Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Dave McMenamin: "Nick Nurse is a guy with a championship medal, and that is something LeBron certainly respects. Obviously, Nick Nurse is a Klutch client and so that means there is familiarity (...) There is a strong relationship between Tyrese Maxey and LeBron James. There are few players I have seen that LeBron talks about as glowingly as a player but as a person as he does about Tyrese. I am not saying that Tyrese is Steph Curry, Steph is in a class all his own, but there is an appeal there."

YouTube

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4932...cond-apron


National Basketball Players Association executive director David Kelly criticized the NBA's salary cap and luxury tax system on Friday, arguing that the newly implemented "second apron" must be "softened" or removed. "We are not fans of the second apron," Kelly said. "We did not propose the second apron. We should have done a better job of fighting back against the second apron. In the future, we will have a much more unified union, and we will do a better job of fighting back. ... We're seeing [the apron system] decimate teams and force decisions to be made that are not basketball decisions." Kelly, a former Golden State Warriors executive who succeeded former All-Star Andre Iguodala as the head of the players union in February, disputed NBA commissioner Adam Silver's contention that the apron system was designed to foster parity. Instead, Kelly argued the system was instituted in 2023 for "control cost purposes" related to player salary.

ESPN

[HoosierDaddyKid]

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama has agreed to a five-year, $252 million maximum rookie-scale contract extension. The deal includes a player option in the fifth season, sources said. Wembanyama decided on the 25% maximum instead of the 30% supermax escalators to $303 million after he and the Spurs went through multiple frameworks, sources said. The deal could potentially save the Spurs roughly $50 million over the next five years. With no escalators in his new contract, Wembanyama's deal is the third-largest rookie extension in NBA history, behind the Pistons' Cade Cunningham and the Cavaliers' Evan Mobley, who each have five-year extensions worth $269 million. San Antonio worked in close partnership with Wembanyama and his representatives, offering the full super max and different variations of extensions, according to sources. But Wembanyama ultimately chose a contract sacrifice rooted in giving him and the organization increased ability to build a sustained title contender around him. Difference in year 1: 25% max $43.5M; 30% max $ 52.2M. San Antonio has Stephon Castle extension-eligible next summer and Dylan Harper in 2028.

[Dirknows]

Dave McMenamin: "Nick Nurse is a guy with a championship medal, and that is something LeBron certainly respects. Obviously, Nick Nurse is a Klutch client and so that means there is familiarity (...) There is a strong relationship between Tyrese Maxey and LeBron James. There are few players I have seen that LeBron talks about as glowingly as a player but as a person as he does about Tyrese. I am not saying that Tyrese is Steph Curry, Steph is in a class all his own, but there is an appeal there."

YouTube

I get he is drawing it out to keep the attention on him, but he knows which team he's going to pick. Everyone's rosters are basically set. Cannot wait for this dude to just be gone.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Sean Highkin: The Blazers have claimed Micah Potter off waivers from Indiana, the team announced.

x.com

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Tyler Herro is changing his jersey number and will now wear No. 11 with the Bucks, per @EtienneCatalan

x.com

[DanSchwartzgan]

I get he is drawing it out to keep the attention on him, but he knows which team he's going to pick. Everyone's rosters are basically set. Cannot wait for this dude to just be gone.

Funny how it is Lebron and Kawhi holding things up.  Back to the Future...the Redux.  The Lebron part is holding up moves for the teams involved who might have to create space for him if he wants the MLE.  Kawhi appears to be holding up Watson and Mathurin (not to mention Ingram and Dick).

I read a theory that at least the Kawhi thing should be over soon as Silver will want a resolution before he faces the media in conjunction with the board of governors meeting.  

It is one thing to have a $20mm TPE, but if you aren't $20mm under the tax, it isn't likely we will use it.  In my continuing efforts to get LAC a center, I noticed we could take back Dick and a Pick and send out Gafford if we were looped into the LAC/TOR deal that also involved Ingram and Kawhi.  LAC has plenty of draft capital including three picks in 2029 plus two each in 31 and 33 following the deal with Toronto.  Swapping out Gafford for Dick and a first puts us far enough under the tax to fully utilize the TPE.  Before everyone complains that Dick isn't any good, he's expiring and the goal here is the pick.

