Recap all the news around the NBA from June 29, 2026 on The Association.
A busy summer — one that just saw 2x All-Star Ja Morant join the Blazers in a blockbuster trade — is about to get even busier.
Free agency officially begins tonight at 6 p.m. ET.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Free Agency 101: Everything you need to know about how free agency works
Names To Watch: The latest on some of John Schuhmann’s top free agents
Trade Tracker: Some of the top reported trades from a hectic week across the Association
July Hoops: What’s on-court in the month ahead with NBA Summer League & WNBA
New Arrivals: Rookies begin their NBA journeys, new coaches introduced
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Ja To Blazers: The Grizzlies have traded two-time All-Star Ja Morant to the Blazers for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. Read on for all the latest offseason buzz ⬇️
WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Final: The Liberty host the Aces tonight (7 ET, Prime) with the Commissioner’s Cup on the line in a rematch of the 2023 Cup Final and WNBA Finals.
1. FREE AGENCY 101: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Welcome to the NBA’s annual offseason frenzy.
Free Agency Moratorium – a period allowing teams to negotiate and reach agreements with free agents – opens today at 6 p.m. ET, commencing a week of reported deals, decisions and roster reshuffling across the league.
- Free Agency Hub: Your home for the latest in free agency
- Free Agent Tracker: Every free agent and the latest on their status
- Latest News: All the most recent free agency reports and offseason stories
- Trade Tracker: Every official trade from the 2026 offseason
Before diving deeper into who’s available, it’s worth understanding how free agency works – so we’ve answered some frequently asked questions below:
What is the timeline of free agency?
- On June 14, the day after the last game of the NBA Finals, teams were allowed to begin negotiations with upcoming free agents on their roster
- Today, June 30, teams are allowed to begin negotiations with all other upcoming free agents, starting at 6 p.m. ET
- On Monday, July 6, teams may begin signing free agents to contracts, starting at 12:01 p.m. ET
What’s the difference between a restricted free agent and an unrestricted free agent?
- Restricted Free Agents can sign an offer sheet with any team, but the player’s original team can retain him by matching the terms of that offer
- Unrestricted Free Agents, in short, are free to sign with any team, including their previous club. Once they sign, they are a part of that team
What’s a player option and how does it differ from a team option?
- A player option grants a player the power to decide whether to opt into his current contract for another year or become an unrestricted free agent
- For example, if a player has a three-year contract with a fourth-year player option, that means if he exercises the option, his contract extends through the fourth season
- If he chooses not to exercise the option, he becomes an unrestricted free agent
- A team option follows the same guidelines, except the team chooses to exercise the option rather than the player
- June 29 was the last day for a player or team option to be exercised
2. FREE AGENT TRACKER: SOME OF SCHUHMANN’S KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH
There’s no shortage of star power in this year’s free agent class, from the NBA’s all-time leading scorer to established All-Stars and emerging young talent.
Check out some of John Schuhmann’s 20 intriguing free agents to watch, along with their current reported status and numbers to know:
LeBron James (LAL | UFA): In 23 NBA seasons, James has never averaged fewer than 20 ppg, extending that streak in 2025-26 (20.9 ppg) while leading the league with 5.7 fastbreak ppg at age 41.
James Harden (CLE | UFA): After being traded at midseason by the Clippers, Harden averaged 20.5 ppg for Cleveland while shooting 43.5% from 3 and posting a team-high 7.7 apg. He reportedly declined his player option for 2026-27, making him a UFA — though the Cavs & Harden are reportedly also discussing a multi-year deal.
Trae Young (WAS ↔️ WAS): The four-time All-Star averaged 15.2 points and 6.2 assists per game after arriving in Washington midseason. Young will reportedly return to the team on a 4-year deal.
Austin Reaves (LAL ↔️ LAL): In his fifth NBA season (all with the Lakers), Reaves averaged a career-high 23.3 ppg. He reportedly plans to stay in Los Angeles on a 4-year maximum contract.
Norman Powell (MIA | UFA): Powell has averaged 21+ ppg in each of the last two seasons. In 2025-26 – his first year with Miami – he earned his first All-Star nod, leading the Heat in points (21.7) and made 3s (2.7) per game.
Jalen Duren (DET | RFA): Duren, 22, also earned his first All-Star nod last season, averaging a career-best 19.5 ppg while helping lead Detroit to the No. 1 seed in the East and its first 60-win season in 20 years.
Some Other Notable Free Agents
- Draymond Green (GSW | UFA): Reportedly declined player option
- Jonathan Kuminga (ATL | UFA): Atlanta reportedly declined team option
- Marcus Smart (LAL | UFA): Reportedly declined player option
- Bradley Beal (LAC | UFA): Reportedly declined player option
- Bennedict Mathurin (LAC | RFA)
- Walker Kessler (UTA | RFA)
- Mitchell Robinson (NYK | UFA)
Some Other Notable Reported Agreements/Returns
- Zach LaVine (SAC ↔️ SAC): Reportedly exercising player option
- Ayo Dosunmu (MIN ↔️ MIN): Reportedly agreed to 5-year deal
- Isaiah Hartenstein (OKC ↔️ OKC): Reportedly agreed to 3-year deal
- Coby White (CHA ↔️ CHA): Reportedly agreed to 3-year deal
- Andrew Wiggins (MIA ↔️ MIA): Reportedly agreed to 3-year deal
- Kristaps Porziņģis (GSW ↔️ GSW): Reportedly agreed to 2-year deal
3. CATCHING UP ON THE BIGGEST REPORTED TRADES
A flurry of reported trade activity surrounding the 2026 NBA Draft has continued into this week, with more big names in the mix.
