The NBA free agency officially begins on Monday at 6 p.m. ET. What teams will make the biggest signings?
Will the [Los Angeles Lakers](/nba/team/_/name/lal/los-angeles-lakers) finally get a rim-running center to pair with [Luka Doncic](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3945274/luka-doncic) and [LeBron James](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/1966/lebron-james)? Which franchises will pursue restricted free agent [Jonathan Kuminga](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4433247/jonathan-kuminga)? Will the [Indiana Pacers](/nba/team/_/name/ind/indiana-pacers) bring back center [Myles Turner](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3133628/myles-turner)? And what will the [Brooklyn Nets](/nba/team/_/name/bkn/brooklyn-nets) do with all that cap space?
Alofoke Deportes’ NBA experts Chris Herring, Zach Kram, Bobby Marks, and Kevin Pelton analyze how each team can succeed in their offseason, including a move each franchise should make this summer to ensure success.
Note: The team rankings are based on the [NBA power rankings](/nba/story/_/id/45486382/way-too-early-nba-power-rankings-post-finals-all-30-teams-2025-26) following the Alofoke Deportes Finals.
Jump to a team:
[ATL](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#atl) | [BOS](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#bos) | [BKN](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#bkn) | [CHA](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#cha) | [CHI](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#chi) | [CLE](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#cle)
[DAL](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#dal) | [DEN](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#den) | [DET](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseaso#det) | [GS](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#gs) | [HOU](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#hou) | [IND](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#ind)
[LAC](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#lac) | [LAL](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#lal) | [MEM](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#mem) | [MIA](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#mia) | [MIL](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#mil) | [MIN](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#min)
[NO](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#no) | [NY](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#nyk) | [OKC](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#okc) | [ORL](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#orl) | [PHI](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#phi) | [PHX](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#phx)
[POR](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#por) | [SAC](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#sac) | [SA](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#sa) | [TOR](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#tor) | [UTA](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#utah) | [WAS](/nba/story/_/id/45605321/nba-free-agency-2025-how-all-30-teams-ace-their-offseason#was)
— Pelton
Minnesota TimberwolvesHow to succeed in the offseason: With [Naz Reid](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4396971/naz-reid) returning with a new five-year, $125 million contract, Minnesota finds itself in a complicated financial position, as both [Julius Randle](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3064514/julius-randle) and [Nickeil Alexander-Walker](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4278039/nickeil-alexander-walker) can enter free agency. (Randle has a player option). The Timberwolves may end up retaining all three players, but that would be a tight fit and compromise future salary space. It would make more sense to focus on Reid and Randle, and count on promising sophomores [Rob Dillingham](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4684275/rob-dillingham) and [Terrence Shannon Jr](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4432847/terrence-shannon-jr) to replace Alexander-Walker next season.A move they should make: Replacing Randle’s player option with a three-year contract plus a non-guaranteed fourth year, as Bobby recently proposed, would strike the right balance between the impetus to win in the present and the desire to remain flexible in the future. Randle is one of the league’s most solid contributors in the regular season, and he stepped up as a valuable playoff performer this spring.— Kram
Denver NuggetsHow to succeed in the offseason: They should follow the advice of [Nikola Jokic](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3112335/nikola-jokic). “We definitely need to find a way to get more depth,” Jokic said after losing in the second round. “It seems like the teams that have longer rotations, longer benches, are the ones winning. Indiana, OKC, Minnesota.” The Nuggets’ substitutes averaged the third-fewest minutes in the regular season and the fourth-fewest points per game. Improving depth, however, comes with obstacles. Similar to last offseason, the Nuggets’ options once again consist of relying on their former draft picks ([Peyton Watson](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4576087/peyton-watson), [Julian Strawther](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4432181/julian-strawther), [Jalen Pickett](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4398390/jalen-pickett), [Hunter Tyson](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4395620/hunter-tyson) and [DaRon Holmes II](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4433607/daron-holmes-ii)), along with the $5.7 million taxpayer mid-level exception and veteran minimum exceptions to sign free agents. They could explore the trade market, but that would likely come at