Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[HoosierDaddyKid]

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4919...s-30-teams

NBA free agency 2026. How much can all 30 teams spend?

[Smitty]

I think I'd shoot for PJW if I were Denver and I ask for some draft capital if I were Dallas.

Denver doesn’t have tradable FRP’s. Only swaps. The thought here is that they want to get off that Braun contract to resign Watson. Of course, this is unlikely. But not impossible…

[Scott41theMavs]

So in looking forward to the Mavs' likely activities in the next couple of weeks, the overall sense seems to be that team improvement is going to come from trades, possibly involving the TPE. There seems to be a board consensus that it's in their best interest not to spend the MLE. So, I'm fine with using our player assets (e.g. Klay, Gafford et al.) to improve the team. I have to admit I'm leery of using the TPE, because the target is either 1) a player who the other team is relieved to get rid of because they have an albatross contract, or 2) will be a player who might be slightly overpaid, but whom the Mavs will have to send substantial future draft capital to get.

It's far more the latter that concerns me. I know that dumbass Nico put us in this position. But our draft capital cupboard is just about naked as is. I'd hate to see them trade away more of it.

[cow]

Denver doesn’t have tradable FRP’s. Only swaps. The thought here is that they want to get off that Braun contract to resign Watson. Of course, this is unlikely. But not impossible…

I think they have a 31 second and their own in 33.  Give me that and swaps in 31 and/or 33 and I'd consider it.

[F Gump]

Brooklyn keeps coming up as a likely suitor, too, for ...

We keep hearing Brooklyn. Player after player. Some very illogical. Why? Agents are whispering of them as a mystery suitor, since the Nets have tons of spending money, in trying to negotiate or build interest from other teams.

[Smitty]

Instead of a future first from the Lakers… What about Gafford for Cameron Carr?

[mvossman]

Instead of a future first from the Lakers… What about Gafford for Cameron Carr?

My guess is if they were willing to trade a first (including 25) it would have already happened.

[Scott41theMavs]

My guess is if they were willing to trade a first (including 25) it would have already happened.

[Smitty]

My guess is if they were willing to trade a first (including 25) it would have already happened.

Possible. The thought is that some of their potential FA targets are resigning with their previous team or signing with someone else. Free agency hasn’t started yet, but we know that these teams have a very good idea on who’s going where when the opening bell rings.

[Scott41theMavs]

Possible. The thought is that some of their potential FA targets are resigning with their previous team or signing with someone else. Free agency hasn’t started yet, but we know that these teams have a very good idea on who’s going where when the opening bell rings.

Well, that's the hope. If they get desperate for Gafford (lol), well, Masai is an absolutely brutal negotiator.

[F Gump]

This is still possible before July 1…

I was looking into Denver and their situation earlier and found a unique way to make a deal on or before draft night by using the AD TPE this league year. Of course, the opinions on the players can be different, but a framework for an interesting deal involving the TPE and a poison pill contract (Braun) that works, thought I'd share....

DEN: Klay Thompson, Caleb Martin, TPE
DAL: Cam Johnson, Christian Braun, FRP Swaps

This saves the Nuggets ~$20M next year and gives them two useful players, with room to pay Watson (RFA). The Mavs would have to like Braun!! A buy-low candidate?

I get it... Braun had a really down year and is owed 5 years $125M. It's probably not a move I'd make, but I thought it was an interesting trade when you consider the use of the TPE & PPP.


*The Mavs AD TPE is $20,830,154, and Cam's salary this season is $21,057,065... BUT the Mavs are below A1, so they get a $250K buffer, which allows them to absorb Cam by just $23,089 this league year. Not possible July 1, of course, when his salary jumps to $23M (expiring).

Interesting idea. In essence, Mavs give up about 17M net in cap room this year, and assume longggggggg-term liability (Braun at AAV of over 22M for 4 more years after this one). The gain? Better players, hopefully, but not at primary area of need (PG/creating). Braun especially, who is a SG. And Braun regressed last season.

One obstacle I'd have to be satisfied would be that Braun's injury issues last year are solved.. He missed about half the season.

That's a good chunk of payroll, but if spent wisely, it is NOT putting Mavs in problem territory. Is it worth it, or does it gut Mavs ability to spend without actually fixing what needs to be fixed?

To me that's the bigger issue to weigh against what other options the Mavs have for using the TPE. If this is the only choice, that's one thing, but I would really hope there's some sort of move (even if it's one of this sort) that is yielding a credible solid PG type, rather than a SG.

[cow]

Interesting idea. In essence, Mavs give up about 17M net in cap room this year, and assume longggggggg-term liability (Braun at AAV of over 22M for 4 more years after this one). The gain? Better players, hopefully, but not at primary area of need (PG/creating). Braun especially, who is a SG. And Braun regressed last season.

One obstacle I'd have to be satisfied would be that Braun's injury issues last year are solved.. He missed about half the season.

That's a good chunk of payroll, but if spent wisely, it is NOT putting Mavs in problem territory. Is it worth it, or does it gut Mavs ability to spend without actually fixing what needs to be fixed?

To me that's the bigger issue to weigh against what other options the Mavs have for using the TPE. If this is the only choice, that's one thing, but I would really hope there's some sort of move (even if it's one of this sort) that is yielding a credible solid PG type, rather than a SG.

