Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[KillerLeft]

[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.

Love this! I have no horse in the Bridges race, obviously, but part of me is happy anytime someone even lightly rumored to be a Lakers target goes somewhere else. 

You have to enjoy the little things in life.

Also...I'm lowkey starting to feel like Charlotte's front office sucks less than it used to.

[Mavs2021]

[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.

Clearly something major is coming for the Hornets. Allen + Reid + O´Neale + 3 unprotected 1sts for Brown?

[Smitty]

@ShamsCharania
The Suns acquire a starting PF at 28 years old in Bridges -- whom they've targeted in recent years -- plus a 2029 less favorable first-rounder and a 2027 less favorable second rounder while getting $20 million in tax savings while opening up a roster spot ahead of free agency.

Charlotte picks up two playoff-tested role players and receives a valuable further out, unprotected Suns first-round pick.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

Also...I'm lowkey starting to feel like Charlotte's front office sucks less than it used to.

These moves might work out for them long term but that fan base is hurting like we were after the Luka trade.  They were an ascending team with a home grown star and it feels like they pulled the rug out from under the fan base.  They have a bunch of future 1st rd picks.  People love asset accumulation but we'll see what they end up doing with those assets.

I am 100% in the camp of I'd rather have Lamelo Ball than Naz Reid and a 1st rd pick.  Lamelo is one of the 5-10 best offensive players in the NBA. Reading the comments here, I thought I was nuts but my dude SligthlyBiased is with me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3QW3rgGdbw

edit: The only concern with Lamelo for me is the games missed. I don't really understand why fans clown on him. He's not really any different than Luka Doncic. He's immature. Doesn't play defense. Drives like shit. Maybe it's the last name.

[Mavs2021]

@ShamsCharania
The Suns acquire a starting PF at 28 years old in Bridges -- whom they've targeted in recent years -- plus a 2029 less favorable first-rounder and a 2027 less favorable second rounder while getting $20 million in tax savings while opening up a roster spot ahead of free agency.

Charlotte picks up two playoff-tested role players and receives a valuable further out, unprotected Suns first-round pick.

Yeah they are going to move for Brown. Gives Brown his own team, where he is the clear undisputed #1. Boston get a center in Reid, another shooter in Allen. Question is would they move for Kyrie into the TPE to go win now NOW or take their time around Brown. Steinbach and Anderson would be a mental return.

[DanSchwartzgan]

For Phoenix, this move may bump Green from the starting lineup.  Bridges to PF and Brooks to his more natural SF.  Is there a Klay + something deal for Jalen Green?  Schmitz did speak highly of Green once upon a time.

[KillerLeft]

I am 100% in the camp of I'd rather have Lamelo Ball than Naz Reid and a 1st rd pick.  Lamelo is one of the 5-10 best offensive players in the NBA.  Reading the comments here, I thought I was nuts but my dude SligthlyBiased is with me.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3QW3rgGdbw

edit:  The only concern with Lamelo for me is the games missed.  I don't really understand why fans clown on him.  He's not really any different than Luka Doncic.  He's immature.  Doesn't play defense.  Drives like shit.  Maybe it's the last name.

My read on the Ball thing, after listening/reading about it, is that their GM has been counting the minutes until he could get rid of the guy. Seems like most of the GM's around the league think he played it beautifully: waited until he had one healthy, semi-impactful season and pounced on the first opportunity to get him out of their locker room without losing too much face over it. 

We talk often about what LaMello "could be," but it kinda seems like the guys who've been trying to turn him into that have decided they can't. No idea if they're right or wrong, but it does kinda speak volumes.

[RoyTarpleysGhost]

I don't understand the narrative of what he "could be." By advanced stats, he is a top 3-5 offensive difference maker in the league.  I bet Kon and Brandon Miller are less efficient next year and Ant and Jaden McDaniels are more efficient next year.

https://dunksandthrees.com/epm?m=off

One front office traded him. I've seen mixed reactions online. The consensus I've seen is this seems like a worthwhile gamble for MIN. I dont think the trade or reaction to it "speaks volumes" at all. If he plays/doesn't get injured, I imagine the Charlotte side of the trade will look awful. The player's talent is not in question.

[Smitty]

For Phoenix, this move may bump Green from the starting lineup.  Bridges to PF and Brooks to his more natural SF.  Is there a Klay + something deal for Jalen Green?  Schmitz did speak highly of Green once upon a time.

