LeBron's Done, But Duren and Harden Keep Free Agency Alive
With James off to Philly, a stacked free agent board still holds fantasy gold — including a top-45 center stuck in a contract standoff.
Locked into Detroit for 2026-27 — a top-7 center at a discount price.
- Duren: 19.5 pts, 10.5 reb, 38 fantasy pts/game in 2025-26
- Harden: HoopSplit #19, 23.6 pts and 8 ast last season
- Season tips off in roughly three months
- Green opted out of a $27.7M player option
- Duren ranks #7 among centers, #42 overall
LeBron James finally made his call — he's a 76er — but the offseason chessboard is nowhere near cleared. Roughly three months out from the 2026-27 tip-off, a deep pool of useful players is still unsigned, largely because teams held their cap flexibility hostage to the James sweepstakes. Now the dominoes start falling for real.
The headliner for fantasy purposes is Jalen Duren, who posted 19.5 points and 10.5 rebounds across 70 games last year and sits at HoopSplit's #42 overall (#7 among centers) with 38 fantasy points per game. He and the Pistons reportedly can't agree on a long-term deal, but the practical reality is simple: he has few alternatives and is almost certainly playing in Detroit again this season.
The Names That Matter
James Harden is the other big fantasy piece. The 17-year vet opted out of his Cleveland deal to give the Cavs room to chase James, and he's expected to re-sign. That's good news for managers — Harden logged 23.6 points and 8 assists per game in 2025-26, ranking #19 overall (#10 at guard) with 42.4 fantasy points a night. A return keeps his usage and playmaking intact.
Draymond Green fits the same pattern. He walked away from a $27.7-million player option to help Golden State's cap situation and is expected back on a new multi-year deal. His counting stats stay thin — 8.4 points, 5.5 boards, 5.5 dimes, good for #141 overall — so he's a category specialist, not a needle-mover.
The rest of the board reads like a fantasy afterthought list with upside: restricted man Peyton Watson is still waiting on an offer sheet Denver would have to match, Jonathan Kuminga is drawing Lakers and Cavs interest at a reduced number, and DeMar DeRozan is shopping for a home after being cut by Sacramento. Names like Russell Westbrook, Bradley Beal and Kevin Love round out the aging-vet tier.
The Fantasy Play
Duren is the buy-low here. His contract noise creates uncertainty that scares off casual drafters, but a top-7 center production profile doesn't evaporate because of a payment dispute. His last five games dipped 12.4 fantasy points below his average, so temper the recency panic and target him a round later than his rank suggests. Harden is a straight hold-and-draft as a top-20 asset, and Green is a punt-worthy specialist only in deeper leagues. Watch the Watson and Kuminga situations — landing spot will decide whether either is worth a late flier.
