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

[DanSchwartzgan]

As Meister said, AD is a very high risk asset - this is valid for Atlanta and Dallas both. You act as if he is a certainty while the reality is that he is injured half of the time. He has also not really brought much to Dallas in terms of result success (neither has he in last 5 or so seasons with Lakers) which could be used as an argument what a superstar, surefire result changing, immediate contender level great player he is. 

From Mavs perspective, if AD plays well, Mavs results will also be better decreasing the chance for a top pick. Is this really best case Mavs scenario moving forward? If he doesn't play well or if he gets injured, his value in the summer will not be any higher. Dan pointed this out several times already. 

I think Atlanta will include Risacher as this makes salaries work with KP and Kennard (add minor salary players for everything to work regarding roster slots). There are reports that Dallas does value him. But I don't think Atlanta will give up the NO pick.

I made a few edits, but this aligns well with my thinking.  The one thing I will add is living so close to Apron 2 might be limiting something else Dallas might want to do.  FG just showed us how challenging a non-aggregated deal involving Kispert might be.  It wasn't the matching dollars, it was the Apron 2 restrictions that make the deal difficult.

I think Dallas does need to move on from AD.  I hope it happens today and I hope it is Cleveland's pick, the 2027 from NOP/MIL and a swap in a year where we have a swap in place already with either SA or OKC (plus Risacher).  BTW, I don't mind Kispert.  He's really good from above the break which will help Flagg's driving game (and be helped by Flagg's driving game).  I hope, if we take him on, that we will then quickly announce a deal sending out Klay.