2026 NBA draft thread

[SweetFidelia]

Kyrie 39,
Klay 17,
Gafford 17,
PJ 19,
Cooper 14,
Caleb 10,
Naji 9,
Max 8,
Lively 7,
AJ 3
Ryan 2,
Two Ways: John and Tyler already on contracts under a million

Free Agents: Middleton, Powell, Bagley, B Will, Cisse

If we are able to trade off Gafford and PJ that leaves us with 9 contracted players on the roster and certainly that kind of trade would bring back contracted players so when we add on the contracts of 3 rookies and we resign a few veterans like say we sign Bagley and Cisse, now there is 16 contracts would a guy like AJ or Martin be tradeable. Maybe we trade PJ and Gafford to one team who sends us back one player but that sounds unlikely. I assume the mavericks are also considering that keeping PJ and Gafford is an option but if we did look to trade them who has shown any interest?

I think in team building having very useful starting caliber players in the $15-$20m range is critical. PJ is the starter with Flagg at the forward spots in my mind. IF they somehow move up with lottery luck and get Dybantsa, Boozer, or Wilson, that’s the only thing that changes my mind on starter. Having him as the #1 back up forward plus his small ball 5 ability make him still incredibly valuable. He’s only 27, so he’s got plenty of good bball left and with cost certainty moving forward. Fearless, tough, he’s a keeper.  I can’t see a trade where you get back matching production or value. I do like Bagley as a stretch big off the bench.  I’m not paying him a lot of money to stay, though. BWill is not a keeper. With Nembhard here, it’s time to move on. C is a big question. I’d hope Lively gets fixed. If not, what a waste of a draft pick that was. To me, Gafford is not nearly the value PJ is, so a C upgrade isn’t a bad idea unless Lively is 100% and giving me 65+ games. In that event, if you can keep Cisse and Bagley at 1/2 the cost of Gaff (or even less) and draft a big, I’d trade Gafford for a pick for sure if the opportunity arose.