{"id":775258,"date":"2026-07-01T09:54:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-01T09:54:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/775258\/"},"modified":"2026-07-01T09:54:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-01T09:54:32","slug":"nba-free-agent-tracker-key-players-fantasy-basketball-managers-need-to-monitor-this-offseason","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/775258\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA Free-Agent Tracker: Key players fantasy basketball managers need to monitor this offseason"},"content":{"rendered":"

This year’s NBA free agent pool<\/a> isn’t the deepest we’ve seen, but there are still marquee names and difference-makers whose decisions could swing fantasy basketball leagues. Here’s a look at the top remaining fantasy-relevant free agents and players already off the market<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Top unsigned free agentsLeBron James<\/a> – SF\/PF | Age 41 | UFA<\/p>\n

The biggest wildcard: King James is returning for a record 24th season. His fantasy value hinges on where he lands, but he just averaged 21\/6\/7 at 41 years old and finished top-20 in High Score and top-55 in 9-cat. Suspense is mounting with the Warriors<\/a>, Heat and Cavs<\/a> in the mix. LeBron will weigh all viable offers and his choice remains the focal point of this free agent class.<\/p>\n

James Harden<\/a> \u2014 PG\/SG | Age 36 | UFA<\/p>\n

Harden declined his player option and is reportedly negotiating a new deal to stay in Cleveland<\/a>. He’ll be 37 in August and yet, he’s still producing at a high level. A floor expectation of 20 points with 8 assists is fair, and despite a poor FG percentage, he’ll make up for it in categories like 3s, FT percentage and steals. I’d still feel comfortable drafting him inside the first three rounds.<\/p>\n

Jalen Duren<\/a> \u2014 C | Age 22 | RFA – Detroit Pistons<\/a><\/p>\n

OK, the playoffs were a disaster. But in the regular season, Duren proved he’s a great complement to Cade Cunningham<\/a>. He made a massive leap as a scorer and should be their franchise big man. Unfortunately, negotiations went south because the Pistons and Duren have a considerable gap in their contract discussions. So much so that Duren met with the Kings and Lakers on Tuesday<\/a>. The Pistons will reportedly match any offer for Duren and have no interest in facilitating a sign-and-trade. Duren is using other teams to work his way into a max contract, and it’s working beautifully.<\/p>\n

Walker Kessler<\/a> \u2014 C | Age 24 | RFA – Utah Jazz<\/a><\/p>\n

At 24 and entering restricted free agency on a $3.3M deal, Kessler is meeting with his representatives and rival teams in Los Angeles<\/a> to potentially determine which team he’ll be playing for next season. Like Duren’s situation, the Jazz can match any offer, but Kessler potentially going to another team, like the Lakers<\/a>, could improve his fantasy value heading into next season.<\/p>\n

Norman Powell<\/a> \u2014 SG\/SF | Age 32 | UFA<\/p>\n

One of the best pure scorers on the free-agent market, Powell will get a raise. The question is: which team will hire him? He’s a bucket who tends to land between the mid-80s and 90s in drafts. The Bulls<\/a> look like an ideal destination.<\/p>\n

Peyton Watson<\/a> \u2014 SF\/PF | Age 23 | RFA – Denver Nuggets<\/a><\/p>\n

Denver will do its best to match any offer, but at $2.8M, a bidding war is imminent. The Nuggets obviously want to bring back Watson, but how will they create enough cap space to make it happen? Watson broke out in his fourth season and, when healthy, looked like a starting-caliber player gifted on both ends. He may not be a household name, but his value is rising in fantasy circles.<\/p>\n

Bennedict Mathurin<\/a> \u2014 SG\/SF | Age 23 | RFA – Los Angeles Clippers<\/a><\/p>\n

The Clippers have made it clear they want to get younger with no long-term financial obligations. It’s an interesting spot for Mathurin because teams can willingly put out offers that will force the Clippers’ hand one way or another. I like Mathurin in L.A., but he’s not a needle-mover for fantasy purposes.<\/p>\n

