2025-26 Season: Draft, Trades, and FA Ideas Thread V1.0

[Morris_Shatford]

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Continued from:
viewtopic.php?f=32&t=2429155&start=2000

[LoveMyRaps]

Wishlist:
- Cam Spencer (Replacement for Walter and Ochai)
- Moussa Diabaté (perfect backup big for this team)
- Isaiah Jackson (another backup big option)
- Keon Ellis (3&D role player)
- Royce O'Neale (3&D role player)

[Psubs]

Ochai and Temple

For

Mike Conley Jr and Leonard Miller

[CazOnReal]

Raps need a more consistent wing shooter/defender.

Herb Jones (possibly and Matkovic) for Ochai/Gradey/Battle and a future 2nd

Why for the pels? Three shooters for the price of one. Two can be re-signed at a minimal price. They should probably consider moving Zion and going full youth movement. Gradey (on a rookie scale) would look great for them, especially longer term.

Why for the raps? Cost controlled depth and defensive acumen that can either start or be the first off the bench. Consolidation trade.

Raps Roster:

PG IQ/Shead
SG RJ/Jakobe
SF BI/Jones
PF Scottie/CMB
C Jak/Mamu

I know Herb's had a not great season but be serious.

You're not getting Herb for this package.

[MessiahUjiri]

Wishlist:
- Cam Spencer (Replacement for Walter and Ochai)
- Moussa Diabaté (perfect backup big for this team)
- Isaiah Jackson (another backup big option)
- Keon Ellis (3&D role player)
- Royce O'Neale (3&D role player)

I think we gotta call the Hornets


Moussa Diabate (backup C)
Tre Mann (backup PG)


Might even offer our top 18 protected first, IDK.

[LoveMyRaps]

Wishlist:
- Cam Spencer (Replacement for Walter and Ochai)
- Moussa Diabaté (perfect backup big for this team)
- Isaiah Jackson (another backup big option)
- Keon Ellis (3&D role player)
- Royce O'Neale (3&D role player)

I think we gotta call the Hornets


Moussa Diabate (backup C)
Tre Mann (backup PG)


Might even offer our top 18 protected first, IDK.

I was a big time Tre fan, back in his OKC days.
And I still think he has some upside, but mannnn I saw his advanced metrics the other day and got scared off.

Let's just settle with Diabaté

[dballislife]

of course guys like herb jones and derrick jones jr would be great off our bench for defense, the length size and solid 3 ball is needed...but clips and pelicans dont have their picks and cant tank the season...but these types should be our target and will balance ingram rj and quickley perfectly

[Jerry Lucas]

Still think this is the move after December 14.

I only put the salary filler for simplicity, but I'm aware some level of draft capital would have to go to the Kings.

[StopitLeo]

I think centre help is the biggest need. Our contracts make matching salaries difficult. Probably need to trade IQ in most cases, which is fine with me.

The Mavs aren't going anywhere so maybe something around Gafford and Klay for Quickley? Gives Dallas scoring help to take some pressure off Flagg. Also provides insurance in the backcourt with Kyrie's future being unclear. Gafford's game is very similar to Jak's so it is an easy fit stylistically. Klay can provide vet/championship experience and hopefully some shooting off the bench.

I'd love to make Zubac and Derrick Jones Jr. work but the money is tough to match. It feels like the Clippers are still delusional that they can actually contend so picks probably don't get it done even though they have none.

[Morris_Shatford]

At this point, I can't see the Raps making a deal that is going to massively change the roster.
Locker Room seems very positive and I can't see them disrupting it significantly.

Dick, Walter, and Agbaji are three guys who we need to fill two spots;
So the small for big trade seems to be the most logical, I would imagine Agbaji's 6.4m out in exchange for the 4/5 equivalent of him making around 5m is the move.

[Mak]

Ochi + second round pick + cash to Utah/Brooklyn. He completely lost his confidence, Utah/Brooklyn could use him to help their tank. I don't know how we can get a player who can help us for Ochi right now unless we start including first round picks.

What other moves can we make to get under the tax? Can we waive Battle?

[Morris_Shatford]

Ochi + second round pick + cash to Utah/Brooklyn. He completely lost his confidence, Utah/Brooklyn could use him to help their tank. I don't know how we can get a player who can help us for Ochi right now unless we start including first round picks.

What other moves can we make to get under the tax? Can we waive Battle?

Battle's contract is incredibly good;
I wouldn't be in a rush to dump him solely for cap management.

Moving Abagji seems like the logical choice and moving him for a tersiary big seems like another logical choice.
The issue is that you have a finite amount of guys who are bigs who make less than Agbaji that get you under the apron that around in and around his age who you can get without having to add major sweetener and generally none of these guys are going to be needle movers they will just be another teams big version of Abagji.

The other team also has to have an interest and a need to take a flyer on a wing, without looking too far maybe guys like Isaiah Jackson, Day'Ron Sharpe, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl,Jaylin Williams, Hunter Tyson could be had?