With six days of moratorium remaining until deals can be finalized (July 6, 12:01 p.m. ET), here are the latest reported and official trades to know. | John Schuhmann on 4 early trades
Heat reportedly land Giannis
- Heat Receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis
- Bucks Receive: Tyler Herro, Kasparas Jakučionis, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, 2026 No. 13 pick (Nate Ament), two future first-round picks, a pick swap and a future second-round pick
- More: Schuhmann’s 15 Giannis Stats For Miami
Blazers trade for Ja Morant
- Blazers Receive: Ja Morant
- Grizzlies Receive: Jerami Grant and Kris Murray
Nets reportedly get Julius Randle in three-team deal
- Nets Receive: Julius Randle (via Wolves) and 2026 No. 28 pick (Joshua Jefferson)
- Wolves Receive: Mo Gueye (via Bulls), and 2026 No. 33 overall (Isaiah Evans)
- Bulls Receive: Nic Claxton (via Nets)
Wolves reportedly add LaMelo Ball
- Wolves Receive: LaMelo Ball and Josh Green
- Hornets receive: Naz Reid, an unprotected 2033 first-round pick, first-round pick swaps in 2028, 2029 and 2030 and second-round picks in 2029, 2032 and 2033
Grizzlies reportedly get Isaiah Stewart
- Grizzlies Receive: Isaiah Stewart
- Pistons Receive: 3 future second-round picks
Suns reportedly acquire Miles Bridges
- Suns Receive: Miles Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick, and a 2027 second-round pick
- Hornets Receive: Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale and a 2033 first-round pick
4. UP NEXT: SUMMER LEAGUE AND MORE JULY HOOPS
As the offseason gets underway, here are some key dates to know for the Summer League circuit and beyond:
California Classic (July 3-6): The California Classic Summer League in San Francisco (Chase Center) and Sacramento (Golden 1 Center) features the Warriors, Lakers, Heat, Spurs and more, and tips off with a doubleheader Friday. | Schedule
- Heat at Spurs (8 ET, TV TBD)
- Lakers at Warriors Gold (10:30 ET, TV TBD)
Salt Lake City (July 4, 6-7): The Salt Lake City Summer League at Jon M. Huntsman Center on the University of Utah campus features the Jazz, Hawks, Grizzlies and Thunder and starts with a Saturday doubleheader. | Schedule
- Grizzlies at Thunder (3 ET, TV TBD)
- Hawks at Jazz (5 ET, TV TBD)
NBA Summer League In Las Vegas (July 9-19): NBA Summer League 2026 tips off a week from Thursday, with all 30 teams competing at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center and The Pavilion. Games run daily through July 19 on Prime and ESPN networks. (Schedule)
- July 9: The PlayStation NBA Creator Cup in Las Vegas at The Pavilion at UNLV (YouTube/NBA App, Time TBD)
- July 19: NBA Summer League 2026 concludes in Las Vegas with the championship game (9 ET, ESPN)
WNBA
- Tonight: WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Championship: Aces at Liberty (7 ET, Prime)
- July 25: WNBA All-Star Game at the United Center in Chicago (8:30 ET, ABC)
5. NEW ARRIVALS: FIRST IMPRESSIONS AROUND THE NBA
A week after hearing their names called on Draft night, the NBA’s newest rookies are beginning their next chapters, arriving in their new cities and meeting their new fan bases.
That includes No. 1 pick AJ Dybantsa, who received a warm welcome upon arriving in D.C. before embracing the challenge ahead at his introductory press conference.
- “Nothing comes easy,” said Dybantsa. “But I want to be a piece of the puzzle that is part of the rebuild … Wizards fans have been waiting for a long time.”
One of the first decisions every rookie makes is choosing a jersey number. For Dybantsa, changing from No. 3 at BYU to No. 4 with the Wizards came down to simple math.
- “Just new beginnings,” said Dybantsa of the switch. “Coming to D.C., wanted to grab a new number. So previously wore No. 3, but I was the No. 1 pick … add those up, and got four.”
Dybantsa wasn’t the only top pick making a first impression. Other top picks offered a glimpse of what’s to come, from Darryn Peterson’s Kobe-inspired mindset to Caleb Wilson’s rookie ambitions.
- Day 1: Go behind the scenes with Peterson, the No. 2 overall pick, as he settles into Utah, before discussing the two-way mentality he hopes to bring to the NBA
- “I’m a Kobe guy,” said Peterson at his introductory presser. “He played both sides of the ball. That’s my idol – so I’m trying to lock down on defense.”
- Young Grizz: In Memphis, No. 3 pick Cam Boozer and fellow rooks Richie Saunders and Karim López were fired up to don their Grizzlies uniforms for the first time
- “I like this color on me,” said Boozer. “I like it a lot.”
- Hungry Bull: Meanwhile, Wilson – Chicago’s No. 4 overall pick – shared his expectations for Year 1 at his introductory presser
- “I expect to have Rookie of the Year,” said Wilson. “I’m willing to work hard – I’m willing to do what it takes.”
Two new NBA coaches were also recently introduced. Blazers coach Micah Nori was introduced last Thursday, while new Mavs coach Dusty May outlined his vision for Dallas.
- “We have two goals,” said May on Monday. “One: to be enjoyable to watch for our fans and for everyone to be proud of how we play the game. And the other is to make sure that we’re equipped to win any type of game.”
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