DeMar DeRozan, Peyton Watson among best remaining NBA free agents: Evaluating interested teams, best fits, predictions

This NBA offseason has featured plenty of change, both through trades and big-name players choosing new destinations as free agents. Other than trades involving Jaylen Brown, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, and others, the biggest domino was LeBron James deciding to join the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency, a move that completely changes the hierarchy of power in the NBA.

Now in the midst of August, many players find themselves in the gym with their new teammates or bonding with them on vacation before training camp starts at the end of September. However, there are a handful of players who are still waiting to finalize where they will be when the 2026-27 season begins.

DeMar DeRozan is looking for his next opportunity in what would be his 18th NBA season, while restricted free agency drags on for Peyton Watson, Bennedict Mathurin, and Jalen Duren. Not to mention, Jonathan Kuminga is once again a free agent searching for a lucrative contract, and James Harden remains the biggest name unsigned at this point in the offseason.

All six players will very likely be putting pen to paper on new contracts at some point over the next six weeks, but where they will each end up and what their contracts will ultimately look like remains a mystery. Here’s the latest on all the best still available, starting with DeRozan.

DeMar DeRozan

Teams with reported interest: CLE, DEN, MIA, TOR, WAS

Even though he is now 37 years old and nearing the end of the line in his career, DeMar DeRozan can still play at a high level. More importantly, he has proven over the last couple of years to still be one of the best mid-range players and clutch-time performers in the NBA.

Throughout his entire career, DeRozan has been one of the most durable players in the league, and that has continued over the last several seasons. In fact, DeRozan has played in at least 74 games each of the last five years, including 77 games each of the last two seasons in Sacramento.

Although his streak of 12 consecutive seasons averaging over 20 points per game was snapped during the 2025-26 season, the veteran swingman still averaged 18.4 points and 4.1 assists per game while shooting 49.7 percent from the floor.

Since the Sacramento Kings waived him, multiple teams have expressed interest in signing DeRozan. There was a lot of noise initially about a potential reunion with the Toronto Raptors, which is still possible, but the attention for DeRozan as of late has shifted to Denver, Miami, and Washington.

The Denver Nuggets continue to deal with Peyton Watson’s restricted free agency, but they are perhaps the one team on the list of suitors for DeRozan who present the best opportunity to win at the end of his career and still contribute in meaningful minutes. Next to Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic, DeRozan could take a lot of pressure off Denver’s stars and be that key secondary scorer this team has been missing.

If he’s willing to take a minimum contract, the Nuggets would welcome DeRozan, as reported by ClutchPoints on Aug. 7. However, seeing as DeRozan has held out to this point, it appears as if he’s attempting to receive all of or part of a team’s mid-level exception.

As for the Miami Heat, they have long been linked to DeRozan before he was traded to Sacramento in 2024. The Heat missed out on Bradley Beal, and with Klay Thompson not expected to be bought out, the only other major addition that could be made in South Beach would be adding DeRozan.

The only problem with this fit is that DeRozan, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Bam Adebayo are not 3-point shooting threats, which would drastically shrink the floor if they were all on the court together.

A strong case could be made that the Washington Wizards may be the best spot for DeRozan since he could be a leader on and off the court for a team that expects to make a sizable jump during the 2026-27 season. Trae Young and Anthony Davis are two All-Stars, AJ Dybantsa is the No. 1 pick, and this team has plenty of youthful options on the rise.

If they were to add DeRozan, the Wizards all of a sudden would have a deep roster with plenty of scoring options, and they would perhaps be the most underrated threat in the Eastern Conference. Washington still has its full mid-level exception ($15 million) to offer DeRozan, which is more than any other team actively pursuing him.

Best fit: Washington Wizards
Prediction: One way or another, it seems like DeMar DeRozan finally finds his way to Miami, but do not count out Washington.

Peyton Watson

Teams with reported interest: ATL, CLE, DEN, LAC, MIL

Like Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency a year ago, this summer’s biggest RFA storyline revolves around Peyton Watson and where he will ultimately end up. As time has progressed this summer, it has looked more and more likely that Watson has played his final game in Denver, especially considering that he and his representation are not fond of the multi-year offer they received from the Nuggets.

This offer was slightly more than the mid-level exception, which has resulted in Klutch Sports and Watson looking at other opportunities that exist on the market, specifically teams like Cleveland, LA, and Milwaukee by way of a potential sign-and-trade.

The Nuggets do not want to lose Watson, which is why they have stuck to their offer and have the one-year qualifying offer as a last-resort option. However, if Watson gets a better contract from one of these other teams, Denver won’t be able to hold him hostage in negotiations due to a major tax problem on its hands.

At this moment, the Nuggets are prepared to pay over $68 million in taxes for their current roster. If Watson were to return on his $6.5 million qualifying offer, that tax bill would soar to over $110 million. If he were to accept Denver’s current offer on the table, around $18 million per year, the team’s tax bill would jump even higher, into the $200 million range.

