While the top NBA free agents, typically All-Stars, have largely committed to their current teams or exercised options, the recent NBA Finals highlighted the crucial role of depth. Achieving deep playoff runs requires more than just superstar talent; teams must build robust supporting casts capable of filling roles, enduring injuries, and offering tactical flexibility throughout a postseason series.
Considering this need for depth, here are seven under-the-radar free agents that teams should consider targeting as the free agency period unfolds. These players may not single-handedly transform a franchise, but they can significantly bolster a contender looking for that essential bench contribution.
Chris Paul
As the esteemed 12-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer approaches the end of his illustrious career, his current value on the court appears to be underestimated.
Despite being 40, Paul remains in good physical condition, having played a full 82-game season last year. He continues to excel as a pick-and-roll operator, ranking high among volume ball handlers in points per play. Although his personal scoring and usage have decreased, he remains a top-tier playmaker, ranking fourth in assists per 36 minutes among eligible players, trailing only elite passers like Trae Young, Nikola Jokic, and Tyrese Haliburton.
A return to San Antonio seems improbable, given their point guard situation with De`Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper. However, Paul is still highly capable of providing stability to a contender`s second unit. Possible destinations include a reunion with the LA Clippers, a move to the Los Angeles Lakers to potentially team up with LeBron James (this time without league intervention), joining Nikola Jokic on the Denver Nuggets, or even a role in Minnesota where he could arguably be a stronger starting option than Mike Conley currently.
The key takeaway is that Paul has numerous attractive options this offseason as he prepares to likely join his fourth team in four years. Having reached the Finals only once and lost, and after a less prominent season in San Antonio, he is poised to join a contender in pursuit of his first championship.
Chris Boucher
Last season, only two players logging over 800 minutes managed to average at least 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 2.5 three-pointers per 36 minutes. One was Chris Boucher. The other was Victor Wembanyama.
Certainly, this doesn`t mean Boucher is comparable to Wembanyama`s talent, and yes, this stat is selected to highlight Boucher`s performance. But the fact remains – he performed well!
While perhaps undersized for major minutes at center, Boucher offers a valuable and versatile skill set for a frontcourt player. He`s capable of hitting three-pointers, finishing with dunks, and blocking shots defensively. Additionally, he`s an excellent offensive rebounder, ranking among the top active players in offensive boards per 36 minutes.
Boucher might end up re-signing with Toronto, the team he`s played for almost his entire NBA career. However, other teams should consider signing him, potentially utilizing him in an energy big role off the bench, similar to how players like Obi Toppin are used.
Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown, a key contributor to the 2022-23 champion Denver Nuggets, where he notably scored the winning basket in the Finals close-out game, has since primarily served as salary filler in major trades (like the Pascal Siakam and Brandon Ingram deals), moving from Indiana to Toronto and finally to New Orleans.
He previously excelled alongside superstars such as Kevin Durant in Brooklyn and Nikola Jokic in Denver. However, his production declined significantly without such teammates, leading him to likely command a much smaller contract than the two-year, $45 million deal he signed two years prior.
Nevertheless, in a suitable role, Brown can still be impactful. A return to the Nuggets appears highly logical for both parties. Playing alongside Nikola Jokic maximizes Brown`s versatile, high-IQ game, where he previously built strong chemistry with the starters. For Denver, Brown would provide affordable, reliable veteran depth alongside their younger bench players.
Malcolm Brogdon
Similar to Brown, Malcolm Brogdon was a key player for a contender in 2022-23, earning Sixth Man of the Year with Boston. He has also since been traded multiple times, largely as salary ballast for acquiring other players; leaving Boston for Jrue Holiday, then moving to Washington in the Deni Avdija trade. Over the last two seasons, Brogdon has appeared in just 63 games for non-contending teams.
However, he recently demonstrated a strong track record of consistent performance. From the 2018-19 to 2022-23 seasons, Brogdon maintained a remarkably stable Player Efficiency Rating (PER) averaging around 18 (with 15 being league average), indicating consistent above-average play during that span.
Now aged 32 and with a history of injuries, Brogdon is unlikely to compete for major individual awards. However, his skills as a 39% three-point shooter with an excellent assist-to-turnover ratio, coupled with his ability to play both guard spots, make him a capable offensive initiator. He`d be a solid addition for many contenders needing backcourt depth and could potentially even serve as a temporary starter for teams like the Dallas Mavericks before transitioning to a bench role upon Kyrie Irving`s return.
