NBA free agency 2026: Start date, top players and tracking all the deals signed

NBA free agency 2026 is set to begin with teams rebuilding rosters ahead of a busy offseason marked by trades and early re-signings. Negotiations with free agents from rival clubs can start at 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday, June 30, and contracts may be made official beginning Sunday, July 6. The article cites major trades, including the Miami Heat acquiring former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo from the structure centered on Tyler Herro and additional players and picks, and later LaMelo Ball being sent to the Minnesota Timberwolves with Naz Reid and draft assets going to Charlotte. It also lists early signings involving players such as Austin Reaves, Trae Young, Al Horford, CJ McCollum, Isaiah Hartenstein, Ayo Dosunmu, Coby White, and Jose Alvarado. With the 2025-26 projected salary cap at $165 million, ESPN projects the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls among the teams with the most cap space going into free agency.