Realistic, Optimistic and Dream Free-Agent Targets for Every NBA Team
It isn't often that NBA franchises enter free agency in hopes of finding a savior anymore.
And that's probably just as well, since the 2026 crop of hoopers-for-hire looks particularly light on difference-makers.
That said, there are some needle-movers in the mix, plus a plethora of players who could be comfortably entrusted with starting spots or rotation roles. Teams can still find values in free agency, provided they know where to look.
In this exercise, we'll help paint that picture by finding possible free agent fits for each organization.
Atlanta Hawks
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Dream target: Quentin Grimes (unrestricted)
The Hawks could have the funds to aim even higher than this, but the top players on the market feel like curious fits at best. (Unless they want to enter the Austin Reaves sweepstakes, but that could prove a waste of time.) Grimes could be a sensible target, then, as a 25-year-old two-way guard who could replace some of the shot-making and creation lost during the Trae Young trade.
Optimistic target: Collin Sexton (unrestricted)
Would Atlanta have the appetite for another undersized, offense-first guard after just breaking away from Young? If the pay rate is reasonable, then absolutely. Sexton is an efficient bucket-getter who also supplies some secondary playmaking, and at 27 years old, he'd be a timeline fit for a team looking to win now but also having a bit of runway in front of it.
Realistic target: Jonathan Kuminga (team option)
While the Hawks could be on the hunt for external help, their most significant decision could be made in-house, as they have a $24.3 million team option on Kuminga. That's a relatively reasonable number if they sense the 2021 draft's No. 7 pick still possesses significant untapped potential, but there haven't been obviously big developmental gains made across his first five seasons.
Boston Celtics
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Dream target: Brook Lopez (team option)
If the Los Angeles Clippers complete the transition away from their veteran core, Lopez could wind up as an affordable option. His three-point touch would keep the offense properly spaced, and he'd add even more bulk and paint protection to what's already a dominant defense.
Optimistic target: Nikola Vučević (unrestricted)
While the playoffs will determine just how many of Vučević's limitations the Celtics can stomach, he's a generally solid system fit. His three-ball allows Boston to stay spread out without sacrificing size or rebounding, and he can find his own shots in a pinch. The only question is whether his contract will cost a reasonable amount for what figures to be a supporting reserve role.
Realistic target: John Collins (unrestricted)
The Celtics have gotten good mileage up front by pairing Neemias Queta with a rangier, more offensive-minded big. Collins could thrive in that role while costing a lot less than his numbers might make you think. If his defensive shortcomings keep his pay rate in check, he could really jolt this frontcourt as a bouncy, in-prime play-finisher.
Brooklyn Nets
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Dream target: Bennedict Mathurin (restricted)
The Nets' pockets should again be plenty deep, but will they show any more interest in spending large this season? Their youth and sub-.300 winning percentage say probably not, but they don't control their 2027 first, so there is no incentive to tank. Throwing an aggressive offer sheet at Mathurin could be interesting. They'd either force the Clippers to pay up to keep him or welcome a 23-year-old who's netted 20-plus points per 36 minutes in three of his four NBA seasons.
Optimistic target: Spencer Jones (restricted)
If the Nets hit on at least a few of their five first-round picks last summer, they might be in the market for complementary pieces to fit around them. Jones, who turns 25 in June, is a dogged defender who's shooting better than 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three.
Realistic target: Day'Ron Sharpe (team option)
Regardless how aggressive Brooklyn gets this summer, picking up Sharpe's $6.3 million team option should be a no-brainer. His energy is consistent and contagious, his interior impact is almost always felt and his best days should still be ahead of him.
Charlotte Hornets
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Dream target: Lu Dort (team option)
Is there a scenario in which the Oklahoma City Thunder feel like they can't afford Dort's $18.2 million team option? Charlotte surely hopes so. He's exactly the kind of lockdown defender this roster needs, plus he's a timeline fit (26) and would have all kinds of useful information to share with this young core about what's required to win at this league's highest levels.
Optimistic target: Keon Ellis (unrestricted)
With the Hornets likely exception shopping, their budget can only stretch so far. But if it stretches far enough to sign Ellis, that'd be money well-spent. He's a career 41.5 percent three-point shooter who routinely handles (and typically pesters) the toughest defensive assignment in the backcourt.
