The 2026 NBA Draft Aftermath: Where the Best Undrafted Free Agents Are Signing
The 2026 NBA Draft came and went, and as always, the real fun started right after the second round ended.
After 60 selections on June 25, dozens of college careers ended with no name being called. That triggered the most chaotic 24 hours in the NBA’s annual calendar, with teams and agents scrambling to lock down two-way contracts, Exhibit-10 deals, and Summer League invites for guys who could absolutely play in the league.
Among the notable signings, Nebraska guard Sam Hoiberg agreed to a deal with the Phoenix Suns. Miami of Ohio guard Peter Suder got a two-way deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. Arizona forward Tobe Awaka signed a two-way deal with the Chicago Bulls. Florida guard Xaivian Lee got an Exhibit-10 contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Each of these signings tells a story. Hoiberg comes from basketball royalty and has the kind of feel for the game NBA teams covet at the back end of a roster. Suder is a sleeper from a smaller program who quietly put up huge numbers and had scouts buzzing all year. Awaka is a physical big with a real motor. Lee has the kind of streaky shooting that fits perfectly in today’s NBA.
The undrafted free agent market is one of the most underrated talent pools in basketball. Look at the recent history. Austin Reaves went undrafted and just signed a historic contract with the Lakers. Christian Wood, Fred VanVleet, the list of players who fell out of the draft and became stars is long enough to keep front offices honest about who they pass on.
For the players signing two-way deals, the path is straightforward and brutal. You spend most of the season in the G League. You get called up for short stints when injuries hit. You prove you belong every single practice, because the next two-way prospect is one workout away from replacing you. There is no comfort. There is no guarantee. There is only the work.
Summer League becomes the proving ground for many of these guys. The Vegas spotlight is intense. Coaches watch every possession. Every defensive rotation gets evaluated. Every shot decision gets scrutinized. The players who stand out can earn a real training camp invite. The ones who do not are looking at the G League full-time at best.
For the teams handing out these contracts, the math is simple. You are looking for the diamond in the rough. The 25th name on your draft board who slid because of athletic testing or because his school did not get enough TV games. The kid who knows he is on borrowed time and is willing to outwork everyone in the gym.
This is when smart front offices separate themselves. The teams that consistently find undrafted contributors are the same teams that build sustainable depth and don’t get burned by injury luck. Pat Riley’s Heat have been doing this for years. The Spurs were the original masters of it. The Lakers are getting better at it.
Keep an eye on these names over the next 12 months. By next June, at least one of them is going to be a household name. That’s how the league works. That’s how it has always worked.
Welcome to the league, fellas. The hard part starts now.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
