Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[SleepingHero]

@ShamsCharania
Free agent center Andre Drummond has agreed to a one-year, $3.9 million to sign with the New York Knicks, sources tell ESPN.

That's 1 backup center down for the Lakers.

[Smitty]

I didn't mention in my original post that I had Mathurin signing a 4 year/70mil contract. About 17mil AAV overall. A bit richer than Grimes, but Mathurin is a better player. 

I would also do it. I don't think any draft compensation between the Clippers or Mavs will be necessary because Gafford is sorely needed and Klay fills a need for them as well and is an expiring.

The contract is reasonable. I agree. Zero draft compensation either way in that hypothetical. You and Dan might be on to something…

[SleepingHero]

Sign me up for this. Nice work SH

To be fair, I did nothing other than just combine the reported deals between all 4 teams and then tack on the Mathurin part of it. 

I would like to say I was smart enough to think of it first, but Dan, FGump, and Smitty beat me to that too.

[Reunion Mav]

To be fair, I did nothing other than just combine the reported deals between all 4 teams and then tack on the Mathurin part of it. 

I would like to say I was smart enough to think of it first, but Dan, FGump, and Smitty beat me to that too.

Again, perhaps the best, most intelligent and informative site in the NBA. We should be awarded a first round pick or perhaps attract LeBron just for that.

[SleepingHero]

I think I would do it. Then you have 2 spots. One for Tarik and one for Cisse. Clears a Two-Way for Ishchenko.


Kyrie | Sergio | Sasser | Nemby
Christie | Mathurin
Flagg | Naji | (Tarik)
PJW | Aldama | Martin
Morez | Lively | (Cisse)

Two-Way: Poulakidas, Lawal, Ishchenko

If you really want to get crazy, sign Lebron with the MLE, and defer Tarik to next year. 

Lebron | Sergio | Sasser | Nemby
Kyrie | Mathurin| Christie
Flagg | Naji |
PJW | Aldama | Martin
Morez | Lively | Cisse

[Smitty]

If you really want to get crazy, forget Cisse and sign Lebron with the MLE, and defer Tarik to next year. 

Lebron | Sergio | Sasser | Nemby
Kyrie | Mathurin| Christie
Flagg | Naji |
PJW | Aldama | Martin
Morez | Lively | Cisse

I can’t get there. I want zero part of the Lebron experience. Let him do his farewell tour elsewhere.

[windjc]

Kyle Kuzma on NBA free agency

https://x.com/kylekuzma/status/2073144817606148455


"After sitting here watching NBA free agency this year and overall NBA movement over the past 2 years somebody has to say it....

The new CBA was sold as parity, but the first and second apron are starting to function like a hard cap on player value, team continuity, and player movement.

Teams are no longer making purely basketball decisions. They’re making fear-based apron decisions. That means good players get squeezed, homegrown cores get broken up, fan-favorite teams lose their identity, and the overall product loses some of the nostalgia and continuity that made people fall in love with the NBA in the first place.

This isn’t about players not understanding business. It’s the opposite. We understand that the NBA is a business. That’s why the @TheNBPA has to operate with elite business acumen, elite negotiating strategy, and real foresight.

The owners and the league walk into these meetings with killers that continue to run circles around us time and time again with elite lawyers, economists, cap experts, media strategists, and long term business operators. Players deserve a PA that is just as sharp, just as prepared, and just as aggressive about protecting our upside.

Too often, it feels like players are informed after the fact instead of being truly educated and empowered before decisions are made. That cannot continue.

The next CBA is a do or die moment for us as players. It's only going to get worse for us. We need transparency, accountability, and a serious re evaluation of who is representing us and how they are representing us.

This is not anti parity. This is pro player, fan, and product. The league is strongest when players are valued properly, great teams can stay together, and the people representing us are operating at the same level as the people sitting across the table."

No you are getting killed because you negotiated for super maxs where a single player can make 70 million a year. That is killing everyone.

