There are going to be a lot of ways to add talent to NBA rosters this offseason. Some great veteran players have already been linked in trade rumors, and the 2026 NBA Draft class is looking like one of the best classes in recent memory. Now that the regular season is over, teams are thinking about ways to improve their roster this offseason. The other avenue for adding talent is the free agent market. So, who are the best players in NBA free agency in 2026?
Note: This list will include restricted and unrestricted free agents, as well as players with options for another year on their contract, so not everyone below will actually hit the open market.
25. Sandro Mamukelashvili, Toronto Raptors, C, player option
Sandro Mamukelashvili can do a little bit of everything. He can handle the ball more than the average big man, and he has been taking and making more 3-pointers than ever before with the Toronto Raptors. Furthermore, Mamukelashvili still has the size and strength to be proficient at typical center duties, such as rebounding and interior scoring.
If Mamukelashvili ends up with a new team, it will be his fourth different franchise by age 27. It is safe to say that the Georgian hasn’t even reached his fullest potential yet.
24. Mark Williams, Phoenix Suns, C, RFA
Mark Williams started his career with the Charlotte Hornets. They tried to trade him to the Los Angeles Lakers, but the deal was ultimately rescinded because of a failed physical. Williams finally found his way to the Phoenix Suns, just to be slated for restricted free agency this upcoming offseason.
Williams is a solid rebounder and rim protector, but his injury history has been the main reason teams have been hesitant to invest in him long term. He actually played the most games of his career this season, but he still totaled just 60 games played. The Suns drafted Khaman Maluach in the lottery of the 2025 NBA Draft, so it is very possible they prioritize his development over retaining Williams.
23. Collin Gillespie, Phoenix Suns, PG, UFA
Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
A teammate of Williams, Collin Gillespie, has broken out in a big way during his third NBA season. The point guard won a national championship in college at Villanova, but the expectation was he’d be nothing more than a backup floor general at the NBA level. He has quickly proven the doubters wrong.
Gillespie won a championship during his rookie season with the Denver Nuggets, although he never played because of a leg fracture. He secured a starting role in Phoenix this year. Gillespie not only commands the offense and sets the table for his teammates, but he has proven to be a great 3-point shooter. The 6-foot-1 guard is over 40% from deep in each of the past two seasons.
The point guard has only played three NBA seasons, but his undrafted status means he is an unrestricted free agent and free to sign anywhere this offseason. Gillespie has earned a sizeable contract after averaging 12.7 points per game this season.
22. John Collins, Los Angeles Clippers, PF, UFA
John Collins has played for three teams over the last four seasons. As an impending free agent, he might just sign with yet another team. Collins’ numbers were down (13.7 points per game) with the Los Angeles Clippers this year, but he is just a year removed from scoring 19 points per game.
The power forward can score inside or outside, and he has become somewhat underrated around the league. It is hard to determine what his market value will be on the open market.
21. Kristaps Porzingis, Golden State Warriors, PF, UFA
Kristaps Porzingis fits the archetype of what teams covet from a modern-day big man. The Latvian hooper can block shots down low on defense and knock down 3-pointers on offense. He won a championship just two years ago with the Boston Celtics. However, Porzingis’ career has always left plenty to be desired.
He was limited to just seven games played and 23.6 minutes per game during the aforementioned championship run because of injuries. Health issues have really limited him throughout his entire career. Since his rookie season, Porzingis has only twice played more than 60 games. This year, he totaled just 32 games played, with time split between the Atlanta Hawks and the Golden State Warriors. Despite immense talent, Porzingis only has one All-Star nod to his name.
Teams are always going to be hesitant to invest in Porzingis going forward, so a one-year prove-it deal seems likely when he hits unrestricted free agency.
20. Deandre Ayton, Los Angeles Lakers, C, player option
The Los Angeles Lakers came into last offseason with a major need at the center position. Deandre Ayton was the solution to their problem. Although he has had an up-and-down season that has been filled with drama, he has provided a much-needed interior presence. Therefore, the Lakers would probably prefer he pick up the player option on his contract.
