Top NBA free-agent power forwards: Julius Randle cashes in after fine postseason
Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Julius Randle isn't hitting the market. The potential top power forward available agreed to a three-year, $100 million contract to remain with the back-to-back Western Conference finalists.
Still, the power forward market offers an interesting mix of proven players and young talent carving out their place in the league.
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Let's break down the potential top power forwards in this year's free-agent market, with the negotiating window opening at 6 p.m. ET Monday.
(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.)
Free-agent position rankings: Point guards | Shooting guards | Small forwards | Centers
1. Julius Randle, Minnesota Timberwolves
Status: Agreed to 3-year, $100 deal
It was genuinely nice to see Randle break his pattern of poor playoff performance and raise his value.
His timing couldn't have been better, as he reached a new deal, knowing full well how much the Timberwolves need his all-around offensive game and how well he seems to mesh with Anthony Edwards.
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Things should keep rolling along in Minnesota.
2. Jonathan Kuminga, Golden State Warriors
Status: Restricted free agent
Oh boy. Kuminga and the Warriors will need to figure this one out together, even if it looks like the two sides desperately want to split. Kuminga's contract status makes it difficult for the Warriors to explore sign-and-trades, and losing him for nothing would be a significant hit.
Kuminga's athleticism, overall scoring prowess and raw upside are intriguing, so his camp will undoubtedly hope the Nets take a kind eye to him and hand over an expensive offer sheet.
What makes sense: If no offer sheet comes, Kuminga should sign a short-term deal with the Warriors, with the shared understanding they'll try to move him before the 2026 trade deadline.
3. John Collins, Utah Jazz
Status: Exercised $26,580,000 player option
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Collins has enjoyed two good years in Utah, finally showing his decline in Atlanta was due to situational factors outside of his control.
That said, Collins is who he is: a high-scoring power forward who can rebound the heck out of the ball, and that's … mostly it. This isn't to say he doesn't have value, but interested teams have to be aware of the kind of player he is and not expect him to do much more.
What makes sense: While Collins has spent two years reshaping the narrative around him, there just isn't a lot of money out there this summer. Picking up the player option and kicking the decision down the road for a year is a wise decision.
4. Al Horford, Boston Celtics
Status: Unrestricted free agent
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The 39-year-old big man remains as fundamentally solid as ever, but his athleticism has taken a hit, and it's clear Father Time is hastily tracking his steps.
Horford, though, is a thinker — and a damn good one — who has a knack for finding solutions to the limitations attached to his own game. He should have at least one more year in him, if he so chooses.
What makes sense: Horford and Boston go well together. The system allows him to be the best possible version of himself, and the Celtics still need big-man depth. A one-year deal seems logical.
5. Santi Aldama, Memphis Grizzlies
Status: Restricted free agent
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Aldama, 24, is just getting started. The 6-11 big man has the touch of a wing, is capable of making 3-point shots and still does a lot of the big-man stuff in which he utilizes his size.
It's not great timing for Aldama to reach the free-agent market, given the lack of available money, but that doesn't mean there won't be interest.
What makes sense: Aldama shouldn't settle for a highly discounted deal. He's simply too good and too young to end up on a long-term deal that's too team-friendly. If anything, he can offer Memphis a short-term solution, which allows him the flexibility to become an unrestricted free agent sooner and for Memphis to possibly shop him later and get something in return.
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Best of the rest
Khris Middleton, Washington Wizards
Status: Exercised $34,012,345 player option
There's no denying the current version of Middleton is a far cry from the prime version. Injuries and age have turned him into a role player as opposed to a two-way star. But that doesn't mean he can't be effective. He's broadly seen as a leader.
Bobby Portis, Milwaukee Bucks
Status: Player option
Value of option: $13,445,754
From a production perspective, Portis should probably be in a higher salary bracket, albeit not aggressively higher. The Bucks should unquestionably be interested in getting Portis back, even if they have to pay him more on a new deal.
Dorian Finney-Smith, Los Angeles Lakers
Status: Declined $15,378,480 player option
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Defensively versatile combo forwards who can play a bit of center should have a market.
Finney-Smith is no exception. That said, will that market pay him more than his option? If he's given long-term money, probably, but then it'd have to be worth it.