[loki]

No you are getting killed because you negotiated for super maxs where a single player can make 70 million a year. That is killing everyone.

Cheap rookie contracts are a big factor here. They're worth much more than teams have to pay the players, which leads to non-max veterans becoming less valuable.

[windjc]

Cheap rookie contracts are a big factor here. They're worth much more than teams have to pay the players, which leads to non-max veterans becoming less valuable.

I think they should be cheap for the first year or two but not four. 

But teams are wising up to the realities of “maxing” out players. Which is why Chet might be a FA next year. Brown was just the first casualty.

[Scott41theMavs]

Ho hum. Still waiting for an Ishy signing, an agreement for Bibe to come over, what the Sasser trade is going to look like, and any further trades we might make. The last two at least, will have to wait until Monday, I suppose.

[Smitty]

Ho hum. Still waiting for an Ishy signing, an agreement for Bibe to come over, what the Sasser trade is going to look like, and any further trades we might make. The last two at least, will have to wait until Monday, I suppose.

They have some clarity now with Sergio. Next up is Tarik. Once they know where they stand there, they can make additional moves. That’s how I see it anyway. Could be as early as today, or it could take weeks. The off-season is long…

[Scott41theMavs]

They have some clarity now with Sergio. Next up is Tarik. Once they know where they stand there, they can make additional moves. That’s how I see it anyway. Could be as early as today, or it could take weeks. The off-season is long…

The Tarik issue ought to be fairly straightforward but in need of negotiation. Masai ought to be able to handle it fairly quickly. If they allow it to block everything else as if he’s their personal LeBron James, they’re going to miss opportunities.

[Smitty]

The Tarik issue ought to be fairly straightforward but in need of negotiation. Masai ought to be able to handle it fairly quickly. If they allow it to block everything else as if he’s their personal LeBron James, they’re going to miss opportunities.

We’re impatient. That’s the way of fans. I think they have a good read on it. Contingencies, things lined up, other possibilities… I just think the next domino is the Tarik situation. That’s all.

[Smitty]

There are plenty that want PJ off this team. So to those, would you do this:

LAL: PJW
DAL: Carr, Vanderbilt, ‘32 FRP Swap, 3 SRP’s

[KillerLeft]

There are plenty that want PJ off this team. So to those, would you do this:

LAL: PJW
DAL: Carr, Vanderbilt, ‘32 FRP Swap, 3 SRP’s

Not sure. Carr wasn't my favorite prospect, and I'm not sure the draft capital would be sufficient, given Vanderbilt's contract is involved. 

I'd hope for something a little better...a little simpler. I think I'd pass.

I don't think LA does this, anyway.

[Jmaciscool]

There are plenty that want PJ off this team. So to those, would you do this:

LAL: PJW
DAL: Carr, Vanderbilt, ‘32 FRP Swap, 3 SRP’s

I'm not one who thinks PJ has no place on this team, but I would do this trade.

You get the chance of Carr turning into something good and a pick swap with the Lakers that far out could turn out to be very good.

[Smitty]

I'm not one who thinks PJ has no place on this team, but I would do this trade.

You get the chance of Carr turning into something good and a pick swap with the Lakers that far out could turn out to be very good.

It’s certainly debatable. As someone who loves PJ and really likes Carr, I think it’s fair value at least. In the end, I wouldn’t do it… but I would think everyone that’s not a fan of PJ would say yes. Pick 24, a swap, and 3 seconds. It’s not nothing… I guess you’d have to like Carr as much as I do also.

[KillerLeft]

It’s certainly debatable. As someone who loves PJ and really likes Carr, I think it’s fair value at least. In the end, I wouldn’t do it… but I would think everyone that’s not a fan of PJ would say yes. Pick 24, a swap, and 3 seconds. It’s not nothing… I guess you’d have to like Carr as much as I do also.

The problem is the contract. 

