Free Agent, Trade, Buyout, Extension & Conversion Thread, 2025 con't

[djFan71]

Pretty sure you guys have come up with every trade idea already but this is one I heard on one of the Athletic podcasts. I quite like it if you're just looking to dump Holiday without attaching any assets -- Holiday for Gafford + PJ Washington. Would make more sense if we also trade KP for more $$ savings. Both are expiring on decent money. C's can trade either at the deadline if they want to get off more money or extend either/both (both are just 27 yo next season). Mavs prioritize defense or so they say. Holiday can play PG while they wait for Kyrie and can easily play alongside Kyrie once he comes back. They have a surplus of bigs and a need for lead guards.

Yeah, Jrue to Dallas is the OG trade. Been scores of variations of it kicking around. Makes a lot of sense. Even Dallas t&t guys come up with versions. Skewed more in their favor (Klay instead of one of those 2), but the basis is there.

[djFan71]

Man, somebody stop me. I’m talking myself into Jalen Green. Needs some development still, obviously, but he can score and attack the rim. His flaws can be improved. Buy low candidate now. If it doesn’t work out in 2 years, you have a flippable salary.

JB and Jrue could net you Green, 10, Eason, PJ Washington and the better of HOU 27 picks. And save $32M next year (before pick $). Using Nets as 4th team taking contracts and Reed Sheppard.

White, Green, PJ, Al, Luke
PP, Baylor, Sam, Eason, Queta
Picks, Walsh

Send out KP for Nurk, Okogie or other deal for more savings. Or not. You’ve saved a ton already

[cl2117]

I hate myself for it but I keep coming back to a three way swap between the C's, Philly and the Bucks where we end up with Dame and #3.

PG goes to the Bucks to give Giannis someone who can actually play next season and Philly just says **** it and puts all their eggs in the Embiid basket rather than rolling the dice on #3. Sixers also get off the abhorrent Paul George deal which Milwaukee takes on only because they've got a similar amount of guaranteed dead money for next year sitting on their bench in Lillard.

C's draft at #3 and hope to land Tatum's next running mate. Trade Jrue/KP in deals to get below the tax (possibly looped into the MIL/PHI swap above) and take the yer off playing the kids while tanking their way to another top 5-10 pick. Come back with a healthy Tatum and expiring Lillard plus White, Pritchard, Hauser and a whole host of kids you'll have had a year to take a look at (and one blue chip rookie). Cap sheet would be reset and feels like 1-2 big moves gets you back to the ECF.

I know it's super unrealistic but those three $50m contracts plus the injuries and circumstances facing each team just feels like the perfect storm.

[Larry_Russell]

I hate myself for it but I keep coming back to a three way swap between the C's, Philly and the Bucks where we end up with Dame and #3.

PG goes to the Bucks to give Giannis someone who can actually play next season and Philly just says **** it and puts all their eggs in the Embiid basket rather than rolling the dice on #3. Sixers also get off the abhorrent Paul George deal which Milwaukee takes on only because they've got a similar amount of guaranteed dead money for next year sitting on their bench in Lillard.

C's draft at #3 and hope to land Tatum's next running mate. Trade Jrue/KP in deals to get below the tax (possibly looped into the MIL/PHI swap above) and take the yer off playing the kids while tanking their way to another top 5-10 pick. Come back with a healthy Tatum and expiring Lillard plus White, Pritchard, Hauser and a whole host of kids you'll have had a year to take a look at (and one blue chip rookie). Cap sheet would be reset and feels like 1-2 big moves gets you back to the ECF.

I know it's super unrealistic but those three $50m contracts plus the injuries and circumstances facing each team just feels like the perfect storm.

Would be funny to get another #3 pick from Philly. lol

[Larry_Russell]

Kristaps and Tillman to Charlotte with a 2nd from Boston

Jrue Holiday and Josh Okogie to Dallas

Daniel Gafford and Caleb Martin to the Lakers

Josh Green, Jared Vanderbilt, Naji Marshall, Mark Williams and Dalton Knect to Boston with a 2026 1st from the Lakers.


Charlotte
Ball
#4
Miller
Bridges
Kristaps/Nurkic

Dallas
Kyrie
Jrue
Flagg
Davis
Lively

Lakers
Luka
Reeves
Lebron
Hachimura
Gafford

Celtics
White/Pritchard/????
Knect/Green/Scheierman
Brown/Marshall/Walsh
Vanderbilt/Hauser/????
Williams/Kornet/Queta

Tatum comes back and if needed we address the center position after a year of using Williams and Kornet to test it out. Have Celtics pick and the lakers 1sts in 2026 offseason to bolster.

