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

[omahen]

I didn't realize OKC will have at 2 (Hou and LAC) FRPs this year. They also have Philly one, which is protected 1-5 and will more likely than not convert to OKC. They can also get the Utah one, which is protected 1-9 and I guess Utah will do everything in their power to keep it.

A team with limited number of available draft picks could probably trade an unprotected distant FRP for a couple of late FRPs OKC can offer in basically any year. Or perhaps even a distant swap could be traded for their pick in 2026 draft. A whole lot of things would need to get wrong for them not to finish first this season. Basically what Mavs did in Gafford trade

[Mavs2021]

Seems Boston will be good, so Gafford is on.

Celtics

Gafford
Martin

Nets

Powell
Tillman
Sixers 2030 2nd round pick (via Dallas)
Mavs 2032 2nd round pick
Bucks 2026 2nd round pick (via Boston)

Mavs

Simons
Celtics 2026 1st

Celtics stay under 1st Apron and get a starting C for next four years.
Mavs stay under 2nd Apron and get rid of Martin.
Nets get a three 2nd rounders to eat two expiring contracts.

[FireNicoHarrison]

Simons is a supercharged Hardy. No thanks.

1st Boston will be high.

I'll pass.

[SleepingHero]

Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA)
Seems pretty evident that the Warriors are already moving in a different direction.

Halfway through the third quarter against Chicago without multiple frontcourt pieces, and Jonathan Kuminga has not yet checked in.

He is trade eligible starting Jan. 15.

[F Gump]

Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA)
Seems pretty evident that the Warriors are already moving in a different direction.

Halfway through the third quarter against Chicago without multiple frontcourt pieces, and Jonathan Kuminga has not yet checked in.

He is trade eligible starting Jan. 15.

I'm as disinterested in him now as I was when GS was at an impasse with him on a new contract. Big contract now, thinks the team should make him a focal point, but lacks the game (especially the shooting) to be worth the contract. And of course GS will want assets too. 

Just say no.

[Smitty]

@TheDunkCentral
The Bucks continue to tell teams that Giannis Antetokounmpo is not available, per @TheSteinLine


“As trade season draws close, everyone is talking about Giannis. Even though — and I want to underline this — the Bucks continue to tell teams: 'He’s not available. We don’t want your trade pitches.' So, it’s this weird deal where the Bucks keep shouting into the wind: 'Listen to us! We don’t want to talk trades with you about Giannis Antetokounmpo!' And the rest of the league just ignores it and obsesses about him.”

[Mavs2021]

@TheDunkCentral
The Bucks continue to tell teams that Giannis Antetokounmpo is not available, per @TheSteinLine


“As trade season draws close, everyone is talking about Giannis. Even though — and I want to underline this — the Bucks continue to tell teams: 'He’s not available. We don’t want your trade pitches.' So, it’s this weird deal where the Bucks keep shouting into the wind: 'Listen to us! We don’t want to talk trades with you about Giannis Antetokounmpo!' And the rest of the league just ignores it and obsesses about him.”

I think this is pretty much the Bucks shopping their 1st round pick for an impact player. A hopeless team like the LA Shitters might happily take the 2026 Bucks pick and another pick to part with Kawhi or Harden.

[KillerLeft]

I think this is pretty much the Bucks shopping their 1st round pick for an impact player. A hopeless team like the LA Shitters might happily take the 2026 Bucks pick and another pick to part with Kawhi or Harden.

What's kind of funny about that is that in the East, adding Harden to Giannis and Turner miiiiight actually be enough to get MIL through to the finals.

[F Gump]

What's kind of funny about that is that in the East, adding Harden to Giannis and Turner miiiiight actually be enough to get MIL through to the finals.

Not a bad thought. And if the deal was structured carefully, LAC could also slide under the tax line.

Something like Kuzma-Anthony-pick for Harden-[small salary player] might work.

[Chicagojk]

[Charania] The Pacers are in active trade talks around the league to find a center of the future after losing Myles Turner in free agency, sources said


************************
could the mavs get involved?   Gafford for Mathurin?

[DanSchwartzgan]

[Charania] The Pacers are in active trade talks around the league to find a center of the future after losing Myles Turner in free agency, sources said


************************
could the mavs get involved?   Gafford for Mathurin?

I proposed that the other day.  I think you have to give up something else in the deal.  Mathurin is a good bit more valuable than Gafford in my mind and like players like White/Grimes, you have to pay him this summer.  It would really help if you could simultaneously trade Klay for expiring and a pick.  You are going to need more salary space than Gafford gives you to keep restricted Mathurin this summer.

[mvossman]

I proposed that the other day.  I think you have to give up something else in the deal.  Mathurin is a good bit more valuable than Gafford in my mind and like players like White/Grimes, you have to pay him this summer.  It would really help if you could simultaneously trade Klay for expiring and a pick.  You are going to need more salary space than Gafford gives you to keep restricted Mathurin this summer.

