Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[SleepingHero]

Surprising. I assumed you’d think that was good value for Bagley. He misses a lot of games, but the TPMLE of ~$6M is about where I thought he’d be in the market. You think he’s a VetMin only guy?

I think it's less about the value and more about cannibalizing roles. 

We have PJ, Naji, Cooper, Gafford, Lively, Morez and most likely Cisse. 

That's already 7 guys on a 15 man roster that can play the 4 or 5. Bagley was solid offensively, and at 5-6 mil it isn't a bad deal, but shouldn't we focus more on investing our other positions more?

[mvossman]

Surprising. I assumed you’d think that was good value for Bagley. He misses a lot of games, but the TPMLE of ~$6M is about where I thought he’d be in the market. You think he’s a VetMin only guy?

That is probably his value but we already have an overload of bigs and I’m not ready to break up the MLE yet.

[Scott41theMavs]

I think it's less about the value and more about cannibalizing roles. 

We have PJ, Naji, Cooper, Gafford, Lively, Morez and most likely Cisse. 

That's already 7 guys on a 15 man roster that can play the 4 or 5. Bagley was solid offensively, and at 5-6 mil it isn't a bad deal, but shouldn't we focus more on investing our other positions more?

But... but... but... we can't possibly trade Gafford!!!

[SleepingHero]

But... but... but... we can't possibly trade Gafford!!!

I'd rather keep Gafford than trade him for 2nds. I'm curious to see if De Larrea and Kyrie returning can restore Gafford's rim pressure and in turn restore his value to the league. 

Doesn't hurt that keeping Gafford till the next TDL means we can rest Lively as well, who has also said he's going to take a while.

[Smitty]

That is probably his value but we already have an overload of bigs and I’m not ready to break up the MLE yet.

Yeah, I was thinking more along the lines of the BAE if he returns, which is $500k less than the TPMLE. Sounds like he’ll get more and that’s fine with me if he doesn’t return. I disagree that we have an overload of Bigs already. But given the choice of Cisse at the Minimum and Bagley at $6M+, I’d probably choose Cisse if I were running things.

[Scott41theMavs]

Yeah, I was thinking more along the lines of the BAE if he returns, which is $500k less than the TPMLE. Sounds like he’ll get more and that’s fine with me if he doesn’t return. I disagree that we have an overload of Bigs already. But given the choice of Cisse at the Minimum and Bagley at $6M+, I’d probably choose Cisse if I were running things.

I doubt that Cisse will be that cheap. But yeah, I'll take the center who plays defense.

[Scott41theMavs]

I'd rather keep Gafford than trade him for 2nds. I'm curious to see if De Larrea and Kyrie returning can restore Gafford's rim pressure and in turn restore his value to the league. 

Doesn't hurt that keeping Gafford till the next TDL means we can rest Lively as well, who has also said he's going to take a while.

Gafford finished a bunch of pick and rolls with Coop at the end of the year. KL has made a compelling case that what makes Gafford so useless and overpaid is his defense - the flipside of Lively, one of the most unswitchable bigs in the league.

[SleepingHero]

I will say, the more I'm wondering, the more I'm considering Ja Morant.

His value has never been lower. He ideally could be had for Klay+Gafford+Martin.

He can't shoot, he's tiny, but he can pass. And if it doesn't work? Okay that's fine, he's a FA in 2028. But if it does work? Then we got a 26 year old PG in his prime for basically nothing.

I will preface this by saying I don't think it will work. Ja cannot shoot at all, and that's before we get into his personality concerns...But Klay+Martin are basically 30 mil of dead space, while Gafford who is good, isn't exactly needed. If MEM can attach 2nds along with it, I think the Mavs should be happy with that deal.

[SleepingHero]

Gafford finished a bunch of pick and rolls with Coop at the end of the year. KL has made a compelling case that what makes Gafford so useless and overpaid is his defense - the flipside of Lively, one of the most unswitchable bigs in the league.

His defense isn't as bad as KL has painted, and there's a reason why this team transformed with his addition in 2024. 

But he's not untradeable. Just has to make sense.

[dirkfansince1998]

We are looking at a center market where Ayton (despite all his flaws a better player than Bagley) is expected to pick up his 8m player option. Unless teams buys into Bagley as a stretch big (based on a small sample size, low volume, only taking wide open looks) I just don't see him as a BAE target on the current market.

[DanSchwartzgan]

Well, obviously we couldn't use the TPE to get him. But just think, that contract would be expiring in the summer of 2028...

Other thing is, he should not only be dirt cheap, but maybe you could get the Pels to send their '27 first with him unprotected. You know, if you negotiate like Masai can negotiate.

