Trade & FA 2025-26: Free Agency Starts 5pm CST/6pm EST

[KillerLeft]

Regarding Grimes:

I think it's crystal clear why they cut bait. Reading between the lines, I just have the feeling the way he sees himself and his future role is not how "the league" sees him. I think that's why he and the Mavs couldn't come to an agreement, and I think that's why he doesn't have a deal yet this summer. He'll get one, eventually, but it feels to me like he's wanting a featured role and the salary that comes with it. For those following our 3-4 year Jerami Grant conversation, that's a pretty good comparison. He's trying to get a Grant role and salary, and he's doing so less successfully. I don't believe he's interested in being the player everyone here (including myself, this time last year) want him to be.

Regarding Thybulle:

I don't think Reddick will even play the guy enough for him to matter like you guys think, should the Lakers get him. I think that coach is all about spacing and generating quality 3's (because that's all he talks about publicly) and Thybulle won't help with that. I think he's one of the most overrated players we've ever discussed, and I'm so, so happy he didn't end up here.

[SleepingHero]

@TheSteinLine
The Warriors have emerged as a strong contender to bring back De'Anthony Melton in free agency, league sources tell @TheSteinLine, in addition to Golden State's well-chronicled interest in signing Al Horford.

[mvossman]

Which makes you wonder why the Mavs cut bait on Grimes so fast. 

Sure, you could argue they needed more certainty on their books headed into this summer, but there really isn’t any suitor set to overpay him. They could’ve feasibly kept Grimes at 12 mil a year and traded Hardy. 

But in this what if, do the Mavs lose enough games and get Flagg if they keep Grimes?

Disappointing to say the least. I just am not high at all on Martin.

Nico was playing 4D chess!  How to get Cooper Flagg when you are a contender just coming off a finals appearance?

First, you fire the best medical staff in the NBA and hire bozos to replace them (he has been working on this for a while).

Then you trade your generational superstar for a much older injury prone (and currently injuried) star and get fleeced in the process.

Then you shit all over him after the trade further enraging the fan base (this is important)

Then dump Grimes in another fleecing because he might be too good after Luka is gone.

Make sure that Grimes trade gives you a cap excuse not to get reinforcements when the injuries come in droves.

Then you have your shitty medical staff bring back AD early and plan to play him 38 minutes in his first game back.

Then you run Kyrie into the ground since there is no Luka.

And finally scrape into the lottery.

After Nico destroyed a top 5 market contender, enraged the fan base and left it with little assets, the NBA had no choice but to giggle some ping pong balls.  It was pure genius!

[Scott41theMavs]

Regarding Grimes:

I think it's crystal clear why they cut bait. Reading between the lines, I just have the feeling the way he sees himself and his future role is not how "the league" sees him. I think that's why he and the Mavs couldn't come to an agreement, and I think that's why he doesn't have a deal yet this summer. He'll get one, eventually, but it feels to me like he's wanting a featured role and the salary that comes with it. For those following our 3-4 year Jerami Grant conversation, that's a pretty good comparison. He's trying to get a Grant role and salary, and he's doing so less successfully. I don't believe he's interested in being the player everyone here (including myself, this time last year) want him to be.

Maybe every team in the league learned from the Grant thing and Grimes was hoping they didn't learn.

[Smitty]

(@esidery)
The Bulls are holding firm on not offering Josh Giddey $30 million annually in contract negotiations, per @KCJHoop.

If Giddey’s representatives continue not to like Chicago’s offers, they could accept the $11 million qualifying offer to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.

[Smitty]

The #Sixers have “splashed cold water” on potential sign-and-trades involving restricted free agent Quentin Grimes—as the team remains “almost certain” they will retain the 25-year-old, per
@Tjonesonthenba

“League sources are confident that the Sixers and Grimes will find a way to come to terms … even if the market has ground to a halt. At this point however, Grimes and his team are looking for a significant payout, and the Sixers are content to sit back and allow the market to play itself out.”

[Smitty]

@BrettSiegelNBA
Once Bradley Beal reaches a buyout agreement with the Suns, multiple playoff-contending teams will have interest in him.

However, Beal and the Clippers hold mutual interest, league sources told
@ClutchPoints

Many teams are preparing for him to immediately sign with LAC.

[DallasMaverick]

Nico was playing 4D chess!  How to get Cooper Flagg when you are a contender just coming off a finals appearance?

First, you fire the best medical staff in the NBA and hire bozos to replace them (he has been working on this for a while).

Then you trade your generational superstar for a much older injury prone (and currently injuried) star and get fleeced in the process.