In a vacuum, I think Braun is as interesting as the best SG FAs out there which, in my mind, comes down to Grimes (starter with a bit of playmaking) or Monk (more of a sixth man).  The issue I see is that purposed framework probably makes Denver worse with the players being swapped and further depletes them of an almost empty cupboard of assets in exchange for salary relief.  Is that salary relief enough to help build around Joker again?   PJW + Christie (Klay could work in this spot too) for Braun + Cam makes more sense in my head, but I'm not sure Denver could return enough to get me excited.  I guess those far off swaps could be valuable but I'd rather have something more tangible that Denver can't offer.  I'm not worried about Braun's injuries, but I do wonder if he can regain form, especially without Joker's gravity.  An interesting reclamation project anyway.

[Scott41theMavs]

Interesting idea. In essence, Mavs give up about 17M net in cap room this year, and assume longggggggg-term liability (Braun at AAV of over 22M for 4 more years after this one). The gain? Better players, hopefully, but not at primary area of need (PG/creating). Braun especially, who is a SG. And Braun regressed last season.

One obstacle I'd have to be satisfied would be that Braun's injury issues last year are solved.. He missed about half the season.

That's a good chunk of payroll, but if spent wisely, it is NOT putting Mavs in problem territory. Is it worth it, or does it gut Mavs ability to spend without actually fixing what needs to be fixed?

To me that's the bigger issue to weigh against what other options the Mavs have for using the TPE. If this is the only choice, that's one thing, but I would really hope there's some sort of move (even if it's one of this sort) that is yielding a credible solid PG type, rather than a SG.

If it has to be a PG (note: I don’t think it does, especially since the Mavs are treating Kyrie as a PG - what’s really needed is to upgrade Max, who is the glaring quality deficit in our pre-FA starting lineup - and if it did have to be a PG, he’d have to be gigantic for a lead guard given Kyrie’s diminutiveness), then I wonder how expensive it would be to get DeJuonte Murray from the Pels.

[SkenfromLMF]

What would be really interesting in a deal with Denver would be to get pick swaps in the years that Dallas has already committed a pick swap -
The years that OKC has the swap (28) or SA (30) Dallas could than recover some of that value by engaging Denver in this deal specifically in those years for swaps.

Specifically in this case you would make this move HOPING that Denver does not finish bottom 5 in 27 (& 29) and conveys to OKC in 27 AND in 29 freeing up the 28 & 30 picks for swaps. I'd still roll the dice especially in 28 as a way to improve the pick standing:

Dallas has right to swap the worst of their own pick OR OKC for Denver in 28

Dallas has right to swap least favorable of their own pick; G.S.W. (if 21-30) or S.A. for Denver in 30

For Denver, they pay to get off Braun and theoretically get an improvement via Klay and parlay some very limited assets (they are almost less in control of their drafts than Dallas: 1st rd - owe OKC 2 picks 27/29 pending top 5 protections through 30; a 32 to Brooklyn; 2nd rd: own 28 (IF 31-33), Min 28; Sacto 31; own 33

[F Gump]

If it has to be a PG (note: I don’t think it does, especially since the Mavs are treating Kyrie as a PG - what’s really needed is to upgrade Max, who is the glaring quality deficit in our pre-FA starting lineup - and if it did have to be a PG, he’d have to be gigantic for a lead guard given Kyrie’s diminutiveness), then I wonder how expensive it would be to get DeJuonte Murray from the Pels.

Murray has played 31 and then 14 games in the last 2 seasons. He's already 30 this upcoming season. He's owed 63.5M over the next 2 seasons. I can do the what-if game if any of those was not true. But they all are. 

So I would not.

[Scott41theMavs]

Murray has played 31 and then 14 games in the last 2 seasons. He's already 30 this upcoming season. He's owed 63.5M over the next 2 seasons. I can do the what-if game if any of those was not true. But they all are. 

So I would not.

Who would be your candidates for a big for position lead guard, then?

[FireNicoHarrison]

Instead of a future first from the Lakers… What about Gafford for Cameron Carr?

If the Mavs really wanted Carr then they picked him in the draft...

[Dundalis]

So in looking forward to the Mavs' likely activities in the next couple of weeks, the overall sense seems to be that team improvement is going to come from trades, possibly involving the TPE. There seems to be a board consensus that it's in their best interest not to spend the MLE. So, I'm fine with using our player assets (e.g. Klay, Gafford et al.) to improve the team. I have to admit I'm leery of using the TPE, because the target is either 1) a player who the other team is relieved to get rid of because they have an albatross contract, or 2) will be a player who might be slightly overpaid, but whom the Mavs will have to send substantial future draft capital to get.

It's far more the latter that concerns me. I know that dumbass Nico put us in this position. But our draft capital cupboard is just about naked as is. I'd hate to see them trade away more of it.

If you are getting an albatross contract though, youd be asking for draft capital along with it. Depends whether the Mavs think its worth it to help restore future picks. I think thats the only scenario they use the TPE for, as I don't think there will likely be any players fitting in the TPE who a team would want to move that would also be worth giving up picks for.

Depending on the player and picks we get, option 1 could be worth it, especially if the contract expires by the time Coopers rookie contract ends.

[FireNicoHarrison]

PJ+Christie for Braun+Cam is one of the worst trade proposal i've read in years... Hell no

[Smitty]

The Charlotte Hornets held exploratory trade conversations for Jaylen Brown that included the recently acquired Naz Reid, per @MikeAScotto.

"Before the LaMelo Ball trade, Boston desired Reid as part of Brown trade talks with Minnesota, as noted by The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski. Reid once again was brought up in talks for Brown after joining the Hornets, @hoopshype has learned."

"Charlotte has also gauged the trade market value of forward Miles Bridges, who's on an expiring $22.83M deal. His salary would be needed to make any Brown trade work with Charlotte. With that said, exploratory talks with the Hornets have cooled."