2026 NBA Free Agency Opens: LeBron Leaving Lakers
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- The 2026 NBA free agency period opened at 6 p.m. ET Tuesday with several notable names already changing teams or preparing to.
- Walker Kessler agreed to a four-year, $130 million deal with the Lakers via sign-and-trade from the Jazz, teaming up with Luka Dončić.
- Mitchell Robinson left the champion Knicks for the rival Celtics on a three-year, $47.4 million contract.
- LeBron James declared Tuesday he's leaving the Lakers after eight years; the 41-year-old will test the market with the Warriors, Cavaliers, and Heat among interested suitors.
- Jalen Duren is a restricted free agent, giving the Pistons the right to match any offer sheet he receives.
- James Harden and Draymond Green are expected to return to their incumbent teams, the Cavaliers and Warriors, respectively.
Why it matters: With LeBron hitting the open market at age 41 and the champion Knicks already losing center Mitchell Robinson to Boston, the league's competitive balance could shift within days. The Lakers responded immediately by landing Kessler to pair with Dončić, signaling a retool around their new cornerstone rather than a wait-and-see on LeBron.
