Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[Scott41theMavs]

Anthony Slater on the Lakers: "Rob Pelinka keeps calling about Jonathan Kuminga"

x.com

Cocaine is a helluva drug.

[DanSchwartzgan]

"We’ve all seen the deals this summer that don’t guarantee all years of the contract and S&T deals only have to be guaranteed for the first year of the required three..."

Technically true factoid, but incredibly misleading to think it's relevant with Mathurin (which is why I didn't even mention it). 

From Mathurin pov, he is NOT going to sign his free agent deal with only one year guaranteed and then potentially not have a guarantee later. From Mavs pov, what's the point of signing a player and then waiving him in a year? It's not a one-year deal which you get to redo in a year. No way to later resign him for a different number. 

The one-year version works in using a not-in-demand player like KM as trade matching filler (in which case he often gets a bit more than he might otherwise), but it's certainly not what is used on a player who you plan to keep. 

Anyhow, any Mathurin SNT will undoubtedly be a 3-or-more year commitment (at generally whatever price range you start him). PERIOD. Let's not muddle the thinking on how he does (or doesn't) make sense to invest in by pretending otherwise. There won't be a one-year or a two-year commitment, it will be AT LEAST 3.

So, you don't think Mathurin is good, but you think he'll command at least a 3 year deal?

You don't think the Mav's would put themselves in position to guarantee only one year on a three year deal (giving them two seasons of Team Options), but you think Dallas will pass on the option for Risacher by October 31st putting them in an even riskier position?

There is a number between 3 and 1.  Here are some players in this range that changed teams this summer for two years (or often less guaranteed):

Anfernee Simons 2/2
Tobias Harris 2/2
Norman Powell 2/1-guaranteed
Rui Hachimura 2/1
Day'Ron Sharpe 2/1
Collin Sexton 2/2

Additionally, Hartenstein stayed in OKC with two of his three year deal guaranteed and John Collins went to a new team with one of his three year deal guaranteed.  Few people predicted there would be so many short term deals and many have commented how surprising it has been.  I don't think we can predict what M&M have in mind here with any certainty.  But, the higher the dollar amount, the shorter the guarantee would be my rule of thumb.  Something close to the MLE probably gets him three guaranteed years.  If it is closer to $20mm or more, then my best guess would be a three year deal with only two of the three guaranteed.

[F Gump]

So, you don't think Mathurin is good, but you think he'll command at least a 3 year deal?

You don't think the Mav's would put themselves in position to guarantee only one year on a three year deal (giving them two seasons of Team Options), but you think Dallas will pass on the option for Risacher by October 31st putting them in an even riskier position?

There is a number between 3 and 1.  Here are some players in this range that changed teams this summer for two years (or often less guaranteed):
 .......

1 "So, you don't think Mathurin is good, but you think he'll command at least a 3 year deal?" 

Misleading? If he leaves LAC in a SNT (which is almost certainly the only way he leaves, since he's a RFA), it has to be a 3 year deal by rule.  

2 As for the guarantee aspect, a NG doesn't work the same as a TO. Big difference. If a team has a TO, but chooses to decline it, they retain rights to re-sign the player to a new deal at a different number. OKC has been doing that. Hartsenstein is a good example - TO, not NG. But when it's a declined NG year, the team will lose all future signing rights to re-sign the player to a new deal. 

Taking your example of a big number deal, but then NG-ing the last 2 years, as a way to justify it. But the NG doesn't get you to a more tolerable average salary. You can't get to the end of year 1 and then decline the NG years and sign him to a lower number. Before you can sign him to a lower salary, you have to pay all 3 years. You've gained nothing.

3 The relevance to that re Mathurin is that he is presumably a player you would sign in hopes of developing him into someone better. But if he doesn't work out for you, you want to have his rights to be able to trade him (or SNT) and recoup something for your effort. I don't see a team who is getting Mathurin would do so just for a test run or else just toss him in the trash - imo they would be looking to try to develop him into something better, which would take several years so they might as well commit.

