NBA free agency’s final stretch: unsigned stars, fresh signings and the roster cuts looming before camp

Before training camps open, three of this offseason’s most prominent free agents — Jalen Duren, Bennedict Mathurin and Jonathan Kuminga — remain without a contract. Their prolonged free agency has unfolded alongside a wave of roster moves, including Klay Thompson’s signing with the Miami Heat and DeMar DeRozan’s agreement with the Denver Nuggets, while the Cleveland Cavaliers weigh cutting newly acquired forward Cam Whitmore to stay under the 15-man regular-season roster limit.

Jalen Duren’s standoff with the Pistons drags on

Duren has been a restricted free agent since the Detroit Pistons tendered him a qualifying offer, giving the team the right to match any outside offer he receives. According to Hoops Rumors, Detroit could theoretically offer Duren up to $287.1 million over five years, or $221.8 million over four. Citing Marc Spears, reports indicate the Pistons “are not interested in any sign and trade deals and will match any potential” offer sheet.

Duren’s leverage lies elsewhere. As The Athletic detailed, he can simply accept the one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer, stay in Detroit for one more season and re-enter unrestricted free agency next summer. As of August 8, the Detroit Free Press reported he has until October 1 to make that decision. ESPN’s Shams Charania had projected the negotiations would extend into August, and that has proven accurate: Hoops Rumors confirmed in its August 21-22 report that Duren and Mathurin are the league’s only two restricted free agents still unsigned. Amid the standoff, former Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart publicly urged the franchise to pay Duren, according to BasketNews.

Bennedict Mathurin still shopping while the Clippers hold matching rights

Mathurin’s situation mirrors Duren’s. The Clippers made him a restricted free agent on June 29 with a qualifying offer worth $8.77 million, per Hoops Rumors. Reports from Hardcourt Central suggested he may consider accepting the $8.8 million qualifying offer if progress remains stagnant.

Even so, Yahoo Sports reported Mathurin has been meeting with three teams while technically still tied to Los Angeles, since the Clippers retain the right to match any offer sheet he signs elsewhere. As with Duren, Hoops Rumors’ August 21-22 update confirmed Mathurin remains one of only two unsigned restricted free agents leaguewide, following Peyton Watson’s sign-and-trade to Cleveland, which cleared another name off the board.

Lakers and Timberwolves reported as finalists for Jonathan Kuminga

Kuminga’s path to free agency has been unusual. He was traded from Golden State to the Atlanta Hawks in February 2026, alongside Buddy Hield, in the deal that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Warriors, according to CBS Sports. The Hawks have since signaled Kuminga’s expected exit from the team despite him remaining unsigned.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported, via BasketNews, that the Lakers and Timberwolves have emerged as the two finalists. A Lakers deal would require a sign-and-trade, but that path would allow a larger salary; Minnesota, by contrast, could sign him outright. Windhorst noted on HoopsHype that “there’s still a window there for the Lakers to do a Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade deal using Jaden Hardy,” while separately saying, “Watch out for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Jonathan Kuminga sweepstakes.” Earlier reporting from Sporting News, dated July 30, indicated the Lakers had floated a sign-and-trade around an $18 million annual figure before the market shifted. Yahoo Sports described Kuminga as the biggest name remaining on the market as of August 22-23, with the Lakers and Timberwolves the reported favorites to end his free agency.

Klay Thompson finds a new home in Miami

While three top names remain unsigned, the veteran market has kept moving. Klay Thompson cleared waivers Sunday and signed with the Miami Heat, the team announced Sunday night, according to The Athletic. His official deal is worth $11.5 million over two years — $1.5 million less than initially reported — breaking down to a $5.6 million salary this season with a $5.9 million player option for 2027-2028, per HotHotHoops.

Thompson spent the previous two seasons in Dallas after 13 years with the Golden State Warriors, according to NBC Sports Bay Area. He will wear No. 11 with Miami, returning to the number he wore during his Warriors years, having worn No. 31 with the Mavericks, Bleacher Report noted. The signing brings Miami to 13 players on standard contracts, leaving the Heat $5.1 million below the first tax apron and $17.7 million below the second, per HotHotHoops.

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DeMar DeRozan joins a contender in Denver

DeMar DeRozan has agreed to a one-year, $3.9 million veteran-minimum contract with the Denver Nuggets, according to NBA.com. DeRozan had been a free agent since the Sacramento Kings waived him in July, per Hoops Rumors. The agreement came just days after Denver sent Peyton Watson to Cleveland in a sign-and-trade, a move that left the Nuggets needing another bench wing, the Denver Gazette reported.

This will mark DeRozan’s 18th NBA season. USA Today framed the move as an effort to keep Denver’s core, led by Nikola Jokic, in title contention following the Watson departure.

Cleveland’s roster crunch puts Cam Whitmore on the bubble

Denver’s Watson trade also reshaped Cleveland’s roster. The Cavaliers acquired Watson through a five-team sign-and-trade around August 20 and, as part of the broader trade compensation, also landed forward Cam Whitmore, who had been with the Washington Wizards, according to SI.com. Whitmore’s stay in Cleveland may be brief: the team is weighing a waive-and-stretch of his contract, which is worth $5.4 million (also reported as $5.46 million) this season, per Cleveland.com.

A waive-and-stretch would spread that money across multiple seasons, dropping his cap hit to roughly $1.8 million per year. HoopsHype reported that the Cavaliers have discussed internally waiving and stretching Whitmore rather than carrying him on the roster. Separate reporting indicates Whitmore is not expected to play a game in Cleveland.

The crunch traces back to Cleveland’s decision to re-sign James Harden to a three-year, $97 million contract with a player option in the third year, finalized around August 20-21, according to ESPN. Harden had declined a $42.3 million player option earlier in the offseason to pursue the longer deal, per Yahoo Sports.

The Athletic reported the deal was completed to give Cleveland more flexibility to also complete the Watson acquisition, who signed a four-year, $88 million contract as part of that sign-and-trade, according to Sportscasting. With NBA rosters limited to 15 players during the regular season — though teams may carry up to 21 in the offseason, per Hoops Rumors — Cleveland now must decide who stays and who goes before camp opens.