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

Will Anthony Davis sign a long-term contract extension to stay with the Washington Wizards, or will the 10-time All-Star be traded again this summer?

Whatever his future ends up being in the nation's capital, the trade for center Deandre Ayton will have no impact.

The Wizards plan on using Ayton alongside Davis and Alex Sarr, the No. 2 overall pick of the 2024 draft, according to The Stein Line's Marc Stein and Jake Fischer:

"With no shortage of double-big lineups popping up around the league, sources say Washington envisions Ayton playing alongside both Davis and Alex Sarr at times."

Davis becomes extension eligible on August 6.

NBA legend and former Georgetown head coach Patrick Ewing is making his return to the sidelines.

SNY's Ian Begley reported that Ewing will be joining the Washington Wizards as an assistant coach following two years as an advisor and Basketball Ambassador with the New York Knicks.

Wizards' head coach Brian Keefe is heading into his third full season on the job and now has Ewing to help work with a center rotation of Anthony Davis, Alex Sarr and Deandre Ayton.

As the NBA world awaits LeBron James' newest free agent decision, a frontrunner is starting to take shape.

Cleveland, this is for you?

"Yet there is certainly a growing belief among teams competing for James' signature that the lure of the 41-year-old playing out his final chapter with the team that drafted him — compared to, say, early favorites Golden State — is looking more and more like the scenario to beat," The Stein Line's Marc Stein and Jake Fischer write.

This comes a day after agent Rich Paul revealed a white board that had the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets as the five teams linked closest to the NBA's all-time leading scorer.

Peyton Watson is one of the best free agents on the market, although the Denver Nuggets have the right to match any offer sheet the 23-year-old forward signs.

Watson is reportedly "seeking a deal north of the $25 million in average annual value that Christian Braun secured," per The Stein Line's Marc Stein and Jake Fischer.

After teasing fans with his potential for the first three years of his career, Watson had a huge breakout last season. He averaged a career-high 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists and shot 41.1 percent from three while playing high-level defense.

Denver is already up against the second apron with four roster spots left to fill, although "this is not a team that has been operating in recent days with a determination to stay below the second apron" according to Stein and Fischer.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been quiet in free agency thus far, likely waiting on LeBron James to make his decision.

They currently possess three open roster spots. One will go to James Harden on a new deal. One is saved for James. We may now know who the third will be going to.

As The Stein Line's Marc Stein and Jake Fischer write: "One conspiracy whisper making the rounds: They want to make sure that they have open roster spots to be able to trade for the Lakers' Bronny James in the event that they are able to welcome Dad back as a free agent signee."

A trade for Bronny would fill up the final spot on the Cavs roster, unless Cleveland sent a player back to the Lakers. The Cavaliers own two trade exceptions large enough to absorb Bronny's $2.3 million salary.

The Los Angeles Lakers are in need of a new backup center behind Walker Kessler after trading Deandre Ayton to the Washington Wizards. Andre Drummond, one of their previous targets, signed with the New York Knicks on a one-year deal.

The Lakers have now expressed interest in free agent Kevon Looney, Charlotte Hornets' center Moussa Diabaté and Denver Nuggets' big man Jonas Valančiūnas, per The Stein Line's Marc Stein and Jake Fischer.

Looney, 30, can be signed at any time, although he may be hoping for more than a veteran's minimum after earning $8 million with the New Orleans Pelicans last year. 

Diabaté performed well after taking over starting center duties for the Hornets last season with his rebounding, hustle and relentless pursuit of annoying his opponents. He's an absolute bargain at $2.5 million this season and the Lakers are limited to three tradable second-round picks. A trade doesn't seem likely.

Valančiūnas may end up being their guy. The Lakers pursued him in free agency in 2024 before the veteran big man signed with the Washington Wizards. He's currently under contract with Nuggets, although Denver can save $8 million by waiving him before July 8. Los Angeles could be waiting to check on Valančiūnas' availability before making a decision on Looney or anyone else.

Part of the remodeling of the Los Angeles Lakers this summer is not expected to include Rui Hachimura, who started 41 of his 68 games for the franchise last season.