4 My opinion about Mathurin landing in DAL is that he's the wrong type of player, the wrong money, the wrong time. They are looking for team oriented players, and I think BM is going to get his first - Flagg is the priority here. The roster is clogged, and many mouths to feed already with minutes. (Who gets benched so he can get his? Because someone will be.) Trying to add his salary would also start returning them into non-flexible cap territory where it would be really hard to navigate. I would see a trade for him as a return of THJ, more or less. I'd rather not.

[JamesConway816]

They can sign Mathurin to a 3 year deal and only guarantee the first two years.

That way you still have caproom in 2028 when you know who becomes an UFA and makes his return here.

They have not added anybody (outside of the rookie scale guys) who eats into their 2028 caproom.

[Knutsen]

Cocaine is a helluva drug.

Anthony Slater on the Lakers: "Rob Pelinka keeps calling about Jonathan Kuminga"
x.com

On some dark winter day, after hundreds of days of calling, an exhausted Nico said: 

Okay, okay - you get Luka for free. But please don’t call me no more, Rob!

[Dundalis]

No I'm fully aware of how great Luka is. I personally never want to watch that style of basketball again. That's just me. I don't want him back.

I feel like this is somewhat revisionist history. NO ONE in the fanbase wanted the ball in anyones hands but Luka and then Kyrie when he came, for the majority of the Luka era. No one wanted to see more touches from the likes of DFS, Reggie Bullock, DJJ, Maxi, even a THJ or Dinwiddie. If they even tried it, people would be hammering the door to put the ball more in Luka's hands, because the others would consistently make garbage decisions when they had the ball and actually had to make meaningful decisions. And you can see that by the fact a lot of them had their most success playing with Luka, and were crap in other situations.

When Kyrie came, Luka willingly deferred to him because he recognized he actually was good enough have a significant amount of usage and not make the offense dysfunctional with dogshit decision making and lack of self creation skills. Luka never had a cast of multiple starters with him that were high level connectors who could create their own offense or make high level decisions with the ball.

I'd also say there was plenty of exciting basketball during that time, and anyone saying differently is telling fibs. It's very easy to look back at that and simply pin the entire playstyle on Luka when literally no one wanted us to play any differently because the FO never put the quality of players around him that would make the offense look any better playing differently, and when Kidd came along we didn't have a coach who gave a shit about implementing any kind of structured offense in the first place.

I don't think it's happening, but Luka coming back automatically makes this team a true contender, and that trumps just about every other complaint anyone has. If he actively reaches out and wants to come back, I think any FO thats even half competent attempts to make that happen. By that time Coop will almost certainly have established himself as one of the premier two way players in the league, and he'd be treated the same way Luka treated Kyrie, where 100% they both made each others lives much easier having each other to take defensive attention away from the other. Coop is gonna be doubled and tripled for his whole career, a player like Luka would completely erase that defensive attention in a way even Kyrie won't be able to.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Ultimately for me, if Matherin doesn’t work out he’s more tradable than Gafford.  So it’s trading a lesser asset for a hopefully greater asset.

I don't agree. If he doesn't work out here where we are desperate for this type of player, why would anyone want that long term contract? We're having trouble trading PJ Washington, who everyone kinda agrees is a good player.

Signing Mathurin to a 3-4yr deal at $20 million AAV is nothing like the other "swings" the Mavs have taken.  That is a commitment.

[OBX Maverick]

Don’t know how legit this guy is but count me in…..

https://x.com/flyhigher67/status/2080579598807445816?s=46&t=mX3Z6eiAc7ISTBsXmYJkNA

[FireNicoHarrison]

Don’t know how legit this guy is but count me in…..

https://x.com/flyhigher67/status/2080579598807445816?s=46&t=mX3Z6eiAc7ISTBsXmYJkNA

After Thybulle, Martin is the perfect guy... Lakers are so desperated.