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Defensively, he proved to be a disruptive defender, both on the ball and as a help defender. Most of non-taxpayer, midlevel exception ($7-10 million): Luke Kennard If the Bucks can't find a way to bring back Trent, Luke Kennard could be an interesting option for the Bucks at shooting guard. Kennard appeared in 65 games for the Grizzlies this season and averaged 8.9 points and 3.3 assists in 22.6 minutes per game. While Kennard struggled with injuries in the two seasons before this past year, he has knocked down 43.8 percent from 3 in his eight NBA seasons. He may not be a great defensive player, but he has become better at holding up over the years and could be a knockdown shooter when Green is not on the floor. Part of non-taxpayer, midlevel exception ($3-5 million): Nicolas Batum On Saturday, the 36-year-old forward declined his $4.9 million player option with the Los Angeles Clippers for the 2025-26 season. 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Then the Jaguars had another embarrassing episode this offseason, keeping around general manager Trent Baalke when everyone said he needed to go, then firing him a few weeks later in the middle of a coaching search. Jaguars owner Shad Khan has been terrible at running the team, but he made two hires that seem inspired. Gladstone is young but he had nine seasons with the Rams before he was hired as Jaguars GM. New Jaguars head coach Liam Coen might not be good at a "Duval" chant, but he had an excellent season as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator and perhaps can get Trevor Lawrence to the level everyone was hoping he'd be at already. Advertisement "I really like it," Lawrence said of the Jaguars' offense, via Jaguars Wire. "It has a lot of answers. It's great. It puts a lot on the players, you have to know your stuff, but it gives you all the answers." The Jaguars have talent. Brian Thomas Jr. is coming off an excellent rookie season and was an egregious Pro Bowl snub. 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Would he even be an unquestioned starter in the NFL? Lawrence has a career rating of 85, which isn't far ahead of Daniel Jones' mark of 84.3. Over his last two seasons, Lawrence has 32 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. The Jaguars are 20 games under .500 in Lawrence's starts, and while a team's record isn't a quarterback stat, Lawrence hasn't lifted the Jaguars. The Jaguars are still chasing what they thought Lawrence would be coming out of Clemson. Advertisement The reasons for optimism are Lawrence's draft pedigree, a very good stretch in the second half of the 2022 season, the thought that the Jaguars' utter dysfunction has held Lawrence back and Lawrence being just 25 years old. This season, Lawrence will have Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter to throw to, and a new offensive-minded head coach in Liam Coen. If he doesn't have a big season, it's probably never going to happen. BetMGM odds breakdown From Yahoo's Ben Fawkes: 'It's a big year for Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars under new head coach Liam Coen. Jacksonville pulled off a stunning draft-day trade, moving up to No. 2 to take Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter. Hunter will bring excitement to a team with a win total of 7.5 at BetMGM, and one that has gone under its total in six of the past seven seasons. The Jaguars are favorites in only six games this season, but I think this team is a bit undervalued. I'd look to play the over 7.5 wins." Stat to remember The Jaguars didn't have much luck in close games last season. They were 3-10 in games decided by seven points or less and 1-4 when they were decided by three points or less. Taking on 10 losses in close games isn't normal. It wasn't all bad luck. Coaching matters in close games and the Jaguars weren't getting much of that. Quarterback play is a big factor too, and Trevor Lawrence missed seven games due to a shoulder injury and a concussion. Lawrence didn't play that well when he was healthy either. The 2024 Jaguars weren't very good, but their season would have looked a lot better with a neutral record in close games instead of having the NFL's most losses in one-score games. It's a reason to believe the Jaguars could rebound in 2025. Burning question What will Travis Hunter's career look like? Not many players have played both ways in the NFL over the last 60 years. It's also fair to note the modern college game hasn't experienced anyone like Hunter, who won a Heisman Trophy by playing nearly full time at receiver and cornerback at Colorado. Maybe he's just different than everyone else, truly the Shohei Ohtani of football. Advertisement What impact will Hunter have in the NFL? It's hard to say because there's practically nobody to compare him to. "There are players who have the capacity to alter a game. There are players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of a team. There are very few players who have the capacity to alter the trajectory of the sport itself," Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said. "Travis, while he has a lot to still earn in our eyes, has the potential to do just that." The Jaguars are starting Hunter off primarily as a receiver, but they have plans to use him on defense too. Given what they paid to move up to draft Hunter, he better be playing both ways. It didn't take long for the Jaguars to see Hunter's exceptional ball skills on offense and defense. The urge to push his limits will be there all season. "'Milo' [secondary coach Ron Milus] came up to me after practice and said, 'Can we have him more?''' Liam Coen said after an OTA practice, via the team's site. "That's a good thing." Hunter will probably play more snaps than any other player this season and if it goes well, he'll lead the league in that category for many years to come. Best-case scenario Half of the last eight NFL Coach of the Year winners were first-year coaches who took their teams to unexpected playoff berths (Sean McVay, Matt Nagy, Kevin Stefanski, Brian Daboll). Why can't that be Liam Coen this year? Coen did a fantastic job with the Buccaneers' offense last season. The previous regime for the Jaguars was going through the motions. There will be a new energy this season, and Travis Hunter has a lot to do with that as well. Baker Mayfield had 41 touchdown passes in Coen's offense last season and while that's a lofty goal, Travis Lawrence can cruise past his career best of 25 touchdowns with improved coaching and strong weapons around him. Coen isn't in Jacksonville solely to fix the passing game; he can do wonders for a rushing offense that was often disjointed last season. The Jaguars can absolutely take a huge leap, like the 2024 Commanders, 2023 Texans or any other out-of-nowhere team to make the playoffs. It's not like the AFC South is that daunting. The Jaguars being one of the NFL's most exciting teams, Trevor Lawrence breaking out, Travis Hunter winning an Offensive Rookie of the Year award and Jacksonville winning the division while Coen is the latest rookie to win Coach of the Year is all on the table. Nightmare scenario If Trevor Lawrence isn't a top 10 quarterback this season, where does that leave the Jaguars? Given that $200 million of Lawrence's contract was guaranteed and he has a no-trade clause, the Jaguars are probably married to Lawrence through at least the 2028 season, for better or worse. Through four seasons, Lawrence has rarely looked like one of the league's best quarterbacks. If a new coach and two exciting receivers can't unlock anything new, it will be hard to buy that it'll happen later on. Maybe the Jaguars will continue to perpetually be a bottom-end franchise. Liam Coen had just one season running a top-end NFL offense and we also don't know if he can handle being a head coach. The Jaguars' 4-13 record last season wasn't just bad luck; there are holes on the roster. It's possible Jacksonville will be stuck in its rut for a lot longer. The crystal ball says The ranking might not reflect it — the Jaguars come into this season with a lot to prove — but this is a team that has a lot of breakout potential. Often, NFL teams that improve suddenly are led by first-time head coaches taking over from a previous staff that wasn't getting much out of its players. Liam Coen might be a massive upgrade for the Jaguars, though he'll have to show he can be an NFL head coach. There's enough talent to have a very productive passing game. The defense has a long way to go, but there are talented players on that side. The AFC South isn't that tough, unless the Texans rebound to what they were in 2023. I'm quite optimistic for this Jaguars team and think they can be a surprise division winner. They might move far up the power rankings very early this season.
