Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[Scott41theMavs]

That's fair, but he was a bit unlucky landing here and then balling out for a team that probably wasn't going to invest him due to the depth at the position.

Yeah, depth of position isn't something he'd remotely have to worry about here now.

[windjc]

Since no one here watches college ball, let me share a tidbit.

Dusty May won a national championship by starting a PG who had lost all his confidence at UNC (my alum) the year before, couldn’t shoot, wasnt fast and was undersized.

But that PG had grit, a huge chip on his shoulder and while he didn’t put up great stats he fearlessly led his team to a championship as MVP.

Thats the kind of coach we have. And that’s why I’m not worried about any particular one position atm.

After seeing what he did with Cadeau I have no worries about him finding/creating the right fit.

[windjc]

So much false narrative.  Aren’t you the guy that said this team was so close when AD was still here?  To somebody with blind optimism I’m sure this board looks negative.

I never had optimism for Jones or Cuban. I am optimistic when it’s due. And competence deserves optimism. 

I have seen nothing but competence top down starting before Nico got fired. The first sign was when Dumont was fielding fan feedback on the court prior to letting Nico go.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Please don’t encourage him.

[windjc]

Please don’t encourage him.

Oh yes because god forbid someone is optimistic. What a terrible quality for sure. You’ve been nothing but upset since the 9th pick of the draft and looking like a fool in the making. Yes, I will absolutely bet on our current front office over you and your take even if that makes me a raging out of control purveyor of positivity.

[rocky164]

Like many of you I was surprised/disappointed that we didn’t draft Burries at 9. But building the roster is going to be a process. We don’t know what our front office may be thinking or already have lined up regarding free agency and trades. We don’t know what they think about our current players. We don’t know what they know about injury situations. Right now the roster picture is not pretty. I get it. But we aren’t playing games right now. We have 4 months for our new front office to get this team built and ready to play. I think we have the right decision makers in place, arguably better than any other time in team history. I’m cautiously optimistic and can’t wait to see competitive Dallas basketball again.

[Dirknows]

The list of teams that may be interested in the Mavs vets seemed to have shrunk. Here's a few things that could still make sense on some level:

Irving:
HOU: Kyrie Irving
DAL: Fred VanVleet, Reed Sheppard, '27 FRP (Owns Swap rights with BKN), '29 FRP



Gafford:
LAL: Daniel Gafford
DAL: Jake LaRavia, Dalton Knecht, '31 FRP


TOR: Daniel Gafford
DAL: Jakob Poeltl, '27 FRP, '29 FRP



Klay:
SAS: Klay Thompson
DAL: Keldon Johnson, ’28 SRP


 
PJW:
SAS: PJ Washington
DAL: Keldon Johnson, ’28-'30-'31-'32 SRPs, '30 FRP Swap rights returned

 

Use of TPE:
DEN: Klay Thompson, Caleb Martin, TPE
DAL: Cam Johnson, Christian Braun, '28-'30-'31 FRP Swap rights


OKC: TPE, '29 FRP (LAL)
DAL: Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe

I like most of these. However I don’t think Gafford has that much value around the league. It’s gonna be interesting to see how Masai builds out the backcourt, cuz it needs help.

[mvossman]

Like many of you I was surprised/disappointed that we didn’t draft Burries at 9.  But building the roster is going to be a process.  We don’t know what our front office may be thinking or already have lined up regarding free agency and trades.  We don’t know what they think about our current players.  We don’t know what they know about injury situations.  Right now the roster picture is not pretty.  I get it.  But we aren’t playing games right now.  We have 4 months for our new front office to get this team built and ready to play.  I think we have the right decision makers in place, arguably better than any other time in team history.  I’m cautiously optimistic and can’t wait to see competitive Dallas basketball again.

I'm not even necessarily disappointed.  He could easily turn into a better player than Burries.  But it was not a pick made to fit the current roster.  There is more work to be done now than if they had gone with Burries.

[Mavs2021]

Like many of you I was surprised/disappointed that we didn’t draft Burries at 9.  But building the roster is going to be a process.  We don’t know what our front office may be thinking or already have lined up regarding free agency and trades.  We don’t know what they think about our current players.  We don’t know what they know about injury situations.  Right now the roster picture is not pretty.  I get it.  But we aren’t playing games right now.  We have 4 months for our new front office to get this team built and ready to play.  I think we have the right decision makers in place, arguably better than any other time in team history.  I’m cautiously optimistic and can’t wait to see competitive Dallas basketball again.

