Trade & FA 2025-26: Free Agency Starts 5pm CST/6pm EST

[cow]

Two years of D'Lo?

[SleepingHero]

Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto)
Just In: The Charlotte Hornets declined to tender Tre Mann his one-year, $6.94 million dollar qualifying offer, sources told @hoopshype. Mann becomes an unrestricted free agent after averaging 14.1 points, including 40% from 3-point range, 3.0 assists and 2.9 rebounds in 13 games

[SleepingHero]

Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA)
Lakers bracing to lose Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency to Rockets, per @DanWoikeSports.

[Chicagojk]

Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto)
Just In: The Charlotte Hornets declined to tender Tre Mann his one-year, $6.94 million dollar qualifying offer, sources told @hoopshype. Mann becomes an unrestricted free agent after averaging 14.1 points, including 40% from 3-point range, 3.0 assists and 2.9 rebounds in 13 games

He started the year well but then got hurt.  Will be interesting to see what his value is around the league.  BTW, I read that Josh Green had shoulder surgery after the season and may miss the beginning of the season.   The Hornets would probably love to get off his contract.   He really did not step up last year despite being given a good opportunity.

[Tyler]

I think they´ll start with this rotation

Russell/ Hardy+ Williams
Flagg/Christie
Klay/Marshall
AD/Washington
Lively/Gafford

I know it's easy to forget about Martin because of how little played, but I think he'll be in the mix at the 2. He's probably our best perimeter defender right now.

[DallasMaverick]

I guess we are tanking this year? I don’t see how anyone that has followed basketball sees this is a viable lineup for a team trying to win games.

I am really confused. Do people think Cooper Flagg is Luka Doncic? I guess they’re both white and around the same height.

So, less than .500 with this lineup? 35 wins?

Considering how bad the injury bug was last year, I’m having a hard time imagining less than 50 wins this season.

[SleepingHero]

The fact that Stein specifically mentioned Omax as the trade option, suggests to me that they will not actively try to move PJ or even Hardy/Martin/Powell for now. If a good trade comes along, they´ll llook into it, but they certainly will not want to create another Delon Wright situation, where you overpay in assets just to dump some minor salaries. Now is the time for Kidd to give Hardy an extended run at SG with a simplified "catch and shoot, one escape dribble pull up" move set. I believe he can only improve his trade value. Of course if they give him the ball again to play PG, they might as well waive him right now.

I think they´ll start with this rotation

Russell/ Hardy+ Williams
Flagg/Christie
Klay/Marshall
AD/Washington
Lively/Gafford

Klay to add some shooting to the starters. Williams will play the classic PG-orientated back-up role, while Hardy will play more of a SG-orientated role to provide 3pt shooting and Marshall/Washington will handle the play-making in these situations.

Moving Omax also allows you to re-sign Exum. Which makes our guard depth really solid truthfully. Especially when Kyrie returns. Kyrie/DLo/Exum/Williams is good enough. 

Our 2's are a little weak, but if Hardy takes a next step that we've been expecting, maybe it isnt as weak as it appears on paper.: Klay/Christie/Hardy

Our forward rotation is most likely the best in the league. Flagg/Naji/Martin and AD/PJ is just nasty. Health of course matters. AD will probably miss some time. But as long as 3 of the 5 are healthy, we are set.

And finally center rotation is again one of the best in the league. Not only can AD float there, our two main guys are what everyone is pining after. Lively/Gafford/Powell is just balanced and strong. If Lively can actually shoot 3s like they've been teasing for 2 years, then this center rotation is bonkers. 

Of course, I'd prefer it if Powell was replaced with Kai Jones or another athletic center. But he's still a locker room positive. 

Overall, Hardy and Martin are our biggest bloat salaries, and can/should be moved off to be better used elsewhere. Its unfortunate because Grimes is expected to get a deal around 15-16 mil, which adds up to Hardy+Martin. I'd rather have had Grimes, especially now, than Hardy and Martin. 