[Larry_Russell]

White to Philly
Drummond and Gordon and Thompson and 2 boston 2nds to Brooklyn
Jaylen brown and #3 to Dallas

#1, Washington, Gafford, Marshall, Oubre Jr and McCain to Boston

Jrue/Pritchard
McCain/Scheierman
Washington/Marshall/Hauser
Flagg/Oubre
Kristaps/Gafford/Kornet

[phincsfan]

Kristaps and Tillman to Charlotte with a 2nd from Boston

Jrue Holiday and Josh Okogie to Dallas

Daniel Gafford and Caleb Martin to the Lakers

Josh Green, Jared Vanderbilt, Naji Marshall, Mark Williams and Dalton Knect to Boston with a 2026 1st from the Lakers.


Charlotte
Ball
#4
Miller
Bridges
Kristaps/Nurkic

Dallas
Kyrie
Jrue
Flagg
Davis
Lively

Lakers
Luka
Reeves
Lebron
Hachimura
Gafford

Celtics
White/Pritchard/????
Knect/Green/Scheierman
Brown/Marshall/Walsh
Vanderbilt/Hauser/????
Williams/Kornet/Queta

Tatum comes back and if needed we address the center position after a year of using Williams and Kornet to test it out. Have Celtics pick and the lakers 1sts in 2026 offseason to bolster.

Doesn't work as a pre-draft trade or post draft trade for LA or the Mavs. They're both over the allowed return by 7+mil and 8+mil

[phincsfan]

A couple of draft day trades but in this order:

C's, Bulls, Heat, Clips

C's get Vucevic, Dunn, Batum

Bulls get Herro

Heat get Bogdanovic, Carter (little side note, Heat favorite Dragic once called Bogdanovic the NBA's most underrated Euro player)

Clips get Jrue #28

Bulls 25/26 starting 5 - Collins-Williams-Buzelis-Herro-White

Heat 25/26 starting 5 - Ware-Bam-Wiggins-Bogdanovic-Mitchell

Clips 25/26 starting 5 - Zubac-Kawhi-Powell-Jrue-Harden

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

C's, Nets, Pistons, Grizz

C's get Aldama, Simone, Whitehead

Nets get Morant future 1st's from Pistons

Pistons get Cam Johnson, Clowney

Grizz get Porzingis, Stewart, Keon Johnson, #8

Pistons 25/26 starting 5 - Duren-Harris-Cam-Ausar-Cade

Grizz 25/26 starting 5 - Edey-KP-JJJ-Bane-Pippen Jr

----------------------------------------

Trade Tillman and payroll is down to 207mil for 25/26 season

The payroll in 26/27 minus Jrue is down to 164mil. Dunn and Whiteheads contracts are team options so turn them down. Sign Aldama to a contract to fill the PF/C spot for the next few years. IMO, he's a safer bet then the 28th pick.


C's roster for 25/26


Vucevic-Aldama-JB-White-Pritchard
Neems-Batum-Sam-Rico-Dunn
Whitehead-Fontecchio-Peterson-Norris

2way the 32nd pick

Go into 26/27 season with JT-JB-White-Sam-PP-Aldama-Rico-Neems-Peterson and they still have all their picks for the 26' draft.

Just saying....

Get under the apron, White and JB stay, lots of room in 26/27, get Aldama who is young and has been productive and keep #32 (maybe Broome to fill in the frontcourt)

all that for

#28 and a season with Vucevic, Batum, Dunn and Fontecchio (who are all expiring or team options)

I think all the teams involved make out pretty well

This trade works financially and White is still around for when his best bud JT comes back

Living in Florida and listening to Miami sports radio (Big O, Tobin), the Heat would love to move Herro.

[Gant]

With the CBA effectively capping how much you can spend on a roster on an ongoing basis, it makes it hard to have two max salary players since max guy #2 takes money from players 3 through 14/15. You either end up having to cut second tier salaries, or you need to have only one max player. It's a tough but inevitable choice.

I'm not advocating trading anyone in particular. Figuring a way through this thicket is a job for Mike Zarren and Brad Stevens. No one is off the table though, except Tatum as dealing him is not feasible. The front office brains have to be exploring all possibilities.

[Celts17Pride]

I don't like Jalen Green at all. Fool's Gold.

[phincsfan]

I'm doing everything I can to get Morant in Brooklyn. Fulton St would have t-shirts flying off the rack with him giving the pow pow sign.

The nonsense talk that 4 or 5 team trades won't happen is absolutely crazy. This CBA is making it that multiple team trades will be the norm.
Jimmy's trade was a 5 teamer. It just takes creativity.

