Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I don’t hate the idea of trying to win now. I’ve said many times this is an entertainment business and building some theoretical contending team 5-6 years from now is too far away to keep me interested in the product.

I don’t want to invest in Kawhi and his knees though. Hopefully we’re just being used as leverage. The Dusty May hire wouldn’t make sense if they wanted to do this.

[mvossman]

I don’t hate the idea of trying to win now. I’ve said many times this is an entertainment business and building some theoretical contending team 5-6 years from now is too far away to keep me interested in the product.

I don’t want to invest in Kawhi and his knees though. Hopefully we’re just being used as leverage. The Dusty May hire wouldn’t make sense if they wanted to do this.

I mean is getting to the second round of the playoffs this coming season worth harming your contention chances over the next several seasons?  Do we really want to give up most of our assets for a one year rental?

[Smitty]

Rival teams consistently point to Nuggets forward Cam Johnson, acquired last summer in a deal that sent away Michael Porter Jr., as the most likely candidate to be dealt, in large part because the 30-year-old has just one season left on his deal at $23 million. Miami and Dallas are believed to be among the many interested teams.

[Dirknows]

Rival teams consistently point to Nuggets forward Cam Johnson, acquired last summer in a deal that sent away Michael Porter Jr., as the most likely candidate to be dealt, in large part because the 30-year-old has just one season left on his deal at $23 million. Miami and Dallas are believed to be among the many interested teams.

I believe someone mentioned for him to fit our TPE he’d have to be traded before July 1? Would this be us saving them on their tax bill and getting draft picks?

[loki]

I mean is getting to the second round of the playoffs this coming season worth harming your contention chances over the next several seasons?  Do we really want to give up most of our assets for a one year rental?

Asset wise it might not actually be that much. The draft picks they refer to could be the protected GSW 1st and a few 2nds for all we know. And Kawhi is certainly an upgrade on the court to PJ+Gaff. My main issues are the injury concerns, new contract Kawhi will want, and the fact that he seems to think he's above the team. That's a quick way to ruin the culture you're trying to build.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I mean is getting to the second round of the playoffs this coming season worth harming your contention chances over the next several seasons?  Do we really want to give up most of our assets for a one year rental?

Yea, I want to watch entertaining basketball. Not sit around dreaming about being a contender in 6 years. And build a contender how? Spurs and OKC have more talent and more assets. 
I’d rather get bounced in the second round than win 26 games. 

I don’t understand this all or nothing mentality that is pervasive in American sports.  I enjoyed the hell out of all those 50 win seasons. Teams purposely make themselves worse to sell a fantasy to their fans.

Like i said, I don’t love investing big in Kawhi’s knees. If they wanted first rd picks and he wants a fat extension, that would be gross.

I doubt any of this is real anyway.

[mvossman]

Asset wise it might not actually be that much. The draft picks they refer to could be the protected GSW 1st and a few 2nds for all we know. And Kawhi is certainly an upgrade on the court to PJ+Gaff. My main issues are the injury concerns, new contract Kawhi will want, and the fact that he seems to think he's above the team. That's a quick way to ruin the culture you're trying to build.

No doubt Kawhi is an upgrade over PJ when actually on the court, but PJ was one of the few player assets that might actually net something.  Whatever the cost, its for a rental.  I don't anticipate recouping any of it back when his contract is up.

[mvossman]

Yea, I want to watch entertaining basketball. Not sit around dreaming about being a contender in 6 years. And build a contender how? Spurs and OKC have more talent and more assets. 
I’d rather get bounced in the second round than win 26 games. 

I don’t understand this all or nothing mentality that is pervasive in American sports.  I enjoyed the hell out of all those 50 win seasons. Teams purposely make themselves worse to sell a fantasy to their fans.

Like i said, I don’t love investing big in Kawhi’s knees. If they wanted first rd picks and he wants a fat extension, that would be gross.

I doubt any of this is real anyway.

Its not all or nothing.  Do you want to win 10 more games this season, and 5 less games for the next 5 seasons.  Its a tradeoff.  Dealing with the Kawhi experience does not sound like enjoyment to me, and if you want to enjoy your team in the future sometime you have to invest a little bit.

[Winter]

None of this makes any sense. There's something we're missing.

