Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[Chicagojk]

Michael Scotto: The Atlanta Hawks will fully guarantee the $9.66 million salary for Buddy Hield; league sources told @Hoopshype. Hield is a career 39.5 percent 3-point shooter.
With Buddy Hield on the books at his full $9.6M salary, the Atlanta Hawks are roughly $7.1M under the luxury tax and $15.1M under the first apron. The Hawks have one open roster spot. This factors in the Aaron Wiggins trade, plus both first-round draft picks.
x.com

So it sounds like they may use him in a trade.   Might be a target for some of teams who may have an interest in Klay.  I think Klay is better but earns more.   

The Hawks have made good move after good move.  I wasn't crazy with their second first round pick but then left the second with Vessaar, so all good.   Still though, they look like a team with too many good players.   Can be a good problem but can also be a bitch.    Especially with young players who need minutes.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Brooklyn declining Ziaire Williams' $6.25 million team option, as reported by HoopsHype and the New York Post, could be a prelude to the Nets re-signing him to a longer deal using their room exception once they're done using all their cap space. For now, the Nets have $36 million in functional cap room. The Lakers could take a look at Ziaire Williams in free agency. The Lakers have desires to get younger and more athletic on the wing, and Williams is coming off back-to-back seasons in Brooklyn where he averaged more than 10 points and shot better than 34 percent from 3-point range.

New York Times

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Impending free agent guard Tim Hardaway Jr., whose father Tim Sr. partnered with Alonzo Mourning as linchpins on the Heat’s best teams of the 20th century, has emerged as an expected Heat target in the coming days. The Heat will have interest in Hardaway when free agency begins at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, according to a source. He’s among a select group of skilled shooters that Miami is expected to call. Other potential targets have not been confirmed, but Miami has been strongly linked to veteran NBA forward Khris Middleton, who played with soon-to-be-new-Heat-forward Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee.

Miami Herald

[Smitty]

There are several ways trading for Johnson could make sense, I think. Since he has only a year left, this probably isn't the best way to use the Thompson chip, and I doubt that's what Denvier is looking to do, anyway.

Probably, Denver is asking for PJW, who is currently guaranteed to be on the books through 2030 (!!!). As long as you're not PAYING to get off of that contract (Denver is getting the better player, after all), I think I might pull the trigger. PJW's contract is the biggest obstacle to longterm flexibility, he has a TON of overlap with Flagg and Johnson provides a little of something they desperately, desperately need.

I never check the math on a first glance, but it also feels like Gafford works (not sure why Denver would do that, so not discussing), OR, if that last player option of Caleb Martin has you in a twist, it feels like maybe combining that with Marshall is a possibility here, too.

I will say though, when you go to the team's payroll and see it listed by years, all in one place...it's pretty easy to understand why we're starting to hear PJW's name come up in these rumors a lot recently. I really can see something like that happening with Denver.

You mentioned Caleb and Naji. Either work as the +1 with Klay for Cam & Braun. It has to happen this league year though. Saves the Nuggets $20.5M-$22.2M next year, depending on the +1. Goes a long way to resigning Payton Watson... As it stands now, they have 10 players counting $219.4M against the cap/apron, leaving them $2.6M below A2. They'll need to make some pretty drastic changes...

[Chicagojk]

Impending free agent guard Tim Hardaway Jr., whose father Tim Sr. partnered with Alonzo Mourning as linchpins on the Heat’s best teams of the 20th century, has emerged as an expected Heat target in the coming days. The Heat will have interest in Hardaway when free agency begins at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, according to a source. He’s among a select group of skilled shooters that Miami is expected to call. Other potential targets have not been confirmed, but Miami has been strongly linked to veteran NBA forward Khris Middleton, who played with soon-to-be-new-Heat-forward Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee.

Miami Herald

Unfortunately Middleton looked pretty good in Dallas and could help the heat as a bench piece.  

Seems like with him not wanting to do a buyout that he had little interest in being a minimum player. So we will see what happens.   He wanted to hold onto those rights instead of losing them and playing for a contender at the end of the year

[Chicagojk]

Shams says the raptors and clippers in serious conversations on Leonard. Clippers did t seem interested in Ingram. I wonder if there are more teams involved?

