Choices Being Made in the NBA Free Agency
(posted on 7-3-2025) YAHOO SPORTS - The free agency floodgates are officially open, and after a flurry of activity Monday night, the action continued throughout the week.
Most of the big names are now off the board, but there are still several dominoes left to fall, with Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, Jonathan Kuminga, Quentin Grimes and more still undecided for next season.
Wednesday’s headliner was Deandre Ayton, who has reportedly agreed to a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. He’ll reportedly make $34 million in the coming season, with $25.6 million from his reported buyout from the Portland Trail Blazers and another $8.1 million from the Lakers on this new deal. But does Ayton make the Lakers legit contenders?
Earlier this week, reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander reportedly signed a four-year, $285 million supermax extension with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and shortly after, former Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner reportedly agreed to a four-year, $107 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks. With Turner in the fold, the Bucks waived Lillard, using the stretch provision in the CBA to wipe the final $113 million of his contract off their books.
Other deals on Tuesday included the Nuggets trading for Jonas Valanciunas from the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Dario Saric, Dennis Schröder signing with the Sacramento Kings and Jakob Poeltl agreeing to an extension with the Toronto Raptors.
When free agency opened Monday night, the NBA had officially set its salary cap at $154.647 million for the 2025-26 season. That’s up 10% from last season, which was the expected jump.
Jaren Jackson Jr. and the Grizzlies agreed on a five-year, $240 million max extension, and the Nuggets traded Michael Porter Jr. to the Nets in exchange for Cam Johnson. Dorian Finney-Smith agreed to a deal with the Rockets, Ty Jerome and the Grizzlies agreed on a three-year contract and the Mavericks struck a two-year deal with point guard D’Angelo Russell.
Elsewhere, LeBron James picked up his $52.6 million option for the 202526 season, stating his hopes of competing for a championship while the Lakers build for the future. James Harden will also stick in Los Angeles, signing a new deal with the Clippers. Julius Randle will also remain in Minnesota.
All this comes after the Phoenix Suns traded superstar Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the 10th pick (Khaman Maluach) in the 2025 NBA Draft. The Boston Celtics also began a refresh by trading Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trailblazers and Kristaps Porziņģis to the Atlanta Hawks.
Damian Lillard, Al Horford, Chris Paul still on the table
NBA free agency is in full swing and several notable names are still on the table after several moves have already sent shockwaves around the league.
Among the noteworthy moves are Myles Turner leaving Indiana for Milwaukee, the Bucks waiving Damian Lillard in a surprising corresponding move and the Celtics’ reconstruction kicking off with Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday being traded to the Atlanta Hawks and Trail Blazers, respectively.
The Milwaukee Bucks waived veteran Damian Lillard following a fouryear, $107 million contract agreement with center Myles Turner.
With two years and $113 million left on his deal, the Bucks will opt to exercise a stretch provision to spread Lillard’s remaining cap hit over the next five seasons — the largest waive and stretch in NBA history, Bobby Marks reports.
How does it all work?
The NBA’s stretch provision allows teams to waive a player and spread the remaining cap hit over seasons to follow, providing teams more salary cap flexibility following the player’s release.
The formula dictates that the remaining cap hits will be stretched over the number of years remaining on the deal, multiplied by two, plus one additional season.
So, since Lillard had two years remaining on his contract, his $113 cap hit will be spread over the next five seasons (2 years left x 2 + 1).
Additionally, the 2023 NBA-NBPA Collective Bargaining Agreement states: In no event shall a Team be permitted to elect to stretch a waived player’s Salary if the portion of the Team’s Team Salary representing all of the Team’s waived players (and any other former players) in any future Salary Cap Year exceeds or as a result of the proposed stretch would exceed fifteen percent (15%) of the Salary Cap in effect during the Salary Cap Year in which the election occurs.
With two years and $113 million left on his deal, the Bucks will opt to exercise a stretch provision to spread Lillard’s remaining cap hit over the next five seasons — the largest waive and stretch in NBA history, Bobby Marks reports.
Meanwhile, LeBron James, Fred VanVleet, James Harden and Kyrie Irving have all signed to stay put with their current clubs.
The attention shifts toward the sweepstakes for Damian Lillard, Al Horford, Chris Paul and others who are still on the board. Here are the top players still up for grabs: 1. Jonathan Kuminga (restricted) 2. Quentin Grimes (restricted) 3. Al Horford (unrestricted) 4. Chris Paul (unrestricted) 5. Damian Lillard (unrestricted) 6. Josh Giddey (restricted) 7. Cam Thomas (restricted) 8. Malcolm Brogdon (unrestricted)