While he isn’t necessarily a draft bust, Ayton has never quite lived up to the potential of a number one pick. He also isn’t the best fit on Los Angeles’ roster, as they’d prefer a center with more rim protection and play-finishing ability, so there is a chance he bolts in free agency. After all, Ayton is seemingly getting called out by head coach JJ Redick or complaining about his role and usage to the media every few weeks.
Whoever ends up with Ayton has to expect a little bit of theatrics to come with him. This is also the first year of Ayton’s career in which he hasn’t averaged double-digit rebounding numbers. The Arizona product was drafted first overall back in 2018 for a reason, though. He is a talented post scorer who has some mid-range shooting touch and decent mobility for the center position.
19. Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors, PF, player option
It just wouldn’t feel right to see Draymond Green in a jersey that isn’t the Warriors’ colors, so the expectation is he will pick up his player option. However, few would have seen Klay Thompson’s departure from the Splash Bros duo before he left Golden State, either, so anything is possible.
This is even more so true because the Warriors are in an interesting place as a franchise. They are one of the oldest teams in the league, and Moses Moody and Jimmy Butler could both be out for a sizeable chunk of next season. Regardless, Green is one of the best defenders in NBA history, and his basketball IQ is top-notch as well.
On the other end of the spectrum, Green is severely limited as a scorer, and he has a habit of picking up technical fouls and committing egregious acts that don’t belong in the sport of basketball.
18. Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets, PG, player option
Barring an unforeseen return in the playoffs, Fred VanVleet will have missed the entire 2025-26 season with a torn ACL. That injury that the point guard suffered in training camp was a significant setback for a Houston Rockets team that could have really used his playmaking and 3-point shooting this year.
The Rockets still hope to push for the NBA title even without VanVleet this year. A champion in his own right, VanVleet would certainly help if he returns to the team by picking up his player option for next season. However, it does take some time for players to return to speed after an ACL recovery.
17. Tobias Harris, Detroit Pistons, PF, UFA
Tobias Harris received a lot of flak during his days with the Philadelphia 76ers because he was severely overpaid, but he has been a perfect role player and just what the doctor ordered with the Detroit Pistons. Harris has started every game of his Pistons career, and he has helped Detroit earn the number one seed in the Eastern Conference this season.
Harris can score from all three levels and is a great complementary piece for contending teams. Considering he will be 34 years old next year and already has a surplus of career earnings, he might be gettable on the cheap, too.
16. Andrew Wiggins, Miami Heat, SF, player option
Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Andrew Wiggins may not have lived up to the hype of being a No. 1 overall pick, but he has still made quite the career for himself as a two-way role player who thrives most in the mid-range. This year, Wiggins has even improved as a 3-point shooter, knocking in over 40% of his shots from deep for the first time of his career.
If the 3-point shooting is sustainable, that is a good sign for the longevity of Wiggins’ career, as the athleticism will start to elude him in his 30s.
15. Bennedict Mathurin, Los Angeles Clippers, SG, RFA
Bennedict Mathurin was acquired by the Los Angeles Clippers at the NBA trade deadline. During his test run with the team, Mathurin has proven he is in Los Angeles to stay. Muthurin has averaged 17.4 points since joining the Clippers as a spark plug scorer off the bench.
When Mathurin first entered the league, his immediate scoring pop led to some thinking he could become a star-level scorer. It has since become clear that he is best suited for a sixth man role, but that role has become more important in recent years as depth has become more coveted.
14. Anfernee Simons, Chicago Bulls, PG, UFA
Anfernee Simons has bounced around a little bit over the last year. He will have the chance to find a permanent home as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Simons will be valued by a number of teams because of his ability to scale up or down. He twice scored over 20 points per game on poor Portland Trail Blazers teams, but he proven that he can contribute a valuable role with smaller usage when he played for the Boston Celtics.
13. Tari Eason, Houston Rockets, SF, RFA
The Houston Rockets combine a youthful and optimistic core with a veteran and hardened roster. While Tari Eason is helping in a potential championship push this year, he also has the potential to help the team out for years to come. However, giving Eason the money he deserves and likely wants will be easier said than done.
