Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[Scott41theMavs]

Morant shows signs of mental illness.

Masai would show signs of mental illness if he did this. Who the hell came up with this? Why would the Mavs ***give*** assets to acquire the player that 29 other teams in the NBA would want to get rid of if they had his contract on their books? Did they think that Nico was still the GM?

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

Masai would show signs of mental illness if he did this. Who the hell came up with this? Why would the Mavs ***give*** assets to acquire the player that 29 other teams in the NBA would want to get rid of if they had his contract on their books? Did they think that Nico was still the GM?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofueCRAP914

Edit: this board is schizophrenic. One day people are in a panic to dump PJ and Gafford because they no longer have value and their contracts are baggage. The next day they're valuable assets. Hey, I'm just throwing out what middle of the road creators perceive as value. Just an off-season thought.

[mvossman]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofueCRAP914

Edit: this board is schizophrenic. One day people are in a panic to dump PJ and Gafford because they no longer have value and their contracts are baggage. The next day they're valuable assets. Hey, I'm just throwing out what middle of the road creators perceive as value. Just an off-season thought.

I view Morant as a negative contract, so even though I would be fine getting late firsts for PJ and Gafford, I would have no interest in sending them out for a negative asset.

[KillerLeft]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofueCRAP914

Edit: this board is schizophrenic. One day people are in a panic to dump PJ and Gafford because they no longer have value and their contracts are baggage. The next day they're valuable assets. Hey, I'm just throwing out what middle of the road creators perceive as value. Just an off-season thought.

I don't think it's a ridiculous idea, I just don't think Morant is a good enough fit to justify the gamble you'd be making that he bounces back to something resembling his all star form.

[Scott41theMavs]

I view Morant as a negative contract, so even though I would be fine getting late firsts for PJ and Gafford, I would have no interest in sending them out for a negative asset.

Winner, winner, chicken dinner.

[F Gump]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ofueCRAP914

Edit: this board is schizophrenic. One day people are in a panic to dump PJ and Gafford because they no longer have value and their contracts are baggage. The next day they're valuable assets. Hey, I'm just throwing out what middle of the road creators perceive as value. Just an off-season thought.

I do agree there tends to be a lot of "grass is greener over there" thinking, where the talented medium-sized contract is baggage in DAL and desirable if elsewhere. But I don't agree with it, and have never been "in a panic to dump PJ and Gafford" nor have I felt "they no longer have value and their contracts are baggage." 

I think all the Mavs bigger players got screwed last season by Nico's Mavs' poorly constructed roster, and that they are underappreciated right now as a result. I consider last year a gap year, and if traded, I would want full value, because I expect they will look very different with better table-setters and ball-handlers in the mix.

[SkenfromLMF]

As proposed that is NOT a buy low on Morant.
I’d think Dallas would need considerably more pick assets.

Something along these lines:
Memphis gets 26 & 30 with 48
Dallas receives 16 & 32 with 49

Memphis is dropping from 16 to 26 AND from 32 to 48 to get off of Ja and is receiving pick 30 for taking on Braun.

[F Gump]

I would pass on Morant. His play has been bad for many seasons now, his mindset is poison for a team, and he is always an injury waiting to happen. He's an undersized high flyer in a big man's game, and I don't see value in owing him the next $87M he will get. Putting him in the locker room here? I cringe at the idea.

Yes, I would take him if I had an extra 40M of cap room (or really bad contracts) to use, and also got some high value for eating the contract, but I would not want to offer any highly useful players. Something like Middleton (SNT), Martin, and Johnson, for Ja + #16 + unprotected future 1st (in essence, a 1st to eat each year of that awful deal). And is it really enough?

[FireNicoHarrison]

No thanks to Ja.

Too many red flags.

[FireNicoHarrison]

And i don't want him around Coop for sure

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Bill Simmons thinks a Giannis to Miami trade could be announced by the end of this week: “I feel like there’s gonna be a big trade soon. Like Giannis, I don’t think that gets super close to the draft. My guess is if there’s a big trade, it’d probably be after game 4 before game 5. I think the league likes to clear out the first 4 games of the finals and it’s kind of a wink wink with the teams. I feel like if there’s a big trade it’s closer to the end of this week. MIL having the chance to get 10, and 13, not to mention the other Miami guys, that’s not bad in this draft.”

x.com

[michaeltex]

And i don't want him around Coop for sure

IMO, Ja isn't viewed as a positive addition by anyone paying attention. He had worn out his welcome in Memphis even before last season. He's a Derreck Rose type player...a smaller guard with great speed who succeeds by flying to the basket. But, also like Rose, it only takes one injury to take that ability away and Ja has not shown the outside or setup skills to make anyone think he'd be effective otherwise.

