Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[Chicagojk]

PG: Kyrie is here for 2 to 3 or more years and when that time is up Sergio and Sasser will be here plus I think Ishchenko looked good at PG the other day so he may be a candidate for developing into a big PG by then or he could be a backup at SG, SF, PF since he is a young 6'8" kid that we can train to do the job to play multiple positions. Kind of great we have him and Sergio both to develop into mini Luka's.

SG: Max is a 40% shooter from 3 and that is what we need more of if he will just start to play more aggressive and work on his craft more. I think that if Tarik can hit 45% or even just 40% (he was a throw in from the Santi Aldama trade so that is another winner winner chicken dinner) he might win the starting duty here and I would not be surprised by that but he is going to need to prove himself first. Klay should get traded off or bought out from what I'm hearing and JP is also a great 3 point shooter from the 3 two way guys. I expect Martin to ride the bench all year long unless he just goes into a game and hits a bunch of 3's to force us into looking at him again. Lots of our guys from other positions can move to SG if needed, especially the bigger PG's.

SF: Cooper is our #1 guy at SF no surprises there but he needs to improve his 3 pointer like most of the guys need to do, Risacher would be good to use as a backup SF and shooting his 3 better would be nice too. Naji was our 2nd leading scorer behind Cooper last season, that is if you only count guys still on the team because AD was the real number 2 when he was here but Naji needs to hit 3's at a better rate as well or he will find his name on the trade block as well.

I wonder! If Tarik hits 40 % on his threes he is 6'7" then maybe he needs to be the first off the bench behind Cooper if the other SF's cannot hit their 3's at the right % to earn their minutes.

PF: Santi should play at PF and the 5 and his size and ability to shoot 3's makes him a starter to help stretch the defense and help open up the middle for when Cooper is out there and Cooper could play the 4 as well. Morez is a rookie but he will be force fed minutes to develop his game because he is a potential star based on where we drafted him and he may hit 3's better than Santi when he gets more playing time under his belt. PJ may get traded if we can add a 1st round pick doing so but till then he needs to focus and get better with his 3 pointers. Lawal and Tyler are 2 ways guys we can play here and maybe they will be needed at PF if we trade off PJ, or if we need to play Santi and Morez more at the 5 due to injuries of a center. PJ may stay here all season and do well enough that we see him last another year in a mavs uni.

C: Lively supposedly 7-3 now should get healthy enough to play at the 5 sometime early in the season and hopefully he stays healthier this season since Gafford is likely getting traded when we can do that to secure a good pick in the first round. Cisse is probably going to be a better defensive option behind Lively due to the stats he posted last season. Santi and Morez could see time here as well to stretch the defense with 3 point shooting or to fill in due to an injury situation.

if trades happen to make this lineup possible this is the kind of roster I think the MBT want to develop:

PG:Kyrie 6-2  Sergio 6-7 Sasser 6-1 Ishchenko 6-8 {Naji 6-6 Cooper 6-9}
SG: Max 6-5 Tarik 6-7 {Ishchenko Naji Cooper Risacher 6-8 Sergio Kyrie}
SF: Cooper Risacher Naji {Ishchenko Tarik Sergio} MARTIN
PF: Santi 7-0 Morez 6-10 PJ 6-7 {Cooper}
C: Lively 7-3 Cisse 6-11 {Santi Morez}

2 ways: Lawal 6-8 John 6-6  Tyler 6-9

I think Tyler is long gone from the two way.  I wonder if they look for a point guard with that remaining spot?  Even if they add one in trade, it would be helpful to have a two way point guard in case of emergency.   Maybe they do a 2-1 though and bring back Brandon Williams on the minimum though?

[Chicagojk]

I was just thinking this morning that I was looking forward to my Mavs break over the next two or so months. It has been a long road. Almost walking away from the Mavs after the Luka trade. Sticking in and watching that post trade Luka trade wishing I could walk away. Only to then win the lottery and get pulled back in again. Watching that rough year last year and then going right to the draft. I was looking forward to getting time back. I thought it was going to start with the end of summer league. Looks like I will need to be around for a little bit longer

[KillerLeft]

OK READY FOR MORE NEWS MORE NEWS PLEASE I AM READY

[MFFLER est 01]

Swap Coop with Luka

Is this the best roster top to bottom Luka ever had?