Teams around the league will want to add the defense and transition ability that Eason provides. Considering Eason is a restricted free agent, Houston will have a chance to bring him back, but there will be suitors elsewhere.
12. Ayo Dosunmu, Minnesota Timberwolves, SG, UFA
Ayo Dosunmu has taken his game to new heights since being traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. He has set himself up well for a big offseason contract in the process. Dosunmu’s 14.8 points per game are the most of his career. He is thriving in transition and knocking down 3-pointers.
The Timberwolves would love to have him back, especially because they’ve seen Nickeil Alexander-Walker have a big year after leaving the team. There will be other bidders for the unrestricted free agent, though.
11. Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz, C, RFA
Walker Kessler’s season was shut down after just five games. That worked out well for the Utah Jazz. They set themselves up well for the future, evidenced by their trade for Jaren Jackson Jr., but they were able to maintain a tank job for a high draft pick. The Jazz will look to contend as soon as next season, and Kessler should be a part of their future.
Kessler is an elite rim protector. He even started showing off some 3-point shooting pop before going down with his torn labrum. Assuming a return to Utah for Kessler, the Jazz are going to have a massive and talented frontcourt going forward.
10. Isaiah Hartenstein, Oklahoma City Thunder, C, team option
With a roster filled with underpaid players, Isaiah Hartenstein was the free agent that the Oklahoma City Thunder decided to splurge on a couple of years ago. The center provides rebounding and some advanced passing skills from the center position. In the ideal world, the Thunder would love to bring him back, but they have the chance to move on this season if they so choose.
If Hartenstein were to leave, Chet Holmgren would have to take on more center responsibilities. The Thunder also drafted Thomas Sorber as a potential Hartenstein replacement, although Oklahoma City doesn’t know exactly what they have in him because an ACL injury has held him out of his entire rookie season.
9. Lu Dort, Oklahoma City Thunder, SF, team option
Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Lu Dort is one of the best point-of-attack defenders in the NBA and the ultimate pest that all great teams seem to have. The Thunder love him, but everybody else can’t stand the Canadian wing and his seemingly dirty antics. At the end of the day, though, Dort contributes to winning.
At some point, the Thunder are going to have to make some tough choices. Both Dort and Hartenstein have team options for next season. The Thunder may view letting one or both of them go as an opportunity to get their finances in check. After all, Oklahoma City has the best depth in the NBA and loads of future draft picks to replenish the roster. The team very well could win their second-straight championship and decide to run it back for another season, though.
8. Zach LaVine, Sacramento Kings, SG, player option
Zach LaVine’s career is a little bit of an enigma. He has long been one of the best scorers in the league, as he combines vertical explosiveness with 3-point marksmanship like few others in the league. However, other areas of his game, namely defense, have left a lot to be desired, which is why the Sacramento Kings’ shooting guard hasn’t found much team success throughout his career.
A massive contract has also made it tough to move LaVine through the trade market in recent years. Although his scoring has dropped below the 20-point-per-game mark for the first time since his first season with the Chicago Bulls back in 2017-18, he’d still be highly coveted on the open market. However, LaVine is slated to make nearly $50 million next season, so unless he really wants to ring chase, it seems unlikely that he’d decline his player option.
7. Peyton Watson, Denver Nuggets, SF, RFA
Peyton Watson has broken onto the scene in a big way in year four with the Nuggets, and he is going to get the bag because of it. The defensive potential has always been evident. Watson can lock up wings or guards on the perimeter, but he is also Denver’s best rim protector.
This year, Watson has emerged as an offensive weapon, though. He can create off the bounce and hit jump shots. Watson was averaging over 20 points per game as the Nuggets’ second primary scoring option during a stretch in which Nikola Jokic was sidelined.
Had it not been for a mid-season hamstring injury, Watson would have been in the running for the Most Improved Player award. The Nuggets have the right of first refusal for Watson, but they made a cost-cutting move in trading Michael Porter Jr. last offseason. Will they do what it takes to retain Watson this year?
