NBA teams can begin negotiating with free agents from around the league beginning Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT.
While observers in Toronto will likely be spellbound by the possibility of Kawhi Leonard reuniting with the Raptors and, to a lesser extent, what the market will look like for Raptors unrestricted free agent reserve big man Sandro Mamukelashvili, those are far from the only storylines on the eve of the NBA’s moratorium period.
As a reminder, while contracts will be negotiated and agreed upon, nothing can be made official until 12:01 p.m. ET / 9:01 a.m. PT on July 6.
Here’s a look at some of the latest rumours as we count down:
LeBron, Lakers haven’t spoken to each other ‘seriously’ yet
This pursuit appears to have only been strengthened thanks to a report from ESPN’s Anthony Slater, who wrote Monday that “negotiations with Los Angeles (and James) in the lead-up to Tuesday’s free agency, however, have gone nowhere, appearing to crack open the door.”
Slater also added that Golden State’s hunt for Davis is likely being used as a “motivational tactic to lure James” to the Bay Area because of the close relationship James and Davis share, particularly after winning a title with the Lakers in the 2020 COVID-19 bubble season.
However, as Slater reported, there’s been no real movement from the Warriors on making a move for Davis yet.
Ben Simmons considering NBA comeback?
Ben Simmons could be considering a return to the NBA.
After playing 50 games between the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Clippers, the 29-year-old became a free agent during the summer of 2025, but did not play last season.
To keep himself busy, he became a professional sportfisherman, winning the 2026 Sport Fishing Championship Walker’s Cay Open back in May with his team the South Florida Sails.
“Watching the playoffs gave me a little bit of juice to wanna compete at that level,” Simmons told Skipper. “I’m like, I can compete with any of these guys.”
Simmons was the No. 1 pick of the 2016 draft, taken by the Philadelphia 76ers. He made three all-star teams (2019-2021), two NBA All-Defensive First Teams (2020 and 2021) and was an All-NBA Third Team selection in 2020. Across seven NBA seasons, he averaged 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game, shooting 55.8 per cent from the field.
As Skipper reported, Simmons appears serious about returning to the NBA, perhaps as soon as this coming season, as he ramps up training to get himself ready for it.
“I plan on getting as strong as I can physically, getting my ass on the court, and then the team realizing that my abilities will be needed,” he said. “I don’t have a plan on where.”
He later added, “Maybe I’ll go back to Philly. Miami would be nice. And not because it’s Miami — I like Erik Spoelstra, I like the Heat, I like their organization, I like the culture.”
Simmons appears to have a lot of confidence that teams will be lining up for him because “you can’t teach six-10 and IQ.”
One of the biggest names in free agency is set to meet with multiple teams.
Utah Jazz centre Walker Kessler will shop his services around upon the opening of the negotiation period Tuesday evening, The Athletic’s Tony Jones reported.
Kessler is a restricted free agent, but according to a mid-June report from The Athletic’s Sam Amick, Kessler has been unhappy with how the Jazz have handled his restricted free agency.
Kessler and the Jazz weren’t close to coming to an agreement despite the 24-year-old supposedly being offered a five-year, $140-million deal, ESPN’s Tim McMahon reported just a few days after the Amick report came out.
With word that Kessler will be meeting with teams, it looks like he’s looking for a far bigger payday than what the Jazz are initially looking to offer.
Kessler was the 22nd overall pick of the 2022 draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. He was later traded that summer to the Minnesota Timberwolves, who flipped him to the Jazz.
In four seasons with Utah, Kessler has emerged as one of the game’s premier defensive players, averaging 2.4 blocks per game for his career. He played just five games last season after needing season-ending surgery in November 2025 to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
• It doesn’t look like the Miami Heat will be able to retain Norman Powell, and both the Chicago Bulls and Detroit Pistons could be interested suitors, Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype reported. Powell, 33, is coming off his first all-star season that saw him average 21.7 points on 47 per cent shooting from the floor and 38 per cent from three in 58 games played.
• Veteran guard Bradley Beal is turning down his $5.6-million player option to enter free agency, NBA on Prime’s Chris Haynes reported. Beal is making this decision despite having this past season cut short because of a hip injury that required season-ending surgery. The Clippers have interest in bringing Beal back, The Athletic’s Law Murray reported Monday.
• Veteran defensive guard Marcus Smart is turning down his $5.4-million player option to hit the open market, Haynes also reported on Monday. According to Marc Stein, Jake Fischer and The Athletic’s Dan Woike, the 32-year-old Smart has drawn a ton of interest from the Houston Rockets, who, as Stein and Fischer reported, look to be readying a three-year offer for him.