Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[cow]

I wonder if he's going to be a Mavs target in 3-4 years.

I'll finally be free of Mavs fandom if that happens.

[windjc]

I hope Morez is good enough and Lively is healthy enough that we don’t waste our resources on Chet. Presti is going to trade him or J-Dub in the next few years as they keep getting hammered by the 2nd apron, and someone else made the point of it being nearly impossible to have 3 max players in this CBA.

No team is going to want these guys on a max deal.

[Scott41theMavs]

There ain’t no Mav life (news) nowhere…
-Jimi Hendrix

[myconsumerclub]

If 6 was 9 we could win the ring this year.
We should be seriously good this year just from the veterans we have. Morez should earn time with his game and I bet Sergio is a major role player by the time we pass the all star game and Risacher has hit 3 pointers at 40% plus after the all star game every year so far. Tarik should be a top tier elite 3 point assassin this year as well.
VETS: Cooper, Kyrie, Lively, Max, PJ,
Santi, Gafford, Zach, Tarik, Naji,
Cisse, Sasser, Klay, & Martin.
Rookies: Morez, Sergio, Lawal, Ishchenko- Euro stashed.
2 ways: John? Howard, Lawal.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I'll finally be free of Mavs fandom if that happens.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DbrRT9kPrKr/

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Michael Scotto: The Phoenix Suns have waived Haywood Highsmith, league sources told @hoopshype. He was partially guaranteed $1 million of his $3 million salary for the 2026-27 season. The 3-and-D forward has averaged 5.4 points on 38% 3-point shooting and 3.1 rebounds in six NBA seasons.

Twitter

[HoosierDaddyKid]

There is, at some point, a Peyton Watson plot twist yet to come. Maybe the Denver Nuggets restricted free-agent wing eventually gets the money and role he’s seeking by way of a sign-and-trade, with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks and LA Clippers all remaining in the hunt for the 23-year-old. He may strike a deal with the Nuggets, whose present offer — four years, $70 million, with a team option in the fourth season, per a league source — falls well short of where he sees his worth.

New York Times

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

[Charania] Free agent Bradley Beal has agreed to a two-year, $13.2 million deal to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, with a player option in the second season, Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN.

[DanSchwartzgan]

[Charania] Free agent Bradley Beal has agreed to a two-year, $13.2 million deal to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, with a player option in the second season, Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN.

I believe they had 14 before this and before the Kawhi deal - though the Christie brother is non-guaranteed.  So, Beal is 15 and Ingram/Dick for Kawhi takes it to 16 before they figure out what they want to do with Mathurin.

[DanSchwartzgan]

I believe they had 14 before this and before the Kawhi deal - though the Christie brother is non-guaranteed.  So, Beal is 15 and Ingram/Dick for Kawhi takes it to 16 before they figure out what they want to do with Mathurin.

Most probably recall that I've been on a construct that adds Watson to LAC (for DJJ) and Mathurin to DAL (for Gafford) as part of the larger Kawhi deal when it goes through.  This was well before any reported interest in any of this - in fact, that was one of the critiques people had of this...that there was no reported interest.  Of course, more and more we are hearing of Mathurin to Dallas talk and Watson to LAC talk - though admittedly, Dallas isn't the only team listed for Mathurin and LAC isn't the only team listed for Watson these days.  In addition to actual reporting, I've listed bread crumbs in my past posts.

But as teams have filled their rosters, some of the original construction has become problematic.  My original thought was they would take back DJJ in the Watson S&T.  The are currently $2.0mm over Apron-2 and taking back DJJ makes that problem considerably worse.  But, they don't have to take DJJ (in fact they can't take back salary if they are over Apron-2).  If this is all one big trade, there is space to get Watson to a decent number with a less expensive player or potentially with no player at all coming back to Denver from LAC.  I thought DJJ made sense positionally and lines up with things Denver has done in recent years as it swaps out more expensive players for less expensive players.  But, it could just be draft capital and no returning player.

Here's another wrinkle that helps Denver in multiple ways. Denver could swap Cam Johnson for PJ Washington as part of the larger deal. PJ makes about $3.25mm less than Cam, which by itself would take Denver from roughly $2mm over Apron-2 to about $1.2mm under - an in position to legally take back salary. In that version, DJJ doesn't go to Denver at all. Denver gets a slightly cheaper starting forward in PJ as its return for helping facilitate Watson's S&T and stays below Apron-2 without having to dump other contracts.

