NBA free-agent market: Top 25 | shooting guards | small forwards | point guards
The free agent power forward market looks pretty good, especially if you’re interested in a generational superstar in his early 40s. While the market drops off after LeBron James, this year’s crop still includes multiple starter candidates and several others who are ideal as high-minute bench players based on my BORD$ valuations. (More on the methodology here.)
As always, I’ve included all free agents and potential free agents due to player options, team options and non-guaranteed contracts, except for absurd cases where there is no chance of a player being waived and — importantly — also no chance for other cap shenanigans by declining options and signing new contracts.
(PO = player option; TO = team option; NG = non-guaranteed; TONG = team option, non-guaranteed; PG = partial guarantee; POPG = player option, partial guarantee; R = restricted; R-2w = restricted two-way)
What we know about LeBron James’ retirement decision
Dan Woike
Tier 1: Max guys
None.
Tier 2: More than MLE, less than max
1. LeBron James, L.A. Lakers: $31,960,618
James is still an extremely valuable player, and my aging algorithm may underrate his potential contributions in 2026-27; we really have no data to work with as far as “high-usage forward entering his age-42 season” is concerned. At this point, he’s likely looking at a one-year deal (he can’t sign for more than three because of the over-38 rule), so the questions are about money (somewhat) and fit (quite a bit).
Resolving the latter part could require a major haircut on the former, as the type of teams that could both use James and have a reasonable chance of contending for something important are also not the type to have extra cap space lying around. Even a return to the Lakers is complicated, as paying him would take L.A. out of some cap-room scenarios that won’t be available to the Lakers in future summers when Reaves is making roughly triple what he is now.
2. Julian Champagnie, San Antonio (TONG): $25,726,203
The Spurs will not be an expensive team in 2026-27 but will be extremely expensive within two years once Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, Dylan Harper and Carter Bryant all become extension eligible.
Thus, they have an obvious incentive to wipe out Champagnie’s cheapo team option for the coming season and sign him to a new contract for descending dollars, instead of waiting until he’s an unrestricted free agent in 2027 and then paying full freight.
That likely entails committing to something like five years and $100 million or so, i.e. paying him just south of nine figures in new money in addition to the team option and spreading that money over five seasons. To further smooth the cap hit, San Antonio could start the contract at its maximal value and decline his salary by 8 percent each season.
Tier 3: MLE guys
3. Tobias Harris, Detroit: $19,715,982
Reminder: BORD$ doesn’t include the playoffs. Harris had a solid regular season but really proved his worth in Detroit’s playoff run, operating as the Pistons’ second option while Jalen Duren fizzled. In doing so, he exhibited that, whatever the Pistons plan to do with their future cap, just letting Harris walk isn’t a viable option unless they’re getting a star-caliber upgrade at the same position.
All of this is a long-winded way of saying that, even pushing age 34, Harris seems a good bet to get something relatively close to the two-year, $50 million deal he originally inked in Detroit in 2024 — maybe closer to 40 than 50 this time, but still in excess of the projected $15 million midlevel exception. Detroit’s cap sheet can comfortably handle him on a number in that range.
4. John Collins, LA Clippers: $18,890,305
Collins won’t turn 29 until late September and has put together three straight solid, starting-caliber seasons after leaving Atlanta. The key is his development as a 3-point shooter, hitting 39.9 percent in 2024-25 and 40.6 percent in 2025-26. That spacing component has allowed him to play power forward and made him less dependent on rim-running as an undersized center.
The Clippers have Bird rights on Collins but could choose cap-room scenarios instead of bringing the band back after a disappointing 2025-26. If he leaves LA, he’d be a likely target for teams with their full non-taxpayer MLE, especially those needing a starting power forward or a top frontcourt sub. At his age, teams would probably want to keep at it three years and maybe angle for two.
5. Draymond Green, Golden State, (PO): $13,679,047
Green is still one of the best defenders at his position, but offensively, his value has cratered to the point that his overall value proposition is around the non-taxpayer MLE.
