Are We Having Fun Yet? 
Captain Ballmer wrote:Time to sell Kawhi this summer when he's healthy.
The salary for the 2025-26 season became fully guaranteed on July 15, 2025. While he will earn a high salary in the following years ($42.17 million in 2026-27 and $44.89 million in 2027-28), those amounts are contingent on him meeting specific games played and weight/body fat thresholds in the preceding seasons.
og15 wrote:If it's not working with Zion on New Orleans, with his very stipulated contract:The salary for the 2025-26 season became fully guaranteed on July 15, 2025. While he will earn a high salary in the following years ($42.17 million in 2026-27 and $44.89 million in 2027-28), those amounts are contingent on him meeting specific games played and weight/body fat thresholds in the preceding seasons.
....that's a guy that I would attempt to do a swap for Kawhi, as I don't believe Zion's trade value is very high (though neither is Kawhi's)
I don't think Zion is better by any means, but that's a move that at least puts you in some higher hope direction, but you can escape from as needed and still keep the 2027 cap space.
Not sure how realistic any of that is, or if it even makes sense, but throwing it out there as a thought.
Captain Ballmer wrote:Can you even trade Kawhi with that investigation going on? Don't think NBA will allow it.
https://youtu.be/9JJ31AQ7i-U?t=1400
Contract Notes
2027-28: Player Option (deadline 6/29/27)
League executives and scouts believe the organization should explore trading the 32-year-old big as Dallas pivots to build around rookie Cooper Flagg following the dismissal of Nico Harrison.
Davis remains a dominant two-way player when healthy, though durability concerns cloud his trade value. Multiple league sources insist gauging the market represents necessary due diligence as Dallas' championship window appears to have closed.
"You don't go two timelines anymore," a West executive said. "You say, 'We're going to take what we can get [for Davis].' At this point, I'm not sure what they can get."
Davis has a player option for the 2027-28 season worth $62.8 million that his extension would be built off. Any team trading for Davis would certainly be doing so with the expectation of agreeing to an extension with him in the 2026 offseason.
The franchise must balance immediate competitiveness against long-term roster construction. Owner Patrick Dumont's approach to a potential rebuild remains unclear as the organization enters a transitional period.
Zach Lowe of The Ringer reported that rival teams are already having internal discussions on the trade value of Davis.
wco81 wrote:What is this 2027 plan?
wco81 wrote:What is this 2027 plan?
The only UFA who might sign with another team is Giannis, if he doesn't get traded next summer or in Feb 2027.
Jokic is expected to re-up with Denver next summer to fall.
Mitchell can be UFA but hmm, is he expected to shop for another team? I thought he favored the Knicks since that's his home but they'd have to get rid of salaries?
wco81 wrote:What is this 2027 plan?
The only UFA who might sign with another team is Giannis, if he doesn't get traded next summer or in Feb 2027.
Jokic is expected to re-up with Denver next summer to fall.
Mitchell can be UFA but hmm, is he expected to shop for another team? I thought he favored the Knicks since that's his home but they'd have to get rid of salaries?
Lakers might not have too much cap space to save with Luka on the roster and then likely re-signing Reaves.wco81 wrote:The Lakers are saving cap space for that year and so are a couple of other teams.
But really don't see more than one superstar who might change teams.
wco81 wrote:Another possibility could be Donovan Mitchell, who has a $53 million player option that he could decline and become a free agent in summer of 2027.
He will be almost 31 (birthday in early September).
Not a great 2-way player but one of the best scorers in the league.
If both Giannis and Mitchell hit the free agent market, that would be a boffo class.
When have there been two multiple All-NBA players still in their primes become UFAs in the same class? May never have happened before.
Roscoe Sheed wrote:I know that the last thing the Clippers need is even more bad publicity, but Malik Beasley is a great shooter who could help in a sorely lacking department. Just a thought.
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