NBA Free Agent Rankings: Best 69 players available in 2026, including LeBron James

The NBA offseason is already off to a fast start. The draft has come and gone, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been traded to the Miami Heat, and the Charlotte Hornets sent LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a stunning move. It feels like the fireworks are just getting started as the league transitions to free agency, which unofficially opens June 30 at 6 p.m. ET with the start of the negotiation moratorium.

This is not the best class of free agents. The top unrestricted free agent still available is ... Norman Powell? Tobias Harris? Soon-to-be 42-year-old LeBron James? The pickings are slim when it comes to elite talents, but every year has a few under-the-radar free agents who end up making a difference in the playoff chase.

The restricted free agent crop is filled with considerably more talent, though their incumbent teams will have the right to match any offer. Want to pry Jalen Duren out of Detroit or Walker Kessler from Utah? It’s going to take a fat bag of cash and potentially some good assets out the door in a sign-and-trade.

Here’s our ranking of the top-69 NBA free agents in 2026. Why 69? That’s just where my long list of names fell, and also I thought it was funny. More analysis after the table.

Let’s get into some of the biggest topics of free agency.

Jalen Duren earned Third-Team All-NBA honors for the Pistons this past season at age-22. Duren’s incredible leap was unfortunately overshadowed by a rough playoff performance that exposed some holes in his game. After averaging 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds on 68.8 percent true shooting in 70 regular season games, Duren’s averages fell to 10.2 points and 8.5 rebounds on 55.3 percent true shooting in 14 playoff games. Duren is still an elite driver, interior scorer, and rebounder for a big man, but he’s not exactly a defensive anchor, and he also has little shooting range.

Duren reportedly wants $40 million per season on his next contract, but the Pistons are trying to get him back on the lowest number they can. Detroit holds the all chips here because he’s a restricted free agent, meaning the Pistons have the right to match any offer to him.

There’s not a team in the league that has $40 million in cap space to offer him a deal right now. A sign-and-trade is still a possibility, but base year compensation rules will likely make that more complicated than it seems. My guess is Duren goes back to Detroit for something like $34 million per season, which both sides can claim as a win. Still, it’s always possible that Duren comes away with hurt feelings during the negotiations, and that opens the door for someone else to make a push for the league’s best young bigs.

LeBron James is trying to win the GOAT argument on longevity, and he was still probably a top-50 or top-60 player in the league last season at age-41. Absolutely ridiculous. Even if his play continues to fall again for next season, LeBron is still an impactful player in a right role who could have a strong positive influence on a playoff run.

Right now, it feels like there are three real suitors for LeBron. Here’s how I would rank them:

Do the Lakers even want LeBron back? They haven’t offered him a contract thus far, and there has reportedly been very little communication between the two sides. I’ve been predicting a LeBron-to-Cleveland reunion for his retirement tour all year, but that would either require him taking a huge pay cut, or the Cavs being willing to trade Jarrett Allen for him. The Warriors are looming as another possible option to team up James and Steph Curry. My wildcard is the New York Knicks, because that would just be fun.

I still think LeBron ends up in Cleveland based on nothing but gut feeling. I also think this could linger pretty far into the offseason.

Let us know in the comments. I’ll also answer any questions you have about free agency, trades, these rankings, or anything else.