Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

I don't want to trade Kyrie. I'm comfortable with his value to the team, his salary is a bargain for a player of his ability, and I think he likes the peace he's found in the DAL world. And I'm not especially enamored of those players.

But I would do that trade, assuming it's those exact picks, and especially if Smith could be rerouted for another FRP as you suggest (and there would likely be matching salary player(s) to DAL). One plus is that it's a deal that probably also works at the deadline, as neither team is likely to be ducking some apron or hard cap. 

From HOU pov, Kyrie would certainly check a lot of boxes for them, not the least of which would be to make the roster more amenable to KD. And it's possible Kyrie would want to go to a contender, so there's that factor as well.

If Kyrie were to go to the Rockets and it was this trade that I've seen on both Bleacherreport and Rockets' forums, I'd want it to be:

Rockets get Kyrie 
OKC gets #6 (to get Mara)
Nets get #17, #23 (via Atl), and Jabari Smith 
Hawks get Reed Sheppard 
Mavs get #12, Nets 2027 1st (via Hou),  Mavs 2028 swap back (via OKC), 2029 Mavs' 1st back (via Hou)

In this deal, then Mavs are essentially getting a restart on their draft capital, while also getting another pick this year

Edit: The Mavs would be opportunistic in that:
- Houston needs Kyrie to be a "KD whisperer"
- Brooklyn needs forwards, but, at #6, the value isn't there
Atlanta needs a McCollum replacement 
- OKC needs someone with a body type that matches up specifically with Wemby. The only guaranteed place to get him is #6