It is not reasonable to think the Nuggets, who are not big tax spenders, would all of a sudden become the highest-paying team in the league, which is why it’s hard to imagine Watson remaining there at this juncture. The sign-and-trade route is more plausible for Watson at this time, especially since those other teams outside of Denver can offer him a more sizeable role as well.

The LA Clippers will be finalizing their Kawhi Leonard trade with the Toronto Raptors at some point, and they need an athletic, young wing who can help usher in a new era. As previously reported on ClutchPoints, the Clippers would also be willing to part ways with Derrick Jones Jr. in order to acquire Watson via a sign-and-trade.

The Milwaukee Bucks have an assortment of talent, including Jaime Jaquez Jr., who would be an ideal piece for Denver to bring back in a Watson deal. Not to mention, the Bucks have a great working relationship with Klutch Sports, and the team has a $25.4 million TPE from dealing Giannis to Miami that can be utilized to absorb a new contract for Watson in the $20 million per year range.

Out of all of his suitors, Watson would get the most playing time and undoubtedly be a starter with Milwaukee.

Although the Atlanta Hawks were interested in Watson when free agency began, they no longer appear to be in the bidding for his services.

And then that leaves the Cleveland Cavaliers, who recently traded Dennis Schroder to open up financial flexibility. Why would they make this move unless the Cavs’ front office were confident about landing a new talent at this point in free agency?

Whether it’s Watson or Kuminga, the Cavs look confident in their ability to add a key talent on the wing. If a trade suitor is found for Max Strus, Cleveland will instantly become the favorite to land Watson via a sign-and-trade. However, as it stands right now, the team is $29.6 million below the first apron and $42 million under their second apron hard cap.

Any potential sign-and-trade for Watson would hard cap the Cavs at the first apron, and they still need to re-sign James Harden. Cleveland is up to something right now, but it remains to be seen whether this front office can actually pull off the big move for Watson.

Best fit: Milwaukee Bucks
Prediction: Cavs make a run for Peyton Watson, but Bucks wait until September and get a deal done.

Jonathan Kuminga

Teams with reported interest: ATL, CLE, LAC, LAL, MIL, MIN

Once again, here we are late in the summer wondering what will happen with Jonathan Kuminga in free agency. Are we actually going to enter September once again not knowing what Kuminga’s immediate future looks like?

Since the very start of free agency, the Los Angeles Lakers have made it known to Kuminga and his representation that they value his skills and want him as a key secondary player alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. While they did present a small contract offer to Kuminga in early July, he held out to see what other teams were interested and whether his price would grow from the $10 million annually LA was offering.

That really hasn’t happened.

The Atlanta Hawks were said to be open to bringing Kuminga back on a minimum deal, but that ship has sailed since adding Aaron Wiggins and Lu Dort in trades with the OKC Thunder. The Minnesota Timberwolves have interest in Kuminga, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, but they can only offer him their $6 million taxpayer MLE and would need to move another contract first before doing so since they’re right near their second apron hard cap.

Overall, the Timberwolves would be a great fit for Kuminga since they have a clear need for another dynamic forward next to Jaden McDaniels and can play an uptempo style on offense with LaMelo Ball and Anthony Edwards pushing the pace. That is the type of style Kuminga would thrive in.

There hasn’t been much talk about Kuminga going to the Clippers recently, and interest from the Bucks seems like an “if all else fails” option regarding their pursuit of Peyton Watson and Bennedict Mathurin.

That leaves the Cavs as the only other realistic landing spot for Kuminga other than the Lakers or Wolves, and Cleveland is highly motivated to land one of Watson or Kuminga. Who knows? Maybe the Cavs end up with both if they move Max Strus and find other ways to save money.

Should the Cavs swing and miss on a sign-and-trade for Watson, then Kuminga will be their obvious choice. At the same time, the Lakers still have interest in a player like Kuminga and could get creative with Jarred Vanderbilt’s $12.4 million contract to make something happen.

It looks increasingly likely that Kuminga will end up with the Lakers, Timberwolves, or Cavs.

Best fit: Minnesota Timberwolves
Prediction: Jonathan Kuminga will join the Cavs if they miss out on Peyton Watson, but Lakers are the obvious choice.

Bennedict Mathurin

Teams with reported interest: CHI, LAC, MIL, NOP

Bennedict Mathurin’s situation with the LA Clippers is sort of being held up slightly by their pursuit of Watson but more so due to Kawhi Leonard’s investigation. Until that is solved, which it appears it could be before training camp begins in September, it’s difficult for the Clippers to make any moves with an unknown financial situation.

As far as Mathurin goes, the LA does have interest in bringing him back, and that has been the message from the team since free agency began. Mathurin joined the Clippers in the middle of the 2026-27 season after they traded Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers in February.