It feels like Watson to LAC is likely to happen as there was reporting it almost happened the other night.  I assume LAC wants to stay under the LT; otherwise they remain in repeater tax hell.  So, the question then becomes whether they can do Watson and keep Mathurin.  Moving Dick to Dallas helps financially and helps them get a much needed center.  But my bigger question is do they really want Mathurin if they have Watson, Ingram and Rui as wings with Wagler also getting some time there as well.  There has been so little talk around Mathurin that I have to think they either already have a deal done or there is already a trade in place (Gafford) and Dallas wants it quiet until it actually happens (since there is so much risk around the Kawhi deal).  It is easy enough to make a Gafford deal work in this framework whether it is just Dick, just Mathurin or Mathurin and Dick coming to Dallas.

[mvossman]

Funny how it is Lebron and Kawhi holding things up.  Back to the Future...the Redux.  The Lebron part is holding up moves for the teams involved who might have to create space for him if he wants the MLE.  Kawhi appears to be holding up Watson and Mathurin (not to mention Ingram and Dick).

I read a theory that at least the Kawhi thing should be over soon as Silver will want a resolution before he faces the media in conjunction with the board of governors meeting.  

It is one thing to have a $20mm TPE, but if you aren't $20mm under the tax, it isn't likely we will use it.  In my continuing efforts to get LAC a center, I noticed we could take back Dick and a Pick and send out Gafford if we were looped into the LAC/TOR deal that also involved Ingram and Kawhi.  LAC has plenty of draft capital including three picks in 2029 plus two each in 31 and 33 following the deal with Toronto.  Swapping out Gafford for Dick and a first puts us far enough under the tax to fully utilize the TPE.  Before everyone complains that Dick isn't any good, he's expiring and the goal here is the pick.

It feels like Watson to LAC is likely to happen as there was reporting it almost happened the other night.  I assume LAC wants to stay under the LT; otherwise they remain in repeater tax hell.  So, the question then becomes whether they can do Watson and keep Mathurin.  Moving Dick to Dallas helps financially and helps them get a much needed center.  But my bigger question is do they really want Mathurin if they have Watson, Ingram and Rui as wings with Wagler also getting some time there as well.  There has been so little talk around Mathurin that I have to think they either already have a deal done or there is already a trade in place (Gafford) and Dallas wants it quiet until it actually happens (since there is so much risk around the Kawhi deal).  It is easy enough to make a Gafford deal work in this framework whether it is just Dick, just Mathurin or Mathurin and Dick coming to Dallas.

I probably have less interest in having Dick on this roster than Mathurin.

[DanSchwartzgan]

I probably have less interest in having Dick on this roster than Mathurin.

Then cut him and sign Cisse.  It wasn’t about Dick.  You are essentially buying a pick.

[mvossman]

Then cut him and sign Cisse.  It wasn’t about Dick.  You are essentially buying a pick.

Yeah, I should have read your post more thoroughly.

[SleepingHero]

PJW and Naji Marshall are far and away the big progress stoppers in terms of modernizing this offense, imo. I wouldn't put PJW in that category if they were building around someone like Dylan Harper instead of Flagg. I just see them as overlapping in a significant way, and that leads to me noticing what Washington CAN'T do on the court more frequently than I notice what he CAN do.

I can see this reasoning with Naji, but I think this idea is about as shortsighted as can be with PJ. Finding 6'7 switchable defenders that can hit a 3 is RARE. Even more so if they can be a POA defender which PJ proved in the playoffs. 

I'm not opposed to trading PJ, but the return has to make a ton of sense. Like a ton.

Naji I felt we should've traded last trade deadline for a first, but on a team with very few creators, Naji can create for others. Giving him up to free up the depth chart also isn't ideal. I think Masai+Schmitz will take the long approach. There are few teams with wings, and the longer they wait, the more desperate they will be to find anyone to come in and defend. Especially around TDL.

[SleepingHero]

oh he'll help for sure but I assume he's going to miss a lot of games.  Here are his game started the last few seasons.

0 - ACL season
50- tore ACL
58- Lost 2 weeks cause of Lively falling on him in a freak accident, largely played the entire season.
20
40 (you split both BRK and DALs seasons here, he played 60 games total, 20 for DAL, 40 for BRK, most of the games he sat out cause he demanded a trade). 
60
29 - Sat out the entire year because he refused to take the COVID Vaccine so BRK didn't let him play. He was healthy. 
54
20 - Shoulder injury that required surgery

I get that, but most of that isn't injuries and just Kyrie being a mercurial personality. 

So of the years, he really only had 2 that's been not great injury wise. We should expect 50-60 games from him, which isn't great, but not a dealbreaker by any means.

[MFFLER est 01]

Idk call me an over optimistic homer I guess but I just don't see too many teams that can put out a better bench than

Daniel Gafford

PJ Washington

Naji Marshall

Santi AlDama

Klay Thompson

Marcus Sasser

Tarik Bieberovic

Sergio Del Lerra

John Poulakidas

Ryan Nembhard

Moussa Cisse

I like all of these guys in one way or another?

