Every NBA Team's Top 2026 Free Agent Target After the Trade Deadline
The 2026 NBA trade deadline is in the books, which puts the next transactional pivot point at the top of every team's mind. That'd be 2026 free agency, which is only a few months away.
Are contenders spending most of their energy on the balance of this season? Sure. And are most teams also ramping up their draft prep? Absolutely.
But free agency remains a massive deal, even if we're increasingly seeing teams use cap space to facilitate trades rather than to sign new players.
As we move toward the offseason, and as we try to recalibrate in the wake of so much trade deadline action, let's take a look at a free-agent target for every team.
Atlanta Hawks: Collin Sexton
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The Atlanta Hawks didn't trade for Jonathan Kuminga just so they could decline his team option and save cash. If they wanted cleaner books, they would have just kept Kristaps Porzingis and let his $30 million contract expire.
So while it's possible for Atlanta to be a cap-space player that could open up something like $25 million, it's more likely that the mid-level exception, which has a first-year salary of $16.1 million, will be the team's main spending tool.
Whatever their resources, the Hawks should use them on a backup ball-handler like Collin Sexton.
This team doesn't need a true point guard because Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Dyson Daniels can all facilitate well for their positions, but it'd be helpful to have some playmaking and scoring punch from another backcourt rotation option. Sexton, 27, totes career averages of 18.4 points and 3.7 assists per game with a 38.8 percent mark from three-point range. He'll be an unrestricted free agent after finishing the season with the Chicago Bulls.
Boston Celtics: Moe Wagner
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Forget ducking the second apron; the Boston Celtics got themselves out of the luxury tax with a flurry of deadline moves. If they renounce their rights to Nikola Vučević this summer, they'll only be around $15 million over the cap.
Bringing Vooch back on a new deal is a good option, but he shouldn't be relied upon to solve Boston's center-depth problems in what'll be his age-36 season. He and Neemias Queta could use some help.
Moe Wagner has developed his floor-stretching game over the past three seasons and is draining over 45.0 percent of his treys since returning from last year's torn ACL. He's graded in the top 20 percent of Offensive Estimated Plus/Minus in three of the four years prior to this one and could be gettable for less than the full MLE after earning $11 million in his final season with the Orlando Magic.
Brooklyn Nets: Quentin Grimes
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The Brooklyn Nets don't control their 2027 first-round pick, which gives them less incentive to field inexperienced, built-to-lose lineups as often next season. That doesn't mean this is suddenly a pedal-to-the-floor situation where Brooklyn spends recklessly without considering the long game.
Quentin Grimes could certainly help the Nets play competent basketball in 2026-27, especially after his post-deadline work with the Sixers in 2024 showed he could produce big numbers in a scaled-up role. In 28 games with Philly following a trade from Dallas, Grimes averaged 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists on a 46.9/37.3/85.9 shooting split. If he comes anywhere close to those numbers for Brooklyn, he'll be a hot commodity at the 2027 trade deadline.
The Nets certainly shouldn't toss all their cap space (estimated at $36-44 million) at Grimes, but he can help them win a few more games while juicing his value for an eventual future-focused trade.
Charlotte Hornets: Dean Wade
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The Charlotte Hornets have their first, second and third-option offensive threats all set with LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller. Those three profile as one of the top scoring cores in the league, so the players filling in around them need to defend and hit spot-up shots.
Dean Wade can take care of that.
The 29-year-old forward has graded out 93rd percentile or better in Defensive Estimated Plus/Minus across four of the past five years, and his 36.4 percent career accuracy mark from long range is just good enough to make him a credible threat. Tidjane Salaün is currently providing a supercharged version of what Wade would theoretically give the Hornets, but the young big man is only averaging 16.0 minutes per game this season. Unless he's going to double that in 2026-27, the Hornets will need someone else to sop up some of those high-energy role-player minutes at the 4.
Charlotte should have access to the full MLE of $15.1 million, and it won't take nearly that much to secure Wade, who's making just $6.2 million in the final year of his deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Chicago Bulls: Walker Kessler
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Though it'd be pettier if the Chicago Bulls threw an offer sheet at Jalen Duren after trading for another Detroit Pistons restricted free agent in Jaden Ivey, the smarter move would be to target Walker Kessler.
The Bulls won't have all of the projected $82 million in cap space they could reach by renouncing rights and letting Ivey walk, but they should have enough to hit Kessler with an offer sheet that makes Utah sweat.
