Top NBA free-agent small forwards: What will LeBron James do?

With the NBA offseason finally here, talk will shift to player movement, and there is no bigger name on the market than the one who had a hand in making player movement such a big part of the league: LeBron James.

Let’s break down the top small forwards in this year’s free agent market, including one of the all-time greats.

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(Note: Positions are determined off Basketball-Reference’s positional breakdowns, meaning a player will be listed at the position in which he played the most minutes.)

Free-agent position rankings: Point guards | Shooting guards

Status: Unrestricted free agent

We still don’t know if James has interest in returning to the Lakers, or if he has a wandering eye toward greener pastures. Regardless, the fact that he’s 41 and is clearly in physical decline could suggest we’ve seen the last of him being on the receiving end of a max contract.

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t still hold value. It simply means he’s not what he used to be, and the fit will have to make sense as the roster will need to be tailored around him.

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What makes sense: This man is 41 and still averaging over 20/5/5 in the NBA. Nothing makes sense. The Golden State Warriors would be an interesting landing spot.

Status: Player option
Value of option: $30.1 million

The 31-year-old wing might not be an All-Star, but he can score at a fairly high level, remains a solid defender and moves the ball well within a team scheme. Furthermore, Wiggins has improved as a shooter, to the point he’s far more comfortable spotting up when fed by others.

The fact that Wiggins can also swing between off-guard, the wing and even play the four allows him to be a multifaceted player who can help most teams.

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What makes sense: Turning down over $30 million isn’t easy, but at 31, now might be the best time for him to lock up something long term if he wants to squeeze out one last big contract in his career. Would a three-year, $75 million deal be enough?

Status: Restricted free agent

Watson broke out for Denver this season and will likely command a hefty paycheck, seeing as he’s one of the premier young two-way wings in the NBA. He…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/nba/article/top-nba-free-agent-small-forwards-what-will-lebron-james-do-174222294.html

Author : Morten Stig Jensen

Publish date : 2026-06-15 17:42:00

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