Ja Morant, Norman Powell and other offseason moves affecting fantasy basketball in 2026-27

Free agency officially began on Tuesday night, but a considerable amount of business had already been completed. Between players agreeing to stay with their original teams during the exclusive negotiating window and some huge trades, this summer’s free-agent class may not have the same “star power” we’re used to seeing.

However, there have still been some notable moves for fantasy basketball managers to pay close attention to as they prepare for draft season. Here’s a look at some of those key moves, and this article will be updated throughout the coming days.

Top 10 2026 NBA free agents still available

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We’ve seen some huge trades and a wave of free agent signings, but there still some of the biggest names on the board.

Key trade links:

Kawhi Leonard traded to Raptors, Brandon Ingram heads to the Clippers

Heat acquire Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Bucks

Celtics trade Jaylen Brown to 76ers for Paul George, picks

While the Ball and Reid aspects of this trade have been covered here, we’ve yet to touch on Randle’s move to Brooklyn. In his second season with the Timberwolves, the veteran forward averaged 21.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.4 three-pointers, shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 80.2 percent from the foul line. The scoring average improved by more than two points per game compared to Randle’s 2024-25 production and there was also a slight bump in assists and steals, but the rebounding number dipped slightly.

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Randle provided fifth-round value in eight-cat formats, and maintaining that level of production in Brooklyn is certainly possible. Much of the Nets’ offense next season should run through Randle and Michael Porter Jr., raising the former’s fantasy ceiling. The concern is whether his efficiency will suffer due to the downgrade in overall talent.

Trail Blazers add another point guard to their rotation, acquiring Ja Morant

After seven seasons in Memphis, Morant is headed to the Pacific Northwest for the next stop in his NBA career. When available, he’s one of the most electrifying guards in the NBA, and fantasy managers tend to get solid value despite the efficiency concerns. However, staying on the court has been an issue for Morant, who has played only 79 games over the last three seasons. And he has not played more than 65 games since his rookie season. Simply put, fantasy managers who select Morant know to plan for at least one extended absence.

Also, how will new Trail Blazers head coach Micah Nori manage a rotation that now includes Morant, Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday and Scoot Henderson? There’s been talk that Morant and Lillard will start, but someone’s usage is likely to take a hit, if not both of them. Henderson, whose fantasy value was already shaky, takes the biggest hit with the trade, but Deni Avdija may not be far behind. The playmaking forward is coming off of an All-Star season, and the ball is likely to be in his hands far less than it was in 2025-26.

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Last but not least, keep an eye on Donovan Clingan‘s blocks. If Portland insists on starting Morant and Lillard together, “Cling Kong” will be needed to provide elite rim protection to compensate for those guards’ defensive limitations.

Norman Powell, Bulls agree to two-year contract

With the amount of money the Heat now have to pay Antetokounmpo, it became obvious that Powell would move on if he wanted a significant payday. He heads to Chicago on a two-year, $45 million deal and will be one of the Bulls’ primary scoring options. When healthy, Powell has offered excellent fantasy value in recent seasons. However, he’s exceeded 65 regular-season games just twice since the 2020-21 season and appeared in 58 games in 2025-26. Given the change of scenery and Chicago’s need for perimeter scoring, Powell’s ADP is likely to be higher than it was going into last season (86). But the jump may not be too great, given recent availability issues and the Bulls’ rebuild.

Kessler’s impact on fantasy basketball last season was that he wasn’t available, as a shoulder injury resulted in his playing just five games. As a result, many fantasy managers took a hit due to the absence of a player capable of delivering top-50 value. On Wednesday morning, it was reported that the Lakers acquired the 7-footer in a sign-and-trade, giving up two unprotected firsts (2031 and 2033) and two first-round pick swaps (2028 and 2030) to sign Kessler to a four-year, $130 million contract.

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That’s a high price to pay for Kessler, with the hope being that he can be the pick-and-roll partner and rim protector that Deandre Ayton was not last season. A healthy Kessler can offer excellent fantasy value, especially for managers willing to punt free-throw percentage. A 54.5 percent shooter from the charity stripe in his career, Kessler connects on 68.1 percent of his field-goal attempts and has averaged 2.4 blocks per game.

And speaking of Ayton, he was traded to the Wizards days after exercising his $8.1 million player option. Due to the inconsistent play, his fantasy value wasn’t great last season. And unless the Wizards go against previous reports and trade Anthony Davis, “DominAyton” will be a backup next season.

Rockets, Tari Eason agree to five-year, $81.5 million contract

While he didn’t appear all that thrilled with the money, based on his social media post after the deal was reported, Eason’s future in Houston is secure for the time being. When available, the Rockets forward can be a highly valuable asset in category leagues. However, availability has been the issue since Eason appeared in all 82 games as a rookie.