Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[Tyler]

So, here is an example:

We are $19.4mm under the tax line currently.  If we were to trade Gafford and Martin for Jordan Poole, it would eat up $6.8mm of our space under the tax.  Tarik would need to take $13mm instead of the $15mm MLE to keep Dallas under the tax...thus possibly the $2mm his people are talking about as being less than what he wants.  Basically, Dallas is prioritizing the deal for Poole and then Tarik gets whatever is left under the tax.

I know, even $13mm seems way more than we were thinking.  Just showing math at this point (though Gafford/Martin for Poole's expiring deal and positional need isn't a bad thought).

Good point. Trading for more money while reserving the rest of the room under the tax for Tarik could explain the dueling star/space rumors.

Thinking bigger than Poole, Dallas supposedly offered PJ, Klay, and a 1st for Kawhi. What if another team saw that and took them up on the same offer? Those two alone could get us up to about $47mm in a returning player. That's a +10mm with 9.4mm left for Tarik. It could stretch even further if you include other salaries. What good but expensive star targets might qualify? 

As a starting point since we talked to Kawhi, forwards like Markkanen, Banchero, and Franz Wagner fit the mold as expensive but versatile players that could be on the move. I'm sure there are some guard options, too.