a cost for starter [Michael Porter Jr](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4278104/michael-porter-jr). Because the Nuggets are a first apron team, they are not allowed to take back more money in a trade.A move they should make: First, they can’t make the same mistake as last year and sign a player with the $5.7 million exception who isn’t part of the rotation. [Dario Saric](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3032978/dario-saric) signed the same exception and averaged the fewest minutes of his career. Although the Nuggets will get a boost with last year’s first-round pick, Holmes, returning after an Achilles tendon injury, there is still the priority of finding a backup center for Jokic. The Nuggets should use the mid-level tax to sign [Luke Kornet](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3064560/luke-kornet) to a two-year, $11.7 million contract. The free agent pivot averaged 6.0 points and 5.3 rebounds in just 18 minutes per game last season for Boston. The Celtics had plus 14.3 points per 100 possessions when he was on the court.— Marks
Cleveland CavaliersHow to succeed in the offseason: Theoretically, they could do it by keeping their roster completely intact, but that would cost more than a quarter of a billion dollars in luxury taxes just for this upcoming season. That’s probably unsustainable in any scenario, let alone one where the 64-win Cavs are coming off a second-round playoff loss. The most likely outcome is that Cleveland finds a way forward while trimming the payroll and parting ways with one or two key players, as Boston did with [Jrue Holiday](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3995/jrue-holiday) and [Kristaps Porzingis](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3102531/kristaps-porzingis), to get below the dreaded second apron.A move they should make: Assuming club ownership balks at paying an exorbitant tax bill, expect to see at least one key rotation player, [Jarrett Allen](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066328/jarrett-allen), [Max Strus](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4065778/max-strus) or possibly both, on the move to alleviate the salary crunch. The Cavs have indicated that they are unlikely to bring back free agent [Ty Jerome](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4065733/ty-jerome), both because of trading [Isaac Okoro](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4432822/isaac-okoro) for [Lonzo Ball](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066421/lonzo-ball) and securing [Sam Merrill](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066757/sam-merrill) to a four-year contract, key moves as Cleveland awaits the return of [Darius Garland](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4396907/darius-garland) after toe surgery. Anyone else the Cavs hold onto will simply make next season’s salary number higher. — HerringHouston RocketsHow to succeed in the offseason: One could argue that Houston has already done it. In a two-week period, the Rockets traded for [Kevin Durant](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3202/kevin-durant) and agreed to new contracts for [Fred VanVleet](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2991230/fred-vanvleet), [Aaron Holiday](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3922230/aaron-holiday), [Jae’Sean Tate](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3136777/jaesean-tate), and [Jeff Green](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3209/jeff-green). They also signed coach Ime Udoka to an extension. The Durant trade was significant not only because the team acquired a top-10 player, but also because their depth remained largely intact.A move they should make: Let’s expand this to multiple moves. The first is to sign [Dorian Finney-Smith](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2578185/dorian-finney-smith) (if he opts out of his contract with the Lakers) to a two-year, $28 million contract. VanVleet’s restructured contract (they reduced his team option from $44.9 million to almost $20 million) gives Houston the flexibility to use the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception without taxes and not exceed the first apron. However, the team would need to waive [Jock Landale](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3146557/jock-landale)’s $8 million non-guaranteed contract. The second and most important move is to sign Durant, [Jabari Smith Jr](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4432639/jabari-smith-jr) and [Tari Eason](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4433192/tari-eason) to extensions. Smith and Eason are eligible to sign until October 20, and Durant has until June 30, 2026, to accept a two-year contract. — MarksIndiana Pacers
How to succeed in the offseason: All key players from the Pacers’ run to the Finals are set to return in 2025-26, with two exceptions. The Pacers can do nothing about the absence of [Tyrese Haliburton](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4396993/tyrese-haliburton) after the star point guard tore an Achilles tendon in Game 7. But they can ensure that [Myles Turner](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3133628/myles-turner) returns by negotiating a new long-term contract for the free agent center. This is a must for the Pacers; they have no other depth at the position, and if Turner leaves, there will be no easy replacement available externally either.A move they should make: Re-sign Turner for three years and $80 million. In a vacuum, Turner could be worth more, could reasonably ask for $90 million over three years, but the lack of salary cap space in the league means he might struggle to incite a bidding war. This compromise offer would give Turner a considerable raise and long-term security, while helping Indiana save money they’ll need for other extensions next summer and beyond.
