Lakers Add Guard? Chris Paul-Suns Reunion? Best Fits for NBA Free Agents

It has been an underwhelming NBA offseason for free-agent moves. Granted, Myles Turner leaving Indiana for Milwaukee and Dorian Finney-Smith signing with Houston, among a few other moves, are worth a mention.

Still, there are plenty of starting-caliber players available who are plug-and-play pieces for any NBA team. 

Here are the best fits for the top-five remaining NBA free agents, in alphabetical order.

Note: Restricted free agents aren’t included given the likelihood that their teams re-sign them or match any offer sheet they sign with another team. Malik Beasley remains a free agent but likely won’t be signed until there’s a resolution to his ongoing gambling investigation.

Chris Boucher has spent the past seven seasons with the Raptors. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Emerging as a high-minute rotation player for the Toronto Raptors after their 2018-19 NBA triumph, Boucher has been one of the best reserve frontcourt players in the sport and would give the 76ers needed depth in that area. 

Boucher, who stands at 6-foot-9, can put the ball on the floor, score at a plausible clip and hit the boards. Last season, he averaged 10.0 points in 17.2 minutes per game, while shooting 49.2/36.3/78.2. The 76ers lost forward Guerschon Yabusele in free agency, and Joel Embiid likely won’t be ready for the 2025-26 season due to his recovery from a knee injury. Boucher gives Philadelphia somebody who can play big minutes at both power forward and center and start, if need be. He’d be a sly pickup for a 76ers franchise that’s trying to keep the light on.

Malcolm Brogdon has played for four teams in the past four seasons. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

Brogdon would fit into any NBA team. He can handle the rock, facilitate, shoot with efficiency and attack the rack; Brogdon would be an impactful pickup for the Lakers. 

Yes, the Lakers have a ball-dominant superstar in Luka Dončić, a more-than-capable lead ball-handler in LeBron James and Austin Reaves does damage with the ball in his hands. That said, Los Angeles doesn’t have a prototypical point guard who facilitates and runs the offense in the halfcourt. Brogdon would provide that presence off the bench for the Lakers, while serving as a reliable perimeter shooter when he’s on the floor with Dončić and James. 

Brogdon can complement the driving forces of the Lakers offense and lead the second unit. He improves them on both ends of the floor and adds depth to a team that still claimed the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference last season before a first-round playoff exit.

Al Horford is coming off his second career stint with the Celtics. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)

The Warriors won’t let the flame go out, the latest evidence being trading for Jimmy Butler at last season’s NBA trade deadline. In all fairness, when you win four championships in eight years and have a Hall of Famer who’s still playing at an All-NBA level (Stephen Curry), you can do that — and Horford perfectly fits Golden State’s timeline.

While Golden State’s operation has never been reliant on its starting center, big man Kevon Looney was a consistent member of Steve Kerr’s rotation for a decade, but he left for the New Orleans Pelicans in free agency. Horford would replace Looney in Golden State’s rotation, potentially starting from the jump. The veteran big man is still a reliable outside shooter and a quality defender who’s adept at playing in postseason affairs, doing so with the Boston Celtics the past four seasons. The Warriors are all in on Curry, Butler and Draymond Green, with the average age between the three of them being 36.3 years old. Adding a 39-year-old big man who’s still doing his thing in Horford can’t hurt.

In his age-39 season, Chris Paul appeared in all 82 regular-season games for the Spurs. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

It’s difficult to get a sense of what the Suns are doing following a series of bold moves: firing head coach Mike Budenholzer in favor of former Cleveland Cavaliers assistant coach Jordan Ott, trading Kevin Durant to the Rockets for a package centered around Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft (Khaman Maluach), acquiring big man Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets, extending Devin Booker to a two-year, $145 million deal and waiving Bradley Beal.

One thing Phoenix is clearly doing, though, is trying to be a top-eight seed in the Western Conference, and bringing back Paul gives them a skill set they don’t possess. Paul, who played three seasons with the Suns (2020-21 season to 2022-23 season), would provide them with a ball-handler who could start at point guard or, more likely, come off the bench and facilitate for the second unit, replacing the outgoing Tyus Jones. Plus, Paul posted a relatively efficient 42.7/37.7/92.4 shooting line while averaging 7.4 assists for the San Antonio Spurs last season.

Booker and Green can each handle the rock, but Paul would be the most proven facilitator present and get them the ball in their hot spots; Paul’s familiarity with Booker (they were teammates for three seasons) certainly helps.

Russell Westbrook is seeking his seventh NBA team. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

The Pacers will be without Tyrese Haliburton for next season due to a torn Achilles tendon that he suffered in Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, and Turner departed Indianapolis for Milwaukee after 10 seasons with the franchise. Indiana needs scoring and another guard. And, look over there, it’s Russell Westbrook!

The Pacers could have T.J. McConnell start next to Andrew Nembhard, sticking with familiarity in the starting five, with Westbrook coming off the bench as the leading scorer of the second unit. If Indiana is off to a monotonous start, head coach Rick Carlisle can swap Westbrook into the starting five. In fact, Westbrook started 36 of the 75 regular-season games he appeared in for the Denver Nuggets last season, averaging 13.3 points and 6.1 assists per contest.

Westbrook gives the Pacers a proven scorer who can play point guard. It’s a two-for-one. Westbrook will always throw himself at the rim. The Pacers need somebody, if not multiple players, willing and capable of attacking the rack and taking on a burdensome scoring role next season.

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