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

[KillerLeft]

Just a scattershooting thought...I'm not sure it's 100% set in stone that the NO '26 pick is going to be the monumental asset we all assumed. I'm also not sure I wouldn't consider trading it, were I in the ATL GM's shoes. The Pelicans are showing signs of improvement, and have zero interest to crash their season for any reason, unlike several other teams. I bet they still end up in the lottery, but maybe not with the kind of odds we expected.

[DallasMaverick]

Want nothing to do with Young.  Losing player

Defense wins championships

[Jakeospikez]

Anything with Trae in the deal just reroute him to a 3rd team and get someone else that fits here better.

[mvossman]

Anything with Trae in the deal just reroute him to a 3rd team and get someone else that fits here better.

Yep.  I bet one of the small market teams will pay something for him.

[Dirknows]

Just a scattershooting thought...I'm not sure it's 100% set in stone that the NO '26 pick is going to be the monumental asset we all assumed. I'm also not sure I wouldn't consider trading it, were I in the ATL GM's shoes. The Pelicans are showing signs of improvement, and have zero interest to crash their season for any reason, unlike several other teams. I bet they still end up in the lottery, but maybe not with the kind of odds we expected.

Yeah they have no incentive to lose, so they will beat some of the worst teams later in the year. At the same time, the pick is already gone, so they could look to gain draft assets via Murphy or Herb Jones, thus making them worse.

[F Gump]

Yeah they have no incentive to lose, so they will beat some of the worst teams later in the year. At the same time, the pick is already gone, so they could look to gain draft assets via Murphy or Herb Jones, thus making them worse.

I don't understand why everyone thinks NO is looking to get rid of Murphy or Jones. I would think they see those guys as part of the "core" they want to build on, in trying to get back to being competitive. 

They don't have any particular cap issues. Their biggest contract is Zion, and I think he's probably done in NO after this season. Their next biggest salary is Poole, and he comes off the cap the following season. They solved their money issues when they moved Ingram.

They need more talent, to be sure, so I think they will be looking to add useful pieces (not subtract), when they can.

[Mavs2021]

Zion is definitely the first heading out of that door. It´s only a question, who gets more desperate first the Cow Kings West or the Bull Kings East. If I had to guess I predict the Kings trade their 1st + Lavine for Zion.

[Dirknows]

Zion is definitely the first heading out of that door. It´s only a question, who gets more desperate first the Cow Kings West or the Bull Kings East. If I had to guess I predict the Kings trade their 1st + Lavine for Zion.

I don’t know if Zion even gets a first to be honest.

[Chicagojk]

Just a scattershooting thought...I'm not sure it's 100% set in stone that the NO '26 pick is going to be the monumental asset we all assumed. I'm also not sure I wouldn't consider trading it, were I in the ATL GM's shoes. The Pelicans are showing signs of improvement, and have zero interest to crash their season for any reason, unlike several other teams. I bet they still end up in the lottery, but maybe not with the kind of odds we expected.

Yep, there is a good chance it does turn to be a bad trade.   Queen is good though.    I think there are definitely 4 teams that are going to have a worst record than NO.  I think they are surely a lottery team though, but I think there record is somewhere between 5th and 9th worst in the league (I just pulled those numbers out of my head, but something in that range).   The Wizards, Kings, Nets are all surely worse.   With the new lottery odds, you never know how the lottery balls fall.  If the Pelicans get a top 3 pick, the Queen pick is terrible.   If it is #4, it is bad but not terrible.  Anything after 4 and it gets more debatable.   It will lead to a good player being drafted.   Maybe better than Queen, but I think you can at least have a debate at that pick range.  Especially how well Queen and Fears have played so far.

[Chicagojk]

https://streamable.com/i40kb3?src=player-page-share

Tough to see a two team trade from Golden State imo. Although may need to look at teams who had interest in Kuninga.

[DanSchwartzgan]

https://streamable.com/i40kb3?src=player-page-share

Tough to see a two team trade from Golden State imo.  Although may need to look at teams who had interest in Kuninga.

I've seen Kuminga rumored to Chicago.  What about Gafford/Martin to GSW, Kuminga/Horford to Chicago.  Dallas gets Dosunmu and Jalen Smith.

Dosunmu is similar to White in that the 40% rule caps his extension at under what he is worth.  But, its thought he might command less than White in the summer.  Dosunmu and Max hold down the SG spot with Ayo able to get a few minutes at PG if needed.  Naji/Klay at the three, Flagg/PJ share the four (when not playing together) and Smith gives you a viable backup C while we wait for Lively.  Chicago would have to provide some additional compensation.

[Mavs2021]

I've seen Kuminga rumored to Chicago.  What about Gafford/Martin to GSW, Kuminga/Horford to Chicago.  Dallas gets Dosunmu and Jalen Smith.

Dosunmu is similar to White in that the 40% rule caps his extension at under what he is worth.  But, its thought he might command less than White in the summer.  Dosunmu and Max hold down the SG spot with Ayo able to get a few minutes at PG if needed.  Naji/Klay at the three, Flagg/PJ share the four (when not playing together) and Smith gives you a viable backup C while we wait for Lively.  Chicago would have to provide some additional compensation.

Not nearly enough for Gafford. I´d actually keep Gafford in my back pocket for the Hawks negotiations. Establish that you need the Pelicans pick for AD to make your position clear. Then sway the discussion to Gafford for Kennard/Newell + Cavs pick.