DLo+Exum I think is just enough creation for us to be okay. If I was Nico, I'd be scouring a trade for a 2 guard that can facilitate and shoot well. This 2-guard should also want/can come off the bench and fit contract wise with a Hardy+Martin package. 

PHX does have a glut of 2-guards. Does Greyson Allen pique anyone's interest?

[SleepingHero]

He started the year well but then got hurt.  Will be interesting to see what his value is around the league.  BTW, I read that Josh Green had shoulder surgery after the season and may miss the beginning of the season.   The Hornets would probably love to get off his contract.   He really did not step up last year despite being given a good opportunity.

Tre Mann is definitely more of a 2-guard than a PG. He's a Jordan Clarkson/Lou Williams starter kit. He wasn't too bad in Charlotte initially, but quickly fell off. 

I think he'll take the leftover scraps from some team who still has the MLE and needs scoring. The team that comes to mind is Toronto. 4-5 mil for Tre Mann doesn't seem too bad when your starting PG is currently Immanuel Quickley, who may be in the running for one of the most overpaid dudes in the league.

[omahen]

Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA)
Lakers bracing to lose Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency to Rockets, per @DanWoikeSports.

Interesting. Two things could be in play. Either they need the full MLE or they find full 4 year MLE for DFS too rich (he will be 36 after this deal). I wonder how they will replace him, as he was the key defensive player.

[mvossman]

Interesting. Two things could be in play. Either they need the full MLE or they find full 4 year MLE for DFS too rich (he will be 36 after this deal). I wonder how they will replace him, as he was the key defensive player.

They have bird rights, right?  It would have to be the second thing, or another possibility is Dorian wanted out for some reason (or just liked the situation in Houston better).

[SleepingHero]

Interesting. Two things could be in play. Either they need the full MLE or they find full 4 year MLE for DFS too rich (he will be 36 after this deal). I wonder how they will replace him, as he was the key defensive player.

I think they are just prioritizing a center much more than a 3 and D wing right now with their MLE. They do still have Rui, Vando, and Knecht as wings. Their level of shooting and defensive ability varies between them, but the Lakers have zero passable centers.

I think Dodo's agent read the market extremely well here and is going to get him a full 4 year MLE deal. The Lakers are going to lose out though. They traded 3 2nds for DFS and are probably going to lose him for nothing.

[SleepingHero]

They have bird rights, right?  It would have to be the second thing, or another possibility is Dorian wanted out for some reason (or just liked the situation in Houston better).

They have bird rights, but if they are going to utilize the MLE, they will be hard capped at the 1st apron. After the MLE, the Lakers will have about 5-6 mil left in room. And they will not under any circumstances be able to cross the 1st apron threshold. Which means the biggest deal they could start for Dorian is a 5 year/~30ish mil deal.

Unless they traded another guy for air and opened up 5-6 mil of space eg. Vincent. But the Lakers are already limited in assets anyways.

[mvossman]

Our 2's are a little weak, but if Hardy takes a next step that we've been expecting, maybe it isnt as weak as it appears on paper.: Klay/Christie/Hardy

DLo+Exum I think is just enough creation for us to be okay. If I was Nico, I'd be scouring a trade for a 2 guard that can facilitate and shoot well. This 2-guard should also want/can come off the bench and fit contract wise with a Hardy+Martin package. 

PHX does have a glut of 2-guards. Does Greyson Allen pique anyone's interest?

I would think you want that 2 guard to be able to play some defense.  Not a fan of Allen.  You would probably have to add assets to that package to get somebody that would make a difference.

[cow]

Going to be weird cheering for the Rockets.

[F Gump]

I guess we are tanking this year? I don’t see how anyone that has followed basketball sees this is a viable lineup for a team trying to win games.

I am really confused. Do people think Cooper Flagg is Luka Doncic? I guess they’re both white and around the same height.

