2026 NBA Rumors Live Updates with Latest News, Free Agency Buzz and Grades

Free agency tipped off on Tuesday afternoon, and we got plenty of action through Wednesday. Thursday, things were certainly a bit more quiet, but the rumors and signings steadily poured through.

The biggest remaining domino, at this point, is certainly LeBron James. Even as he approaches his age-42 season, he can still command the attention of the NBA world during an offseason.

And even though he's certainly not the player he was 10 years ago (or even three years ago), if money really isn't a consideration, he could be the best value add this summer.

LeBron was a top 30-40 player in 2025-26. If he's anywhere near that level next season, while playing on a deal paying him at or near the veteran minimum, he could swing the title chase.

He didn't play a ton in 2025-26 (only 855 minutes over 56 appearances), but Kenrich Williams was a steady contributor and veteran presence for the Oklahoma City Thunder.

And even if his playing time or role continue to diminish as he ages into his 30s, this was a good piece of business by OKC.

Earlier this offseason, the Thunder declined a team option that would've paid him over $7 million. Now, he's re-signing for $5 million.

That's a steal for someone with his experience, his defensive versatility and his three-point percentage over the last four years (38.6).

Grade: A

To say that this Lakers offseason has drawn mixed reactions would be a bit of an understatement.

The Walker Kessler move, when you consider the draft capital that went out (two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps), was widely seen as an overpay. And the rest of the cap going to Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili underwhelmed a lot of the fanbase.

But in totality, you can sort of see the vision. Kessler has a chance to be the kind of rim-runner and -protector that Luka Dončić has thrived with in the past. Sexton will bring some energy to the backcourt. Grimes can check (or at least partially check) the three-and-D box. And Mamukelashvili was a huge part of Toronto's bench being so good last season.

And for what it's worth, it seems that the face of the franchise is among the optimists.

"According to league sources, Luka Dončić was 'excited' about the Lakers' signings, with the team addressing his biggest desires for the roster by keeping Austin Reaves and getting an elite rim-protecting center in Kessler," Dan Woike wrote for The Athletic.

And while that obviously doesn't settle whether or not this summer was a success, keeping your star player happy is a big deal in today's NBA.

One thing about Jaylen Brown: You don't really have to wonder what's on his mind.

In this era of social media, podcasts, and in Brown's case, Twitch streams, we know athletes in a different way than we did in the past.

But even in this environment, Brown is uniquely open.

All the highlights from tonight's stream can be found here.

There are a handful of overarching philosophies that have shifted in and out of NBA basketball over the course of its history. Just a decade or so back, the Golden State Warriors were supposedly going to be the death of the center position. This summer, that's really the only position getting big paydays.

But one that's sort of transcended every dramatic change, at least recently, is the need for big wings who can guard multiple positions. Ideally, those players can hit some threes too.

Tari Eason certainly checks the former box. And though his three-point percentage is a little below average, he's good enough from out there to at least command some defensive attention.

For a contract with an average annual value that'll pay him a little less than 10 percent of 2026-27's cap, this is a good deal.

Grade: B+

Earlier this offseason, there was talk of the Denver Nuggets looking for an experienced head coach to help David Adelman, and it looks like the San Antonio Spurs were on the same wavelength.

Billy Donovan won two NCAA titles as a college coach, then was a head coach for 11 NBA seasons. He never had the ultimate success in the pros, but he does have experience handling NBA talent and a winning record.

Adding that to Mitch Johnson, who occasionally showed his youth in the playoffs, will almost certainly be a good thing.

Two-way players usually don't see a ton of minutes, but Pat Spencer sort of forced his way into the Golden State Warriors' rotation last season.

By the end of it, he'd averaged 18.6 minutes over 66 appearances (including 14 starts). And in the 31 games in which he logged at least 20 minutes, he averaged 11.6 points and 5.3 assists, while shooting 39.5 percent from three.

He turns 30 in July, so this is certainly an unusual use of a two-way spot (why not spend it on someone with some developmental runway?), but he'll at least add some versatility and toughness.

Grade: B

The Golden State Warriors are almost certainly too old to win the West over the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.

And though the Cleveland Cavaliers are likely closer to a title than Golden State, their conference houses the reigning champs and has seen the Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors all beef up this summer.

