Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[loki]

Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
The Denver Nuggets are waiving veteran center Jonas Valanciunas, sources tell ESPN. Valanciunas is expected to receive interest from multiple NBA teams.

NO MANDATE

[mvossman]

No Cuban, no Harrison, No Kidd, no Powell... What a fantastic season is coming.

Too much hype on Sasser guys, a 26yo who never shined in NBA, the 36per stats is one of the most useless stat in the universe.

He is a 5points carrer average and 39% from the field last season.

If he can play 10minutes per game is a major success for me.

Not sure why the bar is 10 minutes a game.  He provided a useful 19 minutes a game as a rookie.

[Smitty]

Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
The Denver Nuggets are waiving veteran center Jonas Valanciunas, sources tell ESPN. Valanciunas is expected to receive interest from multiple NBA teams.

@BobbyMarks42
Valanciunas $10M salary was set to become guaranteed on Wednesday.

There is a $2M cap hit with the waiver.

Denver can elect to stretch his salary over 3 seasons.

The Nuggets are $7.4M below the second apron if his salary is stretched.

They have 5 roster spots open.

[KillerLeft]

As the summer starts to wind down, I find that I'm still interested in the Mavs vets who have been in trade rumors, constantly. I can see clearly that the decision makers are in no rush to move off of anyone just for the sake of doing it, which has changed my thinking a little, as have other roster moves that were made.

For example, prior to the draft I thought Gafford was on his way out, and drafting Morez Johnson seemed to reinforce that, even. But, with all the shooting they've added, it's much easier for me to envision a positive role for him here in the short term.

Right now, if we look at the four vets, Gafford, PJW, Marshall and Klay Thompson, I think the ones who fit least for me are PJW and Marshall. I'm sure opinions vary on this, but that's how I see it. PJW is arguably at a lower point of value than he might be at the deadline, but I can't shake the feeling that he's just not in the right place and probably the most valuable of them all. Still, there's no burning rush to argue about that one.

I cringed a little when I saw Dan suggest he was likely to be the main bench creator earlier, not because I think he's wrong, but because I'm just not interested in going that direction. And, with his lack of utility as a shooter I'm not sure there is another role for him that makes any sense. I'm certainly not in favor of extending him, so...I'm struggling to imagine there isn't a deal out there that would motivate me to take action here. Better to trade him than let him walk, right?

I think Thompson does have a role here on this team, but similar to Marshall (probably even more so)...surely, we don't expect another contract here for him, do we?

With Thompson and Marshall in particular, I really struggle with the idea of keeping them around, just from an asset-management perspective. Smitty has made this point before, and I agree.

I'm going to be pretty confused if all four of those guys are still here on opening night, and strangely, Gafford has emerged as the one I'd be most in favor of keeping.

[KillerLeft]

@BobbyMarks42
Valanciunas $10M salary was set to become guaranteed on Wednesday.

There is a $2M cap hit with the waiver.

Denver can elect to stretch his salary over 3 seasons.

The Nuggets are $7.4M below the second apron if his salary is stretched.

They have 5 roster spots open.

Does this give them enough wiggle room to offer Watson what he wants? I saw something about him wanting north of $25 million, AAV.

[Chicagojk]

Does this give them enough wiggle room to offer Watson what he wants? I saw something about him wanting north of $25 million, AAV.

I don't believe so.  I believe Bobby Marks factored this move with a resigning of Watson and their tax bill would be like 177 million.  

They really need to find a taker or Johnson or Braun, I believe.   Without assets it is going to be tricky.    Does a team see value in Johnson to take him on without an asset.  Only 1 year left on his contract.

Until they find something, it appears the Clippers talk with Watson may just get louder.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

No, it doesn't give them breathing room

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1u...lanciunis/
If the Nuggets simply waived Jonas Valanciunis and then signed Peyton Watson to a $25 million per year contract, they would get hit with a tax penalty of $177 million dollars. That’s the cost of the repeater tax.

Whenever I try to copy/paste, it shows up as tiny tiny font.

[cow]

No, it doesn't give them breathing room

https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/1u...lanciunis/
If the Nuggets simply waived Jonas Valanciunis and then signed Peyton Watson to a $25 million per year contract, they would get hit with a tax penalty of $177 million dollars. That’s the cost of the repeater tax.

Whenever I try to copy/paste, it shows up as tiny tiny font.

Copy/Paste into notepad first and then copy/paste here or use "view source" on the boards toolbar and remove the formatting.

[Winter]

Whenever I try to copy/paste, it shows up as tiny tiny font.

It defaults to a tiny fault when you copy-and-paste, but if you poke around on the edit bar and find the "font-size" button, you can increase the font size on your pasted text to a readable scale.

[StrandedOnBeauboisHill]

Not sure why the bar is 10 minutes a game.  He provided a useful 19 minutes a game as a rookie.

Played more than that in the playoffs this year as well for a #1 seed.

