The Draft Is Over, the Phones Never Stopped: How 30 NBA Teams Scrambled to Sign Undrafted Free Agents

The Draft Is Over, the Phones Never Stopped: How 30 NBA Teams Scrambled to Sign Undrafted Free Agents

The moment the final pick of the 2026 NBA Draft was announced at Barclays Center, agents were already fielding calls and teams were already signing the players whose names were never called — two-way contracts, Exhibit-10 deals, and Summer League invitations flooding the market in the most compressed talent evaluation window in professional sports. Notable signings included Quadir Copeland to Houston on a two-way, Ernest Udeh Jr. to Cleveland on a two-way, Rafael Castro to Milwaukee on a two-way, and William Kyle III of Syracuse to the Lakers on an Exhibit-10, with dozens more placed across all 30 organizations before midnight. We break down how the post-draft undrafted market works, who signed where, and what comes next as Summer League begins July 9 in Las Vegas.

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The Draft Is Over, the Phones Never Stopped: How 30 NBA Teams Scrambled to Sign Undrafted Free Agents

Before the final pick of the second round was announced, agents were already taking calls. By midnight on draft night, a dozen players who never heard their names called had found professional homes. This is how the most important two hours in undrafted basketball history works every single year.

The 2026 NBA Draft has concluded, but that does not mean teams are done making moves just yet. In fact, the first few hours after the second round of the NBA Draft are usually the busiest due to teams and agents scrambling to find two-way contract spots and undrafted free agent roster spots, primarily for Summer League in July. Even before the final pick of the draft is revealed, teams are on the phone with agents and scouts alike, as all 30 franchises in the league quickly scramble to try and add undrafted players on two-way agreements, training camp deals, and Summer League contracts.

The mathematics of the situation are simple and unforgiving. The NBA Draft has 60 selections across two rounds. There are significantly more than 60 players in any given year whose professional basketball careers are not finished simply because their name was not called at Barclays Center on a Tuesday night in June. The undrafted free agent market exists to capture the rest — and the teams that have consistently identified the right players in those frantic post-draft hours have built championship-caliber depth because of it.

Why This Market Moves So Fast

The speed of undrafted free agency is not accidental. It is the natural result of supply and demand operating under an artificial deadline. Every team has a specific number of two-way contract slots and training camp roster spots available. Every one of those spots represents an opportunity that a team has either identified a target for in advance — through advance pre-draft planning with scouts and front office staff — or needs to fill quickly based on what the draft itself produced and what it didn't. The moment the second round ends, the window between a player being available and a player being signed by a competitor is measured in minutes.

History suggests there likely won't be many franchise cornerstones on the undrafted list, but there have been a number of players who went from undrafted to important contributors on contenders. Austin Reaves, Ben Wallace, Alex Caruso, Fred VanVleet and John Starks, among others, started their NBA careers as undrafted free agents before becoming headliners. Reaves is even set to sign a four-year, $185 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. The undrafted pathway is not a consolation prize. It is the route that produced some of the most important role players in the championship era of the modern NBA.

Who Signed Where: The Notable Moves

The list of undrafted free agent signings following the 2026 draft includes a wide range of players finding homes across contract types. Aaron Nkrumah (Tennessee State, Wing) signed with the Denver Nuggets on an Exhibit-10 deal. Rafael Castro (George Washington, Big) signed with the Milwaukee Bucks on a two-way contract. Quadir Copeland (N.C. State, Guard) signed with the Houston Rockets on a two-way contract. Nate Bittle (Oregon, Big) signed with the Toronto Raptors on an Exhibit-10 deal. Kowacie Reeves Jr. (Georgia Tech, Wing) signed with the Indiana Pacers on an Exhibit-10 deal. Ernest Udeh Jr. (Miami, Big) signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers on a two-way contract. Donovan Atwell (Texas Tech, Guard) signed with the Golden State Warriors on an Exhibit-10 deal. Michael Ajayi (Butler, Big) signed with the Charlotte Hornets on a two-way contract. William Kyle III (Syracuse, Big) signed with the Los Angeles Lakers on an Exhibit-10 deal.

The range of contract types reflects the different levels of organizational commitment each signing represents. Two-way contracts — which allow players to split time between an NBA roster and the corresponding G League affiliate — are the most valuable undrafted signings because they carry a genuine path to regular-season NBA minutes. Exhibit-10 deals are training camp contracts structured to incentivize players to sign with the corresponding G League team when they are released, providing development pathways for players who need another year of high-level competition before they're ready to compete for a roster spot.

The Lakers continued making moves into the night after the draft, signing both Peter Suder and AK Okereke to two-way deals, then began filling out the rest of the Summer League roster. Among the notable additions was William Kyle III, a big man out of Syracuse who played 28.1 minutes per game for the Orange, averaging 8.4 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocked shots. The Lakers also signed Robert McCray V from Florida State, who averaged 16.3 points and earned All-ACC honors, on an Exhibit-10 deal.

Florida guard Xaivian Lee agreed to an Exhibit-10 contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers — fitting neatly into a Cavaliers organization that has historically been aggressive in the undrafted market and has seen multiple such signings develop into contributors. Alabama's Latrell Wrightsell Jr. and Michigan's Roddy Gayle Jr. were among the other notable names who found homes quickly after their draft nights ended in silence.

What Comes Next: Summer League and the Proving Ground

The immediate destination for most of these signings is NBA Summer League, which begins July 9 in Las Vegas. The Summer League is the undrafted player's single most important proving ground — a two-week window of televised games against NBA-caliber competition in which coaches, scouts, and front office executives from every organization watch every possession. A strong Summer League showing does not guarantee a roster spot, but it can change the narrative around a player so dramatically that his training camp situation transforms from a long shot into a genuine competition.

Every year, there are undrafted free agents who find their way into earning significant minutes. Last year, it was Ryan Nembhard with the Dallas Mavericks and Caleb Love with the Portland Trail Blazers. The year before, it was Justin Edwards on the Philadelphia 76ers. History shows that undrafted players who get genuine Summer League opportunity and perform in it create opportunities that did not exist on draft night. The draft is not the end. For some of the players who went undrafted on Tuesday night, it is barely the beginning.

2026 NBA Draft: 60 selections, June 23, Barclays Center. Undrafted free agency: opened immediately following final selection. Notable undrafted signings: Quadir Copeland (NC State) — Rockets, two-way; Ernest Udeh Jr. (Miami) — Cavaliers, two-way; Rafael Castro (GW) — Bucks, two-way; Michael Ajayi (Butler) — Hornets, two-way; Nate Bittle (Oregon) — Raptors, Exhibit-10; William Kyle III (Syracuse) — Lakers, Exhibit-10. NBA Summer League: July 9, Las Vegas.