Andrew Wiggins (right) and James Harden took different paths with their player options in 2026.
Before free agency officially tips off at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, players and teams had to make decisions on contract options, qualifying offers, and contracts that were either partially or non-guaranteed. Here’s the lowdown on who’s staying and who could be going.
Player options
These players had an option in the final year of their contract. If they exercised it, they were in for one more year. If they declined it, they become free agents on July 1.
Exercised (under contract for one more year)
Deandre Ayton (LAL)
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (MEM)
Gary Harris (MIL)
Zach LaVine (SAC)
Kevin Porter Jr. (MIL)
Taurean Prince (MIL)
D’Angelo Russell (WAS)
Jericho Sims (MIL)
Fred VanVleet (HOU)
Andrew Wiggins (MIA)*
* Wiggins has reportedly agreed to a contract extension that will keep him under contract beyond next season.
Declined (free agents)
Jose Alvarado (NYK)**
Bradley Beal (LAC)
Draymond Green (GSW)
James Harden (CLE)
Al Horford (GSW)**
Sandro Mamukelashvili (TOR)
De’Anthony Melton (GSW)
Austin Reaves (LAL)**
Marcus Smart (LAL)
Gary Trent Jr. (MIL)
Trae Young (WAS)**
** Alvarado, Horford, Reaves and Young have reportedly agreed to new contracts to return to their teams. (Teams were allowed to negotiate new contracts with their own free agents prior to Tuesday.)
Team options
Here, the decision lies with the team. If they exercised the team option, they keep the player for another year. If they declined it, they allowed him to become a free agent.
Exercised (under contract for one more year)
Dalano Banton (BOS)
Dominick Barlow (PHI)
Jamaree Bouyea (PHX)
Jamal Cain (ORL)
Pat Connaughton (CHA)
JD Davison (HOU)
Luguentz Dort (OKC)
Mouhamadou Gueye (CHI)*
Mouhamed Gueye (ATL)
GG Jackson (MEM)
Trayce Jackson-Davis (TOR)
Daniss Jenkins (DET)
Pelle Larsson (MIA)
Brook Lopez (LAC)
Karlo Matković (NOP)
Leonard Miller (CHI)
Ryan Nembhard (DAL)
Craig Porter Jr. (CLE)
Micah Potter (IND)
Olivier-Maxence Prosper (MEM)
Neemias Queta (BOS)
Jamal Shead (TOR)
Malachi Smith (BKN)
Tolu Smith (DET)
Dalen Terry (PHI)
Jordan Walsh (BOS)
* Mouhamadou Gueye is reportedly being traded to the Timberwolves. The Bulls had to exercise his team option for him to be included in the trade.
Declined (free agents)
Nicolas Batum (LAC)
Bogdan Bogdanović (LAC)
Julian Champagnie (SAS)**
Hayden Gray (UTA) – U
Ron Harper Jr. (BOS)**
Isaiah Hartenstein (OKC)**
Killian Hayes (SAC)
Andre Jackson Jr. (MIL) – U
Jonathan Kuminga (ATL)
Kevon Looney (NOP)
Bez Mbeng (UTA) – U
Jordan Miller (LAC) – R
Josh Minott (BKN)**
Jonathan Mogbo (TOR) – U
Julian Phillips (MIN) – U
Jalen Pickett (DEN) – U
Kobe Sanders (LAC) – R
Day’Ron Sharpe (BKN)**
Max Shulga (BOS) – U
Nick Smith Jr. (LAL)
Trendon Watford (PHI)
Jamir Watkins (WAS) – R
Amari Williams (BOS)**
Kenrich Williams (OKC)
Ziaire Williams (BKN)
Jahmir Young (MIA) – U
** Champagnie signed a contract extension on Monday, while Harper, Hartenstein, Minott, Sharpe and Amari Williams have reportedly agreed to new contracts with their teams.