[MFFLER est 01]

If I had to guess Marshall and Klay are moved prior to the season.    Marshall is the tricky one.  He was such highly thought of with the previous leadership and one of the teams leaders.  There has been no mention of him by the new staff.   I have also not seen any comments by Marshall who has been vocal pro mavs in the past.    It just seems like they will find a place for him.

Klay may be more tricky now (unless combined).  I think he can help teams but it will need to be the right type of team.

Naji isn't going anywhere. Plz don't even try speaking that into existence. He's very valuable to this team

[cow]

Naji isn't going anywhere. Plz don't even try speaking that into existence. He's very valuable to this team

My favorite user on this forum.

[SleepingHero]

It defaults to a tiny fault when you copy-and-paste, but if you poke around on the edit bar and find the "font-size" button, you can increase the font size on your pasted text to a readable scale.

I also find the function “paste as plain text” fixes that issue.


Or you can also paste into the quick reply box and that typically works first try

[DanSchwartzgan]

A couple of notes...

If Lebron goes to Cleveland and Strus is traded here (puts us slightly into the tax), I'd look for a 2028 pick swap.  We've swapped already with OKC.  That could be changed to a best of pick where Cleveland presumably gets the OKC pick and we get the Cleveland pick (or Utah as they have both in 2028).  

Keith Smith is reporting that the six-team deal done last night almost expanded to 7 or 8 teams with Denver using the Collins matching salary to send Watson to LAC.  Watson, Mathurin, Strus and a pick swap...I'm fine with any of it.

[Smitty]

A couple of notes...

If Lebron goes to Cleveland and Strus is traded here (puts us slightly into the tax), I'd look for a 2028 pick swap.  We've swapped already with OKC.  That could be changed to a best of pick where Cleveland presumably gets the OKC pick and we get the Cleveland pick (or Utah as they have both in 2028).  

Keith Smith is reporting that the six-team deal done last night almost expanded to 7 or 8 teams with Denver using the Collins matching salary to send Watson to LAC.  Watson, Mathurin, Strus and a pick swap...I'm fine with any of it.

Again… great minds?

   

[DanSchwartzgan]

Again… great minds?

Not this time.  Just your great mind.  I copied the part about going into the tax after seeing that in Discord and tried to add to it by bringing up the pick swap concept...and the Keith Smith news.

[KillerLeft]

 Keith Smith is reporting that the six-team deal done last night almost expanded to 7 or 8 teams with Denver using the Collins matching salary to send Watson to LAC.  Watson, Mathurin, Strus and a pick swap...I'm fine with any of it.

Same here. 

If we focus on Watson, what's the most likely path, do you think? He's going to be too big to fit into the TPE, obviously, and if Denver was willing to pay the tax bill for the matching salary, they'd probably just give him what he wants. Is there a smart way to find a fit between Dallas and Denver that I haven't thought of?

[Chicagojk]

Nice discussion on Strus.  He is pretty good and can help teams.   Good thinking.

I just think the Mavs are thinking bigger.  They may not use the trade exception but they may be closer to making a big move than we think/hope.  I think they want to keep flexibility.  They have a good group of contract players in their 20's at market rate.  They have a few draft picks.    And they have flexibility.   I don't see them adding another mid teens player to get a swap.  I think they have bigger plans on their next move and will prioritize flexibility.   I have been wrong though lately.

[Chicagojk]

Same here. 

If we focus on Watson, what's the most likely path, do you think? He's going to be too big to fit into the TPE, obviously, and if Denver was willing to pay the tax bill for the matching salary, they'd probably just give him what he wants. Is there a smart way to find a fit between Dallas and Denver that I haven't thought of?

Could you switch out Watson for Marshall?   That would save them a ton of money right?   I just don't think Watson is the missing piece for this mavs teams.  He sort of duplicates things.

[KillerLeft]

Could you switch out Watson for Marshall?   That would save them a ton of money right?   I just don't think Watson is the missing piece for this mavs teams.  He sort of duplicates things.

I think it would take Marshall and something else to match (haven't checked), and the issue with Denver's payroll is very now, immediately, as in making salary disappear. It's not that they want to get off of Watson's contract (he doesn't have one), it's that they wish they could pay him but can't because of the repeater tax bill.

I'm not sure what happens next, because there really isn't enough cap room to sign him anywhere, so I don't know that he's going to get the salary he's looking for. I suppose it's possible he ends up fitting into the TPE. 

And no, Watson doesn't really solve any current problem the Mavs are having, but...MY GOODNESS, he's the type of player you alter your plan to account for. Getting him would be beyond my wildest dreams this offseason. He's one of the longest, fastest, most athletic guys in the league, a great defender and shot 41% from 3 on 3-4 attempts per last season. He might be an all star soon, honestly, and would be a PERFECT fit with Flagg. Not the on-ball guy we've been focused on all summer, to your point, but I just can't even imagine they'd turn their noses up at the chance to get him (which probably doesn't exist).