Neither spot gives LeBron a great shot at a championship, but the primary contenders may not be all that interested. And from a storytelling perspective, the Warriors and Cavs both have a lot to offer.

In Golden State, he could reunite with Olympics teammate Stephen Curry to have their "Expendables" run. Cleveland offers the tidy, full-circle end to an incredible story that started there.

Either way, LeBron will generate a mountain of attention and have fans glued to their screens for what could be the retirement tour.

After being knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves (who were without Anthony Edwards by the end of the series), the Denver Nuggets entered the offseason with a lot of questions.

Would they finally have to break up the Nikola Jokić-Jamal Murray duo? Would they be willing to spend into the second apron to re-sign Peyton Watson? Can they possibly justify just running it back?

Now months into their offseason and a couple days past the official start of free agency, all the Nuggets have done is sign Marvin Bagley to a minimum deal (actually an underrated move) and re-sign Tyus Jones to another.

In vacuums, given the cost, both deals are fine. Jones and Bagley could actually be solid contributors for the second unit.

But when fans were expecting something drastic, and several other teams are making drastic moves, Denver's summer is concerningly tame.

Grade: B

One of the greatest Toronto Raptors of all time is officially hanging it up, and he'll do so with the organization he helped win its only title.

In nine years with the Raptors, Lowry made six All-Star teams and averaged 17.5 points, 7.1 assists and 2.5 threes.

And for his entire career, he totaled 18,209 points, 7,840 assists, 5,553 rebounds and 1,675 steals. James Harden, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Jason Kidd, Chris Paul, Gary Payton and Russell Westbrook are the only players in NBA history to match or exceed all four marks.

The Toronto Raptors were already looking like an Eastern Conference contender after the Kawhi Leonard trade, and this is a savvy signing that should bring them even closer.

Kyle Anderson turns 33 in September, but he hasn't had a negative box plus/minus since his rookie season. He's among the league's best and most creative frontcourt distributors. He's a heady defender. And over the last four seasons, he's seemingly fixed one of his only glaring flaws. In that stretch, he's hit 35.5 percent of his three-point attempts.

Of course, his lack of speed might be a concern too, especially as he ages into his mid-30s, but he has the experience and defensive IQ to overcome a lot of that downside. And Toronto is loaded with aggressive, athletic defenders.

At this price, this is a great deal for Toronto.

Grade: A

Even players with star talent sometimes need a fresh start, and that's clearly the point Ja Morant reached with the Memphis Grizzlies.

With the Portland Trail Blazers, he'll have access to Damian Lillard's leadership and experience. Deni Avdija will take on the pressure of being the best player. He'll be backed up by an emerging, rim-protecting force in Donovan Clingan.

And even with all the talent in place, Portland isn't really expected to contend anytime soon (certainly not next season).

This is a spot for a soft landing for the new Ja. He can focus on the things he does well (slashing through a well-spaced floor). He has support for his weaknesses.

The chances Morant gets back to the peak he hit in Memphis are slim, but this trade at least opens them up.

While reporting that the Philadelphia 76ers plan to join the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors in the LeBron James hunt, ESPN's Shams Charania also dropped a not-to-little Easter egg. "So include the Sixers and maybe one or two other teams, in due time, in that mix," he said.

We can be reasonably certain that one of these two teams is the Minnesota Timberwolves. But what about the other one?

Are we just running through the greatest hypothetical hits, and it's the Los Angeles Clippers or San Antonio Spurs? If LeBron really is willing to play for the minimum, could the reigning-champion New York Knicks get involved?

Is the four-time MVP about to go full basketball sicko and consider teaming up with Nikola Jokić on the Denver Nuggets? Or with Kawhi Leonard on the Toronto Raptors? Or with Cade Cunningham on the Detroit Pistons?

Not-so-deep down, we all know LeBron will end up with one of the three squads mentioned ad nauseam. But it'd be bold-text awesome if he caught us all by surprise.

Using the mid-level exception to sign Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons isn't stopping the Philadelphia 76ers from shooting their shot with LeBron James.

"I'm told the Sixers are trying to make a pitch to LeBron James, along with the Warriors, the Cavaliers and the Heat," ESPN's Shams Charania said during a SportsCenter hit. "So include the Sixers and maybe one or two other teams, in due time, in that mix."

Count the Sixers among those who buy the idea LeBron will play for the minimum. Because after using the MLE and bi-annual exception (Ariel Hukporti), that is all the Sixers can offer.

