LeBron James, Lakers Lead 2026 Free Agent Frenzy

A busy trade deadline left the NBA rearranged and headed into an offseason with a projected $166 million salary cap and very few teams with real spending power. Eric Pincus lays out an early top-30 free agent view and notes the high-value tool for most clubs will be the "non-taxpayer mid-level exception at about $15.1 million." Teams like the Lakers, Bulls and Nets stand out with the most room, while many franchises will face tight choices around apron and luxury tax limits. Merlin sees a summer of hard choices and sly maneuvers. Injuries and restricted players will shape who gets poached with offer sheets, sign-and-trade talk will bubble up, and veterans from LeBron to Reaves could take pay cuts or chase contenders. The roster chessboard is set and the first moves will tell the tale.