Whether Denver would prefer PJ to Cam is a reasonable question.  Cam's three point shooting is an offensive advantage next to Jokic.  I'd argue PJ is the better defender, but when you add in the financial savings and the draft compensation Denver would get from LAC for Watson (who they can't keep anyway given their current tax situation), I think it is something management can sell to its fans.  

From Dallas's perspective, they are getting much better three point shooting and an expiring contract in Johnson in addition to turning Gafford into Mathurin.  Given all that we've done this offseason, moving PJ opens up more near term and long term flexibility.  I'm not sure what the exact construction will be, but I still think there is enough smoke around Mathurin for Gafford and Watson to LAC - and reasons it might be delayed because of Kawhi - that this is worth continuing to monitor for breadcrumbs.

[KillerLeft]

Most probably recall that I've been on a construct that adds Watson to LAC (for DJJ) and Mathurin to DAL (for Gafford) as part of the larger Kawhi deal when it goes through.  This was well before any reported interest in any of this - in fact, that was one of the critiques people had of this...that there was no reported interest.  Of course, more and more we are hearing of Mathurin to Dallas talk and Watson to LAC talk - though admittedly, Dallas isn't the only team listed for Mathurin and LAC isn't the only team listed for Watson these days.  In addition to actual reporting, I've listed bread crumbs in my past posts.

But as teams have filled their rosters, some of the original construction has become problematic.  My original thought was they would take back DJJ in the Watson S&T.  The are currently $2.0mm over Apron-2 and taking back DJJ makes that problem considerably worse.  But, they don't have to take DJJ (in fact they can't take back salary if they are over Apron-2).  If this is all one big trade, there is space to get Watson to a decent number with a less expensive player or potentially with no player at all coming back to Denver from LAC.  I thought DJJ made sense positionally and lines up with things Denver has done in recent years as it swaps out more expensive players for less expensive players.  But, it could just be draft capital and no returning player.

Here's another wrinkle that helps Denver in multiple ways. Denver could swap Cam Johnson for PJ Washington as part of the larger deal. PJ makes about $3.25mm less than Cam, which by itself would take Denver from roughly $2mm over Apron-2 to about $1.2mm under - an in position to legally take back salary. In that version, DJJ doesn't go to Denver at all. Denver gets a slightly cheaper starting forward in PJ as its return for helping facilitate Watson's S&T and stays below Apron-2 without having to dump other contracts.

Whether Denver would prefer PJ to Cam is a reasonable question.  Cam's three point shooting is an offensive advantage next to Jokic.  I'd argue PJ is the better defender, but when you add in the financial savings and the draft compensation Denver would get from LAC for Watson (who they can't keep anyway given their current tax situation), I think it is something management can sell to its fans.  

From Dallas's perspective, they are getting much better three point shooting and an expiring contract in Johnson in addition to turning Gafford into Mathurin.  Given all that we've done this offseason, moving PJ opens up more near term and long term flexibility.  I'm not sure what the exact construction will be, but I still think there is enough smoke around Mathurin for Gafford and Watson to LAC - and reasons it might be delayed because of Kawhi - that this is worth continuing to monitor for breadcrumbs.

You know I agree with the logic here on basically all of this, but I'm struggling to see as clear of a fit here for Mathurin now after the Marshall extension. It's not like it would be a horrible fit now, but I don't love it nearly as much as I did before that extension came into existence.

[DanSchwartzgan]

You know I agree with the logic here on basically all of this, but I'm struggling to see as clear of a fit here for Mathurin now after the Marshall extension. It's not like it would be a horrible fit now, but I don't love it nearly as much as I did before that extension came into existence.

I tend to agree that both of them playing together is potentially challenging.  I think much would depend on the contract terms for Mathurin.  We tend to think all of these moves as permanent and they aren't.  To some extent we are acquiring talent and probably more than we can play in the near term.  But, if you are going to do a consolidation trade at some point, you need to make sure you aren't stripped to the bone after sending out 3-4 players for one star.

There is an easy enough near term solution for Naji/Mathurin and that would be to start one of them.

[KillerLeft]

There is an easy enough near term solution for Naji/Mathurin and that would be to start one of them.