Realistic target: Harrison Barnes (unrestricted)
Barnes, who spent his lone season of college ball in North Carolina, has lived just about every NBA reality a player can. That information alone would be invaluable to this young, ascending roster, and he's still a good enough shooter and defender to dole out the wisdom on the court as a solid support piece.
Chicago Bulls
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Dream target: Jalen Duren (restricted)
Prying Duren away from the Detroit Pistons is probably impossible. But what would the Bulls miss out on by just making sure that it's actually impossible? They need a franchise center, and the 22-year-old first-time All-Star is exactly that type of talent. Plus, Bulls executive vice president of operations Artūras Karnišovas swears he understands that "this process takes time," so this club presumably wouldn't panic if an offer sheet never amounted to an actual addition.
Optimistic target: Tari Eason (restricted)
Since the unrestricted market can't really give the Bulls what they want (or need), an aggressive approach to restricted free agency feels like the right mindset. Eason's disruptive defense and versatility both feel like possible culture-creators, and maybe the 24-year-old even has more offense than he's been able to show in Houston.
Realistic target: Mitchell Robinson (unrestricted)
The Knicks might appreciate the heck out of Robinson's bounce and presence on the glass, but they surely have a walk-away price point given his lengthy injury history. And Chicago can surely afford to offer whatever that number is. When he's upright, he's as active as anyone on the interior and above the rim.
Cleveland Cavaliers
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Dream target: LeBron James (unrestricted)
Some really believe this dream is bound to come true, and a hoops historian like James surely appreciates the coming-full-circle aspect of a return. That said, it's still tricky to marry Cleveland's spending limitations with this potential signing. James might be showing his age more than ever, but his star remains blindingly bright, and his down-for-him numbers would be career-best marks for most others (basically a 21/7/6 line).
Optimistic target: Keon Ellis (unrestricted)
As expected, Ellis' numbers have returned since getting out of his disastrous situation with the Sacramento Kings and into a winning environment. In fact, this deadline deal may have gone a little too well for Cleveland, as clubs might have more to offer for a plucky perimeter defender shooting above 50 percent overall and 40 percent from range since the swap.
Realistic target: Dean Wade (unrestricted)
Rival clubs can't be super eager to pursue a 29-year-old forward with non-elite athleticism, a shaky injury history and a career 36.7 three-point percentage, right? Well, Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson surely hopes not, as he referred to Wade as "the ultimate glue guy" and "an elite stopper" earlier this season. Wade's numbers are nondescript, but Cleveland will hope potential suitors gloss over this one: The Cavs are more than four points better per 100 possessions with Wade than without him for the third consecutive season.
Dallas Mavericks
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Dream target: Ayo Dosunmu (unrestricted)
Maybe the market will feel differently, but it seems unlikely Dosunmu lands within Dallas' price range. He isn't a perfect player by any stretch, but he's still skilled in a way that would make him an effortless fit with almost anyone. And at 26 years old, he's the kind of pickup that could have some staying power.
Optimistic target: Jaden Ivey (restricted)
Bargain shoppers almost never have access to restricted free agents—let alone ones picked as high as Ivey (No. 5 in 2022)—but he's had such a tough time staying on the court of late that you wonder if his market just craters. If he only finds prove-it pacts available, the Mavs would be wise to offer one. He might be one prolonged break from the injury bug away from a major breakthrough.
Realistic target: Anfernee Simons (unrestricted)
If free-agency shoppers again appear disinterested in undersized scoring guards, Simon should be available for cheap. While he's older (26) and offers less defensive utility than Dallas' ideal target, the Mavs will take as much non-Cooper Flagg scoring and creation as they can get. Simons is a self-sufficient scorer who shoots threes at a high enough clip to work in an off-ball role.
Denver Nuggets
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Dream target: Peyton Watson (restricted)
Denver's financial reality is such that even roster retention will be a challenge. There almost certainly is a universe in which potential poachers could at least make the Nuggets think long and hard about matching a lucrative, perhaps team-unfriendly offer sheet for Watson. Still, it'd be best for Denver's defense (by far this team's worse side) to bring the sinewy swingman back.
Optimistic target: Spencer Jones (restricted)
In a perfect world, the Nuggets would find the funds needed to re-sign both Watson and Jones. But if the former slips out of their grasp, the latter would almost certainly have to be retained. Jones is nearly just as versatile on defense, and he's been an efficient contributor on offense (albeit on limited volume).