5 Team Trade !! Lots of players moving

C's, Nets, Nuggets, Grizz and Magic

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*********C's get Aldama, Saric, Clowney and Whitehead

*********Nets get Morant and Sam (They're still over by 500K but that can be handled)

Nets Starting 5 Claxton-Rookie-Sam-Thomas-Morant

********Nuggets get Porzingis, Goga, Harris and Clarke (Nuggets are over by about 450K so I'm sure they can handle that part)

Nuggets Starting 5 Joker-KP-Gordon-Braun-Murray (A Joker and KP combo would be crazy if healthy)

*******Magic get Konchar, Nnaji, Tyrese Martin

Same as last year. Konchar and Nnaji are depth pieces

********Grizz get Cam Johnson, Porter III, Russ and Keon Johnson

Grizz Starting 5 Edey-JJJ-Cam Johnson-Bane-Pippen

C's payroll for 25/26 is down to 208mil

Saric is a player option but he can fill a role as a depth big.

Whitehead and Clowney have team options in 26/27 so they can be moved after this season.

Aldama can be given a contract after this season.

Trade Tillman and comfortably get under the 2nd apron

Keep #28 and #32 and maybe bring back Luke

Neems-Aldama-JB-Jrue-White
Clowney-Luke- Rookie big-PP-Rico-Peterson-Whitehead-JD-Norris

If there's a year to give Neems a chance to start it's this year.

[GoCeltics123]

I like the Jrue to Dallas one but the issue is that it puts Dallas in the second apron, so they'd have to be willing to do that.

I still think the most likely Jrue trade is to Sacramento for Demar, because they want to get rid of Demar and he has a partially guranteed last year

[djFan71]

I don't like Jalen Green at all. Fool's Gold.

Yeah, in my head I know that. But then it’s all shiny and stuff.

I’d have to watch more before fully endorsing the idea. Probably a little optimistic that he’s got that much growth ahead still. But I don’t write him off for bad playoff outing his first go at it. We don’t need him to be a 1a like Houston did, but we do need him to play smarter and better on D.

[Larry_Russell]

I don't like Jalen Green at all. Fool's Gold.

Yeah, in my head I know that. But then it’s all shiny and stuff.

I’d have to watch more before fully endorsing the idea. Probably a little optimistic that he’s got that much growth ahead still. But I don’t write him off for bad playoff outing his first go at it. We don’t need him to be a 1a like Houston did, but we do need him to play smarter and better on D.

I am all in on Naji Marshall. Can see him becoming a Boris Diaw type of player.

Think he has the tools to be an all league defender, big enough to take pressure off Tatum defensively, Shot is looking better, but plays a smart game with advanced playmaking and advanced finishing at the rim.

[djFan71]

I don't like Jalen Green at all. Fool's Gold.

Yeah, in my head I know that. But then it’s all shiny and stuff.

I’d have to watch more before fully endorsing the idea. Probably a little optimistic that he’s got that much growth ahead still. But I don’t write him off for bad playoff outing his first go at it. We don’t need him to be a 1a like Houston did, but we do need him to play smarter and better on D.

I am all in on Naji Marshall. Can see him becoming a Boris Diaw type of player.

Think he has the tools to be an all league defender, big enough to take pressure off Tatum defensively, Shot is looking better, but plays a smart game with advanced playmaking and advanced finishing at the rim.

Agreed . He’d be a nice get in a Jrue trade. Dallas may or may not prefer that to PJ. Just makes the money harder. Need to add OMP in addition to Powell. So, I guess not that hard, lol.

[Larry_Russell]

To Houston
Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday and Celtics 1st 2025 and a future 2nd
(out: Green, #10, FVV, Eason)

To Charlotte
Jalen Green, Neemias Queta and #10
(out: #4, Mark Williams, Josh Green and Josh Okogie)

To Boston
#4, Tari Eason, Mark Williams, Josh Green, Josh Okogie, FVV(Dont pick up option)
Sheds over 50 million in salary

#4 Tre Johnson
Resign Horford as a vet mentor and only give him 10 mins per game, save him for playoffs.
Sign a deep bench PG vet min

White/Pritchard/Vet pg
Johnson/Sheierman/Green
Brown/Okogie/Walsh
Eason/Hauser/Horford
Kristaps/Williams/Kornet

[Larry_Russell]

Yeah, in my head I know that. But then it’s all shiny and stuff.

I’d have to watch more before fully endorsing the idea. Probably a little optimistic that he’s got that much growth ahead still. But I don’t write him off for bad playoff outing his first go at it. We don’t need him to be a 1a like Houston did, but we do need him to play smarter and better on D.

I am all in on Naji Marshall. Can see him becoming a Boris Diaw type of player.

Think he has the tools to be an all league defender, big enough to take pressure off Tatum defensively, Shot is looking better, but plays a smart game with advanced playmaking and advanced finishing at the rim.