[navyblue]

Ochi + second round pick + cash to Utah/Brooklyn. He completely lost his confidence, Utah/Brooklyn could use him to help their tank. I don't know how we can get a player who can help us for Ochi right now unless we start including first round picks.

What other moves can we make to get under the tax? Can we waive Battle?

temple and cash at the deadline to a team. we are barely over the tax
i rather keep ochai than use a 2nd to dump him. he showed he was a good player last year, not in a rush to just dump him.

[Merit]

Raps need a more consistent wing shooter/defender.

Herb Jones (possibly and Matkovic) for Ochai/Gradey/Battle and a future 2nd

Why for the pels? Three shooters for the price of one. Two can be re-signed at a minimal price. They should probably consider moving Zion and going full youth movement. Gradey (on a rookie scale) would look great for them, especially longer term.

Why for the raps? Cost controlled depth and defensive acumen that can either start or be the first off the bench. Consolidation trade.

Raps Roster:

PG IQ/Shead
SG RJ/Jakobe
SF BI/Jones
PF Scottie/CMB
C Jak/Mamu

I know Herb's had a not great season but be serious.

You're not getting Herb for this package.

You’re smoking too much herb. (No idea if you do, but yeah - this is obviously tongue in cheek). Now on to the real: If they can trade this year’s first for Derik Queen and trade for Jordan Poole I’m gonna have to agree to disagree. Heck they traded BI for a single first rounder.

IMO the only reason you’re saying what you’re saying is because Herb is on a value contract. You’re also underrating Gradey on a rookie scale and Battle as well. An argument can be made that NOP has too many middle of the road players on smaller contracts - but even then, they have the opportunity to aggregate and be a player in larger trades as well.

No idea if this happens, but I am comfortable with my valuation.

[Merit]

Iq, Gradey, Ochai, Jakobe, Temple, future first after this season for Giannis

[Psubs]

At this point, I can't see the Raps making a deal that is going to massively change the roster.
Locker Room seems very positive and I can't see them disrupting it significantly.

Dick, Walter, and Agbaji are three guys who we need to fill two spots;
So the small for big trade seems to be the most logical, I would imagine Agbaji's 6.4m out in exchange for the 4/5 equivalent of him making around 5m is the move.

Day'Ron Sharpe

[Son Goku 25]

Should we bring cp3 in for cheap?

[Spida888]

Should we bring cp3 in for cheap?

As a consultant so it doesn’t count towards the cap, I’d be down with that. Can help with Shead/IQ development.
Don’t see the FO signing any player that puts us deeper into the tax until we do a trade to get under it.

[MessiahUjiri]

Hawks could decide to go win now, with a Giannis trade offer. Here's the flip side of that situation: They decide to sell Trae and win later.

Per ESPN, Trae, Ja and Lamelo are in trade limbo. As ATL didn't offer to extend Trae (eligible: 4 yrs / $229M), he may leave in free agency.

Since we need better scoring, Trae is a pretty good buy. I assume Raps will do due diligence ahead of time and be willing to trade+extend him, which is the way we tend to get stars.


The trade:
Trae Young
for
Immanuel Quickley, Gradey Dick, TOR '26 1st, Ochai Agbaji


The Hawks will have 3 1st round picks in the coming draft (including a top 5).

The Raptors will now be:

Trae Young / Jamal Shead
RJ Barrett / Jakobe Walter
Brandon Ingram /
Scottie Barnes / Collin Murray Boyles
Jak Poeltl / Sandro Mamu

Follow up: Trade Mogbo/Battle/Temple/2nds for a playable bench and cap savings to duck the tax, as we'll be paying the tax next year.

They can win the East.

[CazOnReal]

Should we bring cp3 in for cheap?

F*ck it, we have a roster spot open. If Ed Rogers wants to give IQ and Shead a mentor for their PG rotation, get him on.

After this season? Consultation and/or coaching staff.

You’re smoking too much herb. (No idea if you do, but yeah - this is obviously tongue in cheek). Now on to the real: If they can trade this year’s first for Derik Queen and trade for Jordan Poole I’m gonna have to agree to disagree. Heck they traded BI for a single first rounder.

IMO the only reason you’re saying what you’re saying is because Herb is on a value contract. You’re also underrating Gradey on a rookie scale and Battle as well. An argument can be made that NOP has too many middle of the road players on smaller contracts - but even then, they have the opportunity to aggregate and be a player in larger trades as well.

No idea if this happens, but I am comfortable with my valuation.

Ingram went for as cheap as he did because of his injury history, him being expiring/in need of a new contract to the team he was traded to and his flaws as a player i.e. his defense. See also: Us not getting any 1sts for O.G. from the Knicks for similar reasons.

Herb is on one of the better contracts in the league, he's on that contract for the next 4-ish years, is a decent 3-point shooter and is one of the best defenders in the league. Call the Mikal Bridges an overpay but guys like that tend to go for several firsts and teams are oft willing to bite on that overpay.

A second is not cutting it. Be serious.