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

[omahen]

So does Sabonis get traded today?  There was some talk about Kings and Raptors.  Why would the Kings want RJ to add to all their Ok wings?   I think it is fair that they are holding off for a first round pick.   What other sneaky teams would be Sabonis suitors?  There is also rumors that the Kings could buyout Derozan.  He would be an attractive candidate if he is bought out. 

Do the Bulls pick a direction or do they just stick in no mans land for another year?

How crazy that the Pelicans are one of the worst teams in the league and don't have their first round pick, but appear to be fine just staying still at the deadline?

Keep an eye on Philly too.   Never discount Morey looking to make a deal.

It seems like Toronto is not prepared to pay the cost of dumping Poeltl and paying for Sabonis. Who is more desperate in this specific discussion? Sacramento or Toronto? Both are sort of stuck. I don't think Toronto is a Sabonis away from becoming serious contender to give up all their future on. Sacramento is just hopeless and suck anyway, so no point of just giving away their players. They will have a high pick in any case.

I think Bulls did pick a direction. They entered a rebuild around Giddey and Buzelis and they will see if guys like Ivey are worth keeping long term. They will have huge cap space in the summer to try to retool around those guys. I think top RFAs (Kessler, Watson and Eason) will receive some very high offer sheets this summer and Chicago is imho one of the teams that will be offering them.

Pels are just lost, imho. Queen is a nice player, but trading their pick for him was one of the biggest mistakes around the league in last 10 years or so. They will need years before becoming relevant, imho.

Agree that Philly could be a dark horse candidate for an out of nowhere last minute surprise big deal. Those Pels wings could be very useful for them next to Maxey and Embiid.

[Smitty]

@BobbyMarks42
I would expect the tax distribution to continue decreasing after today.

[omahen]

Windhorst saying that Clippers began shopping Zubac after the Harden trade. This means they are entering a rebuild. If Clippers are looking to sell, I would assume Lakers would try really hard to get DJJ. He is the exact type of player they need.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

So does Sabonis get traded today?  There was some talk about Kings and Raptors.  Why would the Kings want RJ to add to all their Ok wings?   I think it is fair that they are holding off for a first round pick.   What other sneaky teams would be Sabonis suitors?  There is also rumors that the Kings could buyout Derozan.  He would be an attractive candidate if he is bought out. 

Do the Bulls pick a direction or do they just stick in no mans land for another year?

How crazy that the Pelicans are one of the worst teams in the league and don't have their first round pick, but appear to be fine just staying still at the deadline?

Keep an eye on Philly too.   Never discount Morey looking to make a deal.

I was hoping Detroit would take a swing at Trey Murphy III, who just scored a career-high 44 pts in an OT loss to the Bucks, but it seems they probably want a lot back for him. He would be a great fit, but I'm sure Detroit doesn't want to break up the flexibility and continuity they currently have. Tobias Harris is expiring, but it seems like they want to keep him around. He's the only vet on the team and is an important resource and mentor for the youngsters. They'll probably operate within the fringes.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://x.com/JakeLFischer/status/2019282908478075376


The Pacers are still trying to acquire Ivica Zubac.

[Tyler]

Hield's contract seems like a steep price to pay for a test-drive/expire shot at Kuminga.

FYI -- According to Spotrac, Hield's contract is only partially guaranteed. Atlanta can waive him before the draft and pay him only $3mm. So the price is not as steep as it appears.

[omahen]

Just a little bit more about Lakers. I think they would love to have players like DJJ, Gafford and similar, but I don't think any of them is worth an unprotected FRP (more like non-lottery FRP at best). Lakers are also not just one of these kind of guys away from becoming a serious contender, that it would make any sense to go all-in and overpay. Since they also have just one SRP and their expiring contracts other than Rui are complete trash, they obviously can't trade for such guys with that. The only chance would be if they manage to split the FRP and get two guys. There were reports some days ago that they are trying to do that. That would be my favorite outcome for their TDL. If that is not on the table, I prefer they stand pat.

[Smitty]

@ShamsCharania
Just in: The Chicago Bulls have traded Ayo Dosunmu to the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources tell ESPN.

