Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[omahen]

Yeah I get it but my whole point was Mavs have no interest at all in trading PJ at this current perceived value.

Maybe it's just me but I think author just wanted to farm engangements, it's that period of the off-season after all. I mean he didn't even try to take Mavs side into account at all, but only the Lakers'.

-In reality, the Mavs don't need to shed future money; as things stand, projections place them $33 million below the 1st apron threshold for the 2027/28 season with 12 players under contracts. If they need to clear cap space to extend both Christie and Lively, they could trade Caleb and/or Gafford during the 2027 offseason and still have the NTMLE available. 

- I hate to repeat myself, but until Lively proves he’s 100% healthy, there will be minutes available for all the forwards in the rotation. Aldama isn't a natural center, but I think he could play the 5 alongside very physical defenders like PJ and Morez, thereby freeing up play time for the latter two at the 4.
I’d say they need to play in a winning environment to boost their value, and in that regard, PJ is a much better fit than the Lakers' benchwarmers.

- The 2032 pick swap could turn out to be completely worthless: it’s six years out, and there’s too much variance. OKC still had a young core when they facilitated the Gafford trade, but in that instance, the swap involved a pick just four years out. I’m not sure how many teams would be willing to give up a late-round pick in exchange for a swap so far in the future.
Furthermore, the Mavs aren't exactly well-positioned in terms of assets to bet on the Lakers struggling six years down the line; they need something more concrete and tangible.

I honestly don't see any reasonable point to move PJ at this lowest value .

I respect your opinion and I accept the Mavs point of view. But as you said, you have to take both sides into ecquation. As much as it is possible and true that this valuation is not attractive to Mavs, it is also possible that higher valuation is not attractive to (in this specific case) Lakers or any other team. This is why I think a PJ Washington trade is not happening. The market is simply not willing to put more on the table. At least it seems so. This doesn't mean that the valuation the author made is wrong, imho.

Things might change in the future. Perhaps someone will get more desperate at TDL or next season and offer more, because they will see PJ as the missing piece. However, it is also possible, that even such a deal wouldn't be on a table anymore in the future.