Realistic target: Tim Hardaway Jr. (unrestricted)
Should the Nuggets sit above the second apron line, they might focus all of their free-agency efforts on bringing back their own players. Hardaway figured to be a snug fit as a reliable-ish (ignitable for sure) spacer, and that's exactly how this has played out. He came into this campaign as an established shooter, and he's on course to exit it with his first ever 40-plus percent connection rate.
Detroit Pistons
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Dream target: Jalen Duren (restricted)
While the Pistons could be on the hunt for the second scorer they so desperately need to slot alongside Cade Cunningham, nothing they do this summer will matter more than getting Duren's signature on a long-term agreement. They've already watched him chisel his elite tools into All-Star talents, and they must be fascinated by the thoughts of what could come next for the 22-year-old.
Optimistic target: CJ McCollum (unrestricted)
If Detroit is only operating with the taxpayer's midlevel exception, it won't have an easy time filling that second-scorer's role. But maybe that's just enough to entice McCollum, given his relative lack of team success to this point. Even if he's merely a spark plug for a contender at this stage of his career, he should have plenty of self-generated buckets still in him.
Realistic target: Landry Shamet (unrestricted)
Detroit will forever be searching for shooting around Cunningham, especially while it's getting so little out of its frontcourt. Shamet doesn't bring much beyond spacing and full-throttle defense, but you could see how a minimum pact might make sense for both sides.
Golden State Warriors
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Dream target: Anfernee Simons (unrestricted)
If the Dubs make a huge wager this summer, it'll happen on the trade market. In free agency, they'll have to much more calculated. Like, say, hoping that the mini-midlevel is enough to land Simons as both an instant-offense spark and a non-Steph Curry spacer. Simons is such a dreadful defender that his minutes will always be somewhat limited on a team with win-now intentions, but Golden State might be desperate enough for non-Curry scoring that it'd consider Simons as a top target.
Optimistic target: De'Anthony Melton (player option)
The Warriors would presumably want nothing more than having Melton pick up his $3.5 million player option. Even with his injury history, they'd be willing to absorb that risk in return for all that he brings—point-of-attack defense, transition scoring and the right mix of on- and off-ball skills to play both behind and alongside Curry.
Realistic target: Kristaps Porziņģis (unrestricted)
While it's possible to envision Melton opting out and pricing himself out of the Warriors' budget, Porziņģis should be affordable. His unicorn blend of shot-blocking and floor-spacing only matters if he can keep himself off the sidelines, and there's too much evidence suggesting he can't consistently for anyone to throw major money his way. At the proverbial right price, he's still a fun fit for a fully healthy Warriors squad (assuming that's something the hoops world will eventually get to see again).
Houston Rockets
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Dream target: Tari Eason (restricted)
While a dream contract year could have positioned Eason for a huge payday, his relative letdown of a 2025-26 season should have his actual pay rate enter much more reasonable territory. As long as that's the case, the Rockets would be foolish to let him walk. The stat sheet-overstuffer makes Swiss Army knives appear one-dimensional.
Optimistic target: Bruce Brown Jr. (unrestricted)
Whenever Fred VanVleet rejoins the Rockets, their on-court organization will immediately improve. And yet, they still seem like they could seek out additional playmaking, ideally from a player who brings more than that one skill to the table. Brown can create for others, but he's also an aggressive downhill scorer, a versatile defender and, generally speaking, an adequate outside shooter.
Realistic target: Cam Thomas (unrestricted)
Did the crickets Thomas heard as a restricted free agent last summer humble him a bit? Or how about being waived by Brooklyn and then signed by Milwaukee, only to lose his rotation spot with the Bucks? No one knows how he'll respond to all of this, but it sure feels like he isn't finding more than a prove-it pact. And Houston could do worse than giving him one to see if he could carve out a niche role as a self-sufficient scorer.
Indiana Pacers
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Dream target: Bogdan Bogdanović (team option)
Even at full-strength, the Pacers could use more places to turn for self-generated offense. When Bogdanović is healthy, he is both a capable creator and a savvy enough shooter to offer just as much value away from the ball. If he can put the injury problems that have plagued him this season in the past, he could be an asset for this backcourt and bench unit.
Optimistic target: Harrison Barnes (unrestricted)
Indiana could be on the lookout for two-way forwards, and Barnes still wears that label—along with a possible clearance price tag acknowledging his age and apparent decline. He's a solid get if he brings both reliable shooting and respectable defense, and he's a great one if he's standout in either department or a sneaky-decent source of support scoring.
