Teams can begin negotiating with free agents at 6 p.m. ET June 30, and shooting guard is perhaps the best position of an unremarkable overall class.
Let’s dive in and break down the potential top shooting guards in this year’s free-agent market.
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(Note: Positions are being determined off Basketball-Reference’s positional breakdowns, meaning a player will be listed at the position in which he played the most minutes. That’s why you’ll find James Harden and Kyrie Irving in the shooting guard section.)
Free-agent position rankings: Point guards
1. James Harden, Los Angeles Clippers
Status: Player option
Value of option: $36,346,154
Harden silenced plenty of critics by displaying an ability to return to his high-volume ways, which seemed to have deserted him the previous season. That should raise the level of optimism around him despite the fact he’ll be entering next season at t36.
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Additionally, for the first time in a fairly long while, it appears Harden has found a home in which he’s comfortable and has found some stability. The Clippers’ success only suggests an added interest in returning.
What makes sense: Should Harden opt out and sign a new one-plus-one deal worth max money, that would allow both him and the Clippers to play the rest of his career by ear. That said, if Harden has reached the point in his career where financial compensation means less to him, all the better for the Clippers and their hope of improving the roster.
2. Kyrie Irving, Dallas Mavericks
Status: Player option
Value of option: $42,962,963
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Irving would have been first on the list had it not been for the ACL tear he suffered, which raises questions about his future, given that he’s 33 and often relies on speedy dribbles and shifty changes of direction to gain separation.
Then there’s the added drama of being in Dallas, an organization that traded Luka Dončić and then won the NBA Draft Lottery. Does it make sense for Irving to rehab for a year and then join 19-year-old Cooper Flagg?
What makes sense: Irving is famous for not always doing the obvious, but this time around — due to his injury — it’s probably fair to expect him to pick up his option and then hash out his future in 2026. That said, should he ask for a trade and point to a location that’s closer to winning a title, that shouldn’t come as a shock.
3. Quentin Grimes, Philadelphia 76ers
Status: Restricted free agent
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The numbers don’t do Grimes justice, as he averaged nearly 22 points per game after his midseason trade to Philadelphia. The sweet-shooting guard displayed a previously unknown ability to create consistent looks off the dribble, putting him in a tier or two higher than most originally had him in.
He’s a player who should be receiving plenty of attention and interest from the outside, but given how the market is overall low on available money, this gives the Sixers a significant advantage.
What makes sense: Grimes could sign a shorter deal with the Sixers to give him an easier out in a few seasons. Given the contract complications of Joel Embiid and Paul George, the future is on extremely shaky ground, so having an out wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world.
4. Malik Beasley, Detroit Pistons
Status: Unrestricted free agent
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The Pistons proved to be the right fit for Beasley, who was dangerously close to entering “perpetual journeyman” territory.
Of course, now the real challenge begins. Beasley signed just a one-year contract last offseason, outplayed it spectacularly, and now the Pistons are left with two options to keep him: find a way to create cap space to sign him into that, or see if he’ll bite on the non-tax MLE.
What makes sense: Beasley, 28, knows the system works for him, which should lead to even more money down the road. If he accepts three years of the non-tax MLE, with a player option for the third season, he can opt out and Detroit will have full Bird rights due to him being on their team for three straight seasons. This would allow the Pistons to re-sign him to a major contract in the summer of 2027.
5. Cam Thomas, Brooklyn Nets
Status: Restricted free agent
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Look, opinions differ greatly on Thomas due to his lack of size, shaky defense and the fact he isn’t much of a playmaker. But one thing that should be indisputable is his ability to put the ball through the damn rim.
The question with Thomas should exclusively center around his future role. Is he a starting two guard or a high-volume sixth man with the potential to drop 20 off the bench for years to come? The answer to that question will heavily influence his compensation level.
What makes sense: Thomas, 23, will seek starter money, but the Nets aren’t in a position to know whether that will be his long-term role. They should squeeze as hard as they can, if only to make him more attractive on the trade market within the next few years. Thomas and his team could respond by arguing for a richer contract that runs for a shorter term, such as two years. That should satisfy both parties.
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Best of the rest
Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Minnesota Timberwolves
Status: Unrestricted free agent
Alexander-Walker is a formidable two-way role player who has become more consistent with his 3-point shot. Nevertheless, he is still a role player who will likely be overtaxed as a starter. The full non-tax MLE seems like a reasonable expectation.
Bruce Brown, New Orleans Pelicans
Status: Unrestricted free agent
Since winning the championship with Denver in 2023, Brown, 28, has seemed lost while he’s been touring the NBA. With his large contract now concluded, making his return to Denver to play alongside Nikola Jokić would be a strong outcome. The all-around connector still has age on his side, and he could greatly rehab his value in a familiar system.
Keon Ellis, Sacramento Kings
Status: Team option (but less straightforward)
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The Kings can either decline his option and see him enter restricted free agency this season, or they can pick up the option and hope to extend him when he becomes eligible on Feb. 9, 2026.
The safe bet is restricted free agency, as Ellis can otherwise decline any extension and head into the summer of 2026 as an unrestricted free agent.
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