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

[Mavs2021]

@esidery
The Pacers are shopping Bennedict Mathurin in hopes of landing an impact starting center.

Due for a lucrative extension this offseason, Indiana has already prioritized Andrew Nembhard and Aaron Nesmith over Mathurin in terms of new long-term contracts.

So basically the trade urgency of the Pacers comes from getting something for Mathurin now before they enter the Kuminga zone.

I don´t see what he adds to the team in a position we already have Christie. Also judging by recent developments for shoot and nothing else players anything above the MLE seems an overpay. Gafford should be used for an expiring + 2026 late 1st round pick. I´m pretty confident that is in play with several teams: Boston, Golden State, Atlanta(/Cleveland)....

If you trade Gafford for Simons and the Boston 2026 1st round pick. You can extend Simons for less than Mathurin and he´s a better player imho. And you got an additional 1st round pick out of it.