Change the layout! Five players with the options in hand!

When the NBA offseason arrived, the free agent rosters were released, which also provided various hot topics for the league. While most teams have insufficient overall cap space in the summer of 2025, five players are facing player options decisions that are likely to have a significant impact on the next season and even in the next few years.

Below, let's discuss these five people:

Fenney-Smith

Although Finney is not the most noteworthy name on this list, it is undeniable that the influence of this forward must not be ignored.

The Lakers forward has a 15.3 million player option, and the 32-year-old is sure to be worth the price in the 2025-26 season. However, the most noteworthy thing is that his contribution to the Lakers is still difficult to replace. Therefore, even if Finney Smith doesn't pursue his next home in a lot elsewhere, the Lakers are under some pressure and need to pay a high price to keep him.

James Harden

The 35-year-old star has a higher performance in the best team, averaging 23 points, 9 assists and 6 rebounds per game, helping the team to the playoffs. Although he is no longer the top scorer at the MVP level back then, if the Clippers want to maintain their competitiveness, it is basically difficult to find his replacement at the moment.

However, there is also a lack of buyers in the free market at present, so he may need to apply some pressure to the Clippers to give a larger contract.

LeBron James

LeBron James has a player option of more than 52 million. Although he will not look old, he is already 40 years old after all. Will he sign another 1+1 contract in Los Angeles next? Or execute the option directly?

No one can say at the moment, but what is certain is that James already has the highest player option amount in the league this season, and the subsequent challenges are also quite large.

Julius Randall

Timberwolves have reached the Western Conference Finals for two consecutive years, which is not a trivial matter for any team. Randall is one of the important puzzles for the Wolves' second Western Conference Finals, but he faces a 30.9 million player option.

Referring to his outstanding performance last season, it is somewhat surprising if he chooses to execute this player option, especially in the current salary environment, 30.9 million is no longer as attractive as before. Randall's next contract not only determines his future, but also may affect the team's future layout.

Naz Reed

is also another player from the Timberwolves. Like the other people on the roster, it would be somewhat surprising if Reed chose to execute his 15 million player option.

The 25-year-old man has just played a very impressive season, and the market value is far beyond this amount. But based on the team's situation, external buyers may need some special methods to take over, and Reed may choose to deal with it with a short contract and wait for a more relaxed salary environment to re-enter the market.

In addition, the second salary cap rule is likely to have an impact on the Timberwolves, and they must make a choice between Randall, Reed and Alexander Walker to relieve the team's financial pressure. Both Middleton and John Collins face a decision on player options, but the nature of the contract is slightly different depending on their respective circumstances. Middleton has a 34 million player option, and based on his performance this season, he should implement this player option. However, he currently plays for a team of rebuilding wizards, and what will happen in the future is still not clear enough.

As for Collins, he just spent an excellent season with the Utah Jazz, averaging 19 points and 8.2 rebounds and a real shooting percentage of 62.8%, but the Jazz are also in the process of reconstruction. If he chooses the execution option, it is naturally a reasonable choice.