Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[omahen]

Anything with Wallace wouldn't kick in until the summer of 27.  At that point they are paying $170mm to four players (three stars and Caruso) plus whatever rookies they keep this summer.  That's at most $63mm under the second apron with a lot of mouths to feed including two starters and the rest of the bench.  It will also be the last cheap year for Mitchell, McCain and Jaylin Williams.  I agree they don't have to do anything drastic this summer, but they are going to have to churn someone out of there besides Dort and Hartenstein in the not too distant future.

11 players of their current team will be under contract in 2027/2028 too (Dort, Hartenstein, K. Williams can expire this summer with their TOs, Wallace is the only expiring next season). Their cumulative salaries will be roughly 210 mil. If you replace Dort, Hartenstein and K.Williams with rookies and vet minimum salaries, they have space under the second apron to resign Wallace to a reasonable number up to 20 mil. They can get further cushion by declining TO on Isiah Joe and his 11 mil contract. 

I agree they could decide to trade Wallace, but I don't think they are in any way under pressure to do it. If they do trade him, he will imho have a very hefty price to him.