Looking at the Mavs' contracts, PJW's is the longest running they have and the biggest total left owed on the roster. They'll have extensions to negotiate soon. Maybe Marshall doesn't get one, maybe Lively doesn't either (debating those isn't the point right now), but soon. Before you know it, they'll be up against the tax line (maybe sooner than we thought)...then they'll be a tax team, then they'll be at Apron 1...and up against Apron 2. I'd like to put that stuff off as long as possible by being as smart as possible, so the team has a chance to stay together a while and grow. 

If you think PJW is a great fit with Flagg, you probably don't care. You'd probably rather move Marshall, Kyrie and even Lively (the next wave of extension eligible players) instead. But, as big a fan of PJW as I am, I think he's a pretty bad fit with Flagg. Not horrible, but also not good...or even ok. Slightly BAD. Given that (if I'm right about it, anyway) he's just too damn expensive to keep around. Sooner or later he's got to go. 

What I don't like about this deal you've proposed is that it neither removes the salary from the books nor transforms it into a useful rotation player who DOES fit. You can say Carr counts as the latter and I can get there for sure, only Vandergrift and his contract (smaller, but almost as long) are just going to sit there, clogging everything up. I think, even in the worst case scenario where you end up having to execute a straight salary dump for some unforeseen reason, PJW will be easier to move at any point in the future than Vandergrift. 

It's risky, imo.

[loki]

The problem is the contract. 

Looking at the Mavs' contracts, PJW's is the longest running they have and the biggest total left owed on the roster. They'll have extensions to negotiate soon. Maybe Marshall doesn't get one, maybe Lively doesn't either (debating those isn't the point right now), but soon. Before you know it, they'll be up against the tax line (maybe sooner than we thought)...then they'll be a tax team, then they'll be at Apron 1...and up against Apron 2. I'd like to put that stuff off as long as possible by being as smart as possible, so the team has a chance to stay together a while and grow. 

If you think PJW is a great fit with Flagg, you probably don't care. You'd probably rather move Marshall, Kyrie and even Lively (the next wave of extension eligible players) instead. But, as big a fan of PJW as I am, I think he's a pretty bad fit with Flagg. Not horrible, but also not good...or even ok. Slightly BAD. Given that (if I'm right about it, anyway) he's just too damn expensive to keep around. Sooner or later he's got to go. 

What I don't like about this deal you've proposed is that it neither removes the salary from the books nor transforms it into a useful rotation player who DOES fit. You can say Carr counts as the latter and I can get there for sure, only Vandergrift and his contract (smaller, but almost as long) are just going to sit there, clogging everything up. I think, even in the worst case scenario where you end up having to execute a straight salary dump for some unforeseen reason, PJW will be easier to move at any point in the future than Vandergrift. 

It's risky, imo.

I would do the trade, but then again I was pretty high on Carr compared to some. Vanderbilt's contract doesn't bother me that much since it expires before 2028. That's the one year Dallas could potentially make a play with cap space before Flagg's potential max extension kicks in.

[KillerLeft]

I would do the trade, but then again I was pretty high on Carr compared to some. Vanderbilt's contract doesn't bother me that much since it expires before 2028. That's the one year Dallas could potentially make a play with cap space before Flagg's potential max extension kicks in.

Ok...but think of all those who'd be extension eligible between now and then. Are you just going to let them all walk? Trade them all? 

I'm not saying I think your opinion/take is wrong. I just think so much will change over the next few years. I don't think it's so easy to predict where they'll be at that time. Heck, we might be reading about a Kyrie extension next week. I wouldn't do it, but that doesn't mean it won't happen. Marshall? Lively? Christie? Allll decisions that will need to be made soon.

They'll get a little relief along the way, even if they do nothing, when Thompson and Martin come of the books, and when that awful McGee stretch waive hell ends, but...Idk, it just seems like getting ahead of this is the way to go, imho.