The new NBA season has only just started, but the buzz around next summer’s free agency market is already well underway. It’s always an exciting period, but the coming summer may be one of the biggest in recent memory. 

We have perennial All-Stars, lottery picks still looking to realize their potential, and an all-time playoff performer looking for a new home. The list is long, but we’ve dwindled it down to a Final Four. These players, depending on where they land, will have a big impact on the 2025/26 NBA season. 

All-Star or Bust: Jonathan Kuminga 

Draymond Green didn’t mince his words on a recent episode of “Dubs Talk”. His take? If Jonathan Kuminga doesn’t make the All-Star team this season, it’s a personal failure for the 2021 lottery pick. 

It’s true, Kuminga has been a bit of an enigma thus far in his NBA career. On a good day, he looks like an All-NBA player ready to contribute to a championship team. 

When he’s on a not-so-good day, he looks like a bust. Trawl through the Golden State Warriors subreddit, and you’ll see just how frustrating he is as a player. He clearly has talent, but some nights he just downright sucks. 

With the forward unable to come to an agreement with the Warriors, he’s going to enter restricted free agency in 2025. It’s a big year for Kuminga, and he’s bet big on himself after rejecting Golden State’s final contract offer. 

No Longer Toxic: Kyrie Irving 

When he was with the Cavaliers, he was responsible for ending a potential dynasty by ditching Lebron. With the Boston Celtics, he burned bridges. He is still routinely booed in the Garden, years later. 

With the Brooklyn Nets, it seemed that he’d cemented his toxic reputation. Senseless comments, ineligible to play for the team, and ultimately part of one of the biggest disappointments in NBA history. The Nets imploded, the stars all left, and the Big Three disintegrated. 

Kyrie Irving is always front-page basketball news. But for the first time in years, it’s for positive reasons. With the Mavericks, he’s managed to reinvent himself as a No. 2 option to Luka. He still has his silky skills, he had a huge part in the team’s run to the NBA Finals, and he likely still has a few top-level years left in the tank. 

He’s one of the main reasons the Mavericks are listed third in the odds for the NBA title. Should he opt out, he’ll be an interesting veteran player for a team looking to win a championship. 

New Agent, (Probably) New Team: Brandon Ingram

According to Will Guillory, Brandon Ingram has ditched his agency, Excel Sports. That’s big news, although it’s not entirely clear what that means for the Pelicans star. 

Right now, he’s coming to the end of his five-year, $158 million contract. He will be an unrestricted free agent, and will likely have many suitors. But does this new direction mean that he’s likely to stay with New Orleans, or will a trade happen before next summer? 

In any case, he’s an exciting potential prospect. He’s a proven scorer, averaging 23 points per game in the past six seasons. However, he does not have a playoff pedigree, with just 10 postseason games to his name. Nevertheless, he will get plenty of attention this coming summer. 

Julius Randle: Liability or All-Star? 

Or maybe he’s both. Randle is entering the final year of a guaranteed contract, and his performances with the Timberwolves so far have proved that the doubters have a point. 

Look, Randle is talented, there is no doubt about that. But is he a max player, someone who will help Anthony Edwards get to the NBA Finals? Probably not. 

The last few games have made it glaringly obvious that Randle is a defensive liability so far with the Wolves. But considering he was solid with New York, there’s still room to fix that. 

Ultimately, he’s just not as good as Karl-Anthony Towns. The Wolves managed to get rid of his contract, and got two decent players in return, but they aren’t firing on all cylinders just yet. 

Randle will definitely tempt teams. But whether it’s worth signing him to a max contract remains a huge question mark. 

The Big Prize: Jimmy Buckets? 

We’re going to end this list with the name that will likely be the biggest name on the free agent market in 2025: Jimmy Butler. After receiving a heavy dose of criticism from Pat Riley following yet another injury-riddled campaign, it looks like Jimmy’s days in Miami are over. 

Even though Butler is now 35 years old and likely nearing the end of his prime, he’s still Playoff Jimmy. His exploits in the postseason are the stuff of legend, and while he will likely not hit the All-NBA level during the season, he’s a proven performer once the big time hits. 

The rumors are already circulating, even though the current season has just started. Joel Embiid is rumored to want Butler back with the 76ers, but perhaps the best fit would be the Houston Rockets. 

The team is full of young stars and needs a veteran presence, and Butler is capable of being the player to push them to that next level. If his body can hold for just a few more years, he may get that ring most fans want him to have. 

Bonus Pick: Lebron James 

Okay, we’re going to deal with the elephant in the room before we sign off. Yes, Lebron has a player option following this season. But we just can’t see the GOAT-in-some-people-eyes leaving the LA Lakers for another team. 

If Lebron decides to leave La La Land, it’s going to be in favor of retirement. Our prediction: he plays one more season in Los Angeles, and then he calls it quits. 

Whatever happens, the 2025 offseason promises to be an exciting one.