Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[Chicagojk]

Jake Weinbach
@JWeinbachNBA

A trade idea between the Lakers, Mavericks, and Bulls:

• Lakers
PJ Washington

• Mavericks
Jaden Hardy
Adou Thiero
2032 first-round pick swap (via LAL)
2032 second-round pick (via WAS from LAL)

• Bulls
Jake LaRavia (via RMLE)


It is a 2032 swap instead of the outright pick.  Thiero is a project, but maybe one that fits what they like?

Something like this would mark a pivot point in some ways.  With Washington, Dallas can field 10-11 players with NBA experience without having to get any minutes from any of the babies.  Trade someone like PJ and you start to open room for Morez and it feels more developmental than if you roll with what you have currently.

I am having trouble figuring out the value of PJ.    That Lakers value seems weak though, right?  Dallas very well may have a better pick than LAL in 2032.    Thiero is an interesting long range project but not sure that excites me.

PJ is a good player.  PJ had a off year this year.  What we have seen this summer is teams have been shying away from guys with long contracts.   PJ is set to make 19, 21, 22 and 24 over the next four years.    How he played last year, that would be a big overpay imo.   Him getting off to a hot start would seem to be important.  Is there enough minutes to let him play big minutes to make a strong case for him?  I am not sure I see him here in 2 years.   Could it be sooner?   If he doesn't play better this year, is he really hard to move?    I thought it would have been easier to bring him off the bench last year.  This year it seems less likey that he doesn't start imo.