Free Agent/Trade/Waiver Thread, 2025-26, pt 3 – (Trade Deadline = Thurs, Feb. 5, 3pm, ET)

[Larry_Russell]

The Hawks are reportedly interested in AD. The Mavs desperately need a ball handler. Simons provides secondary ball handling allowing Flagg to keep developing his Point Forward skills. I would assume Okongwu would become expendable in a potential AD trade. Feel free to add pick(s) if you deem it necessary.

yes please

[Larry_Russell]

Celtics are not going anywhere in the playoffs without adding another quality center, with or without Tatum. Brad Stevens know this and it's probably his #1 priority. In the playoffs Duran/Stewart (Det) and Robinson/Towns (NY) would eat Luka Garza alive. I like Garza and he has had a real solid year but he is an emergency 3rd center in the playoffs.

That's what people used to say about Kornet and Queta.

You seriously can't believe Queta and Garza rotation is going to be acceptable in the playoffs. Come on now. Brad Stevens doesn't believe that.

I find Queta a slow center.

He doesnt really have exception lift and re jump ability and isnt overly quick up the floor.


Yet beside Garza he looks like Usain Bolt.

[jmr07019]

Not for nothing the Celtics won the title with a 37 year old Horford putting up 9 and 7 and Porzingis played 24 mpg in 7 games and gave us 12 and 4. Kornet played 10 mpg in 13 games during the title run. I'm not convinced that Stevens and Mazulla care all that much about the center position.

[Hal14]

Read on Twitter

Here's video of what Scal said

Scal is just gossiping here.

He says it is a real trade that's being discussed but doesn't say anything about an actual offer that was made by Boston or what the exact package was that was offered..

[Hal14]

The Hawks are reportedly interested in AD. The Mavs desperately need a ball handler. Simons provides secondary ball handling allowing Flagg to keep developing his Point Forward skills. I would assume Okongwu would become expendable in a potential AD trade. Feel free to add pick(s) if you deem it necessary.

I wouldn't assume that.

Hawks can play double bigs (Okongwu and AD together). Also, AD is old and injury prone. KP is getting old and is also injury prone. They can't count on those 2 bigs - especially long term so they will want to keep Okongwu so they have a big they can count on in both short term and long term.

Plus, Okongwu is signed for 2 more years after this season at very reasonable money. That's a contract you hang onto..not trade.

[brackdan70]

The Hawks are reportedly interested in AD. The Mavs desperately need a ball handler. Simons provides secondary ball handling allowing Flagg to keep developing his Point Forward skills. I would assume Okongwu would become expendable in a potential AD trade. Feel free to add pick(s) if you deem it necessary.

Yeah this is nice for the Celtics but why would ATL trade Okongwu and Zinger away?
I’d guess Dallas would want Okongwu over Simons and since they are giving up the value.

yes please

[mg]

Nice thought but ATL is not trading OO. He's their longest tenured player, signed to a decent contract and they will need him esp if they trade for injury prone AD.

[GreenBlooded]

If I were the Clippers, I'd want Queta back in any deal for Zubac.

[Celts17Pride]

If I were the Clippers, I'd want Queta back in any deal for Zubac.

Kind of defeats the purpose. Clippers really like Anfernee Simons.

[hugepatsfan]

I don't see Okongwu being on the block if ATL acquires AD. Historically, AD has always preferred to play the 4, so it's not like they don't need another center. Okongwu's added a 3 point shot to his arsenal this year which makes double big lineups more feasible with him and AD too.

They'd probably continue to start JJ at the 4, put AD in as the 5 and bring OO off the bench but still plenty of playing time. His contract is roughly MLE sized which is a fine price to pay for 25-30 minute bench player, especially backing up someone as injury prone as AD. ATL has JJ, Daniels and NAW on solid deals. Right now, before hypothetically acquiring AD, they're $75.3M under the tax next year. There's no need to clear salary if they acquire him.

Now, they do also have Gueye as a solid backup big and they took Asa Newell in the 1st this past year. I wouldn't say Okongwu would be a player they feel they have to keep at all costs, but I doubt he's someone they look to sell. They'd probably only move him if his contract was needed to match on a player they look to acquire after adding AD.

[hugepatsfan]

If I were the Clippers, I'd want Queta back in any deal for Zubac.

Simons, 2 1sts, Queta to LAC for Zubac

Scheierman, one of Tillman and a few of 2nds to BRK for Day'Ron Sharpe

White / Pritchard
Brown / Hugo
Walsh / Hauser
Tatum / Minott
Zubac / Sharpe

Fill in with a couple of buyout guys to join Garza/Boucher on the 3rd unit

Giving up Queta would hurt, but Zubac is really, really good.

Changing the whole center rotation and working Tatum back into the lineup might be an overwhelming amount of change for this year and undo a bunch of the chemistry, but that's a pretty strong 10-man rotation there once you get past that. The change might make it tough for a postseason push this year, but everyone in that rotation is signed for next year too. Would set up for a pretty strong roster, IMO.

[Hal14]

If I were the Clippers, I'd want Queta back in any deal for Zubac.

Exactly..that's something people aren't thinking about.

Clippers do this and their center depth chart is ancient Brook Lopez and a young project big who isn't ready for real minutes yet - the Yanic guy..

And Clippers are trying to win right now with a veteran team..they're not trading their center for our scraps..

[165bows]

Read on Twitter

Here's video of what Scal said

Hmm I’d say he’s rather how shall we put it, emphatic.

[165bows]

Claxton/Simons/picks to the Clips.

Zubac to Boston.

Scheierman, LAC crap and cap space to Brooklyn.

Hell send Scheierman to LAC too see if I care

[Hal14]

If I were the Clippers, I'd want Queta back in any deal for Zubac.

