Top NBA free-agent point guards: James Harden could face an interesting market
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As we near the 2026 NBA offseason, several players have unclear futures, either due to free agency status, or having team or player options hanging over their heads.
As such, it's time to break down the top available point guards in this year's free agent market.
AdvertisementAdvertisement(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: Shooting guards | Small forwards | Power forward | Centers
1. Trae Young, Washington Wizards
Status: Agreed to 4-year, approximately $212 million deal to remain with Wizards
Young was traded to the Wizards before the 2026 NBA trade deadline and appeared just briefly for them as he nursed various injuries. The heliocentric point guard is a four-time All-Star, who has averaged over 25.1 points and 9.8 assists for his career.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAt 27, Young is in his prime, and the Wizards, ideally, are paying for his best production moving forward.
2. James Harden, Cleveland Cavaliers
Status: Player option
Value of option: $42.3 million
Harden actually played more minutes at the 2 this season, but we're allowing him in the point guard category because he played 68% of his minutes at lead guard after he got traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Harden helped the Cavs make a push to the Eastern Conference finals, but struggled with turnovers and shot selection. He remains a player who can produce quality numbers any given night, but he's going to be 37 before the start of the season, which means long-term money can be ... problematic.
AdvertisementAdvertisementWhat makes sense: It's unlikely Harden receives a major long-term contract, so any short-term extension would have to be worth it to him if he declines his option. Would $60 million over two years be enough? It seems unlikely, which ultimately leads to the likelihood of him picking up the option — unless Cleveland decides to break the bank.
3. CJ McCollum, Atlanta Hawks
Status: Agreed to 1-year, $21 million extension to remain with Hawks
McCollum, who was acquired by the Atlanta Hawks in the Trae Young trade, turned out to be one of the best possible fits the organization could have envisioned, especially alongside breakout star Jalen Johnson.
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe veteran's ability to play both on and off the ball provides the Hawks with multiple offensive looks they can lean into, allowing McCollum to be either scaled down or scaled up, pending need.
4. Coby White, Charlotte Hornets
Status: Agreed to three-year, $74 million deal to remain with Hornets
After getting traded to Charlotte at the deadline, White played 75% of his minutes at the 1, placing him on this list, even if — stylistically — he plays mostly as an off-guard. But with the reported trade of LaMelo Ball to Minnesota, it appears the runway is clear for White to continue to run the offense.
White is a tremendous scorer, who averaged 29.1 points per 36 minutes after making the switch to the Hornets. He can function as a starter who also provides playmaking, some rebounding and a defensive level that has improved over the years.
It certainly appears Charlotte is happy with his performance.
5. Collin Gillespie, Phoenix Suns
Status: Agreed to 4-year, $48 million deal to return to Suns
Gillespie is a high-volume (7.2 attempts), high-efficiency (40.1%) 3-point shooter who works wonders as a secondary guard to a lead playmaker, so he can play off a genuine star, which we saw this year with Devin Booker.
AdvertisementAdvertisementHe'll be 27 before the season, meaning he's also a guy you pay for his prime years. This a great value for Phoenix.
Best of the rest
6. Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets
Status: Player option
Value of option: $25 million
VanVleet missed the entire season due to a torn ACL, so it would appear likely that he picks up his option. If he's fully healthy, he can help a contender, but whether he ever becomes a full-time starter again remains to be seen.
7. Anfernee Simons, Chicago Bulls
Status: Unrestricted free agent
Simons has an argument to be ranked above VanVleet, but let's be honest: He's not a true point guard but more of a scoring combo. That said, he should have a market, given how strong a shooter he is and how he can integrate himself next to a high-volume ball-handler. At 27, his best years are likely ahead of him.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