Why wouldn’t Green start? I don’t know their full roster but Booker-Green-Brooks-Bridges-Williams seems like the obvious starting 5, no?

[Smitty]

@TheSteinLine
League sources tell @JakeLFischer and me that Tim Hardaway Jr. and Mike Conley Jr. are expected to be priority targets in free agency for Miami after the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade.

That's just one item of MANY in our Sunday Best NBA Intel compilation: tinyurl.com/bd4jexes

[loki]

[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.

Big missed opportunity for the Mavs. Phoenix was a great PJ destination, but I assumed there was no chance they would deal a 1st that far out. Now they go and do it for a domestic abuser and a terrible 29 1st (least favorable of Cleveland, Utah, Minny).

[HoosierDaddyKid]

LaMelo is an offensive savant. Does he take questionable shots at times? For sure. But he has a great feel for the game. He's going to help Minnesota for sure. They just need to find a PF.

[KillerLeft]

The consensus I've seen is this seems like a worthwhile gamble for MIN.

Given that Connelly only has one more year on his contract, yes, he had to do something. 

I have heard more people who are pro Charlotte in this deal than the opposite, personally. I don't personally have a super strong sense of whether I think Ball is fixable, but I definitely don't agree with what I take as part of your point - that he's already great. I think he's still a little too wild on the court, at least for what my comfort level would be. Off the court, he just comes off as an unserious person to me. I'm obviously not in the locker room with him, but it's tough for me to imagine he's the ideal teammate/leader from a front office's POV. 

If might sound like I'm taking a hard stand against LaMello, but I'm not - I have thought a lot about what he might look like in Dallas, even.

[Chicagojk]

I expect more of these trades like Ball. Seems like with the new cap, teams are less reluctant to tie themselves to a max player if they have some doubts.

Previously you just paid. I expect there will be many of these decisions for guys over 30-35 million plus.

I do expect some of the Charlotte’s shooters to dip some without ball. The trade could not work out for Charlotte but I think they are still a team on the rise.

[Chicagojk]

Charlotte has a former hs teammate of coop. Didn’t show anything as a rookie as a late first. Shooter though and from Dallas. I wonder how he fits with their current logjam

[KillerLeft]

I expect more of these trades like Ball.  Seems like with the new cap, teams are less reluctant to tie themselves to a max player if they have some doubts.

Previously you just paid.  I expect there will be many of these decisions for guys over 30-35 million plus.

I do expect some of the Charlotte’s shooters to dip some without ball.  The trade could not work out for Charlotte but I think they are still a team on the rise.

Totally. And, Charlotte isn't done yet, so maybe they'll replace the offense-running portion of Ball, somehow? 

I think at the very least, this deal indicates they're super all in on Knueppel.

[Smitty]

@JakeLFischer
The Raptors and Clippers have held real trade conversations this weekend on sending Kawhi Leonard back to Toronto, according to the league sources.


In discussions with the Clippers, sources say Toronto has expressed a preference in dealing Brandon Ingram to Los Angeles, as opposed to RJ Barrett.

[Smitty]

The Warriors are expected to pursue Collin Sexton and Anfernee Simons, per @TheSteinLine & @JakeLFischer

“League sources say that the Warriors, though, are planning to register interest in various other free agents while waiting to see how James' highly anticipated free agency plays out. Sources say that Golden State is among the teams expected to pursue veteran big man Jock Landale in addition to scoring guards such as Anfernee Simons and Collin Sexton.”

[KillerLeft]

@JakeLFischer
The Raptors and Clippers have held real trade conversations this weekend on sending Kawhi Leonard back to Toronto, according to the league sources.


In discussions with the Clippers, sources say Toronto has expressed a preference in dealing Brandon Ingram to Los Angeles, as opposed to RJ Barrett. 

Man, every day I'm further reminded that guaranteed money is basically the primary motivating factor in the vast majority of these deals.

[Dirknows]

Yeah they are going to move for Brown. Gives Brown his own team, where he is the clear undisputed #1. Boston get a center in Reid, another shooter in Allen. Question is would they move for Kyrie into the TPE to go win now NOW or take their time around Brown. Steinbach and Anderson would be a mental return.

I mean Brown will be 30 in October, so there is some urgency to win with him sooner than later.