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.
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(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.)
Status: Player option
Value of option: $49 million
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.
At 27, Young is in his prime, which could be reflected in his future salary, as the Wizards — or someone else — could deem it worthy to pay top dollar for, presumably, his best production moving forward.
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What makes sense: An extension, in which he declines his player option, and signs from between $35 million-40 million per year. A three-year, $120 million contract could be logical for both him and Washington.
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Status: Player option
Value of option: $42.3 million
Harden actually played more minutes at the two 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.
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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.
What makes sense: It’s unlikely Harden receives a major long-term contract offer worth, 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.
Status: Unrestricted free agent
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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.
The 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. This is a highly attractive feature for most teams.
What makes sense: McCollum has at least a pair of good years left in him, which makes a three-year deal very tolerable. Perhaps $75 million over three years would be a solid deal for both him and the Hawks, but competition could lead to a higher price point.
Status: Unrestricted free agent
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After getting traded to Charlotte at the deadline, White played 75% of his minutes at the one, placing him on this list, even if — stylistically — he plays mostly as an off-guard and could see his role next season be more of the shooting-guard variety.
White is a tremendous scorer, who averaged 29.1 points per-36 minutes after making the switch to the Hornets. He can function as both a starter and a highly impactful sixth man, seeing as he also provides playmaking, some rebounding and a defensive level that has improved over the years.
What makes sense: If no team views him as a starter, then sixth-man money, in the area of $17 million per year, might be reasonable. If a team buys the concept of him as a starter, his price point likely jumps into the $20 million range.
Status: Unrestricted free agent
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Gillespie is a high-volume (7.2), 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.
He’ll be 27 before the season, meaning he’s also a guy you pay — presumably — for his prime years. Adding him to a playoff team in need of floor spacing (Hello, Detroit!) would be an intriguing proposition.
What makes sense: A deal within the framework of the non-tax MLE might sound rich, but based on last season, it’s not necessarily that big of a gamble. Of course, he only has one year of playing at this level, so risk is involved.
Best of the rest
6. Fred VanVleet, Houston Rockets
Status: Player option
Value of option: $25 million
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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.
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