The Jazz are going to be spending around $100 million on Jaren Jackson Jr. and Lauri Markkanen alone over the next few years. What's their appetite for throwing another $30-plus million at Kessler?
Chicago, which needs the rim-protection and offensive rebounding Kessler provides, should try to find out.
If the Jazz match and Chicago's tied-up cap space needs to be used to onboard bad salary with picks attached later in the offseason, so be it. That's what a rebuilding team should be doing anyway.
Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James
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The Cleveland Cavaliers may have escaped the second apron, but they're still extremely limited in spending power. If only there were a star-caliber free agent who might be willing to accept a minimum salary...
Per ESPN's Dave McMenamin, "...multiple team and league sources told ESPN the Cavaliers would gladly welcome [LeBron] James back this summer if he wanted to return."
Sentiment isn't everything, but James' emotional response to a tribute video in his lone trip to Cleveland this season suggests he might enjoy the experience of joining the Cavs for a third tour.
Vibes aside, Cleveland would offer James a legitimate path to the Finals through the relatively weak East. He'd also slot into a lineup hole at small forward, providing plenty of size when sliding to the 4 and serving as a dangerous weapon against opposing wings and forwards. He could be everything (and more) Cleveland thought De'Andre Hunter was.
Dallas Mavericks: Isaiah Hartenstein
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The Dallas Mavericks are out of the Anthony Davis business, but they can't rely on Dereck Lively II's health and seemed very willing to trade Daniel Gafford at the deadline. Without control of their first-rounders for most of the next decade, maybe a center upgrade is in order.
Isaiah Hartenstein will only hit free agency if the Oklahoma City Thunder decline his $29 million team option, but that's not as ridiculous as it sounds. OKC has a cap crunch coming, and Hartenstein's deal has that priced-in flexibility for a reason.
Right now, Dallas has about $6 million in cap space. If it decides to operate over the cap, the MLE probably won't be enough to land Hartenstein. But the Mavs could clear room by moving Gafford, Caleb Martin or Klay Thompson, which would allow for a competitive multi-year offer.
Hartenstein is a dynamic short-roll passer, potent rebounder and excellent interior defender. He'd also allow Cooper Flagg to roam on D like Chet Holmgren currently does (to great effect) for the Thunder.
Denver Nuggets: Peyton Watson
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We won't do this often, but the Denver Nuggets need to make sure they make one of their own free agents a primary target.
Peyton Watson's growth as a scorer and shooter (41.7 percent from deep; intriguing self-created offense) will make him a hot commodity in restricted free agency. Denver can match any offer and should be prepared to spend significantly on the 23-year-old forward.
Aaron Gordon's hamstring issues are a real concern, and keeping Watson as insurance (or as a replacement if the Nuggets opt to move their current starter) should be a high priority.
Restricted free agency has tended to favor the player's current team lately, which is good news for Denver. As a taxpayer in 2026-27, it doesn't have many other roster-building tools.
Detroit Pistons: Norman Powell
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Almost all of the Detroit Pistons' currently projected cap space will disappear when Jalen Duren signs his rookie-scale deal, after which the current East leaders will need to replenish the shooting they could lose in free agents Tobias Harris, Kevin Huerter and Duncan Robinson (non-guaranteed).
The good news is that the Pistons have known they need spacing for a couple of years. The bad news is they'll probably only have the mid-level exception to chase it.
Norman Powell would be an absolute pie-in-the-sky target, as he's played like an All-Star for most of the past two years. But he's also going to be 33 and might want to see what life on a contender looks like. Detroit has to at least put a call in and hope the veteran guard could be enticed by a starting role on a title threat, and the $15.1 MLE (if the Pistons can stay below the tax) wouldn't be a major discount from the $18 million Powell is earning right now.
Golden State Warriors: Kristaps Porzingis
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As long as the Golden State Warriors employ Draymond Green, they're going to need a center who can shoot.
Head coach Steve Kerr started Quentin Post 32 times prior to the trade deadline, and last summer's acquisition of a 39-year-old Al Horford felt like a coup in Golden State—just to provide some sense of the franchise's desperation in the spacing-big department.
Kristaps Porzingis is on board now as the return for Jonathan Kuminga, and he comes with massive risks. Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) has cost him time since the 2024 playoffs, and his health track record wasn't exactly unblemished prior to that diagnosis. He'll also be 31 before next season starts.