Agreed. So much can happen in the next six weeks. I think we all agree that this can´t be the final team, if they want to be competitive next year. If 95% of people here can agree on that, I´m pretty sure Ujiri and Schmitz and May see the same thing.

[Winter]

Last year at this same time, we had inked a few players for summer league. Where are those signings now? The two Europeans (and the Russian) will be here probably, but guys like Tyler Smith and Cisse aren't going to be doing summer league. Any ideas?

[Knutsen]

BTW it sounds like the russian killer is coming over right away. Dude looks super promising. I hope they at least sign him to a two way deal.

The same goes for De Larrea but he might be a bench option right away. Dude should work wonders for our offensive flow as a secondary playmaker.

Stupid nickname, I hope it doesn’t stick - way too many Russian killers active right now… Aside from that I agree, I hope they bring them both over and let our coach develop them here.

[david75090]

Like many of you I was surprised/disappointed that we didn’t draft Burries at 9.  But building the roster is going to be a process.  We don’t know what our front office may be thinking or already have lined up regarding free agency and trades.  We don’t know what they think about our current players.  We don’t know what they know about injury situations.  Right now the roster picture is not pretty.  I get it.  But we aren’t playing games right now.  We have 4 months for our new front office to get this team built and ready to play.  I think we have the right decision makers in place, arguably better than any other time in team history.  I’m cautiously optimistic and can’t wait to see competitive Dallas basketball again.

I was one who would've been disappointed had the Mavs drafted Burries. Seemed inevitable when he fell to them. Was delighted that they went another way. Best player available, which is in the eye of the Mavs front office. Means they'll go another way at PG. Sergio? Maybe. Don't see any free agent PG that excites, but I'm not in the front office. The draft at least made interested again.

[KillerLeft]

Last year at this same time, we had inked a few players for summer league. Where are those signings now? The two Europeans (and the Russian) will be here probably, but guys like Tyler Smith and Cisse aren't going to be doing summer league. Any ideas?

Not 100% sure yet, but I think the summer league/two way potential guys were actually drafted this year. As in, I think this is a different approach than the Mavs' usual, which was likely passed down though holdovers from Cuban/Nelson to Cuban/Harrison. 

It feels like these guys weren't interested in negotiating with that type, but preferred to get them locked in by spending draft picks. I think DJJ clone and Russian dude are people the last regime would've waited and tried to sign after the draft, and possibly might've missed on as a result? 

Then again, maybe there'll be 3 rookie FA's signed in the next 12 hours and I'll have been way wrong.

[KillerLeft]

BTW it sounds like the russian killer is coming over right away. Dude looks super promising. I hope they at least sign him to a two way deal.

Not that I'm complaining - I'd be pretty excited about this, actually. But, I must say this would surprise me. Where are you finding this info?

[Smitty]

I like most of these. However I don’t think Gafford has that much value around the league. It’s gonna be interesting to see how Masai builds out the backcourt, cuz it needs help.

Yeah, it’s possible. 

I think people incorrectly related the Stewart trade to Gafford’s value, but failed to realize how valuable the deal was for DET. The 3 SRP’s were almost secondary to the true value. They needed zero salary coming back, so that they could sign (Powell) in free agency. I say Powell, because I think their first target was Coby White, which is what lead to the rush for CHA to do what they did and secure him. So, putting it in the proper context, if DAL had an absolute need for space and couldn’t take any money back in a Gafford deal, sure they’d settle for second round picks. I don’t think that’ll be the case any time soon. So, continue to hold that asset at high value since you’re in no rush to get rid of it. If the Lakers strike out on Robinson, I expect Schmitz phone to ring…

[KillerLeft]

Yeah, it’s possible. 