Luke Kornet
Often highlighted in advanced statistics, Luke Kornet is a backup center in the 2025 free agent class who has never averaged more than 7 points per game over a season.
However, his impact is better reflected in certain statistical measures.
Advanced metrics like Regularized Adjusted Plus-Minus (xRAPM), which assesses player impact adjusted for context, rank Kornet among the top 20 active players on a per-possession basis, placing him near players like Ivica Zubac and Chet Holmgren. Another metric, LEBRON, put Kornet in the top 35 for per-possession impact last season, similarly placing him alongside players such as Alperen Sengun and Holmgren. Estimated Plus-Minus also rates Kornet highly, in the 92nd percentile among active players.
Kornet`s strong advanced stats, despite modest traditional box scores, stem from his proficiency in fundamental aspects of the game. He is an effective rebounder, particularly on the offensive end. He efficiently draws fouls and minimizes turnovers. Furthermore, he excels as a screener; ranking second among high-volume screeners last season in `die on contact` screens, a type that fully removes the defender from the play, trailing only Steven Adams.
Crucially, Kornet is a formidable interior defender. Among 99 players who defended at least 200 shots at the rim last season, he allowed the ninth-lowest field goal percentage (52%). This places him statistically between recent Defensive Player of the Year winners Rudy Gobert and Jaren Jackson Jr.
Kornet is widely expected to re-sign with the Celtics, especially given their need for a center after trading Kristaps Porzingis and their firsthand experience with his subtle contributions over recent seasons. However, other contenders aiming to strengthen their frontcourt should also express interest. Regardless of where he signs, Kornet, who earned just $2.8 million last season, is deserving of a significant pay increase.
De`Anthony Melton
De`Anthony Melton was considered an under-the-radar free agent last summer and finds himself in a similar position following an injury-shortened 2024-25 season. He began strongly with Golden State but suffered an ACL tear just six games in, leading the Warriors to trade him to Brooklyn for Dennis Schroder.
A positive aspect of Melton`s injury timing (mid-November 2024) is that he is expected to recover relatively sooner compared to several stars who sustained severe leg injuries late in the season.
This recovery timeline bodes well for any team fortunate enough to acquire him this offseason. Melton offers valuable skills including solid shooting (38% from three over the last five years), disruptive defense (averaging 1.4 steals for his career), and overall statistical contributions. He`s fundamentally a player who positively impacts winning; his teams have performed better with him on the court in six of his seven seasons.
Market uncertainty regarding Melton`s athleticism post-injury may affect his value, but at 27, a full recovery is likely. While he could provide backcourt depth for any team, his 6-foot-2 stature and combo guard profile make him an ideal complement to a larger, offensive primary ball-handler. He`d be an excellent backcourt partner for players like Luka Doncic (potentially with the Lakers) or Cade Cunningham (with the Pistons), where he would coincidentally replace fellow free agent Dennis Schroder.
Gary Trent Jr.
For this discussion, Gary Trent Jr. represents a specific player archetype abundant in this free agency class: reliable three-point shooters. This group includes players like Trent, Malik Beasley, Luke Kennard, Landry Shamet, Seth Curry, Garrison Mathews, Alec Burks, Taurean Prince, and Duncan Robinson.
Excluding Malik Beasley, whose situation is complicated by a federal investigation, Trent stands out as one of the top shooters in this group. He`s a career 39% three-point shooter who is expected to earn significantly more than the minimum contract he signed with Milwaukee last year.
Beyond his excellent shooting, several factors favor Trent. He is generally considered a less significant defensive drawback compared to players like Luke Kennard. At 26, he is relatively young, and he has a proven track record, averaging double-digit points for five consecutive years and delivering strong performances in the postseason, including games with 37 and 33 points in this spring`s first round.
Broadly speaking, players like these, who are reliable shooters typically filling roles as seventh, eighth, or ninth men, will be desirable targets this summer. This is because modern NBA strategy increasingly prioritizes perimeter shooting for all teams. The Pacers` deep playoff run was partly attributed to their depth and leading the playoffs in three-point percentage (39%). This pool of free agent shooters offers teams an opportunity to address both needs: depth and shooting.