[Smitty]

@BobbyMarks42
Monday @ 5pm ET. is the deadline for player/team options to be exercised.

Over 50 players remain outstanding

Some notable names include; Draymond Green (P), Jonathan Kuminga (T), James Harden (P), Lu Dort (T), Fred VanVleet (P)


Mavs related:
Ryan Nembhard - Team Option for $2,150,917
Moussa Cisse - Qualifying Offer to make him a Two-Way Restricted Free Agent

[Smitty]

@ShamsCharania
Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet is opting into his $25 million player option for the 2026-27 season, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN.

[Smitty]

Shams says the raptors and clippers in serious conversations on Leonard.  Clippers did t seem interested in Ingram.  I wonder if there are more teams involved?

@esidery
Kawhi Leonard has let it be known the Raptors are the only team he will sign an extension with, per @ShamsCharania.

The Clippers and Toronto are putting the finishing touches on a trade that will send Kawhi back where he won a title.

[Smitty]

REPORT: Jaylen Brown to Denver has smoke with a rumored trade package that consists of Jamal Murray & Cam Johnson for Brown & Sam Hauser.

(via @BillSimmons)

[Smitty]

Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
Cleveland Cavaliers' James Harden is declining his $42.3 million player option for 2026-27 and the sides are working through a new multiyear deal together, sources tell ESPN.

[Smitty]

The Miami Heat are looking to trade Nikola Jovic to get Norman Powell back on the team, per @KevinOConnor

“League sources say the Heat have shopped Nikola Jović in an attempt to cut salary to open flexibility for Powell. But Jović is entering the first year of a four-year, $62 million contract that already looks like an albatross by role player standards given his lack of development at 23 years old. Miami would have to attach draft capital to Jović’s contract to dump him, but the front office only has a 2029 first and swaps in 2028 and 2032 to dangle.”

[Mavs2021]

Shams says the raptors and clippers in serious conversations on Leonard.  Clippers did t seem interested in Ingram.  I wonder if there are more teams involved?

Strange that Kawhi suddenly loves Toronto again. Canada has an extradition treaty with the USA, right?

 Anyway glad to hear the Mavs are out. Unfortunately sounds like the Clippers insist on RJ Barrett, who could have been a potential Mavs target.

[Moviemavguy]

Last night, Brett Siegel said Clippers had rebuffed all offers. Today, Raptors and Clippers are in serious talks?

So basically the Clippers are just leaking crap to make the Raptors up their offer.

[Chicagojk]

@ShamsCharania
Houston Rockets guard Fred VanVleet is opting into his $25 million player option for the 2026-27 season, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN.

No surprise there.  Supposedly his knee injury was worse than reported.  No chance he was turning down 25 million.

[mvossman]

Maybe it’s because you are him, SlightlyBiasedsGhost? 

Jokes aside, shouldn’t these Mavs talking heads be in here in some way, shape or form? Show yourselves!

There actually was a poster folks thought (or at least joked) was Followell. They got in a spat with Kam and disappeared.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

@esidery
Kawhi Leonard has let it be known the Raptors are the only team he will sign an extension with, per @ShamsCharania.

The Clippers and Toronto are putting the finishing touches on a trade that will send Kawhi back where he won a title.

"finishing touches"

Everyone here can breathe now.  lol

[Windhorst] Kawhi Leonard is attempting to help the Clippers extract more value in a trade from the Raptors by announcing that he is willing to sign an extension with Toronto.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
Cleveland Cavaliers' James Harden is declining his $42.3 million player option for 2026-27 and the sides are working through a new multiyear deal together, sources tell ESPN.

The NBA is crazy in how much power the players have.  Trae Young and James Harden opting out of huge contacts for next year to sign long term extensions.

[Smitty]

Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine is opting into his $49 million player option for the 2026-27 season, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul tells ESPN.

[Chicagojk]

The NBA is crazy in how much power the players have.  Trae Young and James Harden opting out of huge contacts for next year to sign long term extensions.

There were rumors he would opt out and sign a more friendly multi year contract.  Although I wonder if him and his camp did an eye raise after seeing the Trae young extension numbers.