Agreed . He’d be a nice get in a Jrue trade. Dallas may or may not prefer that to PJ. Just makes the money harder. Need to add OMP in addition to Powell. So, I guess not that hard, lol.

Gafford, Nanji, Christie works too.

[phincsfan]

I'm doing everything I can to get Morant in Brooklyn. Fulton St would have t-shirts flying off the rack with him giving the pow pow sign.

The nonsense talk that 4 or 5 team trades won't happen is absolutely crazy. This CBA is making it that multiple team trades will be the norm.
Jimmy's trade was a 5 teamer. It just takes creativity.

5 Team Trade !! Lots of players moving

C's, Nets, Nuggets, Grizz and Magic

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*********C's get Aldama, Saric, Clowney and Whitehead

*********Nets get Morant and Sam (They're still over by 500K but that can be handled)

Nets Starting 5 Claxton-Rookie-Sam-Thomas-Morant

********Nuggets get Porzingis, Goga, Harris and Clarke (Nuggets are over by about 450K so I'm sure they can handle that part)

Nuggets Starting 5 Joker-KP-Gordon-Braun-Murray (A Joker and KP combo would be crazy if healthy)

*******Magic get Konchar, Nnaji, Tyrese Martin

Same as last year. Konchar and Nnaji are depth pieces

********Grizz get Cam Johnson, Porter III, Russ and Keon Johnson

Grizz Starting 5 Edey-JJJ-Cam Johnson-Bane-Pippen

C's payroll for 25/26 is down to 208mil

Saric is a player option but he can fill a role as a depth big.

Whitehead and Clowney have team options in 26/27 so they can be moved after this season.

Aldama can be given a contract after this season.

Trade Tillman and comfortably get under the 2nd apron

Keep #28 and #32 and maybe bring back Luke

Neems-Aldama-JB-Jrue-White
Clowney-Luke- Rookie big-PP-Rico-Peterson-Whitehead-JD-Norris

If there's a year to give Neems a chance to start it's this year.

You're really stuck on getting Morant in Brooklyn and Aldama in Boston.

[djFan71]

I am all in on Naji Marshall. Can see him becoming a Boris Diaw type of player.

Think he has the tools to be an all league defender, big enough to take pressure off Tatum defensively, Shot is looking better, but plays a smart game with advanced playmaking and advanced finishing at the rim.

Agreed . He’d be a nice get in a Jrue trade. Dallas may or may not prefer that to PJ. Just makes the money harder. Need to add OMP in addition to Powell. So, I guess not that hard, lol.

Gafford, Nanji, Christie works too.

Christie would be hilarious after they pumped him up as a valuable piece of the Luka trade.

[phincsfan]

I'm doing everything I can to get Morant in Brooklyn. Fulton St would have t-shirts flying off the rack with him giving the pow pow sign.

The nonsense talk that 4 or 5 team trades won't happen is absolutely crazy. This CBA is making it that multiple team trades will be the norm.
Jimmy's trade was a 5 teamer. It just takes creativity.

5 Team Trade !! Lots of players moving

C's, Nets, Nuggets, Grizz and Magic

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*********C's get Aldama, Saric, Clowney and Whitehead

*********Nets get Morant and Sam (They're still over by 500K but that can be handled)

Nets Starting 5 Claxton-Rookie-Sam-Thomas-Morant

********Nuggets get Porzingis, Goga, Harris and Clarke (Nuggets are over by about 450K so I'm sure they can handle that part)

Nuggets Starting 5 Joker-KP-Gordon-Braun-Murray (A Joker and KP combo would be crazy if healthy)

*******Magic get Konchar, Nnaji, Tyrese Martin

Same as last year. Konchar and Nnaji are depth pieces

********Grizz get Cam Johnson, Porter III, Russ and Keon Johnson

Grizz Starting 5 Edey-JJJ-Cam Johnson-Bane-Pippen

C's payroll for 25/26 is down to 208mil

Saric is a player option but he can fill a role as a depth big.

Whitehead and Clowney have team options in 26/27 so they can be moved after this season.

Aldama can be given a contract after this season.

Trade Tillman and comfortably get under the 2nd apron

Keep #28 and #32 and maybe bring back Luke

Neems-Aldama-JB-Jrue-White
Clowney-Luke- Rookie big-PP-Rico-Peterson-Whitehead-JD-Norris

If there's a year to give Neems a chance to start it's this year.

You're really stuck on getting Morant in Brooklyn and Aldama in Boston.

Yup and I'm trying to avoid attaching a pick with KP.

Cam Johnson is a good pick up for the Grizz also.

All the teams payroll work out also