[windjc]

I'm not entirely sure that is good enough to be the best player on a champion.  It hasn't been in a long time.  Going back over the last 20 years plus the best player on each champion was a top 10 offensive player and more often than not a top 5 offensive player.  Flagg does not need to be the primary offensive engine, but he needs to be at least a top 10 (if not top 5) offensive player for this team to have a realistic chance to eventually win a title.

Why? Because those stats are gospel? Brunson was top 5 offensive player?

[mvossman]

Swap Coop with Luka

Is this the best roster top to bottom Luka ever had?

Sure, but most of the upgrades came directly or indirectly via the Luka trade.

[myconsumerclub]

I think Tyler is long gone from the two way.  I wonder if they look for a point guard with that remaining spot?  Even if they add one in trade, it would be helpful to have a two way point guard in case of emergency.   Maybe they do a 2-1 though and bring back Brandon Williams on the minimum though

I see Brandon as more of a part of the problem with his inept and horrid 3 point shooting. 

Kyrie Sergio Sasser Ishchenko is 4 PG's and we even have Naji and Cooper to play some at the point. 
you add Max and Tarik that is 6 at the 1 and 2. Everyone listed is a good 3 point shooter except Naji and Cooper and we hope like hell Cooper is going to get back to 40% like he was in college. 

Cooper Zaccharie and Naji gives you 9 
Morez Santi PJ Martin Lively and Cisse is 15

Cooper Zach PJ Morez and Santi all can hit 3's half ass around at somewhat decent rates but need to improve and get a lot better. 

We still have to trade off Klay and Gafford to get down to 15. There is no extra space for another PG. Klay will be gone from what I hear and Gafford is a great option at center for some team. I think he is going to be less valuable than a first rounder because he would have been traded already if the other teams needing a center where willing to dump a first rounder on us.  Maybe we can get a team to take on Martin in a combo trade including Gafford.

[Scott41theMavs]

To update:

Under contract:
1) Coop
2) Kai
3) Rez
4) Sergio
5) PJ
6) Naji
7) Gafford
8) Thompson
9) Martin
10) Christie
11) Risacher
12) Aldama
13) Sasser 
14) Tarik
15) Lively
16) Cisse

Two-ways;
17) Tyler (so gone)
18) Lawal
19) Poulakidas

Limbo:
20) Seva
21) Powell 

And again my "core" argument from an SL game thread from earlier, in the pecking order I believe the FO puts them:
Coop
Kai
Rez
Sergio
Risacher
Aldama
Sasser
Lively (koff, koff, hire a damned training and medical staff - he'd be 4th or 5th on this list if reliably healthy)
Max 
Tarik
Cisse
Seva (perhaps developmental/2-way, but I'd rather see him make the main roster)
Lawal (developmental/2-way)
perhaps PJ - big minutes if he stays
perhaps Naji - big minutes if he stays

I know I'm greedy and Simply Failing to Buy the Vision, but I still desperately need an upgrade to Max in the starting lineup. I said a few days back that I have no idea what the plan is if they trade for another frontcourt player - bingo! They have a bunch of guys who can provide some degree of skill at the forward positions - many, really, who can drive and sorta create for themselves at a small forward level - but not enough guys with guard-level skills. If it were opening day, I'd say screw it and run Flagg at the 2 at this point as some have said. That's the only way all these mouths eat. 

The Cisse thing makes a Gafford trade nearly necessary, and as KL said, would make the Mavs' center financial allotment make far more sense. Martin and Klay gotta go somehow, the former probably necessary as a package deal with either PJ or (far more likely) Naji. I would still love to see the Mavs convert PJ into either Scoot or Sharpe (if he can play D - no one answered my question earlier), or somehow get Cason Wallace. That would balance out the lineup - and get someone to get all of these forwards the ball - quite a bit. 

Impressed with what M&M have done so far - especially the draft, even if it really puts a poop-ton of pressure on Rez to show out over the next 5-10 years to make us not be pissed they picked him over Burries - but in my Masai naivete, I still want balance, and since they have to clear at least one main roster slot before Game 1, and two slots if they think Seva is main roster worthy, I take heart in knowing that they don't have the choice to be done yet.

