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

[bballsparkin]

Want zero part of the Anthony Davis, Morant, Trae Young, Zion Williamson and JJJ deals they are not worth the sheer amount of pieces it would take. Anthony Davis is good when healthy but he looks overweight and you can't count on him to play 75% of the season.

Toronto needs RJ back bad and a defensive rebounding backup C or PF, I wonder how far off either Monk or Ellis are to Toronto? I would have done a RJ for LaVine swap but the money is impossible to cover unless your doing Quick plus RJ for Monk and LaVine

Next year is his contract year. He won't show up fat then. Keep the 2026 FRP.

JP, RJ or IQ. Gradey or JKW. And a top 8 protected 2027 FRP. I'd do it. Dallas likely wants more. Good luck to them on that.

Edit: perhaps a 2027 top 4 protected. make sure it conveys.

[Thaddy]

If the Bucks blow it up I'd go after Turner. We can give them some young pieces to build with.

RJ + Agbaji for Turner + distant future 2nds?

Turner / Poeltl
Barnes / CMB / Mamu
Ingram / Battle
IQ / Walter
Shead / Hepburn

I feel we get a lot better. IQ is a better SG than PG, we get needed POA defense and a similar degree of shooting and ball handling. Shead also attacks the paint at a decent rate.

The main selling point would be the additional shooting. We could play 5 out and remove any interior defense from getting in the way of Barnes or Ingram.

I love RJ but this is a trade we have to try out. It even makes CMB way more valuable and gives us a massive line up.

Poeltl
Turner
CMB
Ingram
Barnes

Transiton offense and defensive nightmare.

[Psubs]

Damn, I think Houston picked up Tyler Smith on a 2-way contract.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1802449797060073

[MiamiSPX]

How did that whole Dick-for-Lively trade suggestion come about anyway? Was that ever a rumor, or was it just something we tried to speak into existence?

Given the announcement yesterday, I wonder if Mavs are now open to trading him? After this season he will have played 30% of the possible games he could have.

[Lord_Zedd]

How did that whole Dick-for-Lively trade suggestion come about anyway? Was that ever a rumor, or was it just something we tried to speak into existence?

Given the announcement yesterday, I wonder if Mavs are now open to trading him? After this season he will have played 30% of the possible games he could have.

Think they'll want to see how he fares with a proper medical staff. One of Nico's other nefarious deeds was bringing in his own medical staff of yes men who made Lively play on a fractured foot for weeks. Same said staff who tried to force Luca through calf injuries, and Davis earlier in the season.

[MessiahUjiri]

Aside from a buy-low move for AD, Trae is the most obvious "high upside" move we can make. I would honestly prefer Trae to AD, given the next contracts coming up for both players and their injury history.

Trae is going to be an upcoming FA, and clearly the Hawks are a youth team with their upcoming high picks and recent high picks (Daniels, Zach etc).

Quickley+ Dick + '26 1st (+ Agbaji for salary).

Trae is the perfect Steph-like player that Scottie + CMB + Poeltl need. He draws gravity beyond the 3 point line, and also throws great lob passes.


Trae / Shead
RJ / Jakobe
Ingram /
Scottie / CMB
Poeltl / ? / Mamu

Need a backup big for the playoffs, and this could probably come out as Eastern Champs.

[anotherhomer]

Aside from a buy-low move for AD, Trae is the most obvious "high upside" move we can make. I would honestly prefer Trae to AD, given the next contracts coming up for both players and their injury history.

Trae is going to be an upcoming FA, and clearly the Hawks are a youth team with their upcoming high picks and recent high picks (Daniels, Zach etc).

Quickley+ Dick + '26 1st (+ Agbaji for salary).

Trae is the perfect Steph-like player that Scottie + CMB + Poeltl need. He draws gravity beyond the 3 point line, and also throws great lob passes.


Trae / Shead
RJ / Jakobe
Ingram /
Scottie / CMB
Poeltl / ? / Mamu

Need a backup big for the playoffs, and this could probably come out as Eastern Champs.

i guess i have to agree....if this team isn't going anywhere, you may as well do a buy-low move for Trae or AD....Trae makes more sense

[TGM]

Raps need to be strategic with their roster.

Biggest needs are:

Interior dominant scorer and rebounding presence

Defensive wing with size and 3 ball ability.

Depth at C.

Players that are available:

Giannis
Maybe Towns if Giannis goes to Knicks
Davis
Bam ir Wiggins if Giannis goes to Heat
Sabonis
Herb Jones
Trey Murphy
Ja
Trae

Bam is probably the best fit, but big if for the Heat moving him and only chance would be if bucks didn’t want Bam and re-route him to Raps for younger players and draft capital.

