Trade & FA 2024-25:

[DanSchwartzgan]

There is reporting out there on the Smoking Cuban about DFS and a possible return this summer.  I actually don't think that was the most interesting thing about the article.  Nor, do I think a comparison of what we might have offered versus what LAL gave from him to be all that fascinating.  Our first versus 3 LA seconds?  I think the real issue was Maxi's contract isn't expiring and D'Lo's is expiring.

But, to me, the more interesting thing is matching the money.  If there truly was interest in a trade on our part, what was the matching salary going to be.  DFS makes $14.9mm.  The only way to get there without touching our Core 8 is Maxi plus Powell and even then we'd have to go with a 14 player roster to stay under the apron.  I guess you could do Maxi plus Marshall to create $19.5mm in outgoing and maybe bring back someone else making something in the $4mm range.  But, does a DFS for Marshall swap really help us?

I have no idea whether Michael Scotto's words "keeping tabs" means monitoring for a trade or simply thinking ahead to a DFS opt out of his PO this summer.  But, if it was for a trade, the non-expiring contracts of both Maxi and Powell might have to be thought through in terms of who we are trading for.  In other words, who is interested in giving up someone we might want who doesn't mind (or might want) $15mm of expiring salary in the summer of 2026.