Tari Eason<\/a> \u2014 SF\/PF | Age 25 | RFA – Houston Rockets<\/a><\/p>\n

Eason wasn’t great for fantasy this season, but he’s young and talented enough that teams will try to acquire him this summer. I’d like to see Eason play elsewhere and compete for starter minutes, because when healthy, he’s an effective fantasy player across formats.<\/p>\n

Tobias Harris<\/a> \u2014 SF\/PF | Age 33 | UFA<\/p>\n

Harris may be boring, but he’s an effective role player, especially in the regular season. He reportedly won’t be returning to the Pistons<\/a>, so he’ll test the open market for a new deal, with the Spurs<\/a> looking like a real possibility.<\/p>\n

Draymond Green<\/a> – PF\/C | Age 36 | UFA<\/p>\n

Green declined his player option to become a free agent. It’s a surprising move that will give Golden State the opportunity to reportedly pursue LeBron James in free agency and Anthony Davis<\/a> via trade. Green, James and AD are all Klutch clients, so it’s not out of the realm of possibility. Green averaged 29 fantasy points per game in High Score, which is barely rosterable and he was a disappointing 220 in 9-cat last season. His best days in fantasy are behind him, but re-signing with Golden State at a discount is the likely outcome.<\/p>\n

John Collins<\/a> \u2014 PF\/C | Age 28 | UFA<\/p>\n

Collins has become an unreliable fantasy option, but he’ll surely be picked up in free agency. He’s still an effective rebounder and stretch four with a fantasy-friendly profile if he finds his way to a team that will pay him with an opportunity to start at power forward.<\/p>\n

Anfernee Simons<\/a> \u2014 PG\/SG | Age 26 | UFA<\/p>\n

The market for score-first guards who struggle defensively is drying up. Simons finished last season averaging 15-3-3 in 28 minutes per game with the Bulls. Not great numbers, but with a void in their backcourt, it’s possible they bring him back at a cheaper number. Fantasy-wise, If he’s not starting, I’m not interested.<\/p>\n

Nikola Vu\u010devi\u0107 \u2014 C | Age 35 | UFA<\/p>\n

His best days are well behind him and we caught a glimpse of what’s to come as he split time with Queta<\/a> after being traded to Boston<\/a>. Without getting starters’ minutes, fantasy managers should have no interest in drafting Vu\u010devi\u0107.<\/p>\n

Players off the marketTrae Young<\/a> \u2014 PG | Age 27 | Re-signing with Washington Wizards<\/a><\/p>\n

Young got himself a four-year, $212.5 million max contract. When healthy, Trae scores over 20 points per game and dishes out double-digit assists. As the engine of the offense, he’s still a second-round pick for me.<\/p>\n

Austin Reaves<\/a> \u2014 PG\/SG | Age 28 | Re-signing with Los Angeles Lakers<\/p>\n

Congratulations, Mr. Reaves, you are now the highest-paid undrafted player in NBA history. The Lakers proved how much they value Reaves by giving him a new four-year, $185M max deal with a player option in the final year of his contract in 2029-2030. We’re still waiting on James’ decision, but Reaves is poised to continue his fantasy ascent. I expect he’ll be off draft boards by the fourth round next season.<\/p>\n

Coby White<\/a> \u2014 PG\/SG | Age 26 | Re-signing with Charlotte Hornets<\/a><\/p>\n

White’s fantasy stock got a nice bump after LaMelo Ball<\/a> was traded and White agreed to a new 3-year, $74M contract to stay in Charlotte. While he wasn’t a top 250 player in 9-cat after joining the Hornets after the deadline, fantasy managers should look to his 2024-25 season in Chicago<\/a>, where he posted 20-4-5 in 33 minutes a night. That was good for 70th in 9-cat leagues. An uptick in assists and minutes will set him up nicely for a top-75 status once again.<\/p>\n

Ayo Dosunmu<\/a> \u2014 SG\/SF | Age 26 | Re-signing with Minnesota Timberwolves<\/a><\/p>\n

Dosunmu arrived in Minnesota at the perfect time. His strong post-deadline play convinced the Wolves to move on from Julius Randle<\/a>, freeing up cap space and leading to Dosunmu signing a five-year, $112M deal. Still underrated in 9-cat formats, he now joins the starting unit as the third or fourth option on offense behind Anthony Edwards<\/a> and newly acquired LaMelo Ball. Post-deadline, Ayo ranked among the league’s most efficient shooters, going 52% from the field, 41% on 3s and 93% from the line.<\/p>\n