[Scott41theMavs]

And a quick word on Sergio - as many have pointed out, his two main areas of development are his handle and 3-pointers made. My goals for him would be:
1) to improve enough in both areas to start at shooting guard by the end of his rookie year;
2) to improve further enough to serve half-time as backup point guard by the end of his second year; and
3) to improve enough to start at the point by the end of year three.

[Dundalis]

I would rather see Aldama at center and Johnson at PF rather than the above lineup. I don't really know who will start, but I don't think Johnson is your starting center. I think Dusty will play him where he's most comfortable to start and that's PF. Even if PJW starts, I think Johnson will be the PF initally.

Having Aldama at center really opens things up for Flagg, but until we know Lively's situation it's hard to predict. I'm guessing Risacher comes off the bench to start. The wings have several options.  In a sense, Naji and PJW are expendable but are also swiss army knife-types if they do stay. Biberovik will need minutes. Can he play SG with so many wings?

Everyone on this roster is used to playing 20-25 MPG with the exception of Sasser, Cisse, and Martin. Martin might as well wear street clothes. Someone will get squeezed if all the wings stay.

I think the Mavs do anything more, it's a 2-for-1 and a buyout.

I think if PJ sticks around Morez' only avenue to starting will be at the 5. I personally think Morez is going to prove a lot more raw his first year on both offense and defense than people think. Loads of talent there, but I think it's really unrefined in almost all aspects, and will take a while to come together. PJ is the locked on starter at the 4 if he stays for me.

[SleepingHero]

Sure, but most of the upgrades came directly or indirectly via the Luka trade.

Thankfully Luka will be coming back for free in 2028 and we can see the mega star lineup of:

Luka
Kyrie
Coop 
Morez
Lively

[FireNicoHarrison]

Thankfully Luka will be coming back for free in 2028 and we can see the mega star lineup of:

Luka
Kyrie
Coop 
Morez
Lively

That's because you are my favorite mod.
Sorry Killer 

Anyway i don't agree with those users who want Santi at the 5... He is not a C.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

The Hawks have 17 players under contract after adding Dort and Nembhard, so they must subtract two by the time the season starts. Nembhard fills a need for a third point guard and seems unlikely to be the odd man out. Guard Buddy Hield is still on the books for $9 million but does not appear to be in the team’s plans, while guard Devin Carter (acquired in a salary dump from the Sacramento Kings) and forward Mo Gueye (on a non-guaranteed deal but out three to four months after surgery for a broken foot) are other potential casualties. Another trade, of course, is always possible. Atlanta also still has Bird rights on Kuminga that could be used in a sign-and-trade.

New York Times

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Perhaps a late-summer deal emerges. The Pels still have their exception money, an open roster spot and $8 million breathing room below the tax line. Chatter about a Trey Murphy trade, while lessened, hasn’t vanished and is one of many potential pieces of league business that could resurface once LeBron James’ next destination becomes clear.

New York Times

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Detroit's negotiating window with restricted free agent big man Jalen Duren opened on June 14 ... one day after the Knicks completed a five-game dismissal of San Antonio in the NBA Finals. Some five weeks into negotiations between the Pistons and Duren, progress has been modest, according to sources briefed on the discussions. Sources say the Pistons, though, also continue to brush aside any sign-and-trade scenarios in the talks that would land Duren elsewhere.

marcstein.substack.com

[Dundalis]

I agree with this, but to be even more clear, I think he's already shown enough for me to believe he's going to be a great scorer. He won't play exactly like Dirk, obviously, but I think he will grow into being a very high level scorer like Dirk, only in his own way, and will very likely end up being one of the better "closers" of his era (which hasn't even started yet, really). 

What I'm talking about is the PG thing...or point forward, whatever. I'm still way not a believer in that approach, so far. For me, it's not even a matter of whether he can do it, it's more about whether that's the thing they should want him to do. I think he'll be a better, more impactful player if they put a more prominent ball-handling scorer with him for so many reasons. 

But, either way. I think he's 2-3 years away from being in any type of "face of a contending team" conversation, regardless of role. That's not a criticism, either - it's just how this stuff works, in my NBA following experience.

