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

[Dirknows]

Some thoughts…

One good thing about the Exum injury is it makes it easier to balance the body count in trades.  Many deals for Davis take 2-3 returning players meaning we need to send someone out or cut someone.  Exum can either be cut to accommodate the trade or be included in the trade to make the roster limits stuff work and cut by his new team.

Perkins was on some show with Devon Harris and said his sauces are saying to keep an eye on Philly for Davis.  Rich Paul represents Maxey and Davis.  Obviously, that means eatIng the Paul George deal, so the trade is mainly based on picks.  Yuck.

Issac at Locked On had an interesting thought.  He doesn’t see Davis to Charlotte (a sentiment Perkins echoed).  His thought was you send AD to Chicago, the Chicago stuff (expirings, White and a pick) we’ve talked about to Charlotte and Ball to Dallas.  I’m not the biggest Ball fan (and he’s typically not any healthier than Davis).  We probably don’t get a pick in this situation as any Chicago pick probably goes to Charlotte.  I’d want something else…maybe Essengue?  Essengue and Ayo?

If we are going to do a 3 team swap that involves Charlotte and Ball, I’d rather it be with Detroit.  I’m intrigued by Ron Holland.  I might do something that had Ball and Holland to add to Flagg, Lively and Max as your young core.  That’s a ton of D to put around Ball or Kyrie.  Again, I don’t love Ball, but he would make the offense work better when healthy and he does have the size to play next to Kyrie on the rare occasions when both are available.

It would be trading one injury prone guy for a younger injury prone guy, I mean Lamelo is a great fit if he’s ever healthy. I’d probably like Lamelo better than a package surrounding Bulls expirings and a first.