Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[cow]

I was looking into Denver and their situation earlier and found a unique way to make a deal on or before draft night by using the AD TPE this league year. Of course, the opinions on the players can be different, but a framework for an interesting deal involving the TPE and a poison pill contract (Braun) that works, thought I'd share....

DEN: Klay Thompson, Caleb Martin, TPE
DAL: Cam Johnson, Christian Braun, Pick #26

This saves the Nuggets ~$20M next year and gives them two useful players, with room to pay Watson (RFA). The Mavs would have to like Braun!! A buy-low candidate? Could it also be part of a bigger move to package 26 & 30 to move up for "their guy" later in the round? 

I get it... Braun had a really down year and is owed 5 years 125M. It's probably not a move I'd make, but I thought it was an interesting trade when you consider the use of the TPE, PPP, and the stepien rule avoidance, due to DEN owing future picks. All of it combined made it entertaining to put together. 


*The Mavs AD TPE is $20,830,154, but Cam's salary this season is $21,057,065... BUT the Mavs are below A1, so they get a $250K buffer, which allows them to absorb Cam by just $23,089 this league year. Not possible July 1, of course, when his salary jumps to $23M (expiring).

I've mentioned Braun as a reclamation project a few times and I think it's an interesting tire to kick, but I'd want more than #26 for taking on that contract extension.  They also don't own their 27 FRP so I don't think 26 can be traded pre-draft which would kill the idea of packaging 26/30 for your move-up scenario, no?  I haven't looked closely, but I think Denver's next tradable FRP is 2031.