We're now more than three weeks past the NBA draft , and most of the big moves of the offseason have already happened. From AJ Dybantsa , Darryn Peterson , Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson being picked at the top of the draft, to Giannis Antetokounmpo , Jaylen Brown and LaMelo Ball among the big-name players changing teams via trade, it has been an eventful few weeks across the NBA.
But it's not over just yet. Here are the biggest unresolved storylines of the 2026 NBA offseason, starting with the future of LeBron James and ending with potential expansion: How has James impacted free agency?
James' decision to leave the Los Angeles Lakers has put things in a holding pattern. Though the trades of Antetokounmpo and Brown have been completed and the Lakers signed players to use their cap space, some teams are waiting on James' decision before they fill out their rosters.
For example, Cleveland , Denver , Golden State , Miami , Minnesota and Philadelphia -- teams interested in the four-time NBA champion and four-time MVP -- have at least two roster spots available. The Nuggets and Warriors have a combined eight openings.
The waiting game for James has also put the signings of Draymond Green and James Harden on hold. Both players are expected to return to Golden State and Cleveland, respectively, but James' decision could impact their first-year salary.
Not including a new contract for Green and Harden, both teams are nearly $39 million below the second apron. What makes James' free agency interesting is the near-equal playing field each team can offer financially.
The Nuggets, 76ers and Timberwolves all have the $3.9 million veterans minimum exception. Meanwhile, Miami could offer James $6 million of its non tax midlevel exception.
Barring a trade, Green and Harden would need to sacrifice financially for Golden State and Cleveland to offer more than the veterans minimum. Rich Paul, James' longtime agent, said on his "Game Over" podcast that happiness, not money, will be James' driving motive.
"If it's about happiness, because if it's the most money, then it's not necessarily the most happiness," Paul said. There is no timeline for when James will make a decision on his next team.
"As you're going through this process, I'm saying to LeBron, 'You really have to think this through,'" Paul said. "Everything looks great in July.
Everything looks great on paper. But you got to be very careful with that." After James, who are the best unrestricted free agents available?
Not factoring in Harden or Green, the answer is a player that was under contract when free agency started: DeMar DeRozan . DeRozan became a financial casualty in Sacramento despite averaging 18.4 points and shooting nearly 50% from the field last season.
He turns 37 in August and has played in at least 74 games in five straight seasons. Other notable unrestricted free agents include Bradley Beal , Bruce Brown , Russell Westbrook , Jonathan Kuminga , Matisse Thybulle , Kelly Olynyk , Nick Richards and Drew Eubanks .
As ESPN's Anthony Slater reported recently, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick met with Kuminga virtually to pitch him on a role next to Luka Doncic . The Lakers used all of their cap space in free agency and have only the $2.8 million veterans minimum exception.
However, because Kuminga was not waived by Atlanta -- his team option was not exercised -- the Lakers could try to orchestrate a sign-and-trade with Atlanta to give him more money. There are complicating factors when it comes to a sign-and-trade.
The first is whether the Hawks would be willing to take back the contracts of Jarred Vanderbilt and perhaps Dalton Knecht . Vanderbilt has two years and $27 million remaining on his contract.
Newly acquired Jaden Hardy can be aggregated in another trade because the Lakers acquired him with cap space. The Lakers have no tradeable first-round picks, except for a swap in 2032.
They do have three second-rounders. The second complicating factor is that a sign-and-trade would require Kuminga to commit a minimum of three seasons, not including a player or team option.
What about restricted free agents Jalen Duren and Peyton Watson ? Before free agency started on June 30, 29 players including Duren, Watson, Walker Kessler , Tari Eason and Bennedict Mathurin were tendered a one-year qualifying offer.
Since then, 17 restricted free agents, including Eason and Kessler, have either signed contracts with their current team or signed with a new t