And that's all apart from the knuckleheaded-ness, immaturity, gangsta-wanna be behavior that none of the multi-millionaires in the locker rooms really want to be around.

Unless it was for a Godfather-type offer, a hard pass on taking on that POS.  OTOH, helping another team take him on and getting paid for the assist would certainly be of interest.

[michaeltex]

Bill Simmons thinks a Giannis to Miami trade could be announced by the end of this week: “I feel like there’s gonna be a big trade soon. Like Giannis, I don’t think that gets super close to the draft. My guess is if there’s a big trade, it’d probably be after game 4 before game 5. I think the league likes to clear out the first 4 games of the finals and it’s kind of a wink wink with the teams. I feel like if there’s a big trade it’s closer to the end of this week. MIL having the chance to get 10, and 13, not to mention the other Miami guys, that’s not bad in this draft.”

x.com

Will this be the first domino that opens a lot of pre-draft trading activity?

[Smitty]

My timeline is flooded with Kyrie and Minnesota T-Wolves rumors. None of it credible of course... but because it's a slow news day, I went through what a trade would look like without the obvious (Julius Randle) outgoing. More or less what I would find acceptable while also being somewhat realistic.

MIN: Kyrie Irving, AJ Johnson
DAL: Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, Ayo Dosunmu (SnT), 2033 FRP

First, Ayo is an unrestricted free agent. Free to sign with any team he wants. The assumption here is that he would love to play with Flagg. With Kyrie in the outgoing, he would get a starting spot and hopefully take a massive leap. For this trade scenario, I have him slotted at $18M/yr., which is higher than the MLE most teams can offer.

Second, Donte will be out for the season due to a torn Achilles suffered in the first round. His expiring contract is taken on by Dallas to help Minny with their financial situation so that they can replace that slot with a player that will help them "win now".

Third, Naz Reid is the 'prize' here and probably the least likely inclusion in this hypothetical. There is some thought to his upside being capped there with Randle, McDaniels, and Gobert getting a ton of the frontcourt minutes and I'm doing a non-Randle Minny trade for Kyrie after all. Still, just 26 years old and an excellent stretch Big that plays both ways. I think there's still more to his game that can get unlocked playing alongside Flagg.

Lastly, the 2033 FRP is the only tradable first the T-Wolves have this summer. I can't trade Kyrie unless it's included. Not that I care about a pick 7 years from now, but with the lottery changes and Kyrie no longer playing by then, it has a lot of perceived value.


As a huge Kyrie fan, one that thinks having him here next season would be huge for Flagg's development, this feels like the type of deal I could say yes to. Does that make it highly unlikely? Sure. But when people talk about trading Kyrie because he's the best asset the Mavs have to trade, this is the kind of deal they should be talking about IMO.

[michaeltex]

My timeline is flooded with Kyrie and Minnesota T-Wolves rumors. None of it credible of course... but because it's a slow news day, I went through what a trade would look like without the obvious (Julius Randle) outgoing. More or less what I would find acceptable while also being somewhat realistic.

MIN: Kyrie Irving, AJ Johnson
DAL: Naz Reid, Donte DiVincenzo, Ayo Dosunmu (SnT), 2033 FRP

First, Ayo is an unrestricted free agent. Free to sign with any team he wants. The assumption here is that he would love to play with Flagg. With Kyrie in the outgoing, he would get a starting spot and hopefully take a massive leap. For this trade scenario, I have him slotted at $18M/yr., which is higher than the MLE most teams can offer.

Second, Donte will be out for the season due to a torn Achilles suffered in the first round. His expiring contract is taken on by Dallas to help Minny with their financial situation so that they can replace that slot with a player that will help them "win now".

