What To Expect From Jazz During 2025 Free Agency
Jun 29, 2025, 7:36 PM | Updated: 8:02 pm
Utah Jazz forward KJ Martin (99) looks to pass the ball to Utah Jazz forward Kyle Filipowski (22) (Credit: Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
(Credit: Kristin Murphy, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY – NBA free agency opens on Monday evening, and similar to the other 29 teams in the league, the Utah Jazz have decisions to be made.
With a young roster in flux and new faces in the front office, how active will the Jazz be when free agency opens?
Related: Jazz Trade Collin Sexton To Hornets
What Sexton Trade Means For Free Agency
The Jazz made their first significant change to the roster when they traded Collin Sexton to the Charlotte Hornets for center Jusuf Nurkic.
According to reports, the @utahjazz are trading Collin Sexton and a second-round pick to the Hornets for Jusuf Nurkic.https://t.co/Ka8aaepVH2
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 29, 2025
The team had a logjam in the backcourt, and by moving Sexton, they’ve freed up playing time for the young guards currently on the roster.
Now entering his prime, Sexton was deserving of minutes on a nightly basis. His playing time will now be divided up between Isaiah Collier, Keyonte George, Brice Sensabugah, and rookie Walt Clayton Jr.
How Much Money Can Jazz Spend?
The Jazz enter the offseason with over $152 million in salaries already on the roster, but remain below the luxury tax of $187.9 million, which provides them with two separate financial tools.
Most prominently, the Jazz have the non-taxpayer mid-level exception worth up to $14.1 million, which can be used entirely on one player or split up to add multiple players to the roster.
The Jazz also have the bi-annual exception of $5.1 million, which can similarly be used to sign players.
Jazz Face Decisions On Juzang, Mykhailiuk, Martin, Springer
The first official matter of business for the Jazz will be to determine which among their non-guaranteed players they choose to retain.
Johnny Juzanga and Svi Mykhailiuk have contract guarantee dates on June 30, coinciding with the first day of free agency.
The @NBA has announced the game times for four @utahjazz games at the Las Vegas Summer League. #TakeNote https://t.co/DSRYOU7koS
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 28, 2024
The Jazz don’t have to decide on Jaden Springer’s contract until July 25, while KJ Martin’s deal doesn’t become fully guaranteed until midway through the 2025-26 season, but the team could waive both players when free agency opens, allowing them to find new teams before the financial landscape runs dry.
It’s unlikely the Jazz will retain all four non-guaranteed contracts, but they could bring back any one of the players if they see them as worthwhile long-term investments.
Walker Kessler Is Extension Eligible
The Jazz have been able to sign third-year center Walker Kessler to a contract extension since the day after the NBA Finals concluded, but to date, no agreement has been reached.
This isn’t cause for concern as Kessler remains under contract with the Jazz through next season, and will be a restricted free agent in the summer of 2026.
Related: Key Dates During Utah Jazz Offseason
If the team holds off on signing Kessler this summer, they are on pace to have more than $70 million in cap room next summer and could make a big splash in free agency, before resigning the center to an extension.
The fact that a deal hasn’t been reached may be an implication of the team’s intentions.
How Many Players Are Under Contract?
After completing the Sexton trade, the Jazz will have 13 players on guaranteed contracts, including John Collins, who picked up his player-option for the 2025-26 season, and first-round draft picks Ace Bailey and Walt Clayton Jr.
NBA teams can carry up to 15 traditional contracts as of opening night, but are allowed to exceed that number during the offseason.
Guaranteed:
Collier/George/Clayton
Sensabaugh/Clarkson
Markkanen/Bailey/Williams
Collins/Filipowski/Hendricks
Kessler/NurkicNon guaranteed:
Martin, Juzang, Mykhailiuk, SpringerTwo-Ways:
Luis, HarklessUnsigned rookie:
Tonje— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) June 30, 2025
Barring more trades, the Jazz have just two open spots for the 2025-26 roster, unless they choose to retain one or more of their non-guaranteed players.
With the team trending toward an even more significant youth movement, paired with a lack of space on the roster, the Jazz are unlikely to be major players in the opening days of free agency.
Who Will Get Two-Way Contracts?
NBA teams have three two-way contracts available to them each season.
The Jazz currently have one open two-way spot after signing Elijah Harkless to a two-year, two-way deal last season, and signing RJ Luis to a two-way contract after he went undrafted last week.
Micah Potter held one of the contracts last season, but is no longer eligible to return on a two-way deal due to his NBA longevity.
Potter is not expected to return to the Jazz this summer.
Oscar Tshiebwe’s two-way contract expired at the end of the 2024-25 season, but he has remained with the team over the summer despite having no official status.
and just like that, we’re back to cookin’ at camp 😎🏀
📍 Morgan, UT#TakeNote | @Oscartshiebwe34 pic.twitter.com/nKIbcNMJwI
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) June 20, 2025
The Jazz can make Tshiebwe a restricted free agent by tendering an offer sheet, or could resign the Kentucky product to another two-way deal this offseason.
The team must also decide on how to proceed with rookie second-round pick John Tonje as they enter free agency.
Tonje could sign a traditional NBA contract, preserving space to resign Tsheibwe or someone else to the remaining two-way contract.
Those roles could also be reversed, signing Tonje to a two-way deal, requiring Tshiebwe to sign a traditional deal if he were to remain in Utah.
NBA free agency opens on June 30 at 4 pm MST.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