Then you shit all over him after the trade further enraging the fan base (this is important)

Then dump Grimes in another fleecing because he might be too good after Luka is gone.

Make sure that Grimes trade gives you a cap excuse not to get reinforcements when the injuries come in droves.

Then you have your shitty medical staff bring back AD early and plan to play him 38 minutes in his first game back.

Then you run Kyrie into the ground since there is no Luka.

And finally scrape into the lottery.

After Nico destroyed a top 5 market contender, enraged the fan base and left it with little assets, the NBA had no choice but to giggle some ping pong balls.  It was pure genius!

Dang. 

Some pretty huge jumps in logic, there.

[Scott41theMavs]

Dang. 

Some pretty huge jumps in logic, there.

Where? The only one I see potentially is the one at the end about "the league had no choice." Other than that, while his various takes have some cynical spins, they're very largely on point.

[mvossman]

Dang. 

Some pretty huge jumps in logic, there.

It was obviously tongue in cheek.  The point was how many poor decisions had to be made for this team to even make it to the lottery (and to answer SH original question I think there is a good chance they don't make it to the lottery if they hold onto Grimes).  And Nico has the nerve to say "fortune favors the bold".

[SleepingHero]

It was obviously tongue in cheek.  The point was how many poor decisions had to be made for this team to even make it to the lottery (and to answer SH original question I think there is a good chance they don't make it to the lottery if they hold onto Grimes).  And Nico has the nerve to say "fortune favors the bold".

Regardless, I'm thankful they managed to get Flagg (either by luck or rigging I don't really care). It truly saved the next decade of my fandom.

[SleepingHero]

Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass)
The Milwaukee Bucks have suddenly emerged as a suitor for Russell Westbrook, per @BrettSiegelNBA

[Jmaciscool]

Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass)
The Milwaukee Bucks have suddenly emerged as a suitor for Russell Westbrook, per @BrettSiegelNBA

29 fan bases sigh in relief.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Tough landscape for the restricted free agents:

Kuminga
Giddey
Grimes

Feel like teams were handing out $150 million dollars deals to mediocre but promising players just to keep them happy. (Looks at the entire Toronto Raptors roster) Not so much anymore.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

29 fan bases sigh in relief.

I want to make fun of the Westbrook interest but we were desperate enough to sign Dangelo Russell, not far down the list in terms of dumb players.  At least he can shoot though.

[DallasMaverick]

Tough landscape for the restricted free agents:

Kuminga
Giddey
Grimes

Feel like teams were handing out $150 million dollars deals to mediocre but promising players just to keep them happy.  (Looks at the entire Toronto Raptors roster)  Not so much anymore.

Front offices sometimes need to be willing to let players walk.  Sometimes for nothing.

Think of all the teams that have a player or two they'd gladly release from their contracts with no compensation whatsoever.

Hardy?  Martin? Powell?

Does Grimes fall in that category?  Would Philly pay him $10m, but let him walk before they paid him $25?

[myconsumerclub]

Grimes did ok but all those points he put up were points made as they were probably tanking for the lottery.

[mvossman]

Front offices sometimes need to be willing to let players walk.  Sometimes for nothing.

Think of all the teams that have a player or two they'd gladly release from their contracts with no compensation whatsoever.

Hardy?  Martin? Powell?

Does Grimes fall in that category?  Would Philly pay him $10m, but let him walk before they paid him $25?

They might if somebody else paid him that.  Does not look like that is going to happen.  If they don't settle on a contract (which would probably be around MLE) then Grimes could sign a qualifying offer at roughly 9 mil and then become a UFA.

[Razzmatazz_Hopskidillydoo]

Tough landscape for the restricted free agents:

Kuminga
Giddey
Grimes

I'd take Giddey's 30M in exchange for PJ+Caleb+Hardy.

Let Giddey grow with Flagg.

Plenty of room for DLo and Exum still since both are tall combo guards who can play with Giddey.

[KillerLeft]

I'd take Giddey's 30M in exchange for PJ+Caleb+Hardy.

Let Giddey grow with Flagg.

Plenty of room for DLo and Exum still since both are tall combo guards who can play with Giddey.

I spent a little time this summer imagining Giddey on the Mavs. On one hand, he's young, plays PG well (might play it really well in the future), has good size and I've always liked his defense, actually. On the other hand, I just don't have faith anymore in guards who can't shoot. It might work, and if he grew into it, that deal would be a steal. But, there's also a chance PJW would end up being the best player in that deal by a mile.