The NBA's free agency landscape is evolving, with a shift away from the traditional free agency period and towards trades and extensions. This year's free agency class is no exception, with a mix of restricted and unrestricted free agents, and a focus on re-signing with existing teams. Here's a look at the top 20 free agents of 2026, with a focus on the key players and their potential destinations.
Jalen Duren (Restricted)
Jalen Duren is a rising star in the NBA, and the Detroit Pistons are keen to keep him. Duren averaged 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, shooting 65% from the field, and playing high-level defense. The Pistons would like to re-sign him at a slightly lower number than his max of five years, $287.1 million, but they must be cautious not to lose him to teams with cap space like Chicago and Brooklyn. Detroit can't afford to let him go, and Duren's playoff performance may have cost him some money.
Austin Reaves (Player Option)
Austin Reaves is a quality second option next to Luka Doncic, and the Lakers are keen to keep him. Reaves averaged 23.3 points and 5.5 assists per game, and he will opt out of his $14.9 million contract. The Lakers must decide whether to lock him up for five years at around $200 million or less, or something more like four years and $160 million. Brooklyn is lurking, offering a max of four years, $178 million, which could force the Lakers to match.
James Harden (Player Option)
James Harden will be back in Cleveland, and the deal is done. Harden and his team pushed for a trade from the Clippers last season, but he signed off on a trade to Cleveland with a handshake deal for an extension already in place. Harden will decline his $42.3 million player option and sign a deal with a lower per-season number but a higher total, maybe something like two years, $70 million.
LeBron James
LeBron James is expected to re-sign with the Lakers, according to league sources. The Lakers have LeBron's Bird rights and can pay more, and LeBron is playing with his son, Bronny, in Los Angeles. The Lakers have other priorities this offseason, but LeBron and Doncic mesh well, and it just seems like the best fit. LeBron is taking a steep pay cut from the $52 million max he earned last season.
Peyton Watson (Restricted)
Peyton Watson's value to the Nuggets was on display during the playoffs, and Denver is keen to re-sign him. Watson averaged 14.6 points a game, played well off Nikola Jokic, is a plus defender on the wing, and shot 41.1% from 3-point range. Denver plans to re-sign Watson and trade someone like Christian Braun. Watson has some injury concerns, so the likely number he signs for is a little less than Braun's five years, $125 million, but Watson should make something like five years, $95 million or more.
Isaiah Hartenstein (Team Option)
Isaiah Hartenstein's defensive physicality against Victor Wembanyama in the playoffs showed why the Thunder need to work out a long-term deal to keep the German big man. Hartenstein will likely sign for three or four years at a slightly lower per-year number, maybe four years, $110 million.
Trae Young (Player Option)
Trae Young is expected to decline his $48.9 million player option for next season and re-sign with the Washington Wizards on a multi-year deal at a lower number, maybe three years, $120 million. The Wizards are a rebuilding team, and teams are eyeing Young as a potential trade target if they strike out in the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes.
Walker Kessler (Restricted)
Walker Kessler is a 7'2" big man who brings rim protection, good on the glass, efficient scoring, and can body up Wembanyama defensively. Utah wants to keep him and pair him in a front line with Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen. The sticking point is money, and Kessler is unhappy with the negotiations. Expect the Jazz and Kessler to work out a deal, and we can debate if he holds a grudge about how this went down the next time his free agency comes up.
Norman Powell
Norman Powell is coming off an All-Star season in which he averaged 21.7 points per game, but at age 33, he has physically broken down before the last two playoffs. Miami likely re-signs him for a little more than $20 million a season (two years, $45 million?). If the Heat make the big trade, then Powell has leverage because the Heat need him.
Ayo Dosunmu
Ayo Dosunmu proved his value in the playoffs, where he averaged 15.6 points a game off the bench, dropped 43 on Denver, and showed he can be part of a dangerous team in Minnesota. The Timberwolves need Dosunmu back, and they may need to go a little higher (three years, $55 million?) to keep the unrestricted free agent.
Mitchell Robinson
Mitchell Robinson earned his next check with some critical plays and minutes off the bench in the NBA Finals. He's a starting-level center who pretty much has to come off the bench and play limited minutes due to health issues. Expect 15-20 minutes a night for 60 games, then hope he's healthy for the playoffs. After that run, expect Robinson to re-sign in New York at a little below the mid-level exception (three years, $40 million?).
Rui Hachimura
Rui Hachimura is a 6'8" player who shot 44.7% from 3-point range last season and has shown the last couple of years he can step up and be better on the big stages in the postseason. Detroit could take a look at Hachimura and think he could slot nicely into the Tobias Harris minutes. Look for him to make a little more than the mid-level exception ($18 million per season, or does that go up to $20 million?).
John Collins
John Collins is a rock-solid NBA rotation big man, a quality pick-and-roll big who can pop out and hit the 3 (he shot 40.6% from 3 last season) and is a respectable shot blocker and rim protector. The Clippers have his Bird rights and need him at the five with Ivica Zubac gone, so expect him to re-sign in Los Angeles.
Coby White
Coby White is good enough to be a starter somewhere, but thrived after the trade deadline coming off the bench in Charlotte, where he averaged 15.6 points and shot 39.1% from 3. The expectation around the league is that he re-signs with the Hornets (and he might be an early Sixth Man of the Year favorite if he does). However, if a team looking for more shot creation, like Detroit, came calling, he'd have to listen.
Tari Eason (Restricted)
Tari Eason is a 6'8" high-level defensive wing player who has started to find his shot and hit 35.8% from 3-point range last season. He is exactly the kind of guy a lot of teams looking for two-way wings could use, and if teams like the Lakers can't poach Peyton Watson from Denver, they might call about Eason. All of that is driving up his price, and he may find a deal in the $25 million a season range.
CJ McCollum
CJ McCollum may be 34 and an undersized guard, but he was one of the biggest problems for the Knicks in the playoffs and showed he is still a threat. The Hawks want to re-sign him for one year with a big number ($30 million or so) as they continue to pivot to what is next.
Collin Gillespie
Collin Gillespie played himself into a healthy raise at age 26, showing he could be a starting point guard in this league and fitting well with Devin Booker in Phoenix. The max that Phoenix can offer is $15.6 million, but that (or a little less to keep the Suns out of the luxury tax) should be enough to get a deal done.
Kristaps Porzingis
Kristaps Porzingis is exactly the kind of stretch big and elite rim protector who can help lift a team’s ceiling — he was huge for Boston’s title run. However, his injury history is too long to list here, and teams can’t bank on him. For a playoff team looking to take the next step, it’s a risk-versus-reward debate. Porzingis is only going to get a one-year contract (two at most), maybe around $15 million per season?
Draymond Green (Player Option)
Draymond Green isn’t leaving the Warriors, the only question here is money and years. Green has a $27.7 million player option for next season, the expectation is he opts out and re-signs for two years at a slightly lower number (two years, $40 million?). Expect a deal to get done.
Anfernee Simons
Anfernee Simons is a guy who can get you a bucket but is not really efficient (at or below the league average true shooting percentage the past few years) and is a defensive liability. He averaged 14.3 points per game and shot 38.5% from 3-point range. Look for a shorter-term contract, and he might well stay with the Bulls.