Realistic target: Josh Okogie (unrestricted)
Between Tyrese Haliburton's return and the deadline addition of Ivica Zubac, the Pacers should have a shot at contending for the East crown next season. That win-now incentive should have Indiana thinking about defense, and Okogie brings that in spades, plus energy and sporadic shooting on the offensive end.
Los Angeles Clippers
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Dream target: Walker Kessler (restricted)
L.A. opened an Ivica Zubac-sized hole at the center spot during trade season, and it needs someone to fill it. Why not Kessler? If his availability issues give the Utah Jazz any concern, maybe the Clippers could swoop in and add an elite defensive anchor who could immediately form a productive pick-and-roll pairing with Darius Garland.
Optimistic target: Bennedict Mathurin (restricted)
If the Clippers aren't focused on the future, they're at least cognizant of it, and that should be reason enough to explore extending their relationship with Mathurin. His three-ball has abandoned him since his deadline arrival, but he's still giving the Clippers nearly 20 points a night. He is clearly a gifted scorer, and since he's only 23, it's reasonable to hope he still becomes even more.
Realistic target: John Collins (unrestricted)
Once this season ends, Collins' days of collecting $25 million-plus salaries should be in the rearview. If he is priced appropriately, he's worth bringing back for his bounce, outside shot and typically efficient scoring.
Los Angeles Lakers
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Dream target: Jalen Duren (restricted)
The Lakers haven't found the right center to pair with Luka Dončić just yet, but the league's scoring leader previously identified Duren as an ideal fit. It would cost a fortune for L.A. to get this done, but if the potential prize is making life easier on (and more productive with) its best player, then that's probably a price worth paying.
Optimistic target: Peyton Watson (restricted)
The Lakers' defense is pretty much soft all over, but it feels most vulnerable on the wings. Lure Watson away from the Nuggets, though, and maybe that's the Band-Aid fix this bunch really needs. The Lakers have "privately discussed" a Watson pursuit, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin, and it's fair to wonder whether the interest is mutual, since he's a SoCal native who played his lone season of college ball at UCLA.
Realistic target: Austin Reaves (player option)
The "realistic" label isn't intended as a slight to Reaves. Rather, it's just a reflection of the fact this feels like the most doable item on the team's to-do list. The Lakers are reportedly ready to extend a five-year, $240 million offer to Reaves, per Lakers Daily's Ashish Mathur, and have "no fear" of losing their homegrown star.
Memphis Grizzlies
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Dream target: Jonathan Kuminga (team option)
The Grizzlies will do the bulk of their rebuilding work during the draft, but they should be flexible enough to chase mid-level talent in free agency. Kuminga wouldn't want to be labeled as such, but that could be how he's received after an injury-impacted season. He could see perception-changing potential with the Grizzlies, who could showcase him in ways the Warriors never did.
Optimistic target: Ousmane Dieng (restricted)
Memphis may not have the money needed to poach a highly coveted restricted free agent, but is that how the market will view Dieng? He has looked good in Milwaukee, but he spent his first three-plus NBA seasons in anonymity while being buried on the Thunder's bench.
Realistic target: Cam Thomas (unrestricted)
Maybe the NBA has cooled completely on Thomas, but it still feels strange to entirely abandon a 24-year-old with knockout-powered scoring punch. If there is a team that could target him, it's probably one that's a(n inevitable) Ja Morant trade away from running offense through Zach Edey and Cedric Coward.
Miami Heat
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Dream target: Norman Powell (unrestricted)
The Heat are forever whale watching—and surely paying close attention to the latest uncomfortable moments between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee—but adding an external elite means either trading for one or waiting until they have more to spend in 2027. For now, then, it'd be best to work out a short-term arrangement with Powell, who turned his first season in South Beach into his All-Star debut.
Optimistic target: Nick Richards (unrestricted)
When Miami starts Kel'el Ware or entrusts him with a stater's workload, it exposes the nonexistent nature of its depth behind him. A quality backup big could quietly go a long way for this group, and Richards is one of the better reserve centers you'll find. He plays within himself and gets busy around the basket on both ends.
Realistic target: Andrew Wiggins (player option)
Wiggins is solid, but if he just picks up his $30.2 million player option for next season, he'll be paid like he's closer to special. Miami probably won't get $30.2 million of production out of him, but this gives the team a sturdy, two-way contributor for next season and the flexibility it has so carefully created beyond that.