The Warriors still absolutely have to keep him. His deal expires after this season, and in addition to him being a theoretically perfect fit next to Green, the Dubs have to retain Porzingis so they don't walk away from the Kuminga saga with nothing to show for it.
Houston Rockets: Al Horford
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Any team with Alperen Sengün and Amen Thompson in prominent roles needs spacing at every other position, and that fact is only more pressing for a squad like the Houston Rockets, which often puts another big man on the floor next to those two.
If he decides to keep playing, and if he determines the Rockets offer a better shot at a ring than the Warriors, Al Horford (player option) could check two boxes.
Horford will be 40 next year, but if he can provide even a few minutes per game, he'll keep the Rockets in the supersized business while providing a level of shooting that still concerns defenses. If Fred VanVleet is back to his old self, and Reed Sheppard continues to develop, Houston could find its spacing issues minimized.
Indiana Pacers: Robert Williams III
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He won't provide the stretch Myles Turner did during the Indiana Pacers' 2024 Finals run, but Robert Williams III can offer high-wire lob-catching and battle-tested interior defense to a lineup that still might need some more behind major trade acquisition Ivica Zubac.
Health will always be a concern for Williams, who's missed at least 30 games in all but one of his seven full seasons in the league. When he's been able to stay on the floor, his impact has been significant. In 2021-22, Williams played a career-high 61 games and finished seventh in Defensive Player of the Year voting.
A career 72.4 percent shooter from the field, RWIII's athleticism and size make him automatic around the rim. A healthy Tyrese Haliburton would certainly enjoy flinging alley-oops to someone with a catch radius that extends into the rafters—particularly one that routinely posts elite block, steal and offensive rebound rates for his position.
With only the $6.1 million TPMLE to spend, Indiana will have to cross its fingers and hope other teams are scared off by Williams' health history.
LA Clippers: Jalen Duren
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If the LA Clippers are going to re-orient around mid-20s guards Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin, they'd better go after a big man who fits that timeline.
Restricted free agent Jalen Duren would be ideal.
The first hurdle is Detroit's likelihood of matching almost any offer sheet for the breakout big and first-time All-Star. The second is Kawhi Leonard's $50 million 2026-27 salary, which currently puts a $34 million ceiling on LA's cap room.
But who knows what Leonard's future holds? It's not the likeliest outcome, but it means something that the concept of the NBA voiding Leonard's contract as punishment for last fall's Aspiration scandal has been discussed in respected circles.
The Clippers had to say yes to Indiana's offer of two firsts and Mathurin for Ivica Zubac, and Duren could fill that hole in the starting lineup perfectly.
Los Angeles Lakers: Andrew Wiggins
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The Los Angeles Lakers need to find a lob-catching center who consistently plays hard and can anchor a defense. You know, non-Deandre Ayton stuff.
They can do that relatively cheaply by targeting Robert Williams III or Mitchell Robinson with what projects to be roughly $50 million in cap space. The larger chunk of that money should go to a true three-and-D wing—ideally one with big-game experience who can impact the proceedings without dominating the ball.
That's Andrew Wiggins, a stellar defender at several spots who's been better than the league average from deep in five of the last six seasons. He's got a ring, is beloved by teammates and might be best known for doing a bang-up job guarding hypothetical new teammate Luka Dončić in the 2022 Western Conference Finals.
If Wiggins declines his $30.2 million player option in search of a longer deal, he'll have plenty of interested suitors. Few of them can compete with L.A.'s offer of a huge market, tons of playing time and no shortage of spoon-fed setups from Dončić.
After landing Wiggins, the Lakers can use Bird rights to bring back Austin Reaves.
Memphis Grizzlies: Bad Contracts
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The Memphis Grizzlies are looking at over $20 million in cap space and could have twice that much in the unlikely event Kentavious Caldwell-Pope declines his player option, but they're also firmly in rebuilding mode after trading Jaren Jackson Jr.
That means their free agency plans won't center on win-now upgrades.
Instead, expect the Grizzlies to spend most of free agency looking for other teams' unwanted salaries. Cap space isn't just for spending on players anymore; it's often best utilized as a means to absorb contracts with draft picks attached. Though the Grizzlies already have 13 first-rounders over the next seven drafts, they're probably not going to stop there. In fact, they might need to use a couple of them to make Ja Morant somebody else's problem.