I actually kind of expect him to be somewhere approximating 6th year Kawhi or 4th year Tatum, with worse 3pt shooting but more ball handling and playmaking duties. The separator for me that gives me confidence of a big jump is the IQ. I think many elite level prospects have really great bball IQ, but the ones who's bball IQ is also generational tend to not take as much developmental time to hit their prime years.

Superstars like SGA, Giannis, Tatum, Ant man etc, I think all have great bball IQ. I feel like Luka and also Coop's fit on a level above that. Jokic is also on that level bball IQ wise, but I think his starting point was a lot lower than Luka and Coops were when he entered the league (obviously given where he was drafted), explaining why he took longer.

It's about how fast a player will take information given and then just immediately assimilate it in the shortest time frame. It was something that was mentioned numerous times by people who worked with Coop prior to entering the NBA, exactly as it was with Luka, and why both were considered absolute basketball prodigies even as young as their earlier teen years, despite neither necessarily being athletic freaks.

Rookie Luka actually had an advantage over Coop development wise coming into the league, one he was a year older than Coop was, and two he'd been playing pro ball against men for numerous years already. Yet I kind of have a feeling he's gonna make a Luka like jump in his second year (he will basically be the same age Luka was his rookie year which is crazy), assuming he doesn't run into injury issues, and it's primarily the bball IQ he has that gives me that confidence.

How the jump translates to offensive vs defensive impact Im not sure, but I think overall impact the jump will be similar.

[Chicagojk]

I think if PJ sticks around Morez' only avenue to starting will be at the 5. I personally think Morez is going to prove a lot more raw his first year on both offense and defense than people think. Loads of talent there, but I think it's really unrefined in almost all aspects, and will take a while to come together. PJ is the locked on starter at the 4 if he stays for me.

I think it might be likely that Morez gets less minutes to begin the year and his minutes grow as the year goes on.  Maybe a trade during the season frees up the minutes down the stretch.  Wasn't CMB like that with Toronto?   Right now there is a minutes crunch at the 4 (I prefer Morez to play more 4 to start his career).   Minutes could be available at the 5, but we will see.    Of course a trade(s) could still be coming, so we will see.

[Winter]

I agree that Rez probably plays at the 4 to begin the season. I really don't know about PJW this season, but I think at some point he's obsolete. Rez is more of a defensive intimidator than PJW and since none of our centers currently have that profile, I think it will be important to have him play that role. He's used to it, and I think that's where Dusty will use him.

[Dundalis]

I agree that Rez probably plays at the 4 to begin the season. I really don't know about PJW this season, but I think at some point he's obsolete. Rez is more of a defensive intimidator than PJW and since none of our centers currently have that profile, I think it will be important to have him play that role. He's used to it, and I think that's where Dusty will use him.

PJ's defense is totally refined though, I don't think Morez' is right now, which will give PJ the clear edge defensively for longer minutes. Morez feels like more of a potentially great impact defender in more limited minutes until he refines his play a lot more.

[DanSchwartzgan]

I've been thinking through consolidation trades with the losers of the Lebron 'sweepstakes'.  Now that our TPE is mostly gone and we are fairly close to the tax, I don't see eating a contract as a possibility.  We could trade a player straight up for another player (like Klay for Jovic or Strus), but the addition of Risacher makes our unlikely interest in Jovic even less than it might have been before.

GSW is the one I came up with.  People have proposed this before, but Gafford, PJ and Klay for Butler and Podz works legally and gets us back to 15 players.  It also gets us the additional creation we need and it helps GSW fill several needs for the rest of the Curry window with no Butler and no Lebron.  

The issue I see is Dallas would be a taxpayer.  We would still be nicely under the first apron (at which they would be hard-capped).  But, moving on from Gafford and Washington would completely reset the books going forward.  It 'could' create $60mm of cap space, but once you bring back Kyrie, Max and Naji, the space would be gone and you'd basically be operating under the tax and would use next season as your repeater reset instead of this season.  Besides the full MLE, we might also gain some benefit from having Butler's Bird rights next summer.  It worked with Middleton.

Podz/Larry/Sasser
Irving/Christie/Biberovic
Risacher/Naji/(Butler)
Flagg/Aldama/Martin
Morez/Lively/Cisse