You will get that in the AD trade.

[omahen]

I proposed that the other day.  I think you have to give up something else in the deal.  Mathurin is a good bit more valuable than Gafford in my mind and like players like White/Grimes, you have to pay him this summer.  It would really help if you could simultaneously trade Klay for expiring and a pick.  You are going to need more salary space than Gafford gives you to keep restricted Mathurin this summer.

I was also watching Mathurin situation. As Indy obviously doesn't want to pay the tax, they could have a hard time keeping him in the summer, if anyone sees a 25 mil player in him. I think he is great trade chip for them. The other one could be Obi Toppin, if they would target a player in the 20+ mil salary range. 

I am not so high on Gafford though. He is a great player to have in the regular season, but very limited defensively when playing top teams (Luka for example absolutely cooked him). Not really sure he could be considered the center of the future.

I think this TDL could see some RFA movement. There will be more teams with cap space in the summer, which will improve RFAs negotiating position. Some teams might be careful as they would not be willing (or able) to match the offered salary from another team. We already mentioned Mathurin. Eason can't get enough playing time in current Houston line-up with Durant and Smith and some team could see a 20+ mil player there. Agbaji almost doesn't play in Toronto after a very good season last year and some team could risk a MLE level money. Someone could see more in Ivey than Detroit does. Utah doesn't seem to be enthusiastic to pay big money to Kessler, although they could afford to wait till summer and still match any offer.

[Chicagojk]

ATL is real interesting the direction they could go.   They have been the leaders in any potential Giannis trade.  They still may be.   Although the Pelicans or MIL pick is looking awesome now.    I would be less willing to move that now.   Without it, I don't know how you can get Giannis.  Same thing with Jalen Johnson.  Stats are incredible.  I am sure Milwaukee would demand him too, right?

AD would be less attractive than Giannis, but more age and injury concern.  Although, they would keep the NO pick and Jalen Johnson.   So it is sort of middle ground.

Or do they decide to wait and not do anything now and see where the pick lands and then pick a lane there?

Edit- it is fun visiting the reddit team threads of the teams mentioned in Shams report and most are heavily not interested in any AD trade. LOL

[Chicagojk]

question an AD for KP and Rishasher works per ESPN trade machine.   Does that work?   Could you get 1 first with that?   I would assume KP is just an expiring contract.  OR would there be any chance you look to resign him as a backup? Seems unlikely though. Rishasher has dropped back this year but he is still 20.    You do clear AD contract out.

[Nowitzki Way]

question an AD for KP and Rishasher works per ESPN trade machine.   Does that work?   Could you get 1 first with that?   I would assume KP is just an expiring contract.  OR would there be any chance you look to resign him as a backup?  Seems unlikely though.  Rishasher has dropped back this year but he is still 20.    You do clear AD contract out.

Start adding a few of these trades up for players  and the future could look good here.

Just by looking at the last few pages of this thread:

Trade 1:  Gafford + for Mathurin

Trade 2: AD for KP/Rishasher/pick(s)

Trade 3: Klay for picks/expiring

Add that to a top 10 pick in this 26 draft and you have some young talent around Flagg and Lively.  You still have Kyrie for 2 years or work out an off season trade after he shows he's healthy.l

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4724...nmpo-teams


Latest buzz on AD and Giannis, according to Shams.

[KillerLeft]

I proposed that the other day.  I think you have to give up something else in the deal.  Mathurin is a good bit more valuable than Gafford in my mind and like players like White/Grimes, you have to pay him this summer.  It would really help if you could simultaneously trade Klay for expiring and a pick.  You are going to need more salary space than Gafford gives you to keep restricted Mathurin this summer.

You suggested Mathurin as part of the compensation in an AD deal. I'm pretty iffy about that, but for Gafford? Count me in, depending on how much more Dallas would have to include.

[Mavs2021]

I was somehow under the impression Risacher is a point forward, but his 2nd year numbers are kinda ugly. And we do not need another classic forward.

Instead

Hawks

Davis
Powell
Martin
B Williams


Grizzlies

Young


Mavs

Morant
Clarke
Kennard
Hawks 2026 1st round pick
Grizzlies 2026 1st round pick
Magic 2026 1st round pick (via Memphis)

[Winter]

I was somehow under the impression Risacher is a point forward, but his 2nd year numbers are kinda ugly. And we do not need another classic forward.

Instead

Hawks

Davis
Powell
Martin
B Williams


Grizzlies

Young


Mavs

Morant
Clarke
Kennard
Hawks 2026 1st round pick
Grizzlies 2026 1st round pick
Magic 2026 1st round pick (via Memphis)

OMG ... a Morant Trade!

That's all this team needs is more drama.