2026 NBA Free Agents Rumors, Predictions Based on Late-Season Buzz
The 2025-26 NBA season is winding to a close. While most of the basketball world is focused on the upcoming postseason—and the play-in tournament that will precede it—the offseason isn't that far away.
Free-agency negotiations can begin on June 30, with the signing period opening on July 6.
While free agency is only part of the offseason process, several notable players are scheduled to hit the market, and some of them may shift the NBA landscape.
Here, we'll examine some notable 2026 free agents, dive into the latest buzz, and make a few predictions.
Warriors 'Fully Committed' to Bringing Back Porziņģis
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The Golden State Warriors have battled through several significant injuries this season, yet have been good enough to reach the play-in tournament. If Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Moses Moody are all healthy next season, there's a real chance that Golden State will be back in the title mix.
Bringing back Kristaps Porziņģis should be a big part of Golden State's offseason equation.
Acquired in February, the 30-year-old has been the high-level rebounding, rim-protecting big man that the Warriors have long lacked. However, Porziņģis is also set to be an unrestricted free agent this summer and should have options on the open market.
According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, though, it'll be a surprise if Porziņģis departs.
"Sources say the Warriors are fully committed to getting a deal done with him quickly this summer. Porzingis has made it known to the franchise that he wants to stay, and Dunleavy made this trade with the Atlanta Hawks in order to keep the seven-footer around past the 2025-26 season."
The question probably isn't whether the Warriors will re-sign Porziņģis, but what sort of deal they'll offer. Expect him to get a multi-year extension, as Golden State gears up for another run.
Prediction: The Warriors re-sign Porziņģis on a two-year deal.
Young, Harden Expected to Stay with Current Teams
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Porziņģis was far from the only big-name player on the move at the trade deadline. Several teams took big swings as sort of a precursor to 2026 free agency.
The Washington Wizards, for example, added both Anthony Davis and Trae Young as part of their ongoing rebuild. Young has a player option for the 2026-27 season and could opt out and hit free agency.
The Cleveland Cavaliers acquired James Harden at the deadline, and he also has a player option for the upcoming season. Both Harden and Young will be top-five free agents if they actually reach the market.
According to Siegel, however, "neither Young nor James Harden are leaving their current situations with the Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers, respectively."
How will things play out for the Wizards and Cavs this summer? We'd expect the 36-year-old Harden to pursue a new multi-year deal while he still can, while Young may try to maximize his value in 2027 free agency.
Young can earn just under $49 million by opting in for the final year of his contract. If he plays well next season, he could earn himself a lucrative free agent deal a year from now.
Prediction: Harden signs a new two-year deal with Cleveland, while Young opts in for 2026-27.
LeBron James Likely to Be a Big Offseason Topic
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Before Luka Dončić suffered a significant hamstring injury that will shut him down for the remainder of the regular season—at a minimum—the Los Angeles Lakers were starting to look like viable contenders. That will undoubtedly play a factor in LeBron James' upcoming offseason decisions.
The 41-year-old isn't the player he once was and has battled sciatica this season. However, James is still an above-average player who has settled nicely into the No. 3 role for L.A. He'll be an unrestricted free agent this summer and may choose to return to the Lakers, retire, or continue his career elsewhere.
According to Dave McMenamin and Tim Bontemps of ESPN, James' contract wishes will play a huge factor in his offseason market.
"Will he play for the midlevel exception? For the minimum?" one scout asked, per McMenamin and Bontemps. "A big part of this is knowing what he will be willing to do [financially]."
If James is willing to play on a league-minimum deal, or something close to it, he'll be an option for virtually every team. McMenamin and Bontemps mentioned the Warriors, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, and the Cavaliers as possibilities, alongside the Lakers.
Cleveland, of course, would provide James with a homecoming and a chance to make another title run through the Eastern Conference. McMenamin reported in January that Cleveland would "gladly welcome" James if he wanted to return for a third stint.
Don't be surprised if James decides to hold his farewell tour with his hometown team and the one that drafted him.
Prediction: James signs with Cleveland on a one-year deal.