It's really funny.

[Smitty]

“The belief around the league is that LeBron would be more likely to choose the Cavaliers if the front office could replace Harden with Irving,” Kevin O’Connor reports ?

There are “fit issues” with Harden.

—————————————

“League sources said James had been angling for former teammate Irving to join him in Cleveland, but the Dallas Mavericks have had no interest in engaging the Cavaliers in a trade, and Irving is believed to be comfortable where he is.”
-Vincent Goodwill ESPN

[Smitty]

@APHOOPS
I’m like 90% sure Mathurin is just name-searching and liking any tweet that can be perceived as negative for #motivation, but if you assume that Dallas actually is his “preferred destination” then the deal won’t be for the player(s) I see a lot of you tweeting about.

A sign-and-trade would trigger a first apron hard cap for Dallas and they’re $9.54M below that apron right now. So if Mathurin’s new contract starts at $17.5M then Dallas would have to send out at least $9M. So, while it technically *could* be PJ Washington or Daniel Gafford, their salaries are too large and create subsequent salary-shedding/roster spot issues for LA. LA would [ideally] have to invite a third team (Brooklyn?) into the deal and incentivize them with draft capital to absorb someone like Isaiah Jackson into their cap space or another team’s TPE. And that’s not even considering the draft capital you’d likely have to send to Dallas for someone like Washington (Gafford you could probably get straight up for Mathurin).

The simplest way for a trade to be executed for both sides under those parameters (Mathurin, 3YR/$54M [1+2])? Bennedict Mathurin for Naji Marshall. That’d help Dallas stay under the first apron hard cap with 15 rostered players. Marshall’s role was likely going to be decreased headed into next season now with Dallas’ acquisitions of Santi Aldama, Morez Johnson, and Zaccharie Risacher. That’s on top of already having Cooper Flagg and PJ Washington.

A scoring guard for a team that needs a scoring guard. A wing capable of guarding forwards for a team that needs some size. Which team, if any, gets picks? I’ll let yall argue about that.

[DanSchwartzgan]

@APHOOPS
I’m like 90% sure Mathurin is just name-searching and liking any tweet that can be perceived as negative for #motivation, but if you assume that Dallas actually is his “preferred destination” then the deal won’t be for the player(s) I see a lot of you tweeting about.

A sign-and-trade would trigger a first apron hard cap for Dallas and they’re $9.54M below that apron right now. So if Mathurin’s new contract starts at $17.5M then Dallas would have to send out at least $9M. So, while it technically *could* be PJ Washington or Daniel Gafford, their salaries are too large and create subsequent salary-shedding/roster spot issues for LA. LA would [ideally] have to invite a third team (Brooklyn?) into the deal and incentivize them with draft capital to absorb someone like Isaiah Jackson into their cap space or another team’s TPE. And that’s not even considering the draft capital you’d likely have to send to Dallas for someone like Washington (Gafford you could probably get straight up for Mathurin).

The simplest way for a trade to be executed for both sides under those parameters (Mathurin, 3YR/$54M [1+2])? Bennedict Mathurin for Naji Marshall. That’d help Dallas stay under the first apron hard cap with 15 rostered players. Marshall’s role was likely going to be decreased headed into next season now with Dallas’ acquisitions of Santi Aldama, Morez Johnson, and Zaccharie Risacher. That’s on top of already having Cooper Flagg and PJ Washington.

A scoring guard for a team that needs a scoring guard. A wing capable of guarding forwards for a team that needs some size. Which team, if any, gets picks? I’ll let yall argue about that.

I was literally about to post this same thing...great minds.

The one thing I'll point out is that his numbers don't anticipate the benefits or opportunities that might come from adding this to the Kawhi deal.  LAC would need to send salary to Denver if Watson is coming to LAC.  So, Naji could once again be a DJJ replacement if DJJ is the outgoing in the Watson part of this.