Third, Naz Reid is the 'prize' here and probably the least likely inclusion in this hypothetical. There is some thought to his upside being capped there with Randle, McDaniels, and Gobert getting a ton of the frontcourt minutes and I'm doing a non-Randle Minny trade for Kyrie after all. Still, just 26 years old and an excellent stretch Big that plays both ways. I think there's still more to his game that can get unlocked playing alongside Flagg.

Lastly, the 2033 FRP is the only tradable first the T-Wolves have this summer. I can't trade Kyrie unless it's included. Not that I care about a pick 7 years from now, but with the lottery changes and Kyrie no longer playing by then, it has a lot of perceived value.


As a huge Kyrie fan, one that thinks having him here next season would be huge for Flagg's development, this feels like the type of deal I could say yes to. Does that make it highly unlikely? Sure. But when people talk about trading Kyrie because he's the best asset the Mavs have to trade, this is the kind of deal they should be talking about IMO.

This is maybe a trade I would do, even if it didn't bring in more immediate draft assets. I always liked Donte's grit and would have liked to see him play with Coop, but even injured, his expiring might still help in future dealings around the TDL. Ayo would be an interesting add and would shore up 3pt shooting. I don't know if he would change any draft night targets though. I've always liked what Naz brings and think he could make it easier to turn PJ and/or Gaff into more immediate assets.

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

To be clear, Ja is about #43 on players I want Masai to pursue. I just find it interesting to see what other people think Mavs are worth.

[Chicagojk]

Bill Simmons thinks a Giannis to Miami trade could be announced by the end of this week: “I feel like there’s gonna be a big trade soon. Like Giannis, I don’t think that gets super close to the draft. My guess is if there’s a big trade, it’d probably be after game 4 before game 5. I think the league likes to clear out the first 4 games of the finals and it’s kind of a wink wink with the teams. I feel like if there’s a big trade it’s closer to the end of this week. MIL having the chance to get 10, and 13, not to mention the other Miami guys, that’s not bad in this draft.”

x.com

Feels like something will happen soon.  They need to know if Giannis has any plan on extending.  If not, they will trade him.   It makes sense to do ti now, I guess.   Right now they would be guaranteed a good pick in a good draft.   While future picks (at least next two years) look to be weaker drafts.  Plus the new lottery rules make counting on a top pick more difficult.  

Miami is probably the most likely ending spot.    I think ATL and Brooklyn may be players too.  Both have better picks than Miami.    MIL may prefer the Miami offer, but I just get worried dealing with Miami for anything.   It seems like they get the best out of their players and typically do not replicate their level of play after Miami very often.    

I think ATL would be ready to win now.   Brooklyn would have to have some other moved lined up to interest Giannis.    I am sure there are other sneaky teams involved too.

[michaeltex]

Saw a report on Heavy.com that names DAL as a "leading" candidate to trade for Embiid, without providing any details. Apparently, the whole Philly brain trust has turned over since they were swept by the NYKs. So speculation is there may be other house cleaning to clear the way to build around Maxey and other youngsters. Plus, this is the first offseason Embiid hasn't been repairing or recovering from an injury. He's under contract for the next 3 seasons, with the 3rd being a PO and averaging ~62.5M/yr.

I know it's BS, speculative writing but DAL bringing in Embiid would feel like the second coming of AD. Also, PHI is currently at ~$180M with only 10 Slots filled (including the TOs), so I'm sure trading injury-prone Joel for Kyrie and a couple of prospects looks inviting to their fans after getting ousted in the playoffs the last few years.

[mvossman]

Saw a report on Heavy.com that names DAL as a "leading" candidate to trade for Embiid, without providing any details. Apparently, the whole Philly brain trust has turned over since they were swept by the NYKs. So speculation is there may be other house cleaning to clear the way to build around Maxey and other youngsters. Plus, this is the first offseason Embiid hasn't been repairing or recovering from an injury. He's under contract for the next 3 seasons, with the 3rd being a PO and averaging ~62.5M/yr.

I know it's BS, speculative writing but DAL bringing in Embiid would feel like the second coming of AD. Also, PHI is currently at ~$180M with only 10 Slots filled (including the TOs), so I'm sure trading injury-prone Joel for Kyrie and a couple of prospects looks inviting to their fans after getting ousted in the playoffs the last few years.

It's hard to imagine the assets needed to take on that contract, and that's even before you bring Kyrie into it.

[FireNicoHarrison]

No Embiid please.