R – These players had their team options declined, but they were issued qualifying offers (see below), so they’re restricted free agents.
U – These players were also eligible for restricted free agency, but in addition to declining their team options, their teams chose not to extend them qualifying offers. So they’re unrestricted free agents.
Qualifying offers
Some players were eligible for restricted free agency. This group includes 2022 first-round draft picks who had their third and fourth-year options picked up and just completed their rookie contract, as well as other players who have played three or fewer seasons in the league.
Restricted free agency allows the team to match any offer the player receives from another team. But in order to have that right, the team must have issued the player a qualifying offer by Monday. If a qualifying offer wasn’t issued, that player is an unrestricted free agent instead.
The qualifying offer is binding as a one-year contract. If the player signs it, he’s under contract for next season. He could also sign an offer sheet from another team (which his team would have the ability to match), and he and his team could agree on a new, multi-year contract. The team also has the ability to rescind the qualifying offer going forward (the list below is as of June 29).
Issued (restricted free agents)
Jaylen Clark (MIN)*
Mohamed Diawara (NYK)*
Jalen Duren (DET)
Tari Eason (HOU)
Spencer Jones (DEN)
Walker Kessler (UTA)
Bennedict Mathurin (LAC)
Quinten Post (GSW)
Peyton Watson (DEN)
Mark Williams (PHX)*
* Clark, Diawara and Williams have reportedly agreed to new contracts with the Wolves, Knicks and Suns, respectively.
Not issued (unrestricted free agents)
Ochai Agbaji (BKN)
Ousmane Dieng (MIL)
Ariel Hukporti (NYK)
Keshad Johnson (MIA)
Pat Spencer (GSW)
Keaton Wallace (ATL)
Jalen Wilson (BKN)
Two-way free agents
This past season was the ninth with two-way players who can go between the NBA roster and the G League. Some two-way players are still under contract for next season. Those that aren’t can be restricted free agents if they were on the NBA team’s active or inactive list for 15 or more days of the regular season, if (like non-two-way free agents) they’ve played less than three years in the league, and if they were issued qualifying offers.
Here’s a rundown of two-way free agents:
Already re-signed
Chucky Hepburn (TOR)
Chaney Johnson (BKN)
Restricted
Brooks Barnhizer (OKC)
Koby Brea (PHX)
Colin Castleton (ORL)
Moussa Cisse (DAL)
Isaiah Crawford (HOU)
Hunter Dickinson (NOP)
Enrique Freeman (MIN)
Vladislav Goldin (MIA)
Harrison Ingram (SAS)
David Jones Garcia (SAS)
Chris Mañon (LAL)
Alijah Martin (TOR)
Daeqwon Plowden (SAC)
Jalen Slawson (IND)
Unrestricted
Trey Alexander (NOP)
Alex Antetokounmpo (MIL)
Patrick Baldwin Jr. (SAC)
MarJon Beauchamp (PHI)
Branden Carlson (OKC)
Sharife Cooper (WAS)
Tyson Etienne (BKN)
Elijah Harkless (UTA)
Trey Jemison III (NYK)
Curtis Jones (DEN)
Dillon Jones (NYK)
Yuki Kawamura (CHI)
Trevor Keels (MIA)
Christian Koloko (ATL)
E.J. Liddell (BKN)
Isaiah Livers (PHX)
Caleb Love (POR)
Tyrese Martin (PHI)
Mac McClung (CHI)
Kevin McCullar Jr. (NYK)
Wendell Moore Jr. (DET)
Josh Oduro (NOP)
Lachlan Olbrich (CHI)
Norchad Omier (LAC)
Antonio Reeves (CHA)
David Roddy (DEN)
Rayan Rupert (MEM)
Olivier Sarr (CLE)
Drew Timme (LAL)
John Tonje (BOS)
Oscar Tshiebwe (UTA)
TyTy Washington Jr. (LAC)
Nate Williams (GSW)
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