Trade & Free Agency 2026/2027

[SleepingHero]

Also...is it just me, or is this the worst first day of free agency EVER??!

Debates on fair extension prices for Christie and Marshall weren't on my bingo card for the first 24 hours of this thing.

Fair. But it's been a little entertaining watching the Lakers impactful guys leave one after the other. 

They seem to be on the Kessler or bust train, which will tie their cap up for 3 days. Hopefully UTA matches.

[cow]

Also...is it just me, or is this the worst first day of free agency EVER??!

Debates on fair extension prices for Christie and Marshall weren't on my bingo card for the first 24 hours of this thing.

The bad news is we aren't getting a Grimes reunion.  The good news is we aren't getting a THJ reunion.

[Reunion Mav]

I have no doubt this is the worst ever and I blame LeBron. He is still a hated Laker to me.

[KillerLeft]

Fair. But it's been a little entertaining watching the Lakers impactful guys leave one after the other. 

They seem to be on the Kessler or bust train, which will tie their cap up for 3 days. Hopefully UTA matches.

Honestly...no tongue in cheek here, whatsoever...I'm not sure which is worse for the Lakers, UTA matching or UTA letting him go. 

$35 million per???!!

[Moviemavguy]

Also...is it just me, or is this the worst first day of free agency EVER??!

Debates on fair extension prices for Christie and Marshall weren't on my bingo card for the first 24 hours of this thing.

Reminds me of the Donnie Nelson days...

[Torielp10]

Robert Canfield (@RobbyCan81)
Report: Pistons will match any offer

Reality: There will be no offers

Also: Duren doesnt want the Pistons offer because he wants the Kings offer but they have no cap space

Conclusion: take the Pistons offer or sign the qualifying

Forgive me if this is a dumb question but what stops a free agent that doesn’t want team to match offer to talk to team two about a 1 +1 player option deal. If first team matches they risk losing you for nothing after a year, then you can sign with the team that you wanted in the first place. The player option in year two protects you if you have a bad season or get injured.

[SleepingHero]

Honestly...no tongue in cheek here, whatsoever...I'm not sure which is worse for the Lakers, UTA matching or UTA letting him go. 

$35 million per???!!

Its a lot of money, but Kessler fits a Luka type center to a T. Plus he's a fantastic versatile defender. If there was any team you'd want to overpay to get a high quality rim rolling defensive center, its a Luka one.

But that does essentially cap them out. I'm not sure how good a Luka+Reaves+Kessler trio gets you in this west.

[SleepingHero]

Forgive me if this is a dumb question but what stops a free agent that doesn’t want team to match offer to talk to team two about a 1 +1 player option deal. If first team matches they risk losing you for nothing after a year, then you can sign with the team that you wanted in the first place. The player option in year two protects you if you have a bad season or get injured.

I believe an "offer sheet" (which is the type of contract that is given to a restricted free agent), must be at least 2 guaranteed years. So a 1+1 isn't legal for an RFA.

But a 1+1 is also incredibly risky for a player. If they have a bad year and/or injured, it significantly hurts their chances at a big contract. Might as well sign for as big of a deal as you can as early as you can, so that you can fully maximize your earnings.

The only players that really ever successfully utilized a 1+1 type of deal are Lebron and KD.

[KillerLeft]

Its a lot of money, but Kessler fits a Luka type center to a T. Plus he's a fantastic versatile defender. If there was any team you'd want to overpay to get a high quality rim rolling defensive center, its a Luka one.

But that does essentially cap them out. I'm not sure how good a Luka+Reaves+Kessler trio gets you in this west.

I guess I might be underestimating Kessler a bit. Is he athletic enough? I mean, I get that he's versatile on offense, but is he able to match the vertical spacing of rookie Lively and Gafford during the finals year?

[FireNicoHarrison]

If the Mavs do keep Max and Naji, both extension eligible… what do we think their market value is?

Max: 4/$72m ?
Naji: 4/$60m ?

More? Less?

