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

[DanSchwartzgan]

All I know is if ATL can get off Trae there are a million ways to get AD to ATL.

You’d think (classically) AD should net expirings, a young player, and a pick (at least)

McCollum (expiring) - Risacher (young player) + pick …. sure fits the bill. You’d need to add a spare from the Wiz and maybe a spare from Dallas to make it work but there are lots of options

I've seen people knee jerk and put Kispert in the deal, but that much salary isn't necessary.  You can get there with something like Bub and expiring Anthony Gill.  The one I like is:

CJ, Risacher and Bub Carrington to Dallas for Davis, D'Lo, Powell and Exum

Young, Powell and Exum to Washington for CJ and Carrington 

Davis, D'Lo and Gill to Atlanta for Young and Risacher

People can argue about who gets what picks.  Picks would obviously be owed to Dallas, but I do think some of the pick equity that was coming to Dallas has to go to Washington for Carrington.  Dallas ends up with Bub, Max, Risacher, Flagg and Lively as its young core, but at this point still has good vets in Kyrie, Klay, Naji, PJ and Gafford to mix and match as you try to develop the kids and the incoming picks