Zach LaVine<\/a> \u2014 SG\/SF | Age 31 | Opted in with Sacramento Kings<\/a><\/p>\n

With LaVine picking up his $49M player option<\/a>, he’ll rejoin the Kings. There are still too many mouths to feed on this team, but LaVine’s expiring contract could be a trade piece at some point in the season. Not many contenders have that much cap space to just slot LaVine in there, so remaining with the Kings for now keeps his fantasy value around that of a top-80 guy with some injury risk.<\/p>\n

Kevin Porter Jr.<\/a> \u2014 PG\/SG | Age 26 | Opted in with Milwaukee Bucks<\/a><\/p>\n

KPJ elected to exercise his $5.39M player option and return to the Bucks rather than test free agency. He’s 26 years old, coming off a strong campaign in which he averaged 17.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 2.2 steals per game. His per-game value was kind of wild, ranking 15th in 9-cat and 24th in High Score. I guess that’s the benefit of playing in only 38 games. The decision to opt in means he’s betting on himself to have a healthy season and put himself in a position to earn a larger bag with more years attached by next summer. The Bucks have a messy guard situation, though, with Tyler Herro<\/a>, Ryan Rollins<\/a>, Brayden Burries and Kasparas Jaku\u010dionis all on the roster. Without a trade or injury, KPJ won’t sniff last year’s usage.<\/p>\n

Fred Van Vleet – PG | Age 32| Opted in with Houston Rockets<\/p>\n

VanVleet didn’t play last season after tearing his ACL in September during an offseason workout. The Rockets’ offensive flow and execution suffered without having FVV on the floor, so his return matters. He should be drafted in all leagues as he still provides assists, 3s and steals while playing for a fantasy-friendly unit.<\/p>\n

Andrew Wiggins<\/a> \u2014 SF | Age 31 | Re-signing with Miami Heat<\/a><\/p>\n

Wiggins is signing a new 3-year, $64M deal with the Heat. The makeup of the team is far different than last year, leaving Wiggins with a starting role and a clear path to play 30 minutes a night once again. Depending on the rest of Miami’s moves, Wiggins could be their third scoring option with some appeal as a stocks specialist in fantasy. He’s shaping up as a good option in the later rounds of drafts.<\/p>\n

Isaiah Hartenstein<\/a> \u2014 C | Age 28 | Re-signing with Oklahoma City Thunder<\/a><\/p>\n

The Thunder and Hartenstein are running it back, with Hartenstein on track to sign a new three-year, $75M deal once free agency is officially underway. Hartenstein didn’t reach his 75th ADP last season, ranking 112th in High Score and 108th in 9-cat leagues. With OKC using one of their first-round picks on Michigan C Aday Mara, the investment signals that he’ll still be very much involved and still warrants a pick around the 100s for his rebounding, FG% and big man assists and stocks. Just know that he won’t play heavy minutes and is slated for a timeshare after missing 60 games across the past two seasons.<\/p>\n

CJ McCollum<\/a> \u2014 PG\/SG | Age 34 | Re-signing with Atlanta Hawks<\/a><\/p>\n

CJ cooked for the Hawks, providing Atlanta with a reliable scorer and playmaker from the deadline through the postseason. He made such an impression that they’re bringing him back on a one-year deal, worth $22M. The short-term investment, plus drafting Houston PG Kingston Flemings eighth overall, signals that he won’t be there long, which means fantasy managers in redraft leagues should tread lightly. His ADP was 100 last season, but he outperformed that by a considerable margin in points leagues and was around that mark in 9-cat once he joined the Hawks. He’s a back-end guard who provides points and low-end assists. Still worthy of drafting, but don’t go crazy.<\/p>\n