Norman Powell has had an interesting career. He started his career with the Toronto Raptors as a bench warmer before transitioning to being a role player on that team when they won the NBA Finals. He improved through the years with stints with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Clippers, but his best season was this year with the Heat.
Despite being 32 years old, Powell scored a career-high 21.7 points per en route to his first All-Star appearance. Perhaps Powell is a late-bloomer who has a few more All-Star seasons in him, or perhaps 2025-26 will end up as the apex of his career.
5. LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, PF, UFA
In the twilight of his career, LeBron James has regularly signed short-term contracts that give him offseason flexibility. He is an unrestricted free agent at season’s end. James very well could retire. After all, he is well established as one of the very best players in NBA history, and he has already had a longer career than any other player before him.
James also might choose to return to the Los Angeles Lakers. His son, Bronny, is under contract for another two seasons in Los Angeles. There have even been past rumors of James waiting out his career until Bryce James is NBA eligible. James has already played for three different teams.
His career started in Cleveland, and he eventually delivered a promised championship to the Cavaliers during his second stint with the team. Furthermore, James’ prime came with the Heat, and his Lakers’ tenure has lasted longer than most would have guessed. With all of the accolades in the world, James can’t do much to improve his resume, but playing for one more team to end his career would be interesting. James certainly isn’t the player he was during his MVP days, but he is still a versatile player who still has something left in the tank, even if NBA fans have never before seen such prolonged success.
4. James Harden, Cleveland Cavaliers, PG, player option
James Harden is another player who only has so many more years left in the NBA, but one who is still playing at a star level. The three-time scoring champion still hits stepback jumpers and draws fouls, but he is also one of the best facilitators in the league. The Cleveland Cavaliers traded for him to improve their championship odds, but they acquired him knowing he could be a mere rental.
The Cavaliers’ financial situation is a mess, so Harden probably isn’t long for Cleveland. That is even more so the case because Harden tends to bail on his teams relatively quickly, evidenced by his history of requesting trades. It is very possible he will pick up his player option, though. Harden has struggled with playoff regression in the past. The Cavaliers are hoping for postseason improvement this year.
3. Trae Young, Washington Wizards, PG, player option
Trae Young was traded to the Washington Wizards, but his first season with the team lasted just five games before he was shut down because of quad and back injuries. Even so, Washington views him as a part of their core, and the point guard will surely be with the team next season.
Young has been criticized in recent years for a lack of defense. That is what ultimately got him traded from Atlanta. Fans shouldn’t forget just how special he is on offense, though. Young has before led the entire NBA in both total points and total assists in a single season. He is a wizard with the basketball in his hands, and the Washington franchise with that name hopes it translates to fast-tracking the rebuild and contending sooner rather than later.
2. Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers, SG, player option
Austin Reaves entered the league undrafted. Now, he is slated to be one of the very best free agents this offseason, and All-Star appearances are likely in his future. Reaves is averaging 24.3 points per game despite having to share the ball with high-usage stars such as Luka Doncic and LeBron James.
Reaves is only getting better, and his already lofty statistics might be even more jaw-dropping in the eventual future without James. The crafty guard is sure to get a huge payday this offseason.
1. Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons, C, RFA
Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Jalen Duren is one of the best young rising stars in the NBA, and that is expressed with his ranking as the best impending free agent. The 22-year-old just made the All-Star Game for the first time in his career, and he did it on the top team in the Eastern Conference. Duren is a physical freak of nature who collects rebounds, swats shots, and scores down low.
While all 30 teams in the league would love to have him, there is almost no way the Pistons let him slip through their fingers. Expect the restricted free agent center to be back in Detroit next season.
There are going to be a lot of ways to add talent to NBA rosters this offseason. Some great veteran players have already been linked in trade rumors, and the 2026 NBA Draft class is looking like one of the best classes in recent memory. Now that the regular season is over, teams are thinking about ways to improve their roster this offseason.