[Smitty]

I've seen Kuminga rumored to Chicago.  What about Gafford/Martin to GSW, Kuminga/Horford to Chicago.  Dallas gets Dosunmu and Jalen Smith.

Dosunmu is similar to White in that the 40% rule caps his extension at under what he is worth.  But, its thought he might command less than White in the summer.  Dosunmu and Max hold down the SG spot with Ayo able to get a few minutes at PG if needed.  Naji/Klay at the three, Flagg/PJ share the four (when not playing together) and Smith gives you a viable backup C while we wait for Lively.  Chicago would have to provide some additional compensation.

I don’t hate it. Feels realistic. I made a similar fantasy trade. Well, not the players you mentioned but the teams you have here. It was when the Klay and GSW rumor started circulating. Would you do this?

DAL: Coby White, Dalen Terry
GSW: Klay Thompson, D’Angelo Russell
CHI: Jonathan Kuminga

The financials are great for all involved. Not sure who adds what in terms of “sweeteners”. It felt light on what the Mavs were giving up for White, but he is a UFA this summer, so who knows…

[mvossman]

I don’t hate it. Feels realistic. I made a similar fantasy trade. Well, not the players you mentioned but the teams you have here. It was when the Klay and GSW rumor started circulating. Would you do this?

DAL: Coby White, Dalen Terry
GSW: Klay Thompson, D’Angelo Russell
CHI: Jonathan Kuminga

The financials are great for all involved. Not sure who adds what in terms of “sweeteners”. It felt light on what the Mavs were giving up for White, but he is a UFA this summer, so who knows…

I assume this is with the goal of holding onto White?  In that case you would almost have to do an AD trade to generate the room to pay white, right?

[Smitty]

I assume this is with the goal of holding onto White?  In that case you would almost have to do an AD trade to generate the room to pay white, right?

An AD trade doesn’t have to happen in that case, no. Thompson and Russell off the books next year is ~$23.5M. Resigning White (~25-30M) would have the Mavs in A2, with no other trades. Hardy (expiring) in the summer seems easy to move and free up another $6M. 

Don’t really want to get into the weeds on all the possibilities. Just that a Davis trade isn’t a requirement in this hypothetical.

[mvossman]

An AD trade doesn’t have to happen in that case, no. Thompson and Russell off the books next year is ~$23.5M. Resigning White (~25-30M) would have the Mavs in A2, with no other trades. Hardy (expiring) in the summer seems easy to move and free up another $6M. 

Don’t really want to get into the weeds on all the possibilities. Just that a Davis trade isn’t a requirement in this hypothetical.

I suppose it does not require an AD trade, but it is important to note that it will put us into A2 without other moves.  My guess is moving Hardy will cost an asset, especially if they know we need the room.  There are also huge tax implications as well as the ability to sign an MLE or tax MLE player in the offseason.

[KillerLeft]

I suppose it does not require an AD trade, but it is important to note that it will put us into A2 without other moves.  My guess is moving Hardy will cost an asset, especially if they know we need the room.  There are also huge tax implications as well as the ability to sign an MLE or tax MLE player in the offseason.

It's certainly true that the high price tag for this team is a factor. We don't know yet how the team's new overlords view the business of the NBA, really. They were willing to pay for THIS YEAR'S team, so we can rule out the idea that the Luka trade was caused by "cheapness," since the player they received in return was just as expensive as that max extension would've been, but then again, the former GM seems to have convinced them this year's team was to be a championship contender. How will their attitude and appetite for spending evolve in the wake of this awful last calendar year? Unknown. Will their willingness to spend extend to "maybe we'll be good" scenarios, or will it deteriorate as time passes since that finals run of their first year as owners? Unknown. 

It's certainly possible that a mandate of "start steering this thing out of the tax range" will be delivered soon, and it's possible this has already occurred. There's just so much we don't know yet, which is why I wish we'd get some GM news, already. I don't even know what I'm rooting for yet, and I think that's the next domino that has to fall for me to buy in. I will take it as an extremely bad sign if Ricardi or Finley gets this gig, personally. I think it would inject credibility into all sorts of unsavory fears I have been trying to subdue.

[loki]

It's certainly possible that a mandate of "start steering this thing out of the tax range" will be delivered soon, and it's possible this has already occurred. There's just so much we don't know yet, which is why I wish we'd get some GM news, already. I don't even know what I'm rooting for yet, and I think that's the next domino that has to fall for me to buy in. I will take it as an extremely bad sign if Ricardi or Finley gets this gig, personally. I think it would inject credibility into all sorts of unsavory fears I have been trying to subdue.

The report from the Athletic the other day said they would prioritize someone with experience as a lead executive, so I'm not too worried about Finley or Riccardi being promoted. If that were the plan I don't think they would wait until the offseason.

[KillerLeft]

The report from the Athletic the other day said they would prioritize someone with experience as a lead executive, so I'm not too worried about Finley or Riccardi being promoted. If that were the plan I don't think they would wait until the offseason.

Man, I hope your read on it is correct!

[FireNicoHarrison]

The report from the Athletic the other day said they would prioritize someone with experience as a lead executive, so I'm not too worried about Finley or Riccardi being promoted. If that were the plan I don't think they would wait until the offseason.

Yes that's right.