NSL Insider - NSL Free Agency 25/26 by CakeBandito, updated on Tuesday, November 11 2025, 06:37 pm EST NSL Free Agency 25/26: Strategic Patience, Calculated Bets, and the
Rebalancing of Contenders
With the 25/26 NSL Free Agency period in the
rear-view, the league emerged with new rotations, contenders sharpened, and
some front offices left reassessing their methodologies. We surveyed GMs across
the league looking for answers re everything NSL Free Agency.
How many Free Agency periods have you
been in charge, and which has been your best?
Experience doesn’t always mean execution and some teams we’re left
holding the baby on some nasty 99GM misses.
- JMac “I’m
not sure. 7th in the NSL, I believe. My best FA day was probably the first
few seasons. We won a lot of games and had our way with the top minimum
FAs like Drummond, Dwight.”
- Shams “I’ve
been at 4 FA days, last year was my best for sure.”
- Yeet “I’ve
been a part of 3 FA days, this was my third (technically 2, if you ask
everyone else). And this was by far my best FA, couldn’t have asked for
better.”
- Dylan “3
years in Cleveland, 3 years in Toronto.”
- Ethan “Would say that
this year's FA is probably my most impactful…”
- Mavs “My
team has sucked for years. I’m not a player in FA this year”
Greatest addition (all-time)?
- Pistol: “Bobby
Portis, his 1st year playing in the NBA for the Bucks. Took a punt on him
and he stepped up big time.”
- Nels: “I think my best add was
Javale McGee when he was full glitch, won us a title.”
- Shams: “Got Andre Drummond on a 99
bid.”
- Dylan: “Alex
Caruso pre-breakout year: I 99 bid him and GMs here were confused as to
why I was so stoked with getting a 74 overall player and spending that
many points on him”
Greatest near miss?
- Pistol: “I
don't bid very much in Free Agency, haven't had much luck. I think the
largest lost bid was 50 GM points on Dwight Powell.”
- LakeShow: “Andre Drummond!”
- Dylan: “Bol Bol by less
than 1 point difference in random factor leveller.”
- Ethan: “Near
miss, honestly can not remember, I try to forget FA day as quick as
possible…lol”
How would you rate your team before and
after FA?
- Pistol: “We
got slightly better with a Point Guard who can start or come off the
bench, otherwise the team stays the same.”
- JMac: “We had but one RFA to bring
back, which was a given. We completed a big trade to build even more depth
and pick depth. Happy with our place.”
- Yeet: “I’d say my team is better
for sure, I’d give it an A+ personally. Massive improvement for my bench
unit.”
- Nels “We recovered well after
rough waters [missing Kornet]. Added needed wing defense in GP2 and Gary
Harris.”
- Ethan: “Pre FA: fringe contender.
Post FA: contender.”
- Mavs: “Still a C-”
Best pick-up this year?
- Pistol: “D’Angelo
Russell”
- Dylan: “Tre Jones”
- Ethan: “...best add was Russ!”
- JMac: “DLo for 50? NAW for free?
DeAndre Jordan for 30GMS. Lots of good outcomes for some GMs”
- Yeet: “I think, and not to toot my
own or anything, but I think snagging Kornet was the biggest addition
in FA, considering I lost Walker.”
- LakeShow: “Chris
Paul”
Biggest miss this year?
- Nels “Today
was our biggest miss — 99 GMs on Kornet.”
- Yeet argued the biggest miss
wasn’t an individual outcome, but collectively: “Everyone who lost
their bid on Westbrook.”
- Shams “I didn’t go hard enough
at any one guy.”
- Pistol: “Didn't
miss, only bid on 2 players, and won both.”
- Dylan: “Trendon Watford - random
factor got me again.”
- JMac: “Wolves not adding a single
free agent is pretty wild.”
- LakeShow: “Josh
Okogie”
- Yeet: “I
think the biggest miss of FA was everyone that lost their bid on
Westbrook. Easily the biggest FA there was and was highly sought after.”
Who improved the most?
On this point, there was near consensus:
- Nels: “The
contenders got better — but the Pacers won the day.”
- Pistol: “I
think the biggest impact will be Russell Westbrook, I would say just in 1
player, Milwaukee has the biggest outcome change.”
- JMac: “Indiana,
New Orleans, Sacramento very much solidified teams that might otherwise
have had some potentially significant gaps.”
- LakeShow: “Golden
state. They should be competitive this year and will likely flip this
assets he got again for more future assets to continue the build.”
- Yeet: “I think myself, Pels, Mil
and Sac probably improved their rosters the most in FA, the additions we
all made will be massive in the end.”
- Dylan: “Indiana improved
the most, huge upgrades to their bench unit.”
- Shams: “I
think Indiana improved the most for sure, they dominated FA and got
so much better. They have a great starting group too, and now have the
depth.”
Though Free Agency didn’t hinge purely on superstar
additions, the action still took its shots, and some teams took the necessary
steps from also rans to contenders. Only time will tell just how far they
can go.
The Pacers, by league consensus, positioned
themselves as one of the major climbers, while Milwaukee, Sacramento,
and New Orleans reinforced structures that could meaningfully shift
playoff seeding.
Now the season begins not with uncertainty — but
anticipation. | | | Comments (3) | | TheYeetMaster
11/11 08:26 pm | Great premium man! Love it! | | breece
11/11 07:31 pm | Love the concept and the execution! Great job, CakeBandito! | | dazman
11/11 07:11 pm | This was cool. Well done | |
|
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