Towns is another strong fit giving his 3pt shooting, inside outside offensive game and rebounding.

I think in any scenario outside of Giannis we should cap picks drafted to two firsts. Anyone not named Barnes or Ingram should be made available. Injury risk future contracts are all considerations.

Trade scenarios

Assuming Giannis goes to Knicks, probably for Towns and Hart, Robinson, McBride and three swaps. Raps send Jakob, RJ, Grady, Ochai and 2 firsts out.

Knicks get Giannis and Jakob and Ochai.

Bucks get RJ, Hart, McBride and Gradey. 2 firsts and 3 fist swaps.

Raps get Towns, Robinson.

Alternative deal would be

Raps send RJ, Jakob and Gradey plus 2 firsts for Monk and Sabonis.

Another one could be raps send IQ, Dick, Ochai and Jakob for Sabonis, Carter and Monk. Raps then send RJ and one first to Bulls for White and Collins.

White is a FA but Raps would have bird rights and high chance of resigning him.

Raps

White- Shead - Carter
Monk - Walter
Ingram - CMB - Battle
Barnes - Sandro - Mogbo
Sabonis - Collins

[Tripod]

Bulls are 6-1 without White this year
3-13 with him in lineup.

Coincidence or does he not contribute to winning?

[TGM]

Bulls are 6-1 without White this year
3-13 with him in lineup.

Coincidence or does he not contribute to winning?

I tend to take these stats with a grain of salt. I’m sure Raps had a lot of players with bad records when they played last year. Fact is when you are winning players are worth more. Jakob was pretty crucial but this year when he plays we still lose at times.

[BHF]

Want zero part of the Anthony Davis, Morant, Trae Young, Zion Williamson and JJJ deals they are not worth the sheer amount of pieces it would take. Anthony Davis is good when healthy but he looks overweight and you can't count on him to play 75% of the season.

Toronto needs RJ back bad and a defensive rebounding backup C or PF, I wonder how far off either Monk or Ellis are to Toronto? I would have done a RJ for LaVine swap but the money is impossible to cover unless your doing Quick plus RJ for Monk and LaVine

I dont know man, if that was somehow possible to take all of them.

Anthony Davis
Zion
Barnes
Morant
Young

Make it happen BC

[Thaddy]

We don't need any 50M players on our roster. We need to make moves for guys like Turner once the Bucks blow it up. Strategic small moves like that which help us become consistent winners over the course of the remaining decade is what will help us eventually get into the championship contention status.

Turner, Herb Jones, Zubac, Monk, etc should be the targets. We don't need a Zion, Giannis, or someone else who will be outside of our window of contention. There's no Kawhi move to make for us.

[MessiahUjiri]

Everyone knows Mavs are looking for young assets to build around Flagg. AD gets the most media rumors, but Stein & others have said that Gafford is actually the most likely to get traded this season.

Instead of trading for AD, if we can’t get another star, we should look to the Mavs to fill roster weaknesses via backup C, PG, and a playoff tested shooter.


The trade:
RJ Barrett, Ochai Agbaji, TOR ‘27 1st (top 18 prot)
for
Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson, DAngelo Russell


Minor notes: Toronto also ducks the tax, and Dallas unites 2 Duke guys.




Toronto:

Quickley / Russell
Klay / Jakobe
Ingram / Dick
Scottie / CMB
Poeltl / Gafford

^ that is a legit 10 deep roster, with a mix of size,
shooting, vets and youth.

PS: Klay is the perfect guy to teach Gradey.

[ill-Will03]

Everyone knows Mavs are looking for young assets to build around Flagg. AD gets the most media rumors, but Stein & others have said that Gafford is actually the most likely to get traded this season.

Instead of trading for AD, if we can’t get another star, we should look to the Mavs to fill roster weaknesses via backup C, PG, and a playoff tested shooter.


The trade:
RJ Barrett, Ochai Agbaji, TOR ‘27 1st (top 18 prot)
for
Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson, DAngelo Russell


Minor notes: Toronto also ducks the tax, and Dallas unites 2 Duke guys.




Toronto:

Quickley / Russell
Klay / Jakobe
Ingram / Dick
Scottie / CMB
Poeltl / Gafford

^ that is a legit 10 deep roster, with a mix of size,
shooting, vets and youth.

PS: Klay is the perfect guy to teach Gradey.

This is one of the better trades I’ve seen on here. Very well balanced and makes sense for both sides.


EDIT: nvm we’re actually taking on more salary after this trade lol. I think the pick should be coming to us which Dallas wouldn’t do.

[Tripod]

Everyone knows Mavs are looking for young assets