I did think it interesting his assumption of an $18mm deal where one of Mathurin's three years is guaranteed.

[Dundalis]

Don’t know how legit this guy is but count me in…..

https://x.com/flyhigher67/status/2080579598807445816?s=46&t=mX3Z6eiAc7ISTBsXmYJkNA

If you got picks for him and no contract back, that would be amazing, not only to get off the contract plus picks, but also get the roster down to 15 without needing to cut anyone. At face value, assuming not legit though

[HoosierDaddyKid]

League sources said LeBron James had been angling for former teammate Kyrie Irving to join him in Cleveland, but the Dallas Mavericks have had no interest in engaging the Cavaliers in a trade, and Irving is believed to be comfortable where he is. And while returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a third tour would seem like an ideal finish to his career, going back to Miami is simply the best fit. Both in terms of the basketball -- "He can go to the Finals with Miami," a former teammate of James told ESPN -- and the narrative.

ESPN

Pick a team for cryin out loud!

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Vince Goodwill: Jalen Brunson is going to come get all of his money. Every bit that he.. I won't say he sacrificed. He signed a year early, right? He signed a year early. He could have signed for a hundred million dollars more by signing later. Every dollar of that what 280 or 300 million that he's supposed to get next summer, he's going to get all of that.

YouTube

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Klay Thompson could potentially have a buyout with the Mavs and join the Heat, per @anthonyVslater. “A name that has been floated around the circle has been Miami… they really need depth, and they really need shooting.”

x.com

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Jonathan Kuminga has been in a holding pattern because of James’ decision. No tangible progress toward a deal between the Lakers and Kuminga has been made over the last couple of weeks, a source told The Post. The Cavaliers also have significant interest in Kuminga, sources said. Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson coached Kuminga while Atkinson was an assistant coach with the Warriors from 2021-24. If James doesn’t go back to Cleveland for a third stint, it increases the likelihood of Kuminga joining the Cavaliers, who would likely make other moves to bring in Kuminga in addition to a sign-and-trade.

New York Post

[Moviemavguy]

League sources said LeBron James had been angling for former teammate Kyrie Irving to join him in Cleveland, but the Dallas Mavericks have had no interest in engaging the Cavaliers in a trade, and Irving is believed to be comfortable where he is. And while returning to the Cleveland Cavaliers for a third tour would seem like an ideal finish to his career, going back to Miami is simply the best fit. Both in terms of the basketball -- "He can go to the Finals with Miami," a former teammate of James told ESPN -- and the narrative.

ESPN

Pick a team for cryin out loud!

Shams already shot the team up thing down.  Everyone else is just grifting.

[Smitty]

I was literally about to post this same thing...great minds.

The one thing I'll point out is that his numbers don't anticipate the benefits or opportunities that might come from adding this to the Kawhi deal.  LAC would need to send salary to Denver if Watson is coming to LAC.  So, Naji could once again be a DJJ replacement if DJJ is the outgoing in the Watson part of this.

I did think it interesting his assumption of an $18mm deal where one of Mathurin's three years is guaranteed.

I do agree with his opinion that Naji’s role might get squeezed. At least when everyone is healthy (rare). I went through a very basic rotation and posted it last night and someone, 2 someone’s, will get less playing time than they ‘deserve’ (when healthy), and Naji was one of them for me…

Kyrie 32 | Sergio 16
Christie 24 | Risacher 24
Flagg 36 | Naji 12
PJW 24 | Aldama 24
Morez 24 | Gafford 12 | Lively 12

DNP: Klay, Tarik, Sasser, Cisse, Martin


With Naji for Mathurin, I’d assume Risacher is the one that slides down and gets the leftovers behind Flagg. Of course, it’s too early to be talking rotation. This just helps me think through different possibilities is all.

[Smitty]

@ShamsCharania
BREAKING: LeBron James is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-year, $8 million deal with a player option, Klutch Sports Group and Klutch CEO and Game Over show host Rich Paul tells ESPN.