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

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

New Atlanta front office is cooking

[SleepingHero]

Ouch.

To be fair, his deal is "non-guaranteed"

So he isn't really losing out here. He signed that deal knowing at any time he could be cut. But I believe his production last season at least deserves a deal.

[Smitty]

Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
Free agent sharpshooter Luke Kennard has agreed to a one-year, $11 million deal with the Atlanta Hawks, sources tell ESPN. Kennard has been one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA, and Atlanta negotiated the new deal with CAA's Aaron Mintz and Dave Spahn.

ATL quietly becoming a threat in the East.

[Winter]

To be fair, his deal is "non-guaranteed"

So he isn't really losing out here. He signed that deal knowing at any time he could be cut. But I believe his production last season at least deserves a deal.

I absolutely agree. I'm sure the Mavs want him.

[cow]

To be fair, his deal is "non-guaranteed"

So he isn't really losing out here. He signed that deal knowing at any time he could be cut. But I believe his production last season at least deserves a deal.

I guess losing out is a matter of perspective and the life of a fringe NBA hooper.  I hope he's rewarded for his production.

[SleepingHero]

@FredKatz
Correction: The Kevin Porter Jr. contract with the Bucks is for the biannual exception, league source says. Exact number is $10.5 million* over two years. Player option on year 2.

@ShamsCharania first to report the deal.

[Smitty]

Smitty has championed this idea before but I also want to reiterate it. The Mavs could theoretically create another vet min signing by simply waiving Brandon Williams and then just re-signing him to a 2-way.

He still has 1 more year of eligibility left for 2-ways due to the Harry Giles rule. Mavs still have 1 more two-way spot available


By waiving B-Will, Mavs open up about 3.6mil of space under the 2nd apron. Just enough for a vet min signing.

FWIW

“To encourage teams to sign veterans, players with three-or-more years of experience who minimum-salary contracts will only count for $2,296,274 against the salary cap—the minimum salary for a player with two years of experience.”


Brandon Williams' contract with the Dallas Mavericks has structured guarantee thresholds. $200,000 becomes guaranteed on July 7, $850,000 on opening night, and the rest becomes fully guaranteed if he's on the roster through January 10, 2026.

[F Gump]

6 mil a year for Hardy suddenly feels like a major overpay

I was on an island dissing that deal when it was signed. 'He's young, just wait, bet on youth, easy to trade him later if you feel the need and probably get good stuff back, he's a trade chip.' etc etc etc

I have had hopes I was going to be surprised, like everyone was saying, but risk-reward to me was way off. Hardy has never shown anything to justify his deal. 

Now? CLEARLY not smart GM-ing, no debate. You can get so much more for that sort of money in this era. And Hardy is so very very meh.

Gafford - much better player - has a new deal feeling similar to me. I saw an MLE player, more or less, as everyone knew. But we got a deal w high risk on value for the dollar imo. Hope I am wrong as I like Gaff a lot as a player and a Mav.

[ThisIStheYear]

Don't really like the Brunson comp.  Not in the ballpark of what Brunson had showed after 3 years.  Most folks were on board with extending him the summer after that playoff.  Nobody questioned extending him by the KP trade.  We can't extend every young player that comes through here because they might be Brunson.  Just have to be better at evaluation.

Brunson in my mind was clearly the second best player on the team even after the tough Clippers series. Small sample size, it happens, but he was good over the course of the season and showed real leadership capabilities. Hardy hasn’t shown anything since a few games in his rookie year. But, in fairness, $6 million isn’t close to what Brunson was looking at, even then. Hardy’s not a catastrophic signing.  Just a disappointing player who failed to launch.

[ThisIStheYear]

If I were the Mavs, I wouldn’t screw with DWill at all.

[SleepingHero]

Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
Free agent forward Taurean Prince has agreed to a two-year, $7.1 million deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, sources tell ESPN.

[SleepingHero]

NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral)
The Lakers are looking to save cap space for the 2027 free agency period to potentially sign a max-level player, per @mcten

“Though Finney-Smith was a popular locker room figure and helped the Lakers to a 14-6 record in the 20 games he started in the regular season, L.A.

[SleepingHero]

Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
Free agent center Mason Plumlee has agreed to a one-year, $3.6 million deal with the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell ESPN. The Hornets get some frontcourt depth, completing a contract with Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports for Plumlee's 13th NBA season.

[Ghost of Podkolzin]

SAS is being suspiciously quiet...

[SleepingHero]

Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA)
If the Warriors miss out on Al Horford, who is being pursued by several big-name teams, keep a close eye on Chris Boucher as a cost-effective option.

Dubs also still maintain interest in Gary Payton II and De'Anthony Melton.

Sit back and relax on Jonathan Kuminga updates.

[SleepingHero]

Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
Free agent forward Trendon Watford has agreed to a two-year, $5.3 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN. Watford is set to play a potential key role in the 76ers rotation.

[SleepingHero]

Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
Free agent forward Trendon Watford has agreed to a two-year, $5.3 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, sources tell ESPN. Watford is set to play a potential key role in the 76ers rotation.

Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA)
This basically hints that Guerschon Yabusele is heading elsewhere.

Keep an eye on the Nuggets.

[SleepingHero]

@KeithSmithNBA
Best Available NBA FAs by position:

PG
J. Giddey ®
D. Schroder
C. Paul
M. Brogdon
R. Westbrook

SG
Q. Grimes ®
C. Thomas ®
D. Robinson
G. Trent Jr.
T. Hardaway Jr.

SF
A. Coffey
J. Walker
T. Craig
L. Stevens

PF
J. Kuminga ®
G. Yabusele
C. Boucher
T. Lyles
L. Nance Jr.

C
M. Turner
A. Horford
M. Wagner
J. Hayes
S. Mamukelashvili

[SleepingHero]

Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
Free agent sharpshooter Gary Trent Jr. has agreed to a two-year, $7.5 million deal to return to the Milwaukee Bucks, plus a player option, sources tell ESPN. Bucks made strong efforts to retain Trent and negotiated deal with Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul and agent Lucas Newton.

[SleepingHero]

Jake Fischer (@JakeLFischer)
An emerging option for the Pistons, sources say, is Detroit trading for Kings guard Malik Monk. Sounds like there’s a chance this deal, if agreed to, could turn into a sign-and-trade that brings Dennis Schroder to Sacramento.