I think people incorrectly related the Stewart trade to Gafford’s value, but failed to realize how valuable the deal was for DET. The 3 SRP’s were almost secondary to the true value. They needed zero salary coming back, so that they could sign (Powell) in free agency. I say Powell, because I think their first target was Coby White, which is what lead to the rush for CHA to do what they did and secure him. So, putting it in the proper context, if DAL had an absolute need for space and couldn’t take any money back in a Gafford deal, sure they’d settle for second round picks. I don’t think that’ll be the case any time soon. So, continue to hold that asset at high value since you’re in no rush to get rid of it. If the Lakers strike out on Robinson, I expect Schmitz phone to ring…

Agreed, and I'm guilty. I reacted in real time without taking a second to properly absorb the "money disappearing for nothing" aspect of it. All things considered, I'd say DET coming out 3 SRPs to the better kind of indicates a massive value, honestly. 

...but, I also think Stewart is a more desirable player than Gafford, so there's that.

[Smitty]

I was one who would've been disappointed had the Mavs drafted Burries. Seemed inevitable when he fell to them. Was delighted that they went another way. Best player available, which is in the eye of the Mavs front office. Means they'll go another way at PG. Sergio? Maybe. Don't see any free agent PG that excites, but I'm not in the front office. The draft at least made interested again.

We talked at length about Burries being a high floor guy. Possibly not a high ceiling one. Same could be said for Morez, yeah? That’s mostly why they were in the same tier for me. I preferred the Guard, but it’s easy to see why they didn’t there.

[Mavs2021]

Not that I'm complaining - I'd be pretty excited about this, actually. But, I must say this would surprise me. Where are you finding this info?

Seems there has been a tweet from his parents saying goodbye, bags are packed, English courses completed, good luck in America. Who knows, we´ll find out soon enough. I prefer to have all players in Dallas. It´s not just an adjustment to a new, better and different league. It´s also a different culture. This year you have four rookies, next year you might have none. That alone makes the integration process off the court easier.

[KillerLeft]

We talked at length about Burries being a high floor guy. Possibly not a high ceiling one. Same could be said for Morez, yeah? That’s mostly why they were in the same tier for me. I preferred the Guard, but it’s easy to see why they didn’t there.

I think they're both high floor guys.

I'd be shocked if Johnson's ceiling isn't higher, and I'm also more confident he'll reach that ceiling than I am with Burries (especially now that he's stuck in MIL). 

What makes it hard to judge, I think, is that the guys who handle the ball are just so objectively crucial to how any team works. That's why they get paid more, even when the shouldn't. That's why LaMello Ball can underachieve for his entire first contract and then get traded for like every first round pick a team has available to send. 

An argument can certainly be made that the style of big Johnson looks to be is really, really hard to find...harder to find than elite ball-handling/creation/scoring, even, possibly. But...I just keep coming back to how nothing will look good here until they have a transcendent offensive player or duo of players.

I really like the pick, but I haven't really seen signs of the facelift I believe the roster needs, and so I'm getting a little worried. Plenty of time still, however.

[Winter]

Not 100% sure yet, but I think the summer league/two way potential guys were actually drafted this year. As in, I think this is a different approach than the Mavs' usual, which was likely passed down though holdovers from Cuban/Nelson to Cuban/Harrison. 

It feels like these guys weren't interested in negotiating with that type, but preferred to get them locked in by spending draft picks. I think DJJ clone and Russian dude are people the last regime would've waited and tried to sign after the draft, and possibly might've missed on as a result? 

Then again, maybe there'll be 3 rookie FA's signed in the next 12 hours and I'll have been way wrong.

It does sort of feel like that there is a different approach with the new FO, but damned if I can see what it might be.

BTW, Ive been doing a deep dive on this Tobi Lawal. At first I thought he might be another AJ Johnson, but he's nothing like that. He's had 4 years of college basketball, all-academic honors in college, and repsectable stats this last year.

He's not all bounce. His 3-pt shot is brutal, but he's gotten to be an average FT shooter, and he can play a little defense and rebound.

Some of his stats this year:

2025-26 (Senior season at Virginia Tech)
• Made 17 starts in 23 appearances in his senior season. 

•Averaged 12.3 points per game while shooting 54% from the field and pulled down 8.5 rebounds per game which ranked in the top 10 of the league.
•Recorded six double-doubles which rank seventh in the ACC.
•Had two 15-rebound games this season (vs. Charlotte and at NC State).
•Recorded nine games with multiple blocks.
•Registered a career-high five blocks at Louisville.
•Was in double figures 14 times and had three games where he recorded 20 or more points (vs. Charleston Southern, Notre Dame and Boston College)