10 Sneaky-Good NBA Free Agency Signings So Far
Headline moves haven't been remotely hard to find during the 2026 NBA offseason.
They aren't, however, the only ones that will matter coming out of this blockbuster-filled summer.
Subtle, smart, sneaky-good signings can be quiet needle-movers, too. Especially in the Association's second apron era, during which every single dollar must be maximized. Let's dissect 10 of the best under-the-radar deals signed so far.
Julian Champagnie, San Antonio Spurs
1 of 10
The contract: Three years, $45 million
This past season, as the San Antonio Spurs were morphing from a young team finding its way to a 62-win juggernaut, two of their rotation regulars were posting net differentials north of plus-7.0 points per 100 possessions: Victor Wembanyama and Julian Champagnie.
The former will hold blank-check status for as long as he calls the Alamo City home. The latter somehow just signed on the dotted line at a wholly reasonably pay rate of $15 million per season, or less than half of the 2026-27 salaries owed to Jerami Grant, Dejounte Murray and Immanuel Quickley.
Champagnie is a 6'7" sharpshooter who can credibly defend multiple positions. He's also 25 years old. Contenders are routinely tripping over themselves to find viable three-and-D wings with this kind of size, and San Antonio just secured the prime-year services of one for mid-level exception money. Insert your favorite applause gif here.
Tari Eason, Houston Rockets
2 of 10
The contract: Five years, $81.5 million
When the Houston Rockets and Tari Eason had contract extension talks last offseason, nine-figure amounts were thrown around. Houston wound up nearly $20 million shy of that while getting a five-year commitment from him, though that last season has a player option.
Now, that does highlight how Eason didn't exactly ace his contract-year test. (His two-point percentage plummeted, and his scoring output backtracked a bit.) He did, however, make 57-plus appearances for the second straight season, futher distancing himself from the injury trouble that felt like his biggest worry so far.
He is a tooled-up, all-purpose defender with helpful glue-guy utility on offense. And he only turned 25 in May. His future is bright—like All-Defensive bright—and his present honestly seems worth more than this.
Collin Gillespie, Phoenix Suns
3 of 10
The contract: Four years, $48 million
When an NBA team spawns an unexpected contributor, they can sometimes get carried away at the negotiating table. The Suns stopped well short of that mark, even if a $48 million deal would've seemed unimaginable for much of Collin Gillespie's career to this point, which included going undrafted in 2022 and playing on two-way pacts for his first three seasons.
His fourth was a full-fledged breakout, though. He cashed 40.1 percent of his long-range looks and shot a ridiculous 45.8 percent on catch-and-shoot threes, the second-best splash rate among all players with 100-plus such makes. He also quarterbacked this offense like a seasoned pro, nearly triping his turnovers (1.6) with assists (4.6) while easing the playmaking burden on Devin Booker.
Throw in that Gillespie is forever willing (if not always physically able) on the defensive end, and he is just a smart, steady role player who understands how to maximize his strengths and live within his limitations. This is a more than appropriate pay rate for the 27-year-old's prime years.
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Luke Kennard, Phoenix Suns
4 of 10
The contract: Two years, $13 million
The NBA values the three-point shot like never before, and Luke Kennard just paced the entire player pool with a scorching 47.8 three-point percentage. It was the third time in the last five seasons that he's had basketball's best splash rate.
The Phoenix Suns getting him on this contract—during the same offseason in which the Detroit Pistons gave Kevin Huerter a three-year, $27 million deal—feels like it had to meet the legal definition of larceny. The Atlanta Hawks signed Kennard for $11 million just last summer. Now his average annual salary is just over half of that? After posting a 50/40/90 slash line and popping off for 18-plus efficient points in three different playoff games?
Hats off to the Suns here, and they nearly had additional entries with the quality investments made in Mark Williams (three years, $38 million) and Pat Spencer (two-way contract), too. It's almost all enough to make you forget they forked over an unprotected future first for Miles Bridges. Can't get 'em all right, I guess.
De'Anthony Melton, Golden State Warriors
5 of 10
The contract: Two years, $11 million
A colossal contract—or at least a significant raise from this pay rate—might yet emerge for De'Anthony Melton. He just needs to stay healthy enough for long enough that someone feels comfortable committing more to him than these short-term prove-it pacts: a two-year deal with a player option on the second season, just like he signed last summer.
While he is finding it increasingly difficult to make it onto the court (93 games plaeyd the past three seasons combined), he remains an impact player as always. A disruptive defensive playmaker, downhill attacker and relentless finisher, he just completed his eighth season in the NBA. He's had a positive net-differential in all but one of them and posted a strong plus-5.8 this past season.