Don't worry, we won't use this copout again. It's specially reserved for a Memphis squad that well and truly blew things up over the last year.
Miami Heat: In-House Options
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The Miami Heat have grand designs. They've been hoarding cap space for 2027 free agency while also chasing Giannis Antetokounmpo on the trade market.
If Andrew Wiggins declines his player option, it could give the Heat around $30 million in cap space, but their longer-term plans suggest they won't turn around and spend it on anyone who'd clog the books beyond next season. So maybe the likeliest move will be bringing back Wiggins or fellow free agent Norman Powell on one-plus-one deals that could be appealing as trade assets.
It'll be tough to thread that needle, but Miami has spent quite a while lining up the dominos for either a superstar signing in 2027 or a blockbuster trade. It won't wreck all those plans just to ink a mid-tier starter this summer.
Milwaukee Bucks: Lu Dort
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After yet another dalliance with the trade market, Giannis Antetokounmpo remains a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. As such, the team will again try to bring in as much talent as possible to keep him happy and convinced contention is a possibility.
Spoiler: It's not, and the Bucks may just revisit a trade this summer when there will be more (and probably better) offers than there were at the deadline.
If they don't go that route, the Bucks should have the full MLE to spend on a wing.
Lu Dort is subject to a team option with the Thunder and might be gettable for $15.1 if OKC decides to cut him loose rather than pay him $18.2 million next year. The Thunder have Cason Wallace and Alex Caruso, so another defense-first role player like Dort might be superfluous. Milwaukee would surely prefer someone with more offensive punch, but at least Dort has championship experience and could wrangle all the tough perimeter assignments.
Minnesota Timberwolves: CJ McCollum
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Even if you're of the mind that the Minnesota Timberwolves don't need a point guard because Anthony Edwards is developing as a playmaker by the day, their clearest needs are still in the backcourt. That's still true after the trade that brought in Ayo Dosunmu (unrestricted this summer) at the deadline.
Imagine what Minnesota could do offensively if a sniper like CJ McCollum were coming off the bench in relief of Donte DiVincenzo. McCollum's career hit rate of 39.6 percent from three could make forcing the ball out of Edwards' hands extremely punitive.
McCollum, who's earning $30.6 million in the final year of his current deal, might be an ambitious target for a Wolves team that'll have only the $6.1 million taxpayer's mid-level exception available. Then again, 2026-27 will be his age-35 season, and the veteran guard hasn't made it out of the first round of the playoffs since 2019. Maybe he'll be amenable to a discount if it comes from a legit contender.
New Orleans Pelicans: Jock Landale
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Whether they're built around Zion Williamson, Derik Queen or both, the New Orleans Pelicans will need a center who can space the floor. That's not a new development, but the team's need for someone at the 4 or 5 who can shoot only intensifies with Queen's arrival (and clear inability to defend as a center).
Likely to have just the MLE at their disposal, the Pels will find it hard to secure such a rare player type. That's not to say it'll be impossible.
Jock Landale is making the minimum for the Hawks right now after moving at the deadline, and he's on track to shoot over 39.0 percent from deep for the second year in a row. Though not much of an interior deterrent on D, Landale gets after it on the offensive glass and can even offer a little foul-line facilitating in a pinch.
Shooting will be key, though, and Landale seems to have developed that skill over the past couple of seasons with Houston and Memphis. On the wrong side of 30 and iffy on defense, the Aussie big man would be an undeniably good offensive fit in New Orleans—and perhaps even an affordable one.
New York Knicks: Tim Hardaway Jr.
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It'll have to be minimums this offseason for the second-apron-treading New York Knicks, though their ability to offer real playing time in a big market should give them a leg up on the competition.
New York's bargain hunt should focus on ball-handlers and/or shooters to replace Landry Shamet (who's been a useful rotation player) and Jordan Clarkson (who has not). Both of them are free agents after the season. Deadline acquisition Jose Alvarado could join them if he declines his player option.
Maybe old pal Tim Hardaway Jr. would be willing to accept the minimum for a return tour. He'll be 34 next year but can still get up plenty of threes. In fact, he's on track to set a new career high in accuracy from deep with the Nuggets. Even if he can't sustain his current 40.3 percent clip, Hardaway is a reliable source of shooting.
If the Wolves don't bring him back, Bones Hyland could be an option as well—one who'd offer more on-ball juice than THJ.
