These 3 NBA restricted free agents are going to end up disappointed with their new deals

Restricted free agency is rarely kind to young NBA players.

High lottery picks who show any promising flashes in their first three seasons typically sign extensions long before they even can test the market. But those that don't enter the offseason as restricted free agents, which means their teams have the right to match any offer sheet they sign with another team.

Those players can't officially sign those offer sheets until the July moratorium lifts at noon ET on July 6. And by that point in a typical offseason, most of the money is already spent.

The 2026 offseason could be a slight upgrade over last summer in that regard. Last year, the Brooklyn Nets were the only team that entered free agency with significant spending power. This year, the Nets, Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers all could carve out $40-plus million in cap space, per Spotrac's Keith Smith.

There's no guarantee that the Lakers even act as a cap-space team, though. That might leave the Bulls and Nets as most free agents' best chances to cash in, aside from re-signing with their old team. With that in mind, the following three soon-to-be restricted free agents might struggle to cash in like they hoped to this summer.

F Tari Eason, Houston Rockets

After Tari Eason and the Houston Rockets didn't agree to an extension before the rookie-scale deadline in October, ESPN's Brian Windhorst shared details about their reported offer (h/t Andrew Peters of Bleacher Report).

"From what I understand, they made Eason a strong offer," Windhorst said. "It was in excess of $100 million. But I don't know how much of it would have been guaranteed, and they didn't do that deal."

It's unclear whether Eason will top that offer this summer. ESPN's Bobby Marks said he'd offer Eason a four-year, $85.1 million contract if he were running a front office.

Eason averaged 10.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.6 made threes, 1.5 assists and 1.2 steals in only 25.8 minutes per game this past season. He's likely best suited as an energy big off the bench, but $20-plus million is quickly becoming the going rate for a fringe starter.

The Bulls, Nets and Lakers could all use Eason, but they all might prioritize spending their cap space elsewhere. If so, Eason might struggle to find offers greater than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception, outside of potential sign-and-trades.

C Mark Williams, Phoenix Suns

If NBA players got paid based on their per-minute production, Mark Williams might be in line for a massive contract this offseason. However, Williams' injury history will likely make potential free-agent suitors think twice before reaching out with an offer sheet.

Williams has played in only 166 of a possible 328 games since making his NBA debut in 2022. He's averaging 12.0 points and 8.5 rebounds in only 23.6 minutes per game across his four-year career, but he has yet to play more than 26.7 minutes per game in a season.

A back injury limited him to only 19 games in his sophomore season, while a strained tendon in his left foot cost him the first 20 games of the 2024-25 campaign. The Los Angeles Lakers acquired Williams ahead of the 2025 trade deadline, only to rescind the deal after "multiple issues" arose during his physical, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.  

Williams appeared in a career-high 60 games this past season, but he played only 23.6 minutes per game. He also missed the final few weeks of the year with a stress reaction in his left foot.

Given his lengthy injury history, ESPN's Bobby Marks proposed a three-year, $42 million framework for Williams' next contract. According to Gerald Bourguet of Sports360, the Phoenix Suns have no intention of "offering some contract approaching $20 million in annual salary," as they reportedly believe second-year big man Khaman Maluach "will overtake Williams as the team's starting center by the end of next season."

Unless some team is willing to gamble on Williams overcoming his lengthy injury history, he might be forced to take a short-term, prove-it deal.

C Walker Kessler, Utah Jazz

Walker Kessler lasted only five games this past season before suffering a torn labrum that sidelined him for the rest of the year. That's basically the exact opposite of what players hope for in a contract year.

Granted, Kessler averaged 14.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.8 blocks in only 30.8 minutes per game across those five outings. He also shot 6-of-8 from deep after knocking down only 11 triples across his first three seasons combined.

In theory, a 7-foot-2, shot-swatting, rebound-gobbling, three-point-shooting 24-year-old center should be a hot commodity in free agency. However, "the consensus" around the league is that Kessler will re-sign with the Utah Jazz "in the range of $25 million to $30 million a year," according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

A whopping 11 centers across the league are currently on contracts with an average annual value north of $30 million, while four others are earning between $25-30 million annually. Kessler has a far higher ceiling than Minnesota Timberwolves backup big man Naz Reid ($25 million AAV) or Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner ($27.2 million AAV), so anything short of their deals would be a potential steal.

But unless the Lakers decide to go the cap-space route this offseason — they have registered interest in Kessler in the past, for what it's worth — there aren't many obvious suitors who can offer him anything close to that range. The Bulls do have a glaring void at center, but the Nets already have Nic Claxton under contract through 2027-28.

Unless Kessler's camp can get Chicago to jump into a bidding war, the Jazz could have a ton of leverage in their negotiations with him.

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