The 2026 NBA Draft is loaded and is being called one of the best draft classes in recent memory. The top 10 is particularly stacked with guard talent. Not every team is going to walk away from draft day with a star guard, though, and those teams might have to look to the open market to fill out their backcourt. Here are the 10 best shooting guards in NBA free agency with predictions on where they will land.
10. Bruce Brown, Denver Nuggets, UFA
Bruce Brown was a key player for the Denver Nuggets when they won the championship in 2023. He then returned to Denver for this past season, but the same magic wasn't quite there. Even so, Brown clearly loves playing for the Nuggets, and considering he seems willing to play on the cheap, he could return to a Denver team that can't afford to lose all their depth.
Prediction: Denver Nuggets
9. Luke Kennard, Los Angeles Lakers, UFA
Luke Kennard is one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA. He has led the league in 3-point percentage three times, including while making 47.8% of his long balls this past season. The Los Angeles Lakers have so many impending free agents that they might not be able to retain Kennard, though. The Dallas Mavericks were in the bottom five in 3-point makes and percentage last year, and adding a sharpshooter for Cooper Flagg to kick out to would help the Rookie of the Year out a lot.
Prediction: Dallas Mavericks
8. Quentin Grimes, Philadelphia 76ers, UFA
Quentin Grimes can scale up or down, depending on what teams need out of him. He has spent much of his career as a 3-and-D role player, but he averaged 21.9 points per game over his first 28 games with the Philadelphia 76ers, showing more creation ability than anybody thought he had in the process. This versatility will make him coveted in free agency and a great fit with the Portland Trail Blazers. Portland needs more shooting and wing defense, but there should be an opportunity for a decent usage rate with the Trail Blazers, too.
Prediction: Portland Trail Blazers
7. Tim Hardaway Jr., Denver Nuggets, UFA
Tim Hardaway Jr., like his teammate Bruce Brown, played last season on the veteran's minimum for the Nuggets. After a season in which he nearly won the Sixth Man of the Year award, he seems unlikely to sign such a cheap contract again, which means Denver could be outpriced. Hardaway's spark plug scoring ability would work well with a Toronto Raptors team that ranked seventh-to-last in bench scoring.
Prediction: Toronto Raptors
6. C.J. McCollum, Atlanta Hawks, UFA
When C.J. McCollum was the centerpiece of the Trae Young trade, everybody felt that the Atlanta Hawks had gotten fleeced, but McCollum continued to prove that he is one of the best combo guards in the NBA. McCollum can score from the mid-range or from beyond the arc. It was well known that the Hawks wanted him back because of how well he fits with the team. McCollum's offense forms a nice backcourt pairing with Dyson Daniels and his expert defensive capabilities.
Prediction: Atlanta Hawks
Note: C.J. McCollum agreed to a one-year, $21 million extension with the Hawks
5. Bennedict Mathurin, Los Angeles Clippers, RFA
Bennedict Mathurin was added in the Ivica Zubac trade, and the Los Angeles Clippers won't want to lose him for nothing, not even after they ended up with the Indiana Pacers' first-round pick this year. Mathurin is a great scorer who is probably best off long-term as an energizer off the bench.
Prediction: Los Angeles Clippers
4. Zach LaVine, Sacramento Kings, player option
Zach LaVine is in an interesting place ahead of free agency. On the one hand, he is a multi-time All-Star who is both an elite 3-point shooter and one of the league's most explosive athletes. On the other hand, he has been overpaid in recent years and hasn't contributed to a lot of winning over his career. LaVine is set to make nearly $50 million next season if he picks up his contract, but the Kings are also in a potential rebuilding mode. LaVine could pick up his option, but that doesn't mean the Kings won't trade him at some point.
Prediction: Sacramento Kings
3. Ayo Dosunmu, Minnesota Timberwolves, UFA
The Minnesota Timberwolves lost Nickeil Alexander-Walker last offseason, but they eventually got his replacement in the form of trade deadline acquisition Ayo Dosunmu. The team can't afford to let Dosunmu turn into a mere rental. He provides much-needed guard depth, and his offensive production in the playoffs played a big part in the team upsetting the Nuggets despite being depleted by injuries. Dosunmu was red hot from 3-point land last season.
Prediction: Minnesota Timberwolves
2. Norman Powell, Miami Heat, UFA
Norman Powell had a career year and made the Eastern Conference All-Star team just in time for him to hit the open market. He has been somewhat of a late bloomer, but he has now surpassed the 20-point-per-game threshold in back-to-back seasons. As a hardworking and always improving player, Powell fits the Heat culture, so a return to Miami makes sense.
Prediction: Miami Heat
1. Austin Reaves, Los Angeles Lakers, player option
Luka Doncic is clearly the future of the Lakers. If the team has to pick between LeBron James and Austin Reaves as Doncic's running mate, it makes more sense to invest in the younger option. Reaves, who averaged 23.3 points per game this past season, could take his scoring to an even greater level if he doesn't have to share touches with James, a ball-dominant player and one of the greatest NBA players ever.
Prediction: Los Angeles Lakers
