NBL27 Free Agency: Which players do teams have their eyes on?

With the NBL27 Free Agency officially tipping off on Friday, April 17, there are numerous high-profile players unsigned, which teams will certainly have their eyes on.

Ahead of then, NBL Media outlines some of the most intriguing free agents on the market, starting with the locals (Australian and New Zealand players):

• Free Agency Tracker: Rolling updates, signings and reported moves.
• NBL27 Roster Tracker: Every signing, extension and departure.
• NBL27 Free Agents list revealed.

- Finn Delany (last played with Melbourne United, averaging 11.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists).

After two seasons playing abroad, in Spain and Japan, Delany returned to the NBL during the 2025-26 with United, marking the first time he’d played in the competition not in Breakers colours.

Much like United’s campaign, the Tall Black started the season strong, but plateaued somewhat following the FIBA Break.

A season-high 33 points against Tasmania in the Play-In Qualifier helped keep United’s season alive, before falling one game short of the Playoffs.

Now Delany, who had career-highs in free-throw percentage (83.8), assists (2.3), offensive rebounds (1.7) and steals (0.9), looms as a key piece that could elevate a team’s ceiling.

On the flip side, it leaves a big hole for United to fill in their frontcourt.

- Alex Ducas (last played with Brisbane Bullets, averaging 8.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists).

In his first season in the NBL, after playing in the NBA with Oklahoma City, Ducas showed flashes of why he’s considered one of the country's brightest stars.

As the season progressed, the West Australian wing continued to grow as a player, which included him scoring a career-high 18 points twice in the space of a few rounds.

The 2025 NBA champion and Australian Boomer is a piece numerous teams will have an eye on, as a building block for the future.

- Mojave King (last played with Cairns Taipans, averaging 11.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists).

The mid-season addition to the Taipans turned into a revelation for Adam Forde’s side, posting career-high in points (11.3), rebounds (4.4), assists (1.5), field goal percentage (45.6) and free-throw percentage (38.7).

The athletic wing, who was selected with the 47th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, would fit nicely into all teams in the competition, due to his ability to play on both sides of the ball.

With four seasons in the NBL now under his belt, the 23-year-old Tall Black appears ready to take another jump forward next campaign.

- Tanner Krebs (last played with Melbourne United, averaging 8 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1 assist).

The sharpshooter was one of United’s most consistent weapons in NBL26, regardless if he started or came off the bench.

His ability to move without the ball, along with being one of the NBL’s top shooters, led to him producing career-best marks in field goal percentage (44.9), three-pointers made (1.4), rebounds (3.3) and steals (0.4), as well as having his second-best points average (8).

All 10 teams could use an offensive wing like Krebs, who can also hold his own on the defensive end, so we’re sure the Australian Boomer will have numerous suitors once Free Agency opens.

- Bul Kuol (last played with the Sydney Kings, averaging 6.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists).

After an injury-plagued NBL25 campaign with the Kings, the 2024 Olympian began to reestablish himself as one of the competition’s top defenders this season.

His length, strength and ability to guard multiple positions proved to be invaluable to the Kings’ mid-season surge, setting the tone for his side of defensive end of the floor.

Unfortunately, another knee injury limited the South Sudanese international to just 20 games in NBL26, but teams know the worth of Kuol.

While ESPN’s Olgun Uluc reported on The Marketplace, presented by Paywise that Sydney declined Kuol’s third-year option to begin negotiations on a new contract between the two parties, there is a sentiment that other teams are putting in feelers for the talented wing (who had career-best marks in field goal percentage (51.7), free-throw percentage (84.6), three-point percentage (84.6), rebounds (4.2) and steals (1) in NBL26).

- Will Magnay (last played with Tasmania JackJumpers, averaging 10.4 points, 7 rebounds and 1.8 blocks).

The 2024 Olympian has established himself as arguably the competition’s premier defensive big, being the catalyst for Tasmania’s strong and gritty play on that end of the floor.

The JackJumpers captain has already expressed an interest in extending his five-year stint in Tasmania, but the one main issue surrounding the NBL24 champion is his health.

Across the past five seasons in the Apple Isle, Magnay has appeared in just 97 out of 166 games, which makes it hard for some teams to build around the dynamic big man.