Milwaukee Bucks
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Dream target: Andrew Wiggins (player option)
It's unlikely Wiggins walks away from a $30.2 million player option, but if the Bucks are dreaming, this is about as good as their full midlevel could get, right? They can't afford to add the co-star Giannis Antetokounmpo surely covets, but Wiggins has been an All-Star, the second-best player on a title team and an impact player on both ends, so the pickup could pacify Antetokounmpo for a little longer.
Optimistic target: Lu Dort (player option)
While Milwaukee would love to turn the midlevel into a two-way asset, it might bend on that preference for the chance to add Dort's defense, toughness and championship experience. And it could easily come out ahead on the investment if he resuscitates his offense; he averaged double-digit points and shot better than 40 percent from range the two seasons prior to this.
Realistic target: Rui Hachimura (unrestricted)
If the Bucks are pushing forward with Giannis—and they surely will until he forces a change of plans—then they have to be on the lookout for two-way wings. Hachimura is an active, physical defender who's shooting better than 40 percent from three for the fourth time in five seasons. This would be midlevel money well spent.
Minnesota Timberwolves
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Dream target: Ayo Dosunmu (unrestricted)
Minnesota's budget is limited to the mini-midlevel exception, meaning Dosunmu should be prioritized over any external pursuits. He's been everything the Wolves could've wanted and more—an all-hustle tone-setter who fits on or off the ball and offers similar versatility on the defensive end.
Optimistic target: CJ McCollum (unrestricted)
The Wolves will be eyeing ball-handlers until that role is unequivocally filled, and McCollum could be a fun one. As a spark-plug sixth man, he could split his time slipping past defenders off the dribble or keeping the offensive end properly spaced with his 39.5 career three-point percentage.
Realistic target: Luke Kennard (unrestricted)
Minnesota needs wide driving lanes for Anthony Edwards, and it doesn't always get much spacing help from its frontcourt. So, it'll almost always make sense to seek out additional shooting, especially from someone like Kennard, who can bring a bit of ball-handling and smart-read passing, too.
New Orleans Pelicans
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Dream target: Kristaps Porziņģis (unrestricted)
Pelicans fans might roll their eyes at this selection (and the next one), because no team needs to tempt fate with oft-injured players less than the one still following the lead of Zion Williamson. That said, New Orleans really needs a shot-blocking, shot-making unicorn big, and those are awfully hard to find with the taxpayer's midlevel. Unless, of course, there's an injury discount built in, as there would have to be with Porziņģis.
Optimistic target: Zach Collins (unrestricted)
Collins' availability issues might help him fit right in with the Pelicans, but the real draws here are his physicality, mobility and occasional shotmaking. While injuries rocked his 2025-26 season, he did manage to make more than 60 appearances in each of the previous three campaigns.
Realistic target: Jock Landale (unrestricted)
Landale has enjoyed a modest breakout this season, but it shouldn't be the kind that skyrockets his next salary. He is, after all, 30 years old and posted his loudest numbers on a bad Grizzlies team, so his stats may not be fully taken at face value. If he's priced around the minimum again, though, he'd make sense for a New Orleans team that needs jumbo shooters to slot alongside Williamson or Derik Queen.
New York Knicks
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Dream target: Mitchell Robinson (unrestricted)
Outside of minimum shopping, New York must find a way to keep Robinson, whom OG Anunoby described as "a special player" and added "(there's) no one like him in the league." Robinson's availability is always iffy, and his scoring range extends as far as his arms can reach, but he really is a game-changing presence on the glass and around the basket.
Optimistic target: Tim Hardaway Jr. (unrestricted)
If New York can't afford to keep Landry Shamet, Hardaway could be a cost-effective replacement. He has long been able to pile up threes in bunches, and he has never shot them more efficiently. He also has a working knowledge of what it means to be a Knick, having already served two tenures with the team.
Realistic target: Bones Hyland (unrestricted)
The Knicks could poke around for cheap ball-handlers, and they might see Hyland as capable of giving them a lot of what they hoped they'd be getting from Jordan Clarkson. Hyland is more scorer than table-setter, but New York already showed a willingness to accept that archetype by bringing in Clarkson in search of bench buckets.