That makes for an interesting situation for the Warriors, because Green has a player option for $27.7 million for 2026-27. While it would help the Warriors manage the tax aprons if he were to decline the option and re-sign a longer deal for lower money, there’s also a pretty big gap here between his 2026-27 salary and his BORD$ value. Would he take a deal for three years and $45 million to $50 million? If not, the Warriors might do just as well if he opts in … particularly if Golden State can stomach the idea of Green as a potential expiring contract in a midseason deal to reshape the roster for the future.
6. Precious Achiuwa, Sacramento: $12,934,026
I know a lot of you didn’t watch the Kings last year, and I can’t really blame you, but Achiuwa had a breakout season and was one of the most improved players in the league. He still won’t give you much as a floor spacer, but his rebounding, finishing and activity make him a valuable player.
The Kings have no Bird rights on him, so they would have to use their non-taxpayer midlevel exception to bring him back, something that’s highly desirable given that the oft-injured De’Andre Hunter is the only other power forward on the roster. However, Sacramento’s tax position also makes this an interesting dilemma. The Kings might have to waive DeMar DeRozan just to get under the first apron and have access to their full MLE. Unless Achiuwa’s market ends up far south of this BORD$ estimate, that could open the door for other bidders.
7. Dean Wade, Cleveland: $12,835,954
Cleveland’s financial position is going to make it very challenging to keep Wade, unless the Cavs just say damn the torpedoes and blow past all the aprons.
Entering the offseason, the Cavs are over the projected second apron before they pay Wade a dollar. While adjusting James Harden’s salary downward and trading or stretching Dennis Schröder could relieve some of that pressure, it is still hard to do the math on an eight-figure deal for Wade. That could leave the 3-and-D forward vulnerable to poaching from a rival with a strong offer.
One note here: Wade’s frequent injuries could put a lid on his market at a bit lower than BORD$ suggests. He hasn’t played 60 games in any of the past five seasons.
Tier 4: Less than MLE, more than minimum
8. Harrison Barnes, San Antonio: $10,978,562
Barnes seems destined to be squeezed out in San Antonio by the continued development of Julian Champagnie and Carter Bryant, seeing his role wither to nothing in the NBA Finals.
However, there may be a way to keep the 34-year-old around for the short term, give him a bag and take advantage of the Spurs’ Bird rights on him. San Antonio has a mountain of dollars available below the projected tax line, but that picture changes dramatically when Victor Wembanyama’s likely supermax kicks in for 2027-28. To take advantage of that, the Spurs could sign Barnes to a one-year balloon deal that operates as a trade exception at the deadline, or even use him in a sign-and-trade this summer with only the first year guaranteed (sign-and-trade contracts must be for at least three seasons) to bring him back a win-now guy.
9. DeMar DeRozan, Sacramento (PG): $10,371,138
As I noted in my recent piece on player and team options, the Kings have a puzzling decision because DeRozan’s $25.7 million deal for 2026-27 has a $10 million guarantee, and the Kings’ best realistic pathway to skirting the tax aprons in a rebuilding year is to either trade him or waive-and-stretch the contract.
One nerdy note: If DeRozan is waived and signs elsewhere, the size of his next deal matters because the Kings would receive a set-off from their tax calculation for 50 percent of any amount above the one-year veteran minimum (an estimated $2.2 million).
Sacramento has an interesting call to make on veteran DeMar DeRozan. (Darren Yamashita / Imagn Images)
10. Dom Barlow, Philadelphia (TO): $9,557,414
Barlow broke out to earn a rotation spot off a two-way deal last year and is still only 23 years old. If the Sixers can’t land an upgrade in the free-agent market, he might be the starter next year.
He also has a team option for just $3.4 million, something that might be a classic “decline and re-sign” situation, but for two factors. First, the Sixers can only sign him for $4.1 million without going into exception money, so Barlow might feel better just riding out the contract and hitting free agency next year. Second, the Sixers’ own tap dance vis-à-vis the tax line could be complicated enough that even a $700,000 difference on Barlow might really matter.
