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

[mvossman]

I think a Kyrie trade becomes more likely if you trade AD anyway, regardless if a player like young is brought in.   I love Kyrie. Love watching him play for my team. I absolutely want him on this team. But honestly why keep him if we're tradiing AD and going directly with Flagg's timeline as a 19 year old?

Say some form of this trade goes down with AD to Atlanta.  Ignore the big salary whether it be KP or Trae. The big asset will be Risacher and maybe Newell. And probably a pick next in 2026.

So at the start of next season you have Flagg at 19, Risacher 20, Newell 20, Lively 21, Christie 22 and 2 lottery picks in the 26 draft.   Why have a 34 year old Kyrie? Same goes for Klay.

Makes you wonder if we need to keep P.J., Gafford, Naji.   I can see the AD trade being the beginning of a huge teardown to get directly on the Flagg timeline.  Even if AD and maybe Klay is this year. Kyrie, P.J. etc is next off season.

I think some of this has to do with the players.  

I think AD will never get out from the shadow of the Luka trade and his injury troubles since he got here has made it worse.  I think his agent is looking for an extension and AD would prefer to be somewhere else.  

Kyrie is totally different.  He has a very positive relationship with this fan base and I think he wants to stay.  I think he is viewed as a plus in the locker room and a great vet to work with the kids.  That being said, if somebody like Houston comes begging at the TDL, you have to pull the trigger if you are blown away by the offer.

If there is any market for Klay, he should go.  May not be a huge market for him, but a salary dump and a second would be enough.

You can make an argument that PJ, Gafford and Naji are not the ideal fits with Flagg.  Gafford needs a P&R PG to have value.  I really hope they get something done with the Pacers.  That makes a lot of sense for both sides if reasonable.  Naji might be at his peak value right now and not a perfect fit with Flagg.  This would be a really good time to move him if the get the right offer.  PJ is an offseason discussion.

There are so many potential opportunities for this organization to reset this TDL.  I really hope they are willing to make moves if the right ones are there.  I think avoiding moves because they are waiting on hiring GM or because they want to see this mythical Flagg/AD/Kyrie grouping would be a mistake.