Overpaid role players is the worst move to start his era for Masai.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

NBACentral: The Lakers are expected to land Sandro Mamukelashvili and Quentin Grimes, per @JakeLFischer "The whole league is operating as if Mamu and Quentin Grimes are done there" (h/t @hmfaigen )

x.com

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Non-taxpayer's mid-level exception: 2026-27: $15,044,000 2027-28: $15,796,200 2028-29: $16,548,400 2029-30: $17,300,600 Total: $64,689,200 Taxpayer's mid-level exception: 2026-27: $6,064,000 2027-28: $6,367,200 Total: $12,431,200 Exhibit 10 bonuses jumping to $91,000, guys who sign E-10s, get cut and then play that season with their affiliate G League team for at least 60 days, will now earn $136,000. Not a bad salary to play in the G League.
Yossi Gozlan: 2026-27 salary cap figures: Salary cap: $164,961,000 Luxury tax: $200,428,000 First apron: $209,015,000 Second apron: $221,686,000 Salary floor: $148,465,000 Non-taxpayer mid-level: $15,044,000 Room mid-level: $9,366,999 Taxpayer mid-level: $6,064,000 25% max: $41,240,000 30% max: $49,488,300 35% max: $57,736,350

x.com

[HoosierDaddyKid]

Lakers free agent Rui Hachimura, Clippers free agent John Collins and Pistons free agent Tobias Harris are also known to be on San Antonio's list. Hachimura, for that matter, is also believed to still be drawing interest from Brooklyn and Detroit and is regarded as increasingly likely to join James. Smart and Phoenix-bound Luke Kennard out the exit door in Lakerland.

marcstein.substack.com

[Smitty]

@ShamsCharania
Free agent guard Marcus Smart has agreed on a two-year, $13 million deal with the Houston Rockets, plus a player option for the second season, sources tell ESPN. The former Defensive Player of the Year reunites with Ime Udoka for significant opportunity in the Rockets backcourt.

[Smitty]

@KeithSmithNBA
After talking with front office execs around the league today, here are some general themes around the somewhat slow start to NBA free agency this year:

-A lot has already happened
-A lot of players agreed to re-sign/extend before FA opened
-It's a weaker FA class, with some of the best being restricted
-Big moves are going to come via sign-and-trade

[Smitty]

@OfficialDomNBA
Free Agency Moves Today

Kawhi Leonard (trade) LAC - TOR
Luke Kennard LAL - PHX
Brandon Ingram (trade) TOR - LAC
Gradey Dick (trade) TOR - LAC
Bogdan Bogdanovic LAC - HOU
Dean Wade CLE - PHI
Tim Hardaway Jr DEN - MIA
Bones Hyland MIN - MIN
Kobe Sanders LAC - LAC
Keon Ellis CLE - BKN
Ousmane Dieng MIL - MIL
Branden Carlson OKC - POR
Robert Williams III POR - POR
Zach Collins CHI - CHI
DeAndre Jordan NO - NO

[Mapka]

The bad news is we aren't getting a Grimes reunion.  The good news is we aren't getting a THJ reunion.

Is it crazy I'd prefer THJ on a 1y-min than Grimes at 30mio/2y.

[Chicagojk]

@ShamsCharania
Free agent guard Marcus Smart has agreed on a two-year, $13 million deal with the Houston Rockets, plus a player option for the second season, sources tell ESPN. The former Defensive Player of the Year reunites with Ime Udoka for significant opportunity in the Rockets backcourt.

When I saw that Houston had interest I thought it would be an overpay but that is completely reasonable for a good but flawed player.  Sort of odd fit in Houston though but at that number worth the risk.

Maybe Grimes (and Carr) took the Smart minutes.  Grimes is the better player, I think.  Smart at his best can impact games more imo.

Lakers seem to be going hard at Kessler and Duren while both of their teams say they will match any offer.  Either someone is lying or it is a road to nowhere

[Smitty]

Is it crazy I'd prefer THJ on a 1y-min than Grimes at 30mio/2y.

I probably would also, but that's not what's been reported. THJ was 1/$6.5m and Quentin Grimes is reportedly expected to sign a contract in the $10 million per year range, per Jake Fischer.

[Chicagojk]

I know there is limited cap space teams but I wonder if a team targets Eason. Rockets want him back. Maybe he wants to go back. Rockets have a logjam in the front court and maybe he wants a cleaner picture for minutes? It is risky though Eason has been injured often and didn’t shoot well last year.

I wonder if he could be a target if they miss out on the two restricted center? Robinson and Eason (with Grimes and Mamu)