11. Jonathan Kuminga, Atlanta, (TO): $9,409,216
The Hawks have a team option for $24.3 million on Kuminga. Obviously, it makes no sense to pick it up from a pure value perspective, but there are a lot of moving parts here.
First, Atlanta has enough room below the tax line that the Hawks might consider picking up the option to use as a giant trade exception that can be utilized in-season, or even to have Kuminga append a value extension to that number for future seasons. The Hawks could also decline the option and sign Kuminga to a more straightforward deal, but his skill overlap with Jalen Johnson makes him a clunky fit unless he’s limited to a 15-minute bench role. Finally, the Hawks have cap-room scenarios that could incentivize them to just decline the option and move on.
12. Rui Hachimura, L.A. Lakers: $9,398,473
Hachimura has become a lights-out shooter, making 44.3 percent and 41.3 percent of his 3s the past two seasons, but he doesn’t let it fly with enough volume to make him a truly terrifying spacing threat.
His game is otherwise solid but forgettable, leaving him stretched as a starter and more suited to a bench role toggling between the two forward spots. This BORD$ valuation for Hachimura is interesting because it would slide perfectly into the Lakers’ $9.4 million room exception if L.A. renounces his rights to maximize its cap room, which seems likely. The maximal room exception offer is a three-year, $29 million deal, which seems fair.
13. Kelly Oubre, Philadelphia: $8,856,031
One wonders if there are scenarios in which Oubre could re-sign in Philly, and the Sixers could still use their non-taxpayer midlevel exception to add talent while also avoiding the tax.
Alas, it’s a tough needle to thread, and Oubre may find a better fit in a place where he can play more minutes at his natural small forward spot rather than as an undersized power forward. The 30-year-old is a plus defender and shot 36 percent from 3 last season. Starting him is probably a stretch at this point, but surely he will have a market as a third forward.
14. Mo Gueye, Atlanta, (TONG): $8,336,432
Gueye has a non-guaranteed team option for $2.4 million for this season, which could create “decline and re-sign” scenarios for the Hawks. The Hawks have enough room below the tax line that they could decline the option and re-sign him to a new deal right now with front-loaded money; even if they try to be a cap-room team, they could do something similar because of his minimum cap hold. If so, BORD$ would suggest a fair way to replace that bargain 2026-27 number would be a three-year deal in the $20 million range for the still-developing defensive ace.
15. GG Jackson, Memphis (TO): $7,167,651
Jackson has a team option for $2.4 million, and the Grizzlies, like the Hawks above, have oodles of room below the tax line (not to mention some cap-space scenarios involving his minimum cap hold). However, Jackson has been so erratic for Memphis that the Grizzlies may think twice about going long with him just yet. The other reason to hold off is that, in 2027, the Grizzlies will have a greater-than-max hoard of cap room and a minimum cap hold on Jackson, although he would be an unrestricted free agent at that point.
16. Kenrich Williams, Oklahoma City (TO): $6,326,713
Kenny Hustle feels like a Thunder Lifer, and he showed in the payoffs that he can still deliver some solid minutes. Alas, Oklahoma City is about to get hammered by the tax aprons and can no longer afford to have a Vibes Guy making $7.1 million, the value of his team option. Look for the Thunder to decline the option and try to ink Williams to a longer deal for lower money, perhaps something in the range of three years and $15 million.
17. Jonathan Isaac, Orlando (PG): $6,205,187
Isaac has an $8 million guarantee on his $14.5 million deal for 2026-27. The oft-injured big man is still a dynamic force on defense when healthy, but his limited offensive game dampens his value.
On a team that can afford to have him miss games, he’s a tremendous frontcourt luxury, but that team might not be the Magic. One of the most cap-handcuffed teams in the league, Orlando can ease its tax-apron constraints by stretching Isaac’s guarantee over seven seasons, something possible because he has two non-guaranteed years left on his contract after the current one. Orlando would have to make a decision by June 28, when the contract becomes fully guaranteed.
18. Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Memphis (TO): $5,477,704
“O-minimum” has a team option for $2.5 million after showing well on a two-way deal for the Grizzlies last season. A lot of those minutes came as a pint-sized center in throw-spaghetti-at-the-wall lineups that Memphis had to trot out due to all its injuries, but Prosper’s true selling point is as an energy wing who defends, runs the floor and hits open shots. Prosper made 40.5 percent from 3 last season, and if his true ability level is at all close to that, he’s at worst a back-end rotation player.
As a non-Bird free agent, Memphis can only pay Prosper with a modest raise on his minimum unless the Grizzlies go into exception money, so a “decline and re-sign” pact might not be in the cards, but one could see how a three-year, $13 million deal using a piece of Memphis’ non-taxpayer or room exception might be beneficial for both sides … even if “O-room exception” doesn’t flow off the tongue as easily.
19. Guerschon Yabusele, Chicago: $5,336,603
Yabusele flamed out with the Knicks, but his performance in 26 games with the Bulls was much more consistent with what he’d done in Philly in 2024-25. Much of his failure in New York was the result of an outlier bad stretch from the 3-point line (28.6 percent as a Knick), and this BORD$ value almost matches the $5.75 million player option he waived to complete the trade to the Bulls. His market may hew closer to the minimum than the taxpayer midlevel exception he got a year ago, but statistically, he looks like basically the same player.
Guerschon Yabusele struggled with the Knicks but bounced back in Chicago. (Daniel Dunn / Imagn Images)
20. Jeremy Sochan, New York: $5,199,830
Sochan still can’t shoot and probably never will, and playing him at point guard was a low point in the Spurs’ rebuild. However, there’s an energy defender and rim crasher in here, especially if paired with a floor-spacing center. Still just 22, Sochan needs to land on a rebuilding team on an inexpensive deal and get some developmental minutes. That won’t be New York, obviously, but he still could provide rotational value in the right setting.
21. Josh Minott, Brooklyn (TONG): $5,157,623
As the last person on Minott Island, I’m expecting Brooklyn to pick up his $2.6 million option and roster him this season, where the 23-year-old can hopefully get the minutes and reps that weren’t available in Minnesota and Boston. A non-shooter when he entered the league, Minott made 41.6 percent of his 3s last season. It’s a small sample, but if he shoots anywhere close to that over a full season, he’s a player.
22. Jabari Walker, Philadelphia (PG): $4,825,451
The Sixers, somewhat oddly, signed Walker to a deal last year with a $250,000 guarantee rather than a declinable team option, basically locking Philly into riding out one more year with him at $2.58 million. BORD$ suggests that is a far more palatable option than cutting him, especially for a team that would be filling his spot with a minimum guy anyway.
Tier 5: Good minimums
23. Kyle Anderson, Minnesota
Slo-Mo’s fit is heavily team dependent, as he works best if the other four guys can all shoot and he can get reps either on the ball or as a short-roller. He’s still a master of the poke-check move and a defensive playmaker, and even without a 3-ball, he had a 57.3 true shooting percentage last season.
24. Trendon Watford, Philadelphia (TO)
A Kyle Anderson play-alike who had the same 57.3 true shooting percentage last season, Watford operates best when he can have the ball in his hands inside the 3-point arc. However, he fell out of favor as last season went on, and the Sixers face an interesting decision on whether to pick up his $2.8 million team option. If Philly wanted him back, declining the option and signing the one-year vet minimum for $2.4 million would offer some savings relative to the tax line.
25. Jae’Sean Tate, Houston
Tate can defend any of the perimeter positions and plays with great energy, but he’s 30.9 percent career 3-point shooter with limited on-ball juice. That made it tough for him to get on the floor on a Houston roster already crowded with similar profiles, but he’d make an impact on a different roster. A playoff-caliber team that needs an extra wing stopper with toughness should target Tate as a minimum guy.
26. Nic Batum, LA Clippers (TO)
Batum’s $6 million team option seems far too rich for where he is at age 37, as he’s become an extreme low-usage player (9.6 percent last season!) who only shoots when left open. But he does make them (40.4 percent from 3) and guards his position.