If LeBron is serious about playing for scraps, Philly should probably vault to the top of the list Charania outlines.

Joining Stephen Curry on the Warriors would be cool, but championship hopes aren't founded around over-35 stars and nostalgia. The Heat would still be on the thinner end. And LeBron can't reasonably claim he wants to play "meaningful, competitive" postseason basketball and then sync up with a team that employs James Harden...right?

During an appearance on SportsCenter, ESPN's Shams Charania reiterated that Jaylen Brown did not request a trade from the Boston Celtics. He may have, however, forced their hand by demanding an extension.

"I'm told Jaylen Brown has been disappointed and disrespected with the way the Celtics have handled this situation, particularly because he never requested a trade," Charania said (h/t RealGM). He then continued:

"Once the Celtics missed out on Giannis Antetokounmpo—for the fourth straight year Jaylen Brown was dangled in trade conversations. My understanding was Jaylen Brown felt disrespected and the only way to recoup the relationship at that point was to give Jaylen Brown that two-year, $145 million extension in July. But all indications now are that the Celtics were not going to offer that. It then became about seeing what you could get on the trade market."

Technically, this isn't a trade demand or request. But if Brown let it be known the only way to make things right was with a mega extension the Celtics weren't prepared to offer, he nudged the team in that direction.

This doesn't absolve Boston of any blame in the matter. Far from it. Brown has three years left on his contract. The Celtics could have let this ride out if they were willing to be uncomfortable for a minute. They didn't.

Whether that says more about their internal view of Brown, the lack of hope at reconciliation or some combination of both, we will probably never truly know.

"I'm still processing how this all went down," Jaylen Brown writes as part of his farewell to Boston. "I'm excited and disappointed at the same time. I earned my respect from this city. I never asked for shortcuts or special treatment. I simply showed up every day, put my head down, and accepted every challenge.

"I'm big on respect and actions speak louder than words," he continues. "To the people of Boston, thank you."

Surely, nobody will read into the "I'm big on respect" line. Not one bit. Nope, nope, nope.

Sources told SI.com's Chris Mannix that prior to trading Jaylen Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Boston Celtics "kicked the tires" on Trey Murphy III. Mannix goes on to note that the Brown trade "gives them more assets to pursue" the New Orleans Pelicans wing.

Murphy would be an excellent fit in Beantown, because, well, he'd be an excellent fit anywhere. He has flashed a deeper-than-advertised on-ball arsenal, but his gravity as a shooter remains his bread and butter. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla could concoct some nasty offensive sets with him on the floor.

Murphy's potential path to Boston is nevertheless dicey. The three years and $87 million left on his contract match the Celtics' apparent desire for sub-max deals, but it also means the Pelicans will command a ransom for his services. The optics of sending out more first-rounders for him, a zero-time All-Star, when Boston only guaranteed itself one additional first as part of the Brown trade wouldn't be great.

Complicated still, unless the Celtics are getting New Orleans to accept a three-for-one package built around Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and another small salary, they can't make the math work without including Derrick White or Paul George. White figures to be a non-starter, and the Pelicans are probably less interested in PG than they would have been in Brown.

The Philadelphia 76ers are signing Anfernee Simons to a two-year, $12.3 million deal, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. That is a friggin' steal.

At this price point, Simons will fit into what's left of the Sixers' $15 million non-tax mid-level exception. The rest of it is already earmarked for Dean Wade, who's signing a four-year, $39 million deal. Getting two legitimate rotation players with this money is excellent work by Philly.

Simons profiles as a fantastic fit on a roster that currently counts Tyrese Maxey as its only lights-out shooter. The 27-year-old saw his efficiency dip after being traded from Boston to Chicago, but he promises both away-from-the-ball spacing and another layer of off-the-bounce jump-shooting.

Even with his cold finish on the Bulls factored into the equation, Simons ended the season in the 96th percentile of catch-and-shoot efficiency on treys and 90th percentile of pull-up three-point efficiency, according to BBall Index. Adding that kind of offensive punch for what amounts to less than the mini MLE is bonkers value.

Grade: A+

Yves Missi appears to be the New York Knicks' top choice to replace Mitchell Robinson. But the New Orleans Pelicans ain't having it, according to NBA Insider Chris Haynes.