Further distancing himself from a November 2024 ACL tear would do help for his value and rediscovering his three-point shot should do even more (29.4 this past season, 38.3 over the previous five). He might get awfully costly at some point, but the Warriors will be glad he is nowhere close to that now.
CJ McCollum, Atlanta Hawks
6 of 10
The contract: One year, $21 million
No one had an answer for the world champion New York Knicks during this last postseason. Other than maybe CJ McCollum, who had his fingerprints all over New York's two first-round losses—one more defeat than the Knicks would suffer over the final three rounds combined.
McCollum is 34 years old. He has never offered much resistance at the defensive end. He just averaged his fewest points since 2014-15 (18.7) and fewest assists of the 2020s (3.9). You can understand why he wasn't an option for everyone in free agency, but this feels like the Hawks are getting away with something.
He is awesome for what they need to remain a notable team in the East: slippery shot-creation, fearless shot-making, an appreciation for the moment that only comes from having gone through so many. He is also something of a magician, both for what he can do on the offensive end but also for making $21 million seem like a bargain.
Landry Shamet, New York Knicks
7 of 10
The contract: Four years, $24 million
Landry Shamet was waived twice during 2024. He settled for a prorated minimum contract that December, then took another minimum deal this past September. He obviously did well for himself on this deal, then, at least in relative terms, but his steadiness and scorching shooting on basketball's biggest stage could've yielded even greater riches elsewhere.
His three-point shooting sits right on the intersection of really good and totally great: 39.2 percent this past season (47.5 in the playoffs!), 38.6 percent for his career. Nothing really special pops in his skill set, but he is a serviceable defender, a savvy off-ball mover and a capable connective passer.
The overall package adds up to more than a $6 million player, but the 'Bockers can offer continuity and another shot at contention, not to mention security after those previous short-term pacts. It's probably a good deal for Shamet, but it's a great one for New York.
Day'Ron Sharpe, Brooklyn Nets
8 of 10
The contract: Two years, $20 million
The Brooklyn Nets, having witnessed Day'Ron Sharpe cement himself as one of the league's best backup bigs, seemingly cleared him a starting spot by trading away Nic Claxton. But they managed to do so while still giving him awesome-backup-big-man money.
He has a smaller salary than what the Atlanta Hawks just gave 30-year-old journeyman Jock Landale (one year, $14 million). It's almost the same deal Brooklyn gave Mo Wagner (two years, $19 million), a 29-year-old who sandwiched 66 games the last two seasons around an ACL tear. It's half the salary Golden State Warriors are paying Kristaps Porziņģis, a 30-year-old who has topped 60 appearances once since 2016-17.
Sharpe is 24 years old. He can finish around the rim, he grabs every rebound in arm's reach, he competes hard defensively and he makes smart, quick reads as a passer. He still has room for growth—primarily as a rim protector—but he has time to engineer that growth, too. Even without that developmental jump, though, he is a great get at this price.
Anfernee Simons, Philadelphia 76ers
9 of 10
The contract: Two years, $12.3 million
It wasn't particularly surprising to see Anfernee Simons struggle to snag a bag this summer. The league has sort of soured on his archtype: undersized scoring guards who aren't primary creators or capable defenders. Still, this feels like a case of overthinking things. When the main objective is putting the ball in the basket, players who can do that effectively and efficiently are still worth not insignificant sum.
Simons is a dynamic shotmaker. He has the 15th-most made threes since 2021-22 and a 38.1 percent splash rate for his career. He can also bury buckets from almost any situation, as he had a surprisingly close split of threes off catch-and-shoot chances (85 makes) and perimeter pull-ups (61). He's also too good of a passer to be labeled as only a scorer (2-to-1 career assist-to-turnover ratio) and athletic enough to be a former Dunk Contest participant.
He should be a need-filling spacer who takes heat off of Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid, and he'll help add another gear to this transition attack. Simons' salary looks great in a vacuum, and it's even more attractive when considering the void he'll fill that were left behind by Jared McCain and Quentin Grimes.
Dean Wade, Philadelphia 76ers
10 of 10
The contract: Four years, $39 million
It might just be the summer of steals for the 76ers, who could have a gold mine here if they manage to keep Dean Wade upright. His defensive versatility, shooting and low-maintainence offense should all be effortless, probably underappreciated, quietly essential fits for a staring five now featuring Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid.
Wade's stats will never stand out. The most notable one might be games played, and it's only relevant for the wrong reasons (sub-60 in five straight seasons). Dip below the surface, though, and his impact becomes obvious. For the duration of his seven-year career, his teams have been 3.1 points better per 100 possessions with him than without.
If there's any worry here, it's that Wade's 30th birthday arrives in November, and there's a chance his age will worsen his availability issues. If he just plays, though, he should be a quietly critical piece of this suddenly contending-level core. That's an awesome itch to scratch for less than an eight-figure salary.
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