The NBA community is anxiously awaiting LeBron James’s decision regarding free agency, and it seems he has a short list of potential teams in mind. When will he announce his choice? It’s anyone’s guess. Despite his upcoming 42nd birthday in December, he stands out as the top unrestricted free agent and can take his time making this significant choice.
Once LeBron makes his move, that’ll likely shift the focus to younger, restricted free agents who typically stay put unless something unexpected happens. Jalen Duren is reportedly interested in leaving the Detroit Pistons, but, unfortunately for him, the team can match any offers he receives. Peyton Watson’s situation is intriguing; Denver will probably need to make cuts elsewhere to keep him. As for Benedict Mathurin, he might be leaning toward a return to the Clippers, especially after their recent trade of Kawhi Leonard to the Raptors, which could help him get more playtime.
For those tracking contracts and trades during the 2026 NBA Free Agency period, it’s all available on our tracker. Now, let’s look at some of the best free agents still out there.
If you need an off-ball shooter, Gary Trent Jr. could be your guy. Over the last five seasons, he has maintained a three-point shooting percentage of 38.5%, but his pull-up shots were shaky last season, only hitting 28.6% of them.
Even if Brown doesn’t showcase the scoring that helped the Nuggets win the championship in 2023, he can still serve as a valuable supporting guard. While he can shoot and defend reasonably well, his overall impact might be limited at this point.
Then there’s Williams, a 26-year-old point guard who showed some promise in the latter part of last season. He’s effective at driving towards the basket and drawing fouls, yet his size and shooting skills might restrict his overall value. Still, I think he could emerge as one of the more promising players available.
The anticipation surrounding Kuminga has faded significantly. If he aims for a profitable career in the NBA, he’ll need to bolster his spot-up shooting, in addition to his defensive and rebounding skills. It’s all part of the game, not just one piece of the puzzle.
Payton is, without a doubt, an efficient scorer, boasting a shooting percentage of 63.5% last season. He’s adept at snatching offensive rebounds and creating turnovers on defense, making him a noteworthy player. At 33, he’s limited to about 15-20 minutes a night, but he could be a valuable addition to a contending team for a reasonable contract.
Hachimura has a solid presence as a wing, standing strong with good spot-up shooting skills. He shot 42.6% from beyond the arc during his three years with the Lakers, but his overall attempts were modest. He still has room for improvement in terms of rebounding, defending, and playmaking.
Mathurin has the ability to score well, but his efficiency as a three-point shooter, sitting at 33.6%, leaves much to be desired. He has strong ball-handling skills, yet at just 24 years old, he needs to work on his game to secure a good contract with the Clippers and become a more versatile player.
Watson, who was already known for his defensive skills, stepped up as a scorer after Nikola Jokic was sidelined last season. He did suffer a hamstring injury that kept him out of the playoffs, raising questions about his ability to maintain his scoring. Much of his shooting profile relied on mid-range shots, and he showed he could hit them consistently before his injury.
Harden has opted out of his player option, providing the Cavaliers more room to bring in LeBron James. He’s undeniably one of the top guards in the regular season, but with his 37th birthday around the corner, it might be unrealistic to expect him to rebound from a tough playoff outcome.
James is often regarded as the second-greatest player in history, and even turning 42 during the next season, he still seems like a top-50 player. I personally wouldn’t mind seeing him in Minnesota, but I suspect his future lies with either the Warriors or the Cavaliers.
Would Duren consider signing a qualifying offer to escape Detroit? A guaranteed $140 million from the Pistons would be a significant risk, but maybe he should just take the money and aim to help them advance to the NBA Finals next season after a rather disappointing playoff experience.
