Ranking Top NBA Free Agents Available Ahead of 2026-27 Season

Most NBA teams have locked in the heart of their 2026-27 rosters. The whirlwind of movement included LeBron James joining the Philadelphia 76ers, Peyton Watson being sign-and-traded from the Denver Nuggets to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Jonathan Kuminga finally inking with the Minnesota Timberwolves at a relative discount.

Only a few names of note remain. Some will find deals in the coming weeks. Others may need to wait until the season begins, as teams look for reinforcements, or even choose to play overseas if opportunity doesn't knock.

Team: Milwaukee Bucks/Brooklyn Nets 2025-26 Salary: ~$900,000 with Bucks; $6 million with Nets Rights: None

The rebuilding Nets re-signed Thomas via his qualifying offer last year, but let him go midway through the season as the franchise focused on developing its many young players.

Thomas picked up briefly with the Bucks, but the fit didn't pan out and the team let him go after 18 games. Overall, he played 42 games, averaging 13.5 points a game—nowhere close to his career-high a season prior at 24 points per game in Brooklyn.

Thomas is a professional scorer, but teams are skeptical that his brand of basketball is conducive to winning. He may still get an opportunity in the NBA, though he may be better suited to rebuilding his stock overseas.

Team: San Antonio Spurs 2025-26 Salary: $13.4 million Rights: Full

Olynyk has reached the "mentor" stage of his career. On the NBA Finals runner-up, Olynyk didn't play often, but he was an important fixture on the young squad around him.

At 7'0", the 35-year-old forward/center has the crafty skills in his bag, but he's not quite as mobile as he used to be. Still, he can round out a roster looking for wisdom in the locker room and sparse minutes from a veteran to settle the second unit down when they're struggling. Whether that's another contending team or a young rebuilding squad, Olynyk could eventually tag on somewhere.

Team: Boston Celtics 2025-26 Salary: $28,293 (not including 10-day contracts) Rights: None

The Celtics signed Banton near the end of the season to a two-year deal, but chose not to keep him in early July. Banton is an odd player, but that can be a strength.

Banton is a 6'8" point forward, comfortable as the ball-handler running a team's offense. With his length, he is an interesting defensive option on the point of attack. His greatest challenge is his poor outside shot, at just 30.3 percent from three over his career.

Look for Banton to catch on before training camp, before joining a team's G League squad—he played for the Texas Legends much of last year. Or Banton could head overseas for an opportunity.

Team: Washington Wizards/Denver Nuggets 2025-26 Salary: Two-way contract Rights: None

Reese isn't as famous in the NBA as his sister, Angel Reese, in the WNBA, but he has the family skill of rebounding. He didn't play long for the Wizards, signing a two-way deal in late February, but over 13 games (10 starts), he averaged a double-double of 11.8 points and 10.5 rebounds in almost 31 minutes per game.

The Wizards, who had too much frontcourt depth, sent Reese to the Nuggets in August in the multi-team trade that landed reserve guard Tre Mann. Denver soon after let Reese go from his two-way contract, giving the 6'9" forward the opportunity to pick up elsewhere.

While he's undersized for a center, Reese is mobile, boards at a high level, and certainly deserves the chance on at least another two-way contract.

Team: Utah Jazz/Minnesota Timberwolves 2025-26 Salary: $6.2 million Rights: None

Konchar joined the Jazz via trade before the February deadline, after spending most of his career in Memphis with the Grizzlies. The 6'5", 30-year-old veteran guard was recently dealt to the Timberwolves for Josh Green, but Minnesota waived and stretched Konchar's salary to open flexibility to sign Jonathan Kuminga.

Konchar is a tough, reserve combo guard. He's not a tremendous shooter, but he's a capable role player and strong locker-room presence. Konchar could fill a spot with the Miami Heat, who need another guard. Otherwise, he may need to wait a bit for another NBA opportunity.

Team: Brooklyn Nets 2025-26 Salary: $6.4 million Rights: None

Agbaji's shooting fell off a cliff last season, dropping to 26.6 percent from three-point range. Still, he was a productive player and shooter for the Toronto Raptors through the 2024-25 campaign, averaging 10.4 points over 27.2 minutes per game while shooting 39.9 percent from behind the arc.

The Raptors sent him midway through the season to the Nets, where he played a slightly larger role, hitting an improved 34.9 percent from deep. He's a viable defender with a 6'5" frame. Only 26, Agbaji should catch on with a squad that needs guard depth, though he may need to start on an Exhibit 10 and spend some time in the G League until a spot opens up.

Team: Utah Jazz 2025-26 Salary: $4.2 million Rights: Full

Love was one of the NBA's oldest players last year, filling in 16.6 minutes off the bench for the Jazz. He's an experienced, playoff-tested veteran who would help the locker room of any squad, though he's looking to tag onto a squad that has the chance to contend.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have an open roster spot, though Love would mean about $8.5 million in additional taxes. The Wolves could stand at 14, but Love began his career with the franchise in 2008, developing into an MVP contender before joining the Cleveland Cavaliers for their run starting in 2014.

It'd be a tremendous story for Love to finish where he started.

Team: Atlanta Hawks 2025-26 Salary: $11.5 million Rights: Full

Vincent is an experienced veteran guard with a strong playoff resume with the Miami Heat. He spent the last few years with the Los Angeles Lakers as an occasional starter, but was sent to the Atlanta Hawks before the trade deadline.

While he shot a steady 36.9 percent from three-point range for the Lakers, the fit wasn't seamless in Atlanta, where he dropped to 30 percent.

In the right situation, Vincent should be able to help a team in need of veteran bench leadership. The Heat seem quite thin at point guard behind Davion Mitchell; Vincent has a history with the franchise and seems a viable fit.

Team: Denver Nuggets 2025-26 Salary: $3.1 million Rights: Non-Bird

Fit in the NBA can be everything, and Brown fits in Denver. He helped the team win a championship in 2022-23, shooting the second-best three-point percentage in his career (38.5 percent). Returning as a free agent on a minimum contract, Brown is at his best at 38.1 percent from deep.

Not that he takes too many attempts. He knows his role is to play defense, feed off Jokić, and do whatever is needed to get his squad a win. The larger issue for the Nuggets after the team officially adds DeMar DeRozan is the luxury tax. Will Denver pay an extra $16 million in tax to add Brown as a 15th player?

Along with MVP candidate Cade Cunningham, Duren has emerged over the last two years as a true game-changer in Detroit. He's grown on both sides of the floor, especially defensively on a very stingy Pistons squad.

Named to the All-NBA Third Team and a first-time All-Star, Duren averaged a career-high of 19.5 points a game for the best team in the Eastern Conference by record (60-22). He was less productive throughout the playoffs, but Duren should still get a sizable raise to stay as one of the more talented young centers in the league.

Clearly, the Pistons aren't willing to max him out, but he has no obvious alternative as a restricted free agent, given that no other team has the cap room to issue a viable offer sheet. If Duren and Detroit cannot reach a long-term deal, he would need to take his one-year $9.6 million qualifying offer.

Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on X/Twitter @EricPincus .