Looking Ahead: A Preview of the 2025 Free Agent Crop - Shooting Guards

Last week, we kicked off the 2024 free agency preview series by ranking the best point guards set to hit the open market next summer. Today, we examine the shooting guards up for grabs...

Last week, we kicked off the 2024 free agency preview series by ranking the best point guards set to hit the open market next summer. 

Today, we examine the top-10 shooting guards up for grabs.

1. Jalen Green / Houston Rockets / Restricted
Green got off to a sluggish start last season but caught fire after the All-Star break and reminded folks of his incredibly enticing upside. Over a 20-game stretch spanning from late February through early March, Green averaged 26.6 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.3 steals and 3.7 made three-pointers while shooting 47% from the floor, 38% from downtown and 82% from the free-throw stripe. The other three players drafted in the top-4 of the 2021 draft (Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley and Scottie Barnes) have already inked rookie max extensions this summer. Green will look for a similar payday from Houston, but will the Rockets be willing to pony up that kind of cash for a player who, although just 22 and blessed with incredible physical gifts, has had plenty of up-and-downs over his first three seasons in the league?

2. Alex Caruso / Oklahoma City Thunder / Unrestricted 
Caruso has made an All-Defense team in each of the past two seasons and knocked down nearly 41% of his three-point attempts last season in Chicago, making him one of the most versatile and valuable 3-and-D players in the NBA. Consequently, the Thunder (who acquired him in exchange for Josh Giddy in June) will have plenty of competition if they don't lock him up ASAP and allow him to enter free agency next July.

3. Jalen Suggs / Orlando Magic / Restricted
Suggs is cut from the same cloth as Caruso. And after an injury-filled and disappointing start to his NBA career (he started a total of 64 games in his first two pro seasons out of Gonzaga), Suggs had a breakout campaign in 2023-24. Last season, he was named to the All-Defensive Second Team and converted a career-high 39.7% of his three-point attempts while also posting career-best percentages from the floor (47%) and the charity stripe (75.6%). Suggs just turned 23 and will receive a lot of interest next summer, although it's assumed the Magic will match any offer he receives. 

4. Cam Thomas / Brooklyn Nets / Restricted
Thomas had shown glimpses of being an elite scorer heading into last season but was allowed to shoot at will in 2023-24 and made the most of his opportunity. He averaged 22.5 points per game and 1.9 turnovers, becoming the first player in Nets history to average 20.0+ PPG and fewer than 2.0 turnovers. Thomas saw the biggest increase in scoring from 2022-23 to 2023-24 of any player in the league (10.6 to 22.5 ppg). He joined Vince Carter and Kyrie Irving as the only players in the franchise's NBA history to register four or more 40-point games in multiple seasons. In addition, Thomas finished tied with Anthony Edwards for the most 40-point games (four) by players age 22 or younger. So, we know Cam can score. The question is, can he bring anything else to the table? And does he need to take 18+ shots a night to be effective/impactful (Thomas was 11th in the league and fifth in the East in usage rate last season)?