In 26 regular-season games with the Clippers, Mathurin averaged 17.4 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 42.6 percent from the floor. Due to his athletic play and natural scoring abilities on the wing, there is certainly a role in this league for the 24-year-old, and those are reasons why LA wants to retain him.

At the same time, he has been discussing potential sign-and-trade opportunities with other teams as a restricted free agent and has received interest from the Bucks, Chicago Bulls, and New Orleans Pelicans.

Out of these three teams, the Bulls have the easiest path to pulling off a deal for Mathurin and offer the best situation for him to maximize his immediate future. Unlike in LA, where he would be nothing more than a secondary scorer, Mathurin could eventually become a starter in Chicago and become a foundational part of their young core next to Josh Giddey, Matas Buzelis, and Caleb Wilson.

If they were to include Isaac Okoro and a second-round pick in a deal for Mathurin, there is a likely path to getting a deal done with the Clippers.

From the Bucks’ perspective, it seems like their priority is pursuing Watson. Should things fizzle out there or they aren’t able to land Watson in a sign-and-trade, Mathurin would become Milwaukee’s next-best option. The positive from Mathurin’s perspective for possibly joining the Bucks is the fact that they are rebuilding and would instantly give him a sizable role as their fourth or fifth highest-paid player.

While it’s hard to say what will happen in Clipper Land until the Kawhi investigation is concluded, it seems more likely than not right now that Mathurin will be back in LA.

Best fit: Chicago Bulls
Prediction: After missing on Watson & Kuminga, the Clippers will bring Bennedict Mathurin back.

Jalen Duren

Teams with reported interest: DET

No team in the league has cap space this late in the offseason, and the Detroit Pistons have made it very clear since before free agency began that they are not interested whatsoever in any sign-and-trade scenarios. No teams have approached them since Summer League inquiring about a Jalen Duren sign-and-trade because all the signals have been that he will be back in Detroit for the 2026-27 season.

The question at large, however, is whether he will sign a new long-term contract or take his one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer. Around the league, nobody anticipates Duren taking that one-year offer and betting on himself, especially coming off the All-Star and All-NBA season he had.

“You can’t take the qualifying offer coming off an All-Star season,” one Western Conference front-office member told ClutchPoints regarding Duren in early August. “It’s almost like a death sentence. Nobody will view you close to the player you think you are again. Giving up a nine-figure deal for the qualifying offer and risking getting hurt with no long-term security, especially as a center in today’s league, would be extremely reckless and foolish.”

Since the start of negotiations, Duren and his camp made it clear that they view him as a max-level player and he should be compensated as such. While that is obviously their dream, it was simply a negotiating tactic and a starting point to come down from. Nobody in the NBA views Duren as a max-level player.

From Detroit’s point of view, they made it clear they wanted to keep him somewhere in the $30 million to $35 million range initially. The assumption over the last few weeks is that their offer has increased slightly to what could be deemed some type of “middle ground” between the two sides. That is what is currently on the table.

So, what happens next?

Duren basically has his back up against the wall because the Pistons have leverage in this situation. He is not getting a max deal, and there’s no way he could sleep well at night turning down a nine-figure contract for under $10 million just for one season.

There is a saying in the NBA: “Take the money when it’s there.” Well, that’s what will end up happening with Duren, as he will be back with the Pistons on a new long-term deal and then the organization will quickly finalize an extension with Ausar Thompson.

Just because Duren ends up taking a new deal with the Pistons doesn’t necessarily mean his long-term future past the 2026-27 season will be in Detroit, especially with how these negotiations have gone.

Best fit: Detroit Pistons
Prediction: There is nowhere to go other than returning to Detroit for less than a max deal. 

James Harden

Teams with reported interest: CLE

James Harden will be back with the Cleveland Cavaliers. If the 11-time All-Star and former MVP were to be on the move, that would’ve happened already, so we might as well just get that out of the way.

On Aug. 26, Harden will turn 37 years old, making this his last chance to get a long-term contract commitment. He will be getting a new deal from the Cavs, but what the price will be is the question at large. Since Cleveland is actively pursuing Watson and Kuminga, Harden has been willing to push off his contract talks for the time being to give the team financial flexibility.

Unlike his previous contract, which would’ve paid him $42.3 million for the 2026-27 season, Harden will be taking a discount to help the Cavs add talent around him and Donovan Mitchell (assuming they can land either Watson or Kuminga).

Maybe the two sides will just wait until his birthday to figure things out, and he will get paid then. Maybe this stretches longer into September.

Whatever the case may be, Harden will have a new deal with the Cavs before training camp at the end of September, and he is not going anywhere. Anticipate his new deal being somewhere in the $25 million to $32 million annual range. Although this is a wide range, it really does depend on whether the Cavs land either Watson or Kuminga.

Best fit: Cleveland Cavaliers
Prediction: No team registered interest in James Harden this offseason. He will sign a new long-term deal with Cavs.

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