— Kram
New York KnicksHow to succeed in the offseason: Aside from finding a coach and implementing a new system before the campaign, the Knicks need a deeper bench. The constant criticism of former coach Tom Thibodeau was that he didn’t turn to his reserves nearly enough. And there was probably some truth to that, as the Knicks’ substitutes scored less and got fewer minutes than those of any other club. But by signing [Mikal Bridges](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3147657/mikal-bridges) and [Karl-Anthony Towns](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3136195/karl-anthony-towns) last summer, the front office made the team more top to bottom. As the recent title runs of the Thunder and Celtics showed, more depth is needed to win it all.A move they should make: Use the $5.7 million exception, but potentially stay just below the second apron, to sign a player. Perhaps that means adding a shooter like [Luke Kennard](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3913174/luke-kennard) or a forward like [Bruce Brown](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4065670/bruce-brown), players good enough to be starters but who could easily come off the bench. Separately, but related: The team must find a way forward with Bridges, who is eligible for an extension. How high are the Knicks willing to go on a new contract for him? And is there a world in which trading him for additional roster depth makes sense? — HerringGolden State WarriorsHow to succeed in the offseason: The transfer of [Jimmy Butler III](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6430/jimmy-butler-iii) reopened the Warriors’ window to compete, but also exacerbated the team’s need for shots up front to complement Butler and [Draymond Green](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6589/draymond-green). Getting this done in this offseason could be a challenge, particularly with little salary at stake unless Golden State can make a complicated sign-and-trade involving restricted free agent [Jonathan Kuminga](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4433247/jonathan-kuminga). The Warriors’ best play might be to re-sign Kuminga to a contract that keeps them below the second apron and that can be traded at the deadline to get what they need.A move they should make: Re-sign veterans [Kevon Looney](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3155535/kevon-looney) and [Gary Payton II](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3134903/gary-payton-ii) for one year at the veteran minimum, if possible. Because of their experience, Looney and Payton would earn almost the same at the minimum as they would elsewhere for smaller exceptions. However, only $2.3 million would impact Golden State’s salary sheet.— Pelton
Los Angeles LakersHow to succeed in the offseason: In addition to signing [Luka Doncic](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3945274/luka-doncic) to an extension on August 2nd, finding the next [Daniel Gafford](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4278049/daniel-gafford) or [Dereck Lively II](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4683688/dereck-lively-ii) to complement the All-NBA guard. General Manager Rob Pelinka was direct during his end-of-season press conference in acknowledging that signing or trading for a center is the first priority: “We know that this offseason one of our main goals is going to be to add size in our frontcourt at the center position.” Finding one will be complicated. Los Angeles only has the $5.7 million exception to use on a below-average class of free agent centers. However, it has more than $60 million in expiring contracts ([Rui Hachimura](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066648/rui-hachimura), [Gabe Vincent](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3137259/gabe-vincent), [Maxi Kleber](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2960236/maxi-kleber) and, if he exercises the option for next season, [Dorian Finney-Smith](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2578185/dorian-finney-smith)) along with an unprotected first-round pick from 2031 or 2032. The Lakers also have the right to swap first-round picks in five of the next seven seasons.A move they should make: Trade for [Robert Williams III](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4066211/robert-williams-iii) from the Trail Blazers and then sign [Brook Lopez](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3448/brook-lopez) with the taxpayer mid-level exception. Yes, the Lakers would bring in two starting centers, but Williams has played 40 or fewer games in three straight seasons. Because the Lakers are above the first apron and are not allowed to take back more money in a trade, any package for Williams would start with some combination of Vincent, [Jarred Vanderbilt](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4278077/jarred-vanderbilt) and/or [Shake Milton](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3915195/shake-milton).— Marks
LA ClippersHow to succeed in the offseason: The Clippers’ top priority is to extend [James Harden](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3992/james-harden), then figure out how to improve an already strong roster on the edges. The Clippers have an excellent two-way core, but little depth in the backcourt, which could prove especially detrimental given the team’s age and injury history. If [Nicolas Batum](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3416/nicolas-batum) (who declined his $4.9 million player option) leaves this summer, [Bogdan Bogdanovic](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3037789/bogdan-bogdanovic) and [Derrick Jones Jr](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3936099/derrick-jones-jr) will be the only reliable substitutes.A move they should make: Bring free agent point guard [Chris Paul](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2779/chris-paul) back to Los Angeles, reuniting him with Harden and improving the team’s backcourt depth. Last season, when Harden and [Kawhi Leonard](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/6450/kawhi-leonard) were on the bench, the Clippers scored just 107.6 points per 100 possessions, according to Cleaning the Glass, which ranked in the 14th percentile of the league. Even as he enters his 40s, Paul is a great playmaker, has a welcome history with the franchise, and just played all 82 games for the [San Antonio Spurs](/nba/team/_/name/sa/san-antonio-spurs).— Kram
Detroit PistonsHow to succeed in the offseason: Fresh off a playoff qualification and one of the biggest turnarounds in NBA history, the Pistons don’t have to make a huge change to come out winners this summer. They simply need to carefully prioritize which of their three free agent forwards, [Malik Beasley](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3907822/malik-beasley), [Tim Hardaway Jr](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/2528210/tim-hardaway-jr) and [Dennis Schroder](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/3032979/dennis-schroder) they want to bring back while potentially making an external signing for a difference-making player. For those who would like to see them do more, keep in mind that they will be getting back 23-year-old guard [Jaden Ivey](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4433218/jaden-ivey) (who averaged nearly 18 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists with good efficiency) from an injury.A move they should make: Sign the restricted free agent [