Oklahoma City Thunder
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Dream target: Isaiah Hartenstein (team option)
Keeping Hartenstein and his $28.5 million team option would mean this organization has decided it can't afford to pinch pennies during title pursuits. That's how you'd hope any franchise would operate, but you never know, especially one operating in such a small market.
Optimistic target: Lu Dort (team option)
The Thunder have enough quality perimeter defenders to potentially convince the bean-counters that Dort and his $18.2 million team option are nonessentials. Again, though, you'd hope the basketball minds win out. He's an all-caps ELITE defender, and his offense isn't an automatic lost cause.
Realistic target: Kenrich Williams (team option)
Sensing a pattern here? Look, it's not complicated. If you have a championship roster, you should be doing everything you can to keep it together. The Thunder don't always need Williams, but he's the definition of a culture-setting stay-ready professional. When his number is called, he's a steady source of hustle, defensive effort and a smattering of smart, efficient shots.
Orlando Magic
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Dream target: Landry Shamet (unrestricted)
Capable shooters who won't great destroyed on defense are perpetually placed atop Orlando's wish list. They're also tricky to get for a team that might only have minimum money to offer. That probably isn't enough for Shamet, but you could dream up a scenario where it might be.
Optimistic target: Kevin Huerter (unrestricted)
Huerter has gone ice cold for a second consecutive season, which could really limit his options in free agency. Even Orlando's interest might be tepid at this point, but it should never write-off a shooter with decent positional size.
Realistic target: Cameron Payne (unrestricted)
Payne wouldn't be guaranteed minutes in Orlando, but he could probably handle the ones thrown his way. For shopping in the clearance section, he's a decent source of quick-strike scoring, streaky shooting and a pinch of playmaking.
Philadelphia 76ers
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Dream target: Kelly Oubre Jr. (unrestricted)
There may not be universal agreement among Sixers fans with this, but Oubre feels like the most important internal free agent to bring back. He competes on defense, he races out in transition and his scoring outbursts can be game-changers. He has his tunnel-vision tendencies, obviously, but Philly should know by now that the shots he creates are almost always for himself.
Optimistic target: Spencer Jones (restricted)
Funding a restricted free agent pursuit is probably closer to dreaming than being optimistic, but Jones wasn't a rotation player last season, and even this season, his numbers are pedestrian. A sharp front office, though, could be drawn toward his defensive versatility and low-maintenance, high-efficiency offense.
Realistic target: Kenrich Williams (team option)
If Williams gets financially squeezed out of the Sooner State, the Sixers should be all over him. They need forward depth in general, and they could really use a shape-shifting defender with a workable three-ball.
Phoenix Suns
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Dream target: Collin Gillespie (unrestricted)
Suitors could be numerous and energetic for Gillespie, who has played a pivotal role in the Suns' expectation-shattering season. He is a quantity-plus-quality shooter, a savvy floor general and a pesky, tireless defender.
Optimistic target: Mark Williams (restricted)
The Suns sought out Williams for his length, bounce and interior activity, and they can't be displeased with any of the above. He's a walking double-double with the right amount of force to control the painted area on both ends.
Realistic target: Jaxson Hayes (unrestricted)
With free agency potential poaching Williams and/or Nick Richards, the Suns could be in the market for bigs. They could do worse than Hayes, a 7-footer who's one of the peppier rim-runners around.
Portland Trail Blazers
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Dream target: Norman Powell (unrestricted)
The Blazers could use more shooting from the off-guard spot, and Powell, who spent parts of two seasons in Portland, would be an interesting source of it. He could be hoping for more than the taxpayer's midlevel the Blazers have to offer, but in this market, that feels appropriate for a player of his pedigree.
Optimistic target: Quentin Grimes (unrestricted)
Grimes bet on himself last summer by playing on his qualifying offer, and the payout he was hoping to get almost surely isn't materializing. His numbers are down in most important areas, which maybe just makes him more affordable for the Trail Blazers.
Realistic target: Anfernee Simons (unrestricted)
Damian Lillard is already back in Rip City, so why not keep the homecoming theme going? Portland could use additional spacing in the backcourt, and Simons could be easier to keep around on a more sensible salary. The list of players with his combination of shooting touch and vertical explosion isn't long.
Sacramento Kings
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Dream target: Jonathan Kuminga (team option)
The Kings stayed in the Kuminga trade market longer than anyone, and while they never got a deal done, that interest could easily remain. It's not like they're suddenly flush with upside-rich prospects, after all. They are desperate for building blocks, and if the taxpayer's midlevel is enough to sign him, it's worth seeing if he could become one.