The Knicks were linked to Missi at the trade deadline as well, so it's no surprise they've inquired again. Yet, because he's on the books for $3.5 million, this might suggest they're prepared to move Deuce McBirde.

New York is hard-capped at the second apron. That means it can't take back more money in trades than is going out. So unless they are attempting to aggregate Tyler Kolek and Pacome Dadiet, McBride's $4 million salary is the only other (reasonable) option.

Giannis Antetokounmpo would be on the Boston Celtics right now if the team didn't lowball him in extension talks, according to The Ringer's Bill Simmons.

"[Giannis] didn't sign off on the Miami trade for a couple days there," he explained on The Bill Simmons Podcast. "And they were talking about extensions with the Celtics. It came down to, it was two years and 30 percent of the cap or three years and 35 [percent of the cap]. The Celtics were pretty entrenched at two [years] for 30 [percent of the cap]. Giannis wanted the three [years] for 35 [percent of the cap]. And they couldn't agree on it. That was when he green lit the Miami trade."

This is insane if true. It would mean Boston went from moving Jaylen Brown for one of the five best players in basketball to accepting a package for its five-time All-Star that's being widely and rightly panned—all by choice.

Spins like this must be taken with a metric ton of salt. At the same time, Simmons' intel doesn't not line up with what we know. The Milwaukee Bucks may have always preferred the Heat's trade package. But with a player option for 2027-28, Giannis had enough leverage to make the final call between Boston and Miami.

The Celtics haggling over money and years with the two-time MVP they were aggressively chasing is harder to believe. Then again, this also lines up with what's happened since. If Boston was queasy about paying Giannis max money into his mid-30s, it explains why team president Brad Stevens didn't place premium value on having Brown on the books for $180-plus million over the next three years.

Granted, this is tougher to square away knowing 36-year-old Paul George has two years and $110-plus million left on his deal. But again, if you're pinching pennies with Giannis, it stands to reason you'd prioritize shaving off one year's worth of megastar money while getting back a first-round pick and a first-round swap.

The Miami Heat are looking to add a guard with some size, according to Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Bradley Beal and Zach LaVine are all listed as prospective targets.

Beal is the only free agent listed among those three. KCP and LaVine would need to broker buyouts with their respective teams for Miami to have a realistic shot at them.

Fortunately for the Heat, they are positioned to be at the front of the line if the Memphis Grizzlies or Sacramento Kings cut bait. Since Miami is hard-capped at the first apron, it is allowed to sign players who get waived or bought out and are making more than the $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception.

The Heat also have their eye on free-agent Anfernee Simons, per Marc Stein of The Stein Line, but the 27-year-old is likely out of their price range. Miami already used $6.5 million of the $15 million MLE on Tim Hardaway Jr., and it's tough to believe Simons won't have offers for more than $8.5 million per year.

League sources are wondering whether the Los Angeles Lakers will try dumping Deandre Ayton or Jarred Vanderbilt in hopes of creating enough room to re-sign Rui Hachimura or land Jonathan Kuminga, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

On the one hand, this makes some level of sense. Ayton and Vanderbilt were both expendable before. They are even less integral following the arrivals of Walker Kessler and Sandro Mamukelashvili. Hachimura and Kuminga would be more valuable as combo forwards, though neither of them move the defensive needle.

On the other hand, the Lakers are so asset-strapped that swinging salary dumps feels like a pipe dream. Their best trade chips are a 2032 first-round swap and 2033 second-round pick.

Some team can probably talk themselves into absorbing Ayton's $8.1 million expiring contract without much, if any, compensation. The same cannot be said for the two years and $25.7 million remaining on Vanderbilt's deal.

Don't be surprised if and when LeBron James takes a while to choose where he'll sign in free agency, folks. As ESPN's Shams Charania said on Get Up:

"After LeBron James' decision to leave the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, he returned back to the...golf course. And so, clearly, LeBron James is not in a rush right now to make a decision. He's evaluating everything. But his biggest priority in all of this is finding a team where he feels like he's going to have a chance to play meaningful basketball [and] compete for a championship. My understanding is this will not financially driven, money decision."

Charania goes on to note that three teams continue to pop up as LeBron's most likely destination in conversations around the league: The Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat.

Regardless of where he signs, it doesn't seem as if LeBron as a timetable for when he'll do it. Plan your July 4 weekend accordingly.