[mvossman]

Idk call me an over optimistic homer I guess but I just don't see too many teams that can put out a better bench than

Daniel Gafford

PJ Washington

Naji Marshall

Santi AlDama

Klay Thompson

Marcus Sasser

Tarik Bieberovic

Sergio Del Lerra

John Poulakidas

Ryan Nembhard

Moussa Cisse

I like all of these guys in one way or another?

The roster is deep. The problem is at the top end. They have potentially 4 plus starters, but two are only 20, one is 34 and hasn’t played in almost two years and the fourth can’t stay on the court.

[windjc]

The roster is deep. The problem is at the top end. They have potentially 4 plus starters, but two are only 20, one is 34 and hasn’t played in almost two years and the fourth can’t stay on the court.

PJ and Gafford were starters on an NBA championship finals team.

[KillerLeft]

I can see this reasoning with Naji, but I think this idea is about as shortsighted as can be with PJ. Finding 6'7 switchable defenders that can hit a 3 is RARE. Even more so if they can be a POA defender which PJ proved in the playoffs. 

I'm not opposed to trading PJ, but the return has to make a ton of sense. Like a ton.

Naji I felt we should've traded last trade deadline for a first, but on a team with very few creators, Naji can create for others. Giving him up to free up the depth chart also isn't ideal. I think Masai+Schmitz will take the long approach. There are few teams with wings, and the longer they wait, the more desperate they will be to find anyone to come in and defend. Especially around TDL.

We saw Marshall “create for others” last year. I was leading the charge on trying to convince people he could, and I think I was wrong. I have almost 0 interest in watching that experiment again.

[omahen]

OKC is interestingly still 11 mil above the second apron. Will they stay there? The easiest way under is dumping Dort, but I guess their negotiating position is weaker for them now, as they don't have his team option anymore. Unless they have the deal lined up already for some time and they just didn't disclose it yet for whatever reason

[KillerLeft]

Funny how it is Lebron and Kawhi holding things up.  Back to the Future...the Redux.  The Lebron part is holding up moves for the teams involved who might have to create space for him if he wants the MLE.  Kawhi appears to be holding up Watson and Mathurin (not to mention Ingram and Dick).

I read a theory that at least the Kawhi thing should be over soon as Silver will want a resolution before he faces the media in conjunction with the board of governors meeting.  

It is one thing to have a $20mm TPE, but if you aren't $20mm under the tax, it isn't likely we will use it.  In my continuing efforts to get LAC a center, I noticed we could take back Dick and a Pick and send out Gafford if we were looped into the LAC/TOR deal that also involved Ingram and Kawhi.  LAC has plenty of draft capital including three picks in 2029 plus two each in 31 and 33 following the deal with Toronto.  Swapping out Gafford for Dick and a first puts us far enough under the tax to fully utilize the TPE.  Before everyone complains that Dick isn't any good, he's expiring and the goal here is the pick.

It feels like Watson to LAC is likely to happen as there was reporting it almost happened the other night.  I assume LAC wants to stay under the LT; otherwise they remain in repeater tax hell.  So, the question then becomes whether they can do Watson and keep Mathurin.  Moving Dick to Dallas helps financially and helps them get a much needed center.  But my bigger question is do they really want Mathurin if they have Watson, Ingram and Rui as wings with Wagler also getting some time there as well.  There has been so little talk around Mathurin that I have to think they either already have a deal done or there is already a trade in place (Gafford) and Dallas wants it quiet until it actually happens (since there is so much risk around the Kawhi deal).  It is easy enough to make a Gafford deal work in this framework whether it is just Dick, just Mathurin or Mathurin and Dick coming to Dallas.

This is all so great, thanks!

I wonder if there's actual, real danger of this Kawhi Leonard thing ruining the plans of multiple teams...obviously, the timing has become challenging, but I wonder if there are multiple players out there whose careers on hanging in the balance.

[KillerLeft]

OKC is interestingly still 11 mil above the second apron. Will they stay there? The easiest way under is dumping Dort, but I guess their negotiating position is weaker for them now, as they don't have his team option anymore. Unless they have the deal lined up already for some time and they just didn't disclose it yet for whatever reason

It feels like there are about 10 moves out there, pretty big ones, that are contingent on where LeBron goes, what happens with Kawhi Leonard, or both.

[Smitty]

@ShamsCharania
Free agent guard Gary Trent Jr. has agreed to a four-year, $64 million deal to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and agent Lucas Newton tells ESPN.