Simons, 2 1sts, Queta to LAC for Zubac

Scheierman, one of Tillman and a few of 2nds to BRK for Day'Ron Sharpe

White / Pritchard
Brown / Hugo
Walsh / Hauser
Tatum / Minott
Zubac / Sharpe

Fill in with a couple of buyout guys to join Garza/Boucher on the 3rd unit

Giving up Queta would hurt, but Zubac is really, really good.

Changing the whole center rotation and working Tatum back into the lineup might be an overwhelming amount of change for this year and undo a bunch of the chemistry, but that's a pretty strong 10-man rotation there once you get past that. The change might make it tough for a postseason push this year, but everyone in that rotation is signed for next year too. Would set up for a pretty strong roster, IMO.

Brad and Joe love shooting too much and value the center position too little to trade for 2 non-shooting bigs, while trading away arguably the best shooter on the team..

[BillessuR6]

Two first rounders for Zubac? That is ridiculous.

Zubac is a good player but in this CBA you do not trade two firsts for a role player.


Sent from my SM-A536B using RealGM mobile app

[hugepatsfan]

Two first rounders for Zubac? That is ridiculous.

Zubac is a good player but in this CBA you do not trade two firsts for a role player.


Sent from my SM-A536B using RealGM mobile app

https://nbarankings.theringer.com/

Not that these rankings should be taken as gospel but to serve as a reference point...

Derrick White - #42 ranked player
Ivica Zubac - #48 ranked player

I think you're selling Zubac short with the dismissive "role player" tag. Would you apply it to Derrick White? That's the caliber of player he is generally regarded as.

[hugepatsfan]

If I were the Clippers, I'd want Queta back in any deal for Zubac.

Simons, 2 1sts, Queta to LAC for Zubac

Scheierman, one of Tillman and a few of 2nds to BRK for Day'Ron Sharpe

White / Pritchard
Brown / Hugo
Walsh / Hauser
Tatum / Minott
Zubac / Sharpe

Fill in with a couple of buyout guys to join Garza/Boucher on the 3rd unit

Giving up Queta would hurt, but Zubac is really, really good.

Changing the whole center rotation and working Tatum back into the lineup might be an overwhelming amount of change for this year and undo a bunch of the chemistry, but that's a pretty strong 10-man rotation there once you get past that. The change might make it tough for a postseason push this year, but everyone in that rotation is signed for next year too. Would set up for a pretty strong roster, IMO.

Brad and Joe love shooting too much and value the center position too little to trade for 2 non-shooting bigs, while trading away arguably the best shooter on the team..

They reportedly tried to sign Sharpe and have been routinely linked to him in rumors. Even as a non-shooter, he clearly seems like someone they like and would have interest in. I get that Zubac is a non-shooter too, but they're currently having a ton of success with Queta as a non-shooter and Zubac is a REALLY GOOD player.

Simons has been playing well lately and I'm sure they'd hate to lose the shooting but you gotta send out pieces to get pieces back. You'd love to have a full 10 man rotation of guys who can all defend, handle the ball and shoot but that's not easy to have. The team we had a couple years ago was probably the closest you can get but that team could have never been assembled in today's 2nd apron world with all those trade restrictions.

When I look at that ensuing 10-man rotation, it's not perfect but I don't see any "weakness" either. Obviously I'd love more shooting, but I'd say that's a good shooting team. I'd love more ball handling but I'd say that team has multiple capable ball handlers. Rebounding is good. Defense is good across all positions with no one who can be played off the court. 2 guys who can average 30 there, another 3 that can average 15+ and all the guys beyond that are positive offensive players so you don't have unplayable offensive guys.

[BillessuR6]

Two first rounders for Zubac? That is ridiculous.

Zubac is a good player but in this CBA you do not trade two firsts for a role player.


Sent from my SM-A536B using RealGM mobile app

https://nbarankings.theringer.com/

Not that these rankings should be taken as gospel but to serve as a reference point...

Derrick White - #42 ranked player
Ivica Zubac - #48 ranked player

I think you're selling Zubac short with the dismissive "role player" tag. Would you apply it to Derrick White? That's the caliber of player he is generally regarded as.

These rankings have zero meaning.

Yes, we need a center upgrade but no sense in trading such assets when the move does not put you over the top.

Sent from my SM-A536B using RealGM mobile app

[hugepatsfan]

Two first rounders for Zubac? That is ridiculous.

Zubac is a good player but in this CBA you do not trade two firsts for a role player.


Sent from my SM-A536B using RealGM mobile app

https://nbarankings.theringer.com/

Not that these rankings should be taken as gospel but to serve as a reference point...

Derrick White - #42 ranked player
Ivica Zubac - #48 ranked player

I think you're selling Zubac short with the dismissive "role player" tag. Would you apply it to Derrick White? That's the caliber of player he is generally regarded as.

These rankings have zero meaning.

Yes, we need a center upgrade but no sense in trading such assets when the move does not put you over the top.

Sent from my SM-A536B using RealGM mobile app

Where do you think they're getting that center upgrade though? They can't offer any more than the MLE to anyone so signing gone probably isn't an option. We pick too late to realistically expect some stud center to fall into our lap - it's be a lottery ticket type of luck if one did.

And the rankings are reflective of the caliber player Zubac is regarded as. Would you trade Derrick White for a trade package equivalent to our 2026 and 2031 1sts, Simons' expiring salary and Queta? If I looked around and found a team with a comparable offer to make for White and posted it here y'all would spit up all over it and tell me what terrible value it was. So realistically, can you expect a team to trade someone as good or better for less than that offer.

You say we need a center upgrade, but how do you expect to acquire one? And what caliber of player do you think "puts us over the top"?