Mark Williams<\/a> \u2014 C | Age 24 | Re-signing with Phoenix Suns<\/a><\/p>\n

Williams intends to sign a 3-year, $38M, fully guaranteed offer sheet<\/a>. Williams’ return ensures he’ll be back as the Suns’ starting center. Williams’ body seems much older than his age (24) and he’d be a top-70 player if he could stay healthy. He’s coming off a season where he played a career-best 60 games, but it came at the expense of logging fewer minutes. Williams averaged 11 points and 8 boards in 23.6 minutes a night, the lowest of his career since his rookie season. The good news is, he’ll fend off Khaman Maluach<\/a> and Oso Ighodaro<\/a> for the time being. I suspect Williams’ ADP will be closer to the 100s next season, about a 13-spot dropoff from the 2025-26 season.<\/p>\n

Neemias Queta \u2014 C | Age 26 | Team option picked up by Boston Celtics<\/a><\/p>\n

Talk about value. Queta emerged as the starting center for the Celtics, posting 12 points with 8 rebounds and over 2 stocks per contest while playing in 76 games. Assuming Boston doesn’t make any additional splashes to their frontcourt, Queta’s set up nicely to build on last season’s mini breakout as a top-75 player in 9-cat leagues.<\/p>\n

Kristaps Porzi\u0146\u0123is \u2014 C | Age 30 | Re-signing with Golden State Warriors<\/p>\n

KP’s injury profile is extensive, but he’ll return to the Warriors on a new two-year pact that’ll keep him in the Bay until 2027-2028. The Warriors can still technically trade for Anthony Davis and bring in LeBron James, but this move at least ensures they’ll have some sizeable frontcourt depth.<\/p>\n

Collin Gillespie<\/a> \u2014 PG\/SG | Age 27 | Re-signing with Phoenix Suns<\/p>\n

Gillespie put up career numbers last season, so giving him a new contract was a no-brainer. The Suns used their draft capital on Arizona F Koa Peat, which is good news for Gillespie’s fantasy outlook. He certainly benefited from Jalen Green<\/a>‘s unavailability, but he’s going to be a fixture of this rotation whether he’s starting or coming off the bench. I’m more interested in Gillespie for 9-cat leagues, but if he starts, he could creep into points league consideration, too. Gillespie signed a four-year contract worth $48M.<\/p>\n

Day’Ron Sharpe \u2014 C | Age 24 | Re-signing with Brooklyn Nets<\/a><\/p>\n

Sharpe is one of the early winners of free agency that you haven’t heard about because, well, it’s the Nets. The Nets traded for Julius Randle, but their decision to trade Nic Claxton<\/a> elevated Sharpe to the starting center role. Sharpe has been a stat-stuffer on a per-minute basis, so his stock is rising in fantasy. As of now, he’s a solid late-round sleeper across formats.<\/p>\n

Deandre Ayton<\/a> \u2014 C | Age 27 | Re-signing with Los Angeles Lakers<\/p>\n

Ayton wisely picked up his option, but the Lakers are doing their due diligence to find a better fit with Luka Don\u010di\u0107<\/a>. Ayton flamed out last year, getting benched for Jaxson Hayes<\/a> while playing inconsistent and lazy basketball. He’s not a player I’d be looking to draft this year.<\/p>\n

Other notable free agent signings<\/p>\n

Lu Dort – SF, Oklahoma City Thunder<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This year’s NBA free agent pool isn’t the deepest we’ve seen, but there are still marquee names and…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":775259,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[500,495,1013,7,363,4216,188,200,194,949,912,861,560,3205,300,185,251,135,1011,6,1146,5033,873,1405,255],"class_list":["post-775258","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-andrew-wiggins","tag-anthony-davis","tag-austin-reaves","tag-basketball","tag-bennedict-mathurin","tag-collin-gillespie","tag-detroit-pistons","tag-draymond-green","tag-houston-rockets","tag-isaiah-hartenstein","tag-jalen-duren","tag-jalen-green","tag-james-harden","tag-king-james","tag-lakers","tag-lebron-james","tag-los-angeles","tag-los-angeles-clippers","tag-mark-williams","tag-nba","tag-peyton-watson","tag-player-option","tag-tari-eason","tag-walker-kessler","tag-warriors"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116844118920858616","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/775258","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=775258"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/775258\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/775259"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=775258"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=775258"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=775258"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}