The NBA free agency moratorium officially lifted on Monday, July 6, 2026. Contracts can finally be signed. But the market looks entirely different this summer. Top unsigned stars like LeBron James, Jalen Duren, James Harden, and Peyton Watson remain on the board. Front offices are scrambling to finalize offers, according to a big board compiled by SportsGrid.
A new Collective Bargaining Agreement fundamentally altered how executives operate. Severe second-apron luxury tax penalties functionally killed the traditional bidding war. Instead of throwing cash at free agents, teams heavily favor proactive trades to manage their salary caps. The new rules allow teams to offer extensions with up to a 140% raise. That specific clause turned extension eligibility dates into hard trade deadlines for general managers unwilling to commit long-term maximum salaries.
We already saw the fallout. Franchises opted to trade their stars rather than extend them. This CBA loophole triggered a string of roster-altering moves, detailed by The Ringer. The Philadelphia 76ers traded for Jaylen Brown. The Minnesota Timberwolves acquired LaMelo Ball. And Kawhi Leonard made a high-profile return to the Toronto Raptors via trade.
The contrast across the league is sharp. Franchises like the New Orleans Pelicans operate with extreme financial austerity just to avoid the looming tax. Meanwhile, others actively reset their timelines before the new penalties hit. The Timberwolves are apparently not done dealing. They actively evaluate remaining options and hold reported interest in signing LeBron James, per live tracker updates from NBC Sports.