I like trying to have cap flexibility in 28.  That’s one of the reasons you trade Monk into the TPE instead of trying to sign a FA like Simons or Sexton to a three year deal.

[mvossman]

His defense isn't as bad as KL has painted, and there's a reason why this team transformed with his addition in 2024. 

But he's not untradeable. Just has to make sense.

I think the transformation was more about PJ than Gafford. 

I’m not looking for draft compensation for Gafford at this point. I want to move him for a better fitting piece.

[DanSchwartzgan]

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 we’ve seen time and time again that good teams have to at least create some semblance of value in any trade.  The GM who paid that contract to Braun can’t pay a future swap to exchange him for Martin.  They can make the argument that expiring Klay for expiring Cam helps them afford to keep Watson.  But the perception behind Braun plus assets for Martin would be horrible (and Denver fans are already sensitive to this).   

So, what they really need is something that allows them to pretend the deal they are making creates value.  Maybe that’s Naji and Klay.  The good news is there are several versions of this that defeat the Poison Pill issue on Braun.  Klay and Christie would work, but I don’t want to do that.  The Christie hate here is out of hand.  The first half of the season - before Kidd had him doing things he’s not cut out to do - Christie has a TS% of .626 and was .426 from three.  Everyone loves Naji, but we need people who can hit 3’s and that’s not him.

[Smitty]

The Christie hate here is out of hand.  The first half of the season - before Kidd had him doing things he’s not cut out to do - Christie has a TS% of .626 and was .426 from three.  Everyone loves Naji, but we need people who can hit 3’s and that’s not him.

I think Kidd pushing Max to do those things he’s not cut out to do was actually the right call. In a lost season, it’s the perfect time to push the issue. That’s part of player development. Obviously, the results weren’t great with the expanded role/duties, but I have to think it could pay off in the long run. Same can be said for how Flagg was used. Still, Max is younger than several that were drafted last week. He seems like a hard worker, intangibles guy, so I think he will continue to get better. Ideally he’s a sniper off the bench for a good team RIGHT NOW, but he’s shown enough to project more for him IMO.

[DanSchwartzgan]

Still, Max is younger than several that were drafted last week. He seems like a hard worker, intangibles guy, so I think he will continue to get better. Ideally he’s a sniper off the bench for a good team RIGHT NOW, but he’s shown enough to project more for him IMO.

I don’t object to how Kidd tried to develop him.  I object to the resulting drop in numbers being used to paint him as some crap player.  If Christie is your fifth starter, you don’t have a problem in your starting lineup.

[KillerLeft]

His defense isn't as bad as KL has painted

Ya-huh

[Mavs2021]

I like trying to have cap flexibility in 28.  That’s one of the reasons you trade Monk into the TPE instead of trying to sign a FA like Simons or Sexton to a three year deal.

Agreed. Though I think you afford Sexton or Simons at the MLE on a three year deal and still have the flexibility.

Right now 2028/2029 looks like this:

Flagg/Washington/Gafford/Johnson/DeLarrea/Ishchenko ~ 70M. 
Christie caphold   ~16M
Lively ~ 15M, if/when they extend him probably not exceeding that.
Sexton ~ 15M

So you looking at nine players at 116 vs. a projected 191 cap. That´s with Christie´s caphold and multiple last year contracts. 

We have three bad deals: Martin, Johnson and Klay. They all gone. I don´t consider Sexton/Simons on an expiring MLE a bad deal. 

Kyrie will be 36 in 2028 and whether he is a Maverick (or even in the NBA) hinges on his health and Luka returning. I´d have to guess, proven health, he opts out next summer, sign a huge 1 + 1 with a team option. If they manage to snatch Luka back in 2028, Kyrie´s re-signing a huge discount deal and they win the title Nico stole from them.

[Scott41theMavs]

I like trying to have cap flexibility in 28.  That’s one of the reasons you trade Monk into the TPE instead of trying to sign a FA like Simons or Sexton to a three year deal.

I would love it if they got Monk.

[mvossman]

I think Kidd pushing Max to do those things he’s not cut out to do was actually the right call. In a lost season, it’s the perfect time to push the issue. That’s part of player development. Obviously, the results weren’t great with the expanded role/duties, but I have to think it could pay off in the long run. Same can be said for how Flagg was used. Still, Max is younger than several that were drafted last week. He seems like a hard worker, intangibles guy, so I think he will continue to get better. Ideally he’s a sniper off the bench for a good team RIGHT NOW, but he’s shown enough to project more for him IMO.

It felt more like he demonstrated what he can’t do. I definitely wouldn’t pencil him in for providing creation any time soon. I kind of think he us what he is, a good shooter and decent defender.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

[Charania]BREAKING: The Charlotte Hornets are trading Miles Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale and a 2033 first-round pick, sources tell ESPN.