[omahen]

@ShamsCharania
Just in: The Chicago Bulls have traded Ayo Dosunmu to the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources tell ESPN.

Damn, I was kind of hoping Lakers would get him. Looks like Minny gave up hope to get Giannis. I think Dillingham would be the outgoing salary

[omahen]

Not sure about the move for Minny, though. Ayo is a good defender and has an excellent shooting season, but I don't think he is really a PG that they need. He averaged less than 4 apg with Chicago this season.

[Smitty]

@ShamsCharania
Just in: The Chicago Bulls have traded Ayo Dosunmu to the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources tell ESPN.

@ShamsCharania
Minnesota traded Rob Dillingham, Leonard Miller and four second-round picks to Chicago for Dosunmu and Julian Phillips, sources said.

[Mavs2021]

Miller, Dillingham, and three seconds for dosunmu and phillips. Good deal for Bulls.

[omahen]

And 4 SRPs, it seems. Steep price for a player that will be UFA. Chicago might not be done yet, as they now have Giddey, Dillingham and Ivey at PG. I would try to trade one of Dillingham or Ivey today, if I could get at least something for him.

Edit: sorry, it looks like Ivey is a SG. I always thought he is a PG.

[omahen]

Teams that haven't made a trade yet: LAL, Ind, Heat, Mil, Den, Suns, Hou, Pels and Spurs (only 9 out of 30). When all is set and done, I think Spurs and looks like Pels are most likely that will just stand pat. Perhaps also Houston if they don't find a cheap PG and Indy if they don't find a center they are willing to pay. Denver and Phoenix will do moves to get out of tax. Heat and Milwaukee are in Giannis business with Morant as potential consolidation prize (could be in play for both). I expect LAL to do someting around the margins.

[Smitty]

The Clippers are $4.9M over the tax. Wonder if they'd be interested in a Bogdan for Naji deal. Get's them under the tax, as a repeater team, and Naji is a fit there? Would Mavs do it for a '30 or '31 FRP? If my math is right, it saves the Clips ~$22M.

[Smitty]

@ShamsCharania
The Los Angeles Lakers are trading Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Luke Kennard, sources tell ESPN.

[omahen]

@ShamsCharania
The Los Angeles Lakers are trading Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Luke Kennard, sources tell ESPN.

Vincent was totally useless on both ends of the floor. Kennard can't defend but is an almost 50 % 3pt shooter with 3 attempts per game. Shooting was Lakers big problem, but defense is arguably a bigger one. Meh move that cost one of the few assets Lakers have and doesn't change the Lakers outlook at all for this or next seasons. Kennard will only be on a team next season if he plays for vet min.

[Winter]

From HoopsRumors:

"Even though the Mavs got limited value in the two first-round picks they acquired from Washington and no players who fit into their long-term plans, Stein hears that they decided it was best to act now because Khris Middleton has a $33.3MM expiring contract and wouldn’t be able to be included in the deal if the teams waited until summer.

Stein adds that the primary motivation in unloading Davis is to begin constructing the roster around star rookie Cooper Flagg, with one team source saying, “The building-around-Cooper Era starts now for real.” Parting with Davis’ maximum-salary contract — and his desire for an extension this summer — gives Dallas much more flexibility to add players who are a better fit with Flagg’s timeline."

[SleepingHero]

@ShamsCharania
The Los Angeles Lakers are trading Gabe Vincent and a 2032 second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for Luke Kennard, sources tell ESPN.

Oh wow.

Lakers making a move for a shooter. Kennard is a great one, but doesn't really help their defensive woes.

[SleepingHero]

Vincent was totally useless on both ends of the floor. Kennard can't defend but is an almost 50 % 3pt shooter with 3 attempts per game. Shooting was Lakers big problem, but defense is arguably a bigger one. Meh move that cost one of the few assets Lakers have and doesn't change the Lakers outlook at all for this or next seasons. Kennard will only be on a team next season if he plays for vet min.

Yeah this feels like a "we made a move to just make a move" type of deal.

Kennard CAN play though, and thats the difference. 

It will just be hard to play Kennard along with Luka, and two of the worst defensive players in the league in Ayton and Lebron.