27. Leonard Miller, Chicago (TONG)
Miller has a $2.4 million team option that becomes half guaranteed if picked up and fully guaranteed on June 30. He’s worth keeping regardless of the mechanism. Miller played fairly well while the Bulls otherwise swooned toward the lottery, so picking it up seems likely. The lefty shot 69.3 percent on 2s between his two stops last season, and if he finishes anywhere near that in a full season, he has value regardless of whether his low line-drive 3s find the net consistently.
Guaranteeing the $2.4 million is the most straightforward means to keep Miller, but Chicago could also decline the option and take advantage of his minimum cap hold before committing to a longer minimum or minimum-ish deal — probably with soft guarantees and a team option year — as a non-Bird free agent.
28. Jonathan Mogbo, Toronto (TO)
Mogbo fell so far out of the mix that he was barely even in the kitchen, playing just 249 minutes in his second season. The Raptors have a $2.3 million team option on him and may go in another direction given the crowd they have at power forward. Mogbo probably needs to start making 3s to have a rotation role, but he is a defensive event creator who can be an offensive connector and would fit on an up-tempo roster with more breathing room at his position.
29. Kevin Love, Utah
Love turns 38 before camp and has settled into the Veteran Swami phase of his career, but he still offers the unusual intersection of 3-point shooting and elite rebounding and slings some of the best outlet passes in the game. He’d likely be a nice fit as a fifth big on a contending team.
Kevin Love could still have some juice as a fifth big on the right team. (Jesse Johnson / Imagn Images)
30. Georges Niang, did not play in 2025-26
Niang missed last season recovering from knee issues, and his contract bounced around the league before he was finally waived by Memphis. At 33, he seems unlikely to regain rotation viability and will have to prove he has enough mobility to defend, but he’s also made 40 percent of his 3s in six of his seven NBA seasons.
31. Kobe Brown, Indiana (R)
One advantage of the Pacers’ lost season is that it gave Brown a bit more of a chance after sitting at the end of the Clippers‘ bench for two-and-a-half years. He didn’t exactly dominate, but he made 43.3 percent from 3 and could have a role if he reduces his turnovers. The Pacers are capped at offering him $4.792 million, the amount of the fourth-year option that the Clippers declined before trading him, but this will not be a bidding war situation.
Tier 6: Fringe guys, two-ways
32. Pete Nance, Milwaukee (NG)
Signed to a roster contract as the Bucks spiraled out of contention last season, Nance was effective enough as a stretch four (42.0 percent from 3) that he might have staying power. His $2.5 million deal for this season is guaranteed on July 4. He is also two-way eligible if waived.
33. Chris Boucher, last with Utah
Boucher only played nine games last season and was waived after being traded to the Jazz, but he had a solid 2024-25 season in Toronto and might still have some value as a fifth big.
34. Anthony Gill, Washington
Gill is an undersized big who is on the roster as much for his leadership off the court as for whatever he can do on it. If he’s back, it’s as the locker room “unc.”
35. Jeff Green, Houston
Green only played 30 games and 175 minutes last season, not including his shocking insertion into Game 3 of the Lakers series, and finished with career lows across the board. He also turns 40 this summer, so the end may be near.
36. Doug McDermott, Sacramento
I’m not really sure how he spent his entire age-34 season at the end of the Kings’ bench, but he’s facing an uphill battle to spend his age-35 season on anyone’s bench.
37. Maxi Kleber, L.A. Lakers
Kelber scored 33 baskets in 43 games and had a single-digit PER for the fourth straight season. At 34, his next stop is likely back in Europe.
38. Mouhamadou Gueye, Chicago (TONG)
Not to be confused with Atlanta’s Mo Gueye, this one signed a roster-filler deal at the end of the season and is still two-way eligible. The Bulls surely will either decline the option now or waive him later, unless his contract needs to be used in a trade. They could still bring him back on a two-way deal.
39. Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee
His Bucks career has likely come to an end, but I’m guessing he might become a top free-agent target for Miami later this summer.