Oklahoma City Thunder: Andre Drummond
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If they decide to employ cost-cutting measures as soon as this offseason, the Oklahoma City Thunder might find themselves without Isaiah Hartenstein. He has a $28.5 million team option for 2026-27, which might be on the chopping block as Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren combine to collect about $60 million more next year than they do now.
Losing Hartenstein would be a blow to OKC's center rotation, which struggles when Holmgren mans the spot full-time. His injury this season suggests that even if Hartenstein is back, the Thunder should look for more help up front.
Mitchell Robinson will surely be out of the Thunder's minimum-salary price range, but maybe Andre Drummond won't.
Drummond hasn't been a deterrent inside for a few years, but he remains a dominant rebounding force. His current rate of 16.0 rebounds per 36 minutes would be hugely valuable to an OKC team that currently ranks 29th and 17th in offensive and defensive rebounding percentage, respectively.
Orlando Magic: Landry Shamet
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It might be a stretch to target Landry Shamet if all the Orlando Magic can offer is a minimum salary. The veteran guard has been a key figure in the Knicks' rotation, often profiling as their top three-point threat (career-high 44.3 percent) and best on-ball guard defender whenever Deuce McBride is unavailable.
The Knicks have their own cap issues to navigate and may not bring Shamet back, especially if Jose Alvarado stays by picking up his player option.
The Magic prefer guards who can defend their position and are forever in search of shooters. Shamet, 28, fits on both accounts and would make sense in the backcourt next to either Jalen Suggs or Anthony Black.
Philadelphia 76ers: Kenrich Williams
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Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre Jr. are both set to hit free agency, and a currently suspended Paul George seems unlikely to give the Philadelphia 76ers more reliable production in his age-36 season than he's offered to date at age 35. That means Philly should target a wing or forward, ideally one with a defense-first mindset to replace those minutes and allow JV Edgecombe to guard the backcourt matchups Tyrese Maxey can't handle.
If Kenrich Williams (team option for 2026-27) becomes a cap casualty in OKC, the Sixers should get involved.
Though he hasn't played the majority of his minutes at the 3 since 2022, Kenny Hustle's matchup data suggests he's close to what the Sixers need defensively. Scottie Barnes, Pascal Siakam, Trey Murphy III and Peyton Watson all show up among his most frequent assignments, and those are exactly the types of players Philadelphia shouldn't want Edgecombe battling.
A good enough shooter (38.6 percent from deep last year, 34.7 percent in 2025-26), Williams can offer low-usage production that could fit into the Sixers' $6.1 million TPMLE.
Phoenix Suns: Mark Williams and Collin Gillespie
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The Phoenix Suns could duck the luxury tax and open up the full mid-level this summer, but doing so would cost them Mark Williams and Collin Gillespie. Those two are probably better than anybody Phoenix could sign on the market and, as such, should both come back on new deals.
If the Suns can bring Williams back for less than his $18.8 million cap hold, it'll be a good piece of business. He's in the midst of a career year at age 24 and should be a positive trade asset if he's making anywhere close to $20 million per season. Gillespie has been a revelation—one of the best high-volume three-point shooters in the league and a legitimate starter averaging 13.7 points per game.
The Suns' surprising competence and heartening competitive spirit this season are very much tied to Gillespie's emergence. They can't sign anyone who'll matter more than he does.
Portland Trail Blazers: Anfernee Simons
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Who doesn't love a homecoming?
Anfernee Simons spent his first seven seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers, and you could argue that they need him more now than they did at any point during that career-opening stretch.
The Blazers have size up front, a couple of stellar defensive forwards and an emerging primary scoring-and-facilitating star in Deni Avdija. What they lack is three-point shooting. Deadline acquisition Vit Krejci will help, but why stop there?
Simons drilled 39.5 percent of his 6.6 long-range attempts per game for the Celtics and nailed six of his 13 attempts from deep in his post-trade debut for the Bulls. If he's willing to accept a bench role going forward, and if Portland's mid-level exception of $15.1 million is enough to entice him, this full-circle re-acquisition could benefit everyone.
Sacramento Kings: Jett Howard
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The Sacramento Kings project to be taxpayers in 2026-27, which should elicit the deepest, most exasperated sigh you can muster. Does it count as a silver lining that at least some of the penalties they'll have to pay will stem from a pretty big salary they'll hand a high 2026 lottery pick?
