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

[omahen]

My most hopeless teams moving forward....just after quick thought

1) Nets- They have picks, but two plus years after moving on from KD and Kyrie, they don't have one player I feel confident will be a core player when they are good again.  I have no idea why that GM still has a job.   

2) Suns- Really depressing seeing some fans talk themselves into the Suns.  They have a really good player, but even that is negated with that huge extension he signed.    The Suns can't really rebuild and just feel like they are just going to try to patch a hole that can't be patched.  The high end is to make the play in and hope for an upset.  Really bleak.

3) Toronto-  Just a lot of solid players on top tier contracts.    Most of these players are not desirable due to their contract.  They just seem stuck in no mans land.

4) Kings-  Kings just gonna Kings.

5) Pelicans- Some really talented players.  I just team full of individuals looking for theirs and not a team.  Plus, there is some bad juju with that team.

I have Washington and Charlotte both out of this list.  Both will be bad, but I am starting to see a vision.   

BTW, the Mavs would have been just outside this list (maybe even on it) if they did not win the lottery.  It is amazing how that changed the franchise's future.  Time will tell if they can become a contender again.

I would put Utah probably at the top of the list. Years of tanking and Kessler was their best young player up to this draft, where Ace Bailey might become better. Waiting far too long to trade their vets, which they are giving away for nothing now (Collins, Sexton, Clarkson). Paying a SRP to trade Sexton (arguably a better player) for Nurkic is perhaps most puzzling deal of the offseason, topped only by New Orleans giving up an unprotected 2026 pick (that will be very likely a very high pick) to move up to number 13 in the draft. Nurkic will be playing behind Kessler and Filipowski... Probably also already killed Markanen trade value by giving him this current deal.

Portland could also be on the list. Totally directionless. Far from even play-in, yet always competitive enough to land outside the top 5 pick.

Luck plays a large part. SA might be on this list, if they wouldn't have their lottery luck in the Wemby draft class and again this year.