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

[Kidnova]

I think Achilles tear is worse than ACL.

Yeah, edited that in my original response.  I meant achilles.  I think the return rate is about the same, but less data out there.

[DallasMaverick]

Mamukelashvili signed a 2-year vet min deal with Toronto. Huge loss for SA

Puts a big dent in Toronto’s uniform-letter budget.

[Winter]

LaRiva has a nice 3-point shot, but he rarely stays on the court more than 20 mpg so I'm guessing he's a defensive liability in some way.

[Chicagojk]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
·
1m
Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl has agreed on a four-year, $104 million contract extension with the franchise through 2029-30, sources tell ESPN. Poeltl will pick up his 2026-27 player option at $19.5M and add three additional years to his deal.

[KillerLeft]

Agree with all of this, but at least LA could actually land a big free agent.  That whole thing with Cuban was such a joke.  I have come around to the theory that it was really just a disguise for Cuban being cheap after winning the championship.

I think it ended up like that, which is why he kept it going long after it made any sense. 

But, at the beginning, I think he had dipped his toes into tampering, and Chris Paul/Dwight Howard coming here as a package was basically a done deal. Then, ORL convinced Dwight the idiot to opt in to avoid getting traded at that deadline (can't remember the year, but I want to say it was the 2012 deadline, and they'd have both been free agents together in 2013) and the whole plan blew up. 

But yeah, it became increasingly obvious for years that Cuban had lost his stomach (or possibly even his ability) to lose big money on competitive teams.

[Chicagojk]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
·
1m
Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl has agreed on a four-year, $104 million contract extension with the franchise through 2029-30, sources tell ESPN. Poeltl will pick up his 2026-27 player option at $19.5M and add three additional years to his deal.

Raptors post Massai continue their journey of overpaying non stars.

[cow]

I think Kobe was the first one to come back really strong and afterwards it was kind of a blueprint to be able to almost get to the same level. Klay is another example, combined with his ACL tear the worst injury you can have.

Nique was way before Kobe and probably the most successful return.  Kobe and Klay weren't really the same upon return.

[omahen]

Raptors post Massai continue their journey of overpaying non stars.

I assume it was and is a general guideline from owners. They don't want to tank

[Tyler]

The Poeltl deal makes me appreciate the Gafford extension even more. We did good.

[DallasMaverick]

I assume it was and is a general guideline from owners. They don't want to tank

Maybe they’re hoping to be part of the 51st state.

[KillerLeft]

Raptors post Massai continue their journey of overpaying non stars.

I think it's tough to get players to go there, man. 

Imagine how the day-to-day travel ass aches of a Toronto Raptor in a post 9-11 world. Then, think about how it feels to live in Toronto for an African-American man in his 20's who was born and raised in Alabama, Florida or Houston, etc...It's so much more multicultural there. In America, we think "multicultural" means "multiracial" but Toronto is truly different. 

It's better than living in Detroit as a UPS driver, don't get me wrong.

[SleepingHero]

Nique was way before Kobe and probably the most successful return.  Kobe and Klay weren't really the same upon return.

Id say KD's return post achilles has eclipsed Wilkins'

But yeah, other than those two, every other achilles tear has been a game changer.

[Tyler]

Don't forget Diamond Powell!

[SleepingHero]

The Poeltl deal makes me appreciate the Gafford extension even more. We did good.

Oh yeah. Totally forgot Gaff is locked up at 54 mil. That's a steal comparing around the league.

[DallasMaverick]

Id say KD's return post achilles has eclipsed Wilkins'

But yeah, other than those two, every other achilles tear has been a game changer.

Maybe the Bucks’ medical staff advised them that he was likely done.

[F Gump]

The assumption you're making, that I can't get to, is that the Pacers want Ayton.

Yep. I would also note the other VERY iffy assumption, which is that all Ayton needed was a change of scenery and now he will be great.

IMO the bloom is already.off that rose. WAY off. Of course Ayton could suddenly turn into a player he has never been, but odds are low no matter where he goes. His motor is too low and his self-focus is too pervasive to be seen as a good shot to bloom imo.

[SleepingHero]

Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports)
Sources tell me that in addition to Deandre Ayton, the Lakers are still evaluating other options in free agency and via trade. Obviously a crucial decision for the Lakers -- would expect an answer in the upcoming days.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports)
Sources tell me that in addition to Deandre Ayton, the Lakers are still evaluating other options in free agency and via trade. Obviously a crucial decision for the Lakers -- would expect an answer in the upcoming days.

Lakers need to be calling on Nic Claxton.  Nets seem to be doing a full teardown.

[cow]

Id say KD's return post achilles has eclipsed Wilkins'

But yeah, other than those two, every other achilles tear has been a game changer.

KD will probably win on longevity, but Nique is still really impressive when you factor he came back in 9 months, the amount of advancements we've had in medicine since then, the year he had upon return which he followed up with another strong year before had a significant decline at age 35.

[Tyler]

Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports)
Sources tell me that in addition to Deandre Ayton, the Lakers are still evaluating other options in free agency and via trade. Obviously a crucial decision for the Lakers -- would expect an answer in the upcoming days.

Oh boy. That reads to me like the beginning of an Ayton walkback from an LA writer. Things must not be as solid with Ayton to the Lakers as people thought.