Agree with this, but I also don't love the idea of starting either of them. I'm also not ready to wade through the negativity around here that would be born of the realization that Mathurin would be brought in as a starter. 

I was fine with the idea of keeping both around until the trade deadline, or until next summer, but I hope the idea wasn't to give Marshall a bigger contract just to make him harder to trade like PJW and Gafford have been lately. I assume they gave him the contract because they want him around, yeah? 

What I do buy is that given the financial outlook of the next season or two, Marshall's new deal makes PJW's even more of an obstacle. Is there a version of this that works with PJW or Gafford outgoing and ONLY Cam Johnson incoming? Would that put them into the tax? What if Martin were included?

[mvossman]

Agree with this, but I also don't love the idea of starting either of them. I'm also not ready to wade through the negativity around here that would be born of the realization that Mathurin would be brought in as a starter. 

I was fine with the idea of keeping both around until the trade deadline, or until next summer, but I hope the idea wasn't to give Marshall a bigger contract just to make him harder to trade like PJW and Gafford have been lately. I assume they gave him the contract because they want him around, yeah? 

What I do buy is that given the financial outlook of the next season or two, Marshall's new deal makes PJW's even more of an obstacle. Is there a version of this that works with PJW or Gafford outgoing and ONLY Cam Thomas incoming? Would that put them into the tax? What if Martin were included?

I assume you mean Cam Johnson vs Cam Thomas, right?  Who are you worried about putting into the tax?  If PJ and Gafford are outgoing then Mavs would be way below.

[KillerLeft]

I assume you mean Cam Johnson vs Cam Thomas, right?  Who are you worried about putting into the tax?  If PJ and Gafford are outgoing then Mavs would be way below.

Johnson, yes - sorry. 

I assume it wouldn't be BOTH Gafford and PJW, just curious if there's a way to make Dan's 3-way work for everyone involved if Johnson is the only incoming here, not along with Mathurin.

[Smitty]

@ShamsCharania
Just in: The Cleveland Cavaliers are trading Dennis Schroder and cash to the Charlotte Hornets for Tre Mann, sources tell ESPN.

[michaeltex]

Dumb questions...

Is there a date that trades must be completed by to have the involved players eligible for further deals at the TDL? I think there is a 6 month blackout on some instances.

Also, do some of the late October extensions (Sasser comes to mind) still allow trading the extended player?

[Chicagojk]

@ShamsCharania
Just in: The Cleveland Cavaliers are trading Dennis Schroder and cash to the Charlotte Hornets for Tre Mann, sources tell ESPN.

Weird trade right?   Schroeder is better, but also wears out his welcome.   Probably just a holding spot until Anderson is ready for backup minutes.    Cleveland saves money but gets a player who has not been good lately.  Still has 3 years and 24 million left on his contract, I believe.    Schroeder has three years left at 14-15 per year but only 4 million guaranteed the last year.   Seems like a weird to invest in that money.  

I assume this is all cap room or opens up another move for one of the teams.  Stein says this is Schroeder's 12th team...one short of the record.  He will surely be on a few more teams the next few years.

[omahen]

@ShamsCharania
Just in: The Cleveland Cavaliers are trading Dennis Schroder and cash to the Charlotte Hornets for Tre Mann, sources tell ESPN.

It didn't cost them anything to drop Schroeder. However, they only saved 6 mil or so. They are now roughly 29 mil under the first apron and they still need to resign Harden. Still difficult for them to do anything significant, unless Harden takes a huge discount. 

I am a bit surprised by Charlotte part. Not sure Schroeder is the right guy for what they are developing and Tre Mann has a nice flexible deal to be included in trades due to his team option for next season. I think they should have got more out of this trade, but I guess they really like Schroeder.

[omahen]

Weird trade right?   Schroeder is better, but also wears out his welcome.   Probably just a holding spot until Anderson is ready for backup minutes.    Cleveland saves money but gets a player who has not been good lately.  Still has 3 years and 24 million left on his contract, I believe.    Schroeder has three years left at 14-15 per year but only 4 million guaranteed the last year.   Seems like a weird to invest in that money.  

I assume this is all cap room or opens up another move for one of the teams.  Stein says this is Schroeder's 12th team...one short of the record.  He will surely be on a few more teams the next few years.

Schroeder is expiring and Tre Mann has a team option for next season according to Spotrac