- Makuach Maluach (last played for Sydney Kings, averaging 8.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game).

One of the breakout stars of NBL26, who was shortlisted for the Most Improved Award, Maluach became one of the Kings’ most vital pieces.

The stats back that up, with the NSW product posting career-highs in points (8.4), rebounds (3.1), assists (0.8), steals (0.6) and blocks (0.2), which included a season-high 23 points in Sydney’s closeout win against Perth in the Playoffs.

The two-way wing, whose career is well and truly on the ascent, would be a great fit on most teams and looms as an intriguing piece on the market.

- Elijah Pepper (last played for Sydney Kings, averaging 10.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists).

Along with Maluach, Australian Boomer Pepper took his game to the next level in NBL26.

Through the first 11 rounds, Pepper averaged 7.3 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game, across 12.5 minutes per game, but when the opportunity presented itself in the second half of the season, the 24-year-old averaged 13 points, 2.7 boards and 1.9 dimes in 29.6 minutes per game.

Having shown what he can do with extra time on court, Pepper appears to be one of the most sought-after free agents, with Uluc saying "teams are ready to reach out for Elijah Pepper and he's someone who a lot of teams regard as a fringe marquee".

- Sam Waardenburg (last played with Cairns Taipans, averaging 15.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists).

The talented big man was limited to just eight games in NBL26 due to injury, but appears to be one of the most interesting dominoes heading into Free Agency.

With his ability to shoot at his size, shown by career-best averages in field goal (56.6), three-point (43.5) and free-throw (80), the Tall Black could complement any roster next season, including United who Uluc linked him to.

Still only 27, there’s a feeling that Waardenburg is set to take his game to even greater heights than his career-best 15.5 points this season.

- Tai Webster (last played with New Zealand Breakers, averaging 7.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.7 assists).

The versatile two-way guard was a vital piece off the bench for the Breakers in NBL26, helping the club win the first-ever Ignite Cup.

With his ability to handle the ball and defend multiple positions, the Tall Black would fit on most teams and could help a team get over that championship hump, especially with the positive impact he can have on team culture.

Just as important as getting your local core together is hitting on your imports.

Just look at how important the likes of Kendric Davis, Tim Soares and Torrey Craig were in the Kings’ championship.

While some teams have locked up their imports on long-term deals, such as Kristian Doolittle and Dylan Windler (Perth), Zylan Cheatham and Nick Rakocevic (Adelaide), Tyler Harvey (Illawarra), Parker Jackson-Cartwright (New Zealand), other teams are on the lookout for their marquee stars.

With that in mind, here are some of the high-profile imports not signed for NBL27:

• Andrew Andrews (last played for Cairns Taipans, averaging 14.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 7.6 assists).
• Izaiah Brockington (last played for New Zealand Breakers, averaging 16.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2 assists).
• John Brown III (last played for South East Melbourne Phoenix, averaging 10.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists).
• Ian Clark (last played for South East Melbourne Phoenix, averaging 12.9 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists).
• Torrey Craig (last played for Sydney Kings, averaging 12.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists).
• Kendric Davis (last played for Sydney Kings, averaging 25.1 points, 3.7 rebounds and 7.1 assists).
• Milton Doyle (last played for Melbourne United, averaging 16.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 4.3 assists).
• Jesse Edwards (last played for Melbourne United, averaging 13.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists).
• Bryce Hamilton (last played for Tasmania JackJumpers, averaging 18.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists).
• Wes Iwundu (last played for South East Melbourne Phoenix, averaging 12.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2 assists).
• David Johnson (last played for Tasmania JackJumpers, averaging 12.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2 assists).
• Hunter Maldonado (last played for Brisbane Bullets, averaging 12 points, 3.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists).
• JaVale McGee (last played for Illawarra Hawks, averaging 19.3 points, 10 rebounds and 1.8 blocks).
• QJ Peterson (last played for Illawarra Hawks, averaging 15.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists).
• Casey Prather (last played for Brisbane Bullets, averaging 24.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists).
• Tim Soares (last played for Sydney Kings, averaging 11.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists).
• Tyson Walker (last played for Melbourne United, averaging 14.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists).