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

[SleepingHero]

Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
BREAKING: San Antonio Spurs star De'Aaron Fox has agreed to a four-year, $229 million maximum contract extension with the franchise, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN. The max deal secures Fox's future in San Antonio through the 2029-30 season.

I am so surprised.

On the one hand, this kind of makes sense given that the Spurs (and Fox's agent) probably agreed to do this when they made the deal to trade for Fox this year. But after the draft/lotto, you have to wonder if they may be getting buyers remorse soon.

Harper+Castle look like a great back court. Not sure where Fox fits into this plan for the future at all.

[omahen]

I still think there is close to zero chance LeBron gets traded this summer, but this is actually an interesting idea. Core of the deal is LeBron to SA for Vassell

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2523...see-coming

[omahen]

I am so surprised.

On the one hand, this kind of makes sense given that the Spurs (and Fox's agent) probably agreed to do this when they made the deal to trade for Fox this year. But after the draft/lotto, you have to wonder if they may be getting buyers remorse soon.

Harper+Castle look like a great back court. Not sure where Fox fits into this plan for the future at all.

I think Fox max was taken into account when trading for him. Or in other words - they would not trade for him, if they were not prepared to pay his max. While it might be an overpay, it is not that terrible deal, imho. Fox could be seen as a beta on a contender and will likely not be difficult to move, if they decide for another direction. 

SA will have more tough decisions to make with an upcoming extension for Sochan. How much is he worth? Very difficult player to assess, imho. I guess up to 15 mil per is ok for him, but more could quickly become problematic long term.

[DallasMaverick]

Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
BREAKING: San Antonio Spurs star De'Aaron Fox has agreed to a four-year, $229 million maximum contract extension with the franchise, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN. The max deal secures Fox's future in San Antonio through the 2029-30 season.

Seems like these deals were pretty common before the new CBA. Good player that fits pretty well, and they’d hate to lose for nothing.

A max deal for a solid player.

It also could be a cap-crippling move that stunts their roster development for many years, and requires draft assets to dump someday.

I’d far rather give PJW a $18m/yr contract than Fox at $46m/yr.

[Chicagojk]

Their front office has been horrible - besides getting lucking in the lotto.  

Saw a ranking of top front offices and they were top 5 - I don't get it at all.  They are top 1 lucky, not top 5 good.  They currently have the 2nd longest playoff drought in the league.

That is ridiculous.   Getting way too much benefit of the doubt for what they were and not what they are.   They may turn out great and they should have a really bright future, but look at their moves over the last 6-7 year timeframe.   Making the pick on Castle looks to be very good.   Vassel is a good player, but Haliburtan went after.    Sochan is a solid player but Jalen Williams and Duren went after him.  

They made a good decision to sell on Murray early.  Not sure how those picks play out (not as good as initially thought), but they did good not getting stuck with a bad contract for Murray.   

Overall, if you removed them getting lucky with Wemby most of their moves have not been very encouragint.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

[Charania] The Boston Celtics are trading Georges Niang and two future second-round picks to the Utah Jazz for rookie RJ Luis Jr., sources tell ESPN.

[F Gump]

[Charania] The Boston Celtics are trading Georges Niang and two future second-round picks to the Utah Jazz for rookie RJ Luis Jr., sources tell ESPN.

Luis is a 2-way player, so BOS has no salary coming back
 
Savings (salary plus tax) of about $51M.

An owner just had a good day.

[SleepingHero]

[Charania] The Boston Celtics are trading Georges Niang and two future second-round picks to the Utah Jazz for rookie RJ Luis Jr., sources tell ESPN.

@YossiGozlan
The Boston Celtics reduce their payroll and luxury tax by a total of $50 million by trading Georges Niang.

They’re now just $1.7 million above the first apron and $9.4 million above the luxury tax line.

They also create a $8.2 million trade exception.

[SleepingHero]

Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
Free agent forward Chris Boucher has agreed to a one-year, $3.3 million contract with the Boston Celtics, agent Sam Permut of Roc Nation tells ESPN. Boucher lands a guaranteed deal with the Celtics and is expected to have a significant role in the frontcourt.

[Dahlsim]

Would a team like Atlanta or Detroit, who are perhaps #4 and #5 in the East, even make playoffs in the Western conference?  ... 

Even the top picks are going West

Understood, although it will be interesting to see how ATL (Can Porzingis stay healthy) and Detroit with an ascending Cade will stack up in their record against the West. 

Ultimately though if its about winning it all, a 'contending' East team primarily just needs to think in terms of getting to the finals and let the chips fall where they may just as Indiana did last season.

