Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

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League executives have been struck by the money being spent on centers this summer. The Lakers traded two first-rounders, two second-rounders and two swaps to Utah in a sign-and-trade for Walker Kessler, whom they hope will become their franchise center for Luka Doncic's prime years, and then Los Angeles signed him to a four-year, $130 million deal. "There's several teams who wanted Kessler for a few years, and if it had been a truly open market, other teams might've been willing to make a similar [trade] offer," one NBA personnel director said. "But I'd be worried about doing a big deal with the Ainges [Jazz front office leaders Danny and Austin] just on principle."

ESPN