If an unknown number of NBA teams had their way, Jaylen Brown wouldn't be the only Boston Celtics star on the move. Jayson Tatum would be on his way out, too.

"The Celtics received calls on Jayson Tatum over the last couple of weeks," ESPN's Shams Charania said during an appearance on Get Up (h/t RealGM). "They shut those down completely, from my understanding. But when it came to Jaylen Brown, they were open to listening, and they have been for quite some time now."

It-never-hurts-to-ask due diligence is more rampant across the NBA than most realize. Stab-in-the-dark calls about the availability of superstars happen all the time.

And yet, this rumor takes on new meaning in the aftermath of Brown's departure. Between the openness with which he was shopped and what the Celtics accepted for his services, teams clearly think something is rotten in Beantown.

Frankly, they might be right. Even if they are, it doesn't appear the Celtics are so down bad they're prepared to entertain moving Tatum. At least not yet.

It turns out Marcus Smart may be joining the Houston Rockets on the mini mid-level exception after all, according to Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports.

ESPN's Shams Charania initially reported that Smart would be signing a two-year, $13 million deal. Since that comes out to more than a mini mid-level contract, the assumption has been that H-Town would cut salary so it could use part of the $15 million non-taxpayer mid-level to get the agreement over the hump and fit restricted free agent Tari Eason under the first apron hard-cap.

As Iko notes, the Rockets are indeed looking at deals to offload Dorian Finney-Smith and the three years and $39.7 million left on his contract. But Houston's urgency has lessened "to some degree" because Smart is taking the mini MLE.

A two-year deal at that price point comes out to around $12.4 million—about $600,000 less than was originally reported. While the raw is negligible, the clarification is a big deal. It means the Rockets are hard-capped at the second apron rather than the first, making them even less vulnerable to rival overtures for Eason.

After three seasons with the Toronto Raptors, head coach Darko Rajaković is getting a multi-year contract extension, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

This is well-deserved. Rajaković's coaching philosophy has proved extremely adaptable over the past three seasons. He has incorporated a bunch of different player archetypes into his offense and instilled aggressive defensive tenets that scale to lineups both with and without traditional size at the center spot.

The Raptors have also improved every year under their head honcho. They won 25 games in his first season; 30 in his second; and racked up 46 victories last year, while ranking in the top 13 of both offense and defense for the first time since their title-winning 2018-19 campaign.

Extending Rajaković now is the ultimate display of continued confidence, too. Toronto just traded for Kawhi Leonard. That significantly raises on the stakes on next season and beyond. The Raptors clearly believe Rajaković is up to the challenge.

The Boston Celtics didn't set out to accept Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks for Jaylen Brown. They were apparently hoping the Philadelphia 76ers would give them five firsts and VJ Edgecombe.

You're reading that correctly.

Speaking on SportsCenter, ESPN's Shams Charania revealed that Philly initiated talks for Brown, and that Boston's asking price was delusionally high.

"The Celtics had such a high bar on a deal," Charania said. "They were thinking if you're gonna trade us Paul George we need four firsts, five firsts. We need a player like a VJ Edgecombe. That was the bar that was set early. There were other teams around the league that might of stopped conversations or moved on to do other deals, but the Sixers stayed with it."

If this report is true, new Sixers president Mike Gansey deserves a medal for his negotiating exploits. Celtics president Brad Stevens, meanwhile, has some questions to answer. Mainly: If that is what you wanted for Brown, why move him for a fraction-of-a-fraction of that asking price instead of just, ya know, keeping him?

Anfernee Simons has "emerged" as a primary target for the Dallas Mavericks, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line. The 27-year-old shooting guard is considered extremely up-for-grabs after the Chicago Bulls, his incumbent team, signed Norman Powell to a two-year, $45 million deal.

Dallas is well positioned to bag him if its interest is serious. Even after acquiring Santi Aldama from the Memphis Grizzlies, the front office has the full $15 million mid-level exception to spend.

The Mavs checking in on Simons at all is encouraging. It proves they're committed to surrounding Cooper Flagg with better floor-spacers.

Though Simons' three-point accuracy fell off a cliff after getting traded from Boston to Chicago, he finished the season in the 96th percentile of catch-and-shoot efficiency on treys and 90th percentile of pull-up three-point efficiency, according to BBall Index. By comparison, Flagg's teammates ranked in the 19th and 21st percentiles, respectively, for the same categories.