If we assume Sacramento's best offer will be the $6.1 TPMLE, its options will be limited to distressed assets and players without better options.
That sounds a lot like Jett Howard, the No. 11 pick in the 2023 draft who had his fourth-year option declined by the Magic prior to this season.
Howard is shooting a respectable 34.5 percent from deep in a small role for Orlando and at least has the 6'8" wing size the Kings seemed to prioritize when they dealt for De'Andre Hunter. Howard might be a bust, but he's only 22 and might still find a way to justify his draft pedigree with a change of scenery.
San Antonio Spurs: Rui Hachimura
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If it comes down to bringing back veteran Harrison Barnes or spending most of their $15.1 mid-level exception on a different forward, the San Antonio Spurs might want to opt for continuity by simply bringing Barnes back in free agency.
As a locker-room leader and steadying presence with championship experience, the veteran Barnes is more valuable than his contributions on the floor and should be a real retention priority.
That's not to say San Antonio is precluded from keeping their current talent and adding more. And if the Spurs want to shore up a weakness, frontcourt shooting is the spot to focus on.
Rui Hachimura has shot better than 41.0 percent from long distance in each of the past three seasons. His shaky defense is the reason he hasn't always kept the firmest grip on a starting spot for the Lakers, but few teams are better equipped to hide a poor defender than one with Victor Wembanyama and Stephon Castle.
Kelly Olynyk will join Barnes in free agency, which only highlights San Antonio's need for a spacing forward—particularly with Castle and Dylan Harper both looking unlikely to become marksmen any time soon.
Toronto Raptors: De'Anthony Melton
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A likely taxpayer, the Toronto Raptors are more likely to improve themselves via trade than through free agency.
However they go about adding a big name or a frontcourt option with some stretch, there's a good chance RJ Barrett is involved as an outgoing salary. That's why De'Anthony Melton would be such an ideal signing.
Melton is now a year removed from a torn ACL and has shown surprising burst as a frequent ball-handler in Golden State. He can still disrupt on defense, guard anyone in the backcourt and should become even more valuable when his three-point shot returns to form.
If Barrett is gone, Melton could slide into a starting spot next to Immanuel Quickley. And if the Raptors don't swing a big trade, Melton could still carve out a major combo guard role with his two-way value. The only question is whether he'll get offers larger than the TPMLE.
Utah Jazz: Ayo Dosunmu
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The Utah Jazz vaporized their cap space by trading for Jaren Jackson Jr., shortly before the deadline. He'll team up with Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler (restricted free agent) to form an oversized front line, creating a "core four" with breakout point guard Keyonte George.
If Ace Bailey is ready to handle two-way duties as an oversized (notice a theme here?) shooting guard, that's great. If he isn't, the Jazz should probably direct their free-agent attention toward another guard who can handle the ball a little, defend and hit threes.
Ayo Dosunmu might be destined to re-sign with the Wolves and could be out of Utah's price range even if he becomes available, but his skill set would make a lot of sense here. Don't expect his 45.1 percent clip from deep to hold up, but the 26-year-old is at 37.7 percent for his career and thrives as a transition attacker. He'd be a huge addition to a team with tons of size and a strong back line on D.
Washington Wizards: Jusuf Nurkić
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The Washington Wizards joined the Jazz in opting out of the cap space game by adding Anthony Davis and Trae Young via trade, but they should still have enough room to utilize the full mid-level exception in free agency.
As intriguing as Davis and Alex Sarr may be up front, AD's health history suggests depth will be important at the center spot. Sarr can play center, and Washington has forced him to do it a ton this year by not rostering capable backups. That strategy gets shakier if tanking isn't the goal.
Jusuf Nurkić is making $19.4 million this season and should be gettable for less than that in free agency. He'd be a luxury backup who could hold his own as a starter when Davis inevitably misses time, and his heft would insulate Sarr from more physical matchups.
Don't expect Nurkić to be the triple-double machine he was during a brief heavy-minute stint for the Jazz this year, but do assume he'll bring heft, experience and the occasional 10-assist game to the party.
Stats courtesy of NBA.com, Basketball Reference and Cleaning the Glass. Salary info via Spotrac.
Grant Hughes covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Bluesky and subscribe to the Hardwood Knocks podcast, where he appears with Bleacher Report's Dan Favale.
