring attack.
The nine-time All-Star averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists and 1.4 steals for the Denver Nuggets last season, starting 36 of his 75 games.
Westbrook would join a guard rotation that features Tyler Herro, Davion Mitchell, Norman Powell and rookie Kasparas Jakučionis, giving Miami a dynamic playmaker that can still get downhill and attack a defense. With making a playoff run still very much the goal, Westbrook can keep the seat warm for a year while Jakučionis learns the NBA game.
With Erik Spoelsta putting him in the right spots and a talented, veteran roster around him, the Heat make the most sense for Westbrook.
Jonathan Kuminga: Chicago Bulls
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Jonathan Kuminga seems like the most likely restricted free agent to switch teams after Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr held him out of the rotation entirely for parts of the regular and postseason.
Kuminga fits best with a young team where he can be more of a featured option on offense and create a spark for a franchise that needs some electricity.
The Chicago Bulls have wallowed in mediocrity for the past five years, winning between 31 and 46 games with just a single playoff appearance to show for it. Josh Giddey (restricted free agent) and Matas Buzelis look like they could be foundational pieces moving forward, but the rest of the roster is either too old (Nikola Vučević), too inconsistent (Patrick Williams) or not under contract past this season (Coby White).
Kuminga has been quite productive when given the opportunity.
In the 39 games where he's played traditional starter minutes (30-39), Kuminga has averaged 20.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.7 blocks while shooting 53.9 percent overall and 40.2 percent from three. A starting forward combo of Kuminga and Buzelis would be big, athletic and fun, finally giving Bulls fans a reason to tune in every night.
Assuming Giddey returns as a table-setter, Kuminga should get plenty of good looks in an increased role.
Cam Thomas: Brooklyn Nets
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Despite averaging 24.0 points and 3.8 assists per game last season at age 23, we still don't know what Cam Thomas' ceiling or ideal role in the NBA is yet. He's mostly put up good numbers on bad teams and only became an everyday starter this past season.
For now, Thomas and the Brooklyn Nets should continue their partnership and see what he can become.
On a roster that features about a dozen rookies along with Nic Claxton and Michael Porter Jr., Thomas should have all the shots he can handle while working to improve his efficiency and defense.
Finding a number both parties can agree to is tricky, however.
Claxton's four-year, $97 million contract he signed last year seems about right value-wise and would start around 15-to-16 percent of the salary cap. The two sides could go with a higher value and fewer years, a la Jalen Green with the Houston Rockets (three years, $105 million with a player option).
Few other teams, if any, are going to commit big money to Thomas without strong knowledge of what he can do on a contender. The Nets and Thomas should stay together for now.
Al Horford: Golden State Warriors
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The Golden State Warriors have been extremely quiet this offseason. Maybe too quiet…
The franchise could be waiting to see if Giannis Antetokounmpo, LeBron James or another star becomes available. The Jonathan Kuminga situation is far from settled. The team still has six open roster spots to fill. There's lots of work to be done, yet the Bay Area remains silent.
While the Warriors plan their next move, there's no harm in pursuing Al Horford to become the team's new starting center.
Golden State has the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception of $14.1 million to use and is $17.4 million below the luxury tax. It likely wouldn't take all of this to sign the 39-year-old Horford, especially with money drying up across the league.
Horford fits the system perfectly with the Warriors and is a no-maintenance starter to plug into a locker room full of big personalities with Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green.
Horford also makes a lot of sense for the Denver Nuggets if Jonas Valančiūnas decides to leave the NBA. The safe bet is Golden State, however, where he can make more money and claim a starting job.
Damian Lillard: Boston Celtics
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Finding a home for Damian Lillard is tricky, given that he'll likely miss the entire 2025-26 season while recovering from a torn Achilles.
When he returns, he'll be 36 at the start of next season and coming off a major injury. Lillard should still have aspirations of starting and will almost certainly want to join a team in championship contention that has a spot available.
Why not the Boston Celtics?
Boston is under no pressure to win next season with Jayson Tatum nursing his own Achilles injury but should be back in the title picture in 2026-27 assuming he, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard are all still on the team. Adding Lillard to the core on a team-friendly deal now could be a smart investment.
If the Celtics are successful in their pursuit of trying to trade Anfernee Simons and shed some additional salary, Boston could open up the taxpayer mid-level exception of $5.7 million to sign Lillard to a multi-year deal with.
The last time the Celtics got a veteran point guard from the Milwaukee Bucks, it ended pretty well. Boston and Lillard should have mutual interest now.
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