What league insiders are saying about the lingering decisions for Austin Reaves, Jalen Duren and Mitchell Robinson this offseason.
What league insiders are saying about the lingering decisions for Austin Reaves, Jalen Duren and Mitchell Robinson this offseason.
Tim BontempsMay 28, 2026, 07:00 AM ETCloseTim Bontemps is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com who covers the league and what's impacting it on and off the court, including trade deadline intel, expansion and his MVP Straw Polls. You can find Tim alongside Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective podcast.
Tim BontempsMay 28, 2026, 07:00 AM ET
The 2026 NBA free agent class doesn't come close to rivaling star-studded summers such as 2010 (headlined by LeBron James), 2016 (Kevin Durant) and 2019 (Kawhi Leonard). And while this offseason's biggest drama will likely play out in the trade market, that doesn't mean there won't be interesting storylines to follow.
How much could unrestricted free agent guard Austin Reaves fetch on his next deal? Will a team with cap space sign All-Star center -- and restricted free agent -- Jalen Duren to a max offer sheet? Is retaining center Mitchell Robinson a priority for the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks?
After talking to several sources around the league, here's a look at some of this summer's more intriguing free agents, including what league insiders project for each player's potential contract.
Jump to a player: Ayo Dosunmu | Jalen Duren Quentin Grimes | Walker Kessler Austin Reaves | Mitchell Robinson Peyton Watson | Robert Williams III
G | Minnesota Timberwolves Unrestricted free agent
Dosunmu arrived from the Chicago Bulls at the trade deadline and had an immediate impact, including a 43-point performance in a Game 4 win over the Denver Nuggets that came without injured stars Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo.
After the Timberwolves lost Nickeil Alexander-Walker last summer in free agency -- and after the 27-year-old guard was named 2026 Most Improved Player with the Atlanta Hawks -- Minnesota simply cannot afford to let Dosunmu walk. That's why sources around the league expect he will be back with the Wolves, but for a price slightly above the midlevel exception (roughly $15 million), which is what most rival teams could offer.
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