Optimistic target: Ousmane Dieng (restricted)
Any young player with even a hint of potential should have Sacramento's attention. Dieng has used his deadline move to Milwaukee to suggest he's got more than a hint. Despite being a member of the 2022 draft class, he'd be the youngest player on this roster.
Realistic target: Cam Thomas (unrestricted)
Sacramento should be developing more interesting young players than Thomas, but remember: this team wasn't trying to tank. So, the Kings could throw him a cheap flier and give him all the touches you assume would be vacated by DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine sooner than later.
San Antonio Spurs
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Dream target: Rui Hachimura (unrestricted)
Maybe the Spurs prefer Harrison Barnes for his institutional knowledge, but if they want to change things up at forward, Hachimura would be an interesting alternative. He's younger, a little more dynamic as a self-sufficient scorer and just as reliable for long-range shooting and physical defense.
Optimistic target: Nikola Vučević (unrestricted)
Center depth may not be a need in the Alamo City, but frontcourt spacing might always be one as long as the Spurs have so many shaky shooters in the backcourt. Vooch is a good enough shooter to pull defenders away from the basket, and he can punish smaller players who switch onto him with post-ups and putbacks.
Realistic target: Simone Fontecchio (unrestricted)
Fontecchio looks the part of a big wing shooter, but his results aren't always there. If San Antonio's developmental system could bring those out of him, it could have a real asset for its second unit.
Toronto Raptors
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Dream target: De'Anthony Melton (player option)
Assuming the Raptors don't unload salaries in a trade, they might only have the taxpayer's midlevel to throw around. That means it'll either by tricky to fill their shooting void or be impossible to do so without adding a specialist. Unless, of course, Melton, a system fit with his length and defensive disruption, rediscovers the shooting touch that allowed him to shoot 38.3 percent from three over the previous five seasons.
Optimistic target: Keon Ellis (unrestricted)
Ellis meets Toronto's standing demands for length and defensive playmaking, plus his three-ball almost always runs hot. His 38 percent splash rate, which would be tops among the Raptors' rotation stables, is actually the lowest of his four-year career.
Realistic target: Javonte Green (unrestricted)
When Green's streaky three-ball is off, he's basically restricted to being a defensive energizer. But when he's converting outside looks at even a league-average clip, he's a pretty seamless fit for the three-and-D archetype.
Utah Jazz
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Dream target: Walker Kessler (restricted)
The Jazz could open enough cap space to dream about external targets, but their deadline deal for Jaren Jackson Jr. was probably as splashy as things will get in Salt Lake City for the foreseeable future. And, honestly, that's fine when Kessler should probably be the priority, anyway. He does everything you'd want a rim-runner to do, and he'll drop hints about shooting touch that could add an interesting wrinkle to that perpetually helpful role.
Optimistic target: Ayo Dosunmu (unrestricted)
With Jackson added to the frontcourt, and Keyonte George ascending in the backcourt, Utah might be a solid shooting guard away from climbing the West standings. Dosunmu would be an awesome fit. He matches the timeline, he contributes on both ends and his ability to play on or off the ball would complement this core while adding different dimensions to it.
Realistic target: Landry Shamet (unrestricted)
Shamet could check a lot of the same boxes as Dosunmu, only without the same level of shot-creation. That makes him a less ideal fit, but it also should put him into their affordable price range.
Washington Wizards
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Dream target: Mitchell Robinson (unrestricted)
The Wizards already took their big swings on Trae Young and Anthony Davis, but they could still have access to the full midlevel. If that's enough to lure Robinson away from the Knicks, Washington should pounce on the chance to have an impact depth piece behind the Brow.
Optimistic target: Day'Ron Sharpe (team option)
It's hard to envision the Nets declining Sharpe's affordable $6.3 million team option, but does anyone have a good feel for what that franchise is trying to do? If we're being optimistic, maybe the big fella shakes loose, and Washington suddenly has access to a reliable rebounder and finisher.
Realistic target: John Collins (unrestricted)
The ideal frontcourt addition for the Wizards would be reliable, affordable and capable of backing up both Davis and Alex Sarr and being able to share the floor with either one. Collins should check every box. He's a limited defender and not at all a creator, but he's an intriguing, bouncy play-finisher with a three-ball that impresses with accuracy, even if the volume underwhelms a touch.
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