Ignoring the snark ....

IMO its less a case of trying to force Flagg to be something he's not, and instead recognize how he plays and what he has already been doing well..

He has been the PNR initiator on teams since he was young. This is not a new thing for him, its just at a different level. But thats how it is with EVERY kid who gets drafted.

As for how far the Mavs can go with him doing his thing in the lineup (which is what you are essentially objecting to), I dont think there's a ceiling. There's just a learning curve, but ALL who have been around him on every level.say he's a savant who absorbs next level thinking very fast.

Yes, kinda like that Luka guy.

Its obviously silly to argue over whether CF will start out to be what Luka is already, after 7 years in the NBA ... but I do not think its a stretch that he can be like Luka year 1 when people were still "unsure his best position, but he'll be good." Sounds like we are in the same place with CF.

To me the BEST approach is to let him do his thing, grow his game as fast as he can, and run with it. Skip the training wheels, accept the bumps and bruises, and win all we can. The goal will be to make the playoffs AND be way better in Apr than Oct because as the playoffs start, CF has become better and better, and Kyrie is now back at full speed and cooking alongside him. 

I think you will be surprised at how that will play out positively and add to wins overall, even in yr 1. But we will see how it plays out starting in SL. Give it an honest chance.

[mvossman]

They have bird rights, but if they are going to utilize the MLE, they will be hard capped at the 1st apron. After the MLE, the Lakers will have about 5-6 mil left in room. And they will not under any circumstances be able to cross the 1st apron threshold. Which means the biggest deal they could start for Dorian is a 5 year/~30ish mil deal.

Unless they traded another guy for air and opened up 5-6 mil of space eg. Vincent. But the Lakers are already limited in assets anyways.

I see what you are saying.  I will be very curious to see if they get a player better than Dorian for the MLE.  Maybe they are looking for younger to fit Luka timeline.

[SleepingHero]

I would think you want that 2 guard to be able to play some defense.  Not a fan of Allen.  You would probably have to add assets to that package to get somebody that would make a difference.

Do you think Allen is not a good enough defender? He's a dirty as hell player, but his defense isn't horrible.

[SleepingHero]

NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral)
Tyus Jones is a name to watch for the Knicks, per @IanBegley

[mvossman]

Ignoring the snark ....

IMO its less a case of trying to force Flagg to be something he's not, and instead recognize how he plays and what he has already been doing well..

He has been the PNR initiator on teams since he was young. This is not a new thing for him, its just at a different level. But thats how it is with EVERY kid who gets drafted.

As for how far the Mavs can go with him doing his thing in the lineup (which is what you are essentially objecting to), I dont think there's a ceiling. There's just a learning curve, but ALL who have been around him on every level.say he's a savant who absorbs next level thinking very fast.

Yes, kinda like that Luka guy.

Its obviously silly to argue over whether CF will start out to be what Luka is already, after 7 years in the NBA ... but I do not think its a stretch that he can be like Luka year 1 when people were still "unsure his best position, but he'll be good." Sounds like we are in the same place with CF.

To me the BEST approach is to let him do his thing, grow his game as fast as he can, and run with it. Skip the training wheels, accept the bumps and bruises, and win all we can. The goal will be to make the playoffs AND be way better in Apr than Oct because as the playoffs start, CF has become better and better, and Kyrie is now back at full speed and cooking alongside him. 

I think you will be surprised at how that will play out positively and add to wins overall, even in yr 1. But we will see how it plays out starting in SL. Give it an honest chance.

I think Luka had a much more developed floor game (especially handles) than Flagg currently does.  Your lineup is not providing him much help either.  I'm sure Kidd will put him in that position for a few minutes a game, but I don't see them putting Flagg in that position to start games.

[Chicagojk]

Ok Shams, I think I am good without getting the notice on my phone that they Suns have signed Collin Gillepsie for a guaranteed one year contract.