[Scott41theMavs]

The main reason I would hate getting Kawhi is personal/specific/esoteric. I have a good friend who has for the past thirty years been a Mavs fan first and a Spurs fan second. When the Mavs traded Luka, they were "dead to him" and will be until the Adelsons and Dumont sell the team. He detests Kawhi. If the Mavs get him, I'll have to listen to him rant about the combined evils of the Mavs and Kawhi incessantly. No thank you.

[mvossman]

None of this makes any sense. There's something we're missing.

RTG is probably right.  This is probably nothing.  I hate getting trolled.

[Smitty]

The 10 ‘games played’ with Kyrie-Max-KL-Flagg-Lively will be legendary stuff.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I'm honestly just using the rumor to have this theoretical conversation about sports being entertainment and the concept of long term rebuilds. How are sports fans so loyal to endure years of torture for the promise of future success that rarely materializes? Like when you die and go to heaven, is God going to ask you "how many rings did you get?" Nah man, I just want to turn the TV on and not be miserable.

If I was a Hornets season ticket holder, I'm not renewing my season tickets. IDGAF about some 2032 1st rd pick.

[Moviemavguy]

None of this makes any sense. There's something we're missing.

Probably trying to get Toronto to up their ante.

[Moviemavguy]

BUT, this is a new regime. Masai traded for him before and likes to make spashy moves. So, I wouldn't just throw this rumor in the trash either...

Only thing is, things that have leaked haven't been accurate with the new FO so far. It would be odd for this to leak and be true.

[mvossman]

I'm honestly just using the rumor to have this theoretical conversation about sports being entertainment and the concept of long term rebuilds.  How are sports fans so loyal to endure years of torture for the promise of future success that rarely materializes?  Like when you die and go to heaven, is God going to ask you "how many rings did you get?"  Nah man, I just want to turn the TV on and not be miserable.

I agree with this to a point.  I have mentioned in the past that one silver lining of Nico spending all of our future assets is that we don't ever have to worry about tanking again.  But what I do enjoy is watching a young team grow into a really good product on the floor.  That team needs to have some talent, and a functioning roster so its not a shitshow.  But when you see a team with guys you have been watching develop for years get really good you get that much more invested.  It's what killed college ball for me, starting with one and done and now the NIL thing.  Its a completely different team every year.  One year rentals don't interest me nearly as much as guys that can grow.

[loki]

I'm honestly just using the rumor to have this theoretical conversation about sports being entertainment and the concept of long term rebuilds.  How are sports fans so loyal to endure years of torture for the promise of future success that rarely materializes?  Like when you die and go to heaven, is God going to ask you "how many rings did you get?"  Nah man, I just want to turn the TV on and not be miserable.

If I was a Hornets season ticket holder, I'm not renewing my season tickets.  IDGAF about some 2032 1st rd pick.

It's not a rings or nothing thing for me. I want to get back to the Dirk years where they won 50+ games 11 straight seasons. I think they could achieve that (or better) with Flagg, but not if they look for shortcuts. I don't mind a few more subpar seasons if they can lay the groundwork for that.

[Smitty]

I'm honestly just using the rumor to have this theoretical conversation about sports being entertainment and the concept of long term rebuilds.  How are sports fans so loyal to endure years of torture for the promise of future success that rarely materializes?  Like when you die and go to heaven, is God going to ask you "how many rings did you get?"  Nah man, I just want to turn the TV on and not be miserable.

If I was a Hornets season ticket holder, I'm not renewing my season tickets.  IDGAF about some 2032 1st rd pick.

I agree with you 100%. None of us are casuals here. We put on our GM cap and try to think through team building and what’s best for the franchise, but at the end of the day we are fans. Fans want an entertaining team to root for. They want hope. Hope for the future or hope to contend for championships. The thing with Cooper Flagg is that he will have several “win now” windows during his career. Shoot your shot now? Maybe not something I’d do if I was running the franchise, but as a fan, sign me up!

[Chicagojk]

Yeah, I would have little interest in a soon to be 35 year old Leonard.  Now is it something to clear out some long term salary?  Potentially I could see it a part of a three team trade.   Like the Toronto one.  Maybe dallas gets the package from Toronto?

I too would be disappointed if they made a move for Leonard.   Especially if it consisted of draft equity.

[Winter]

1. The Mavericks draft situation is already dire.
2. Nothing has leaked since to the media for weeks since Masai took over.
3. Every indication from the FO and every moment of the draft was dedicated to a youth movement where the emphasis was "We are not in a hurry"

Just the thought of such a trade is bizarre given what we thought we knew.

And yes, I'm with Chicago on the three-team rumor making more sense.