NBA free agency: Six underrated players teams should target - ESPN

The NBA's championship landscape could change when high-profile players such as Austin Reaves, Jalen Duren and LeBron James sign new contracts this summer. But stars with nine-figure deals aren't the only free agents who can improve a team's fortunes.

Free agency is also full of role players and specialists and identifying and signing the right ones are vital for contenders who wish to round out a winning rotation. These players can step up in the event of injury over a long season, and they can provide flexible lineup options across different postseason series.

I'll highlight six under-the-radar free agents worth targeting when the market opens at the end of this month. None of them are listed among Bobby Marks' top 20 free agents in this year's class — thus the «under-the-radar» component — but all could make a difference in the right circumstance.

Notably, in this exercise last year, I nailed Luke Kornet and De'Anthony Melton as valuable role players worth signing. Granted, I also tabbed Chris Paul and Malcolm Brogdon in the same piece; Paul ended up playing just 16 ineffective games for the Clippers before being unceremoniously sent home, while Brogdon announced a surprising retirement just before the start of the season. You can't win 'em all.

2025-26 team: Phoenix Suns

Gillespie didn't get enough attention for his breakout season. Entering the 2025-26 campaign, the undrafted guard had played 57 games overall and scored 281 career points. But this season, he played 80 more games and scored 1,012 points, nearly quadrupling his previous total.

Gillespie's game is characterized by efficiency. He doesn't waste possessions — he averaged three assists to one turnover — and he's an excellent 3-point shooter. He was one of