[omahen]

2 SRP to dump 8 mil. Utah will be likely looking to flip Niang or, if unsuccessful, bought him out at some point. He was an awesome bench scorer for Atlanta last season and many teams in need for shooting might be interested in him.

P.S.: BKN still didn't sell their cap space (they can have 25 mil if they want, or nothing if they just resign their guys using cap space). Demanding too much or they have other plans?

[KillerLeft]

2 SRP to dump 8 mil. Utah will be likely looking to flip Niang or, if unsuccessful, bought him out at some point. He was an awesome bench scorer for Atlanta last season and many teams in need for shooting might be interested in him.

P.S.: BKN still didn't sell their cap space (they can have 25 mil if they want, or nothing if they just resign their guys using cap space). Demanding too much or they have other plans?

Agreed. This is a player with value in a vacuum. It’s an important reminder that turning money into no money is tougher to do than we think. Pretty sobering when you think of what the Mavs have ahead of them with O-Max, Powell, Hardy, whomever they’ll try to move to find room for Exum. It’s not even whether or not players are wanted, it’s literally taking on money without sending money out. Teams just don’t want to do that, and the ones who are willing to do it expect a nice sweetener.

[Reunion Mav]

Agreed. This is a player with value in a vacuum. It’s an important reminder that turning money into no money is tougher to do than we think. Pretty sobering when you think of what the Mavs have ahead of them with O-Max, Powell, Hardy, whomever they’ll try to move to find room for Exum. It’s not even whether or not players are wanted, it’s literally taking on money without sending money out. Teams just don’t want to do that, and the ones who are willing to do it expect a nice sweetener.

It’s a good thing our players don’t cost all that much. I’m guessing nearly every team has salaries they would rather not pay. Our situation probably doesn’t rank in the top half in terms of severity. Some teams are paying starter money they want out from under.

[SleepingHero]

Agreed. This is a player with value in a vacuum. It’s an important reminder that turning money into no money is tougher to do than we think. Pretty sobering when you think of what the Mavs have ahead of them with O-Max, Powell, Hardy, whomever they’ll try to move to find room for Exum. It’s not even whether or not players are wanted, it’s literally taking on money without sending money out. Teams just don’t want to do that, and the ones who are willing to do it expect a nice sweetener.

I do think this is relative. Niang is making the most out of all the players you've listed there by quite a bit more. 

Powell's deal is essentially a little higher than a vet min deal (3.3 vs. 4mil). OMax is on a rookie scale and costs cheaper than most vets anyways (2.8 vs. 3.3). 

Hardy sticks out like a sore thumb, but I'd wager his potential upside is still enough for some team to want to at least take a swing.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

@YossiGozlan
The Boston Celtics reduce their payroll and luxury tax by a total of $50 million by trading Georges Niang.

They’re now just $1.7 million above the first apron and $9.4 million above the luxury tax line.

They also create a $8.2 million trade exception.

Brad Stevens doing work. Signing Chris Boucher was a coup too. He's versatile and is a good rotation piece for them.

[KillerLeft]

My elderly father, who normally hears about everything Mavs-related about two weeks late from me, is texting me about a trade sending Kuminga to Sacramento, Malik Monk to Dallas and Klay Thompson back to Golden State. I am at work and can’t investigate. Is he high, or is there stuff out there about this?

[mvossman]

My elderly father, who normally hears about everything Mavs-related about two weeks late from me, is texting me about a trade sending Kuminga to Sacramento, Malik Monk to Dallas and Klay Thompson back to Golden State. I am at work and can’t investigate. Is he high, or is there stuff out there about this?

I have not heard anything.  I hope he is high.

[Jmaciscool]

My elderly father, who normally hears about everything Mavs-related about two weeks late from me, is texting me about a trade sending Kuminga to Sacramento, Malik Monk to Dallas and Klay Thompson back to Golden State. I am at work and can’t investigate. Is he high, or is there stuff out there about this?

Haven't seen any mention of that, but FWIW the above trade as presented isn't Nico-legal unless the Mavs also send out a second round pick.

[DanSchwartzgan]

My elderly father, who normally hears about everything Mavs-related about two weeks late from me, is texting me about a trade sending Kuminga to Sacramento, Malik Monk to Dallas and Klay Thompson back to Golden State. I am at work and can’t investigate. Is he high, or is there stuff out there about this?

We’d have to send out additional salary…which would solve our 16 man roster issue.

[david75090]

That was a proposed trade by a sportswriter. Saw it on the Yahoo feed. It's off-season. Sportswriters are throwing ideas out there as if they are possibilities.