If you have attempted to rationalize the Boston Celtics' return for Jaylen Brown by thinking he forced their hand, then phew, do we have the update for you: That didn't happen, according to SI.com's Chris Mannix.

To be fair, Boston shouldn't have cared even if Brown was agitating for an exit. He has three guaranteed years left on his deal. The Celtics, in theory, had all the leverage.

What they accepted from the Philadelphia 76ers—Paul George, two firsts and two seconds—ultimately suggests that they had a lower opinion of Brown or that we don't know the full story. A source familiar with the Cs' thinking told Mannix "J.B. had to go."

Is that because of his Twitch streams? Or because he claimed last season was his personal favorite, despite winning a title and Finals MVP in 2024?

Some think it has more to do with the three years and $180-plus million left on his contract. That's doubtful. Paul George has two years and $110-plus million remaining on his deal. If the goal was to escape the final season of Brown's pact, the Celtics could have simply waited.

This is all to say: Boston's motivations for acting like it had to deal Brown remain a mystery. But we at least know the move wasn't the result of a trade demand.

Frontloading Julian Champagnie's three-year, $45 million deal is a wise move by the San Antonio Spurs. His salary will now decrease in 2027-28, when Victor Wembanyama begins his eventual supermax extension, and again in 2028-29, when Stephon Castle's next deal would take effect.

Sure, the amounts are small. Champagnie's salary declines by $350,000 in each of the latter two seasons. But every cent of flexibility counts in the Era of Aprons.

Just ask the Oklahoma City Thunder, who are cost-cutting around the second apron right now. Or the New York Knicks, who are Super Mario-ing their way around the second apron as well.

What was already a home-run deal by the Spurs is officially even friendlier.

Grade: A

After burning through their available cap space and trade assets on non-wings, the Los Angeles Lakers are on the prowl for—you guessed it!—an actual wing. And a "high-upside swing receiving consideration" is Jonathan Kuminga, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic.

"Consideration" makes it sound like this is the Lakers' call. That would be a genuine shocker since they only have a minimum contract to offer.

Kuminga is an intensely flawed player. His defensive engagement comes and goes. The jumper is shaky. He can freelance too much when he gets the ball. The rebounding vacillates. The tunnel vision is real.

Still, if he's actually in play for the minimum, the Lakers shouldn't hesitate to bet on putting his athleticism, scoring upside and tantalizing-yet-fleeting flashes of two-way play to good use.

Just $10 million of DeMar DeRozan's $25.7 million salary for next season is guaranteed. He is apparently pushing for the Sacramento Kings to waive him (or trade him) so that he can find a new home before the market completely dries up, according to Yahoo Sports' Kelly Iko.

Sacramento feels like a good bet to grant DeRozan his wish at some point. As of now, it will be over the luxury tax if it keeps on the books.

Planning around DeRozan's defensive limitations and finite three-point shooting can be difficult, but he remains a low-turnover maestro of the mid-range with the ball-handling and vision necessary to run secondary offense. He is coming off a season in which he averaged 18.4 points and 4.1 assists while knocking down 52.1 percent of his twos.

It'll be fascinating to see how in-demand DeRozan is once he reaches the open market. Price will have a lot to do with it. Suitors will probably line up if he's willing to take mini-MLE money or less.

Marvin Bagley III is signing a one-year minimum deal to become the Denver Nuggets' latest backup center.

The 27-year-old is working off a solid 2025-26 campaign in which he split time with the Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks. Though he doesn't provide much playmaking or defense, he is a strong offensive rebounder who knows how to get a bucket.

Last year turned out to be the most efficient season of his career. He finished in the 83rd percentile of points per shot attempt and converted over 76 percent of his looks at the rim in the half-court.

Bagley is best served as as a play-finisher but has traces of a floor game. The 46.6 percent clip he posted on 52 three-point attempts is also something to watch.

Denver has gotten in the habit of rostering vastly different Nickola Jokić backups year-over-year. Bagley's arrival is no exception. He is a stark departure from Jonas Valančiūnas' more bruising style. If last year is any indication, Bagley has the higher offensive upside. So while he can by no means be the Nuggets' biggest move of the summer, he's worth a look at the minimum.

Grade: B+