As The Stein Line's Marc Stein and Jake Fischer wrote; "There is a corresponding (and growing) expectation that free agent forward Rui Hachimura will join (LeBron) James in exiting Tinseltown"

Hachimura, 28, is ranked the 4th best free agent available on Bleacher Report's list after averaging 11.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and shooting 44.3 percent from three this year. The 6'8" forward has been a terrific three-point shooter for the Lakers over the past three-and-a-half seasons, making 41.5 percent of his treys overall.

It feels like Garrett Temple has been the positive "veteran presence" teams have been after for a decade.

There were even some rumblings earlier this offseason that someone might give him another late-career-Udonis Haslem-like deal.

But as it turns out, Temple was signed in a different capacity, and it looks like he'll be starting his coaching career with the Dallas Mavericks.

We don't know much (if anything) about Temple's coaching philosophy yet, but a recent retiree from the league can help a coaching staff connect to the players. And Temple has been the veteran leader who spends more time on the bench than on the floor for long enough that he likely picked up some coaching pointers.

Golden State has seemingly been in the mix for LeBron for months, and this is another potential indicator that that's where he'll end up.

It's not the best option for contention. It might be a little weird to join forces with the team that beat him in the Finals three times.

But there's no questioning it'd be fun to see LeBron, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green make one last Expendables-like run.

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Sneaky LeBron Landing Spots

Every Team's Best Pitch for LeBron

Settle in, folks. LeBron James' agent, Rich Paul, says there's no decision coming anytime soon.

No one can milk a free-agency decision quite like LeBron, but it makes all the sense in the world for him to take his time with this one.

There are multiple teams that are interested, could use LeBron's specific set of skills and would give him a real shot at a title in 2027.

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Sneaky LeBron Landing Spots

Every Team's Best Pitch for LeBron

This isn't quite NBA news, but Nikola Kusturica is being hailed as perhaps the best prospect to ever come out of Serbia (the country that produced Nikola Jokić and Vlade Divac), so we'll surely see him in the league soon.

In the meantime, Kusturica is reportedly eyeing a two-year, $12 million NIL deal from UCLA.

At that kind of money, we could see more players going this route. That's a salary that would beat a lot of first-round-pick contracts (and most second-round ones).

...Will we get another this year?

LeBron James' 2026 decision won't come with the same on-court impact as Kevin Durant joining the Golden State Warriors in 2016, but it could still send shockwaves through the NBA, particularly if he winds up somewhere like Minnesota or Denver.

Joining Stephen Curry or one of his former teams would be significant, but any of those three might feel expected. The Nuggets and Timberwolves might offer the best shot at a 2027 title, and neither has been known for landing big-time free agents.

Plenty of fans and analysts are still reeling from the Jaylen Brown trade, and Monday will be the first time team brass addresses it publicly.

Were there really no offers better than what Philadelphia came up with? Was there some reason the trade couldn't wait a few more months? Is the team expecting to take a step back in the short term?

There are reasonable answers to all of the above, but it will be fascinating to hear which ones Boston comes up with and see whether the fans accept any of them.

As we await LeBron's Decision 4.0, the same teams keep coming up as real possibilities for his next landing spot.

Chief among them are the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat, but mentions of the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers rarely lag far behind.

Of those six, the Warriors (age) and 76ers (Joel Embiid's health) seem least likely to win a championship in 2027, but one offers the opportunity to play with Stephen Curry and the other has tons of momentum after landing Jaylen Brown.

Cleveland and Miami, of course, offer familiarity. Both are in the Eastern Conference and could offer cleaner paths to the Finals.

The best teams, assuming the addition of LeBron, would likely be Denver or Minnesota. Playing with the duo of Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray or Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball would take a ton of pressure off LeBron's shoulders, but his playmaking and leadership would still be needed.

There's a lot for James to consider over the coming days. If he makes the right choice, a fifth ring (and maybe even a sixth?) could be a realistic possibility.

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Sneaky LeBron Landing Spots

Every Team's Best Pitch for LeBron

The biggest offseason dominos (or at least the ones most consequential for 2026-27) have already fallen, but there are still several difference-makers on the market.

Bleacher Report's list of the best remaining free agents includes, just to name a few, LeBron James, Jalen Duren, James Harden, Rui Hachimura, Peyton Watson, Bennedict Mathurin, Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green.

There isn't a lot of "spending power" left around the league for these players (and the rest of the remaining free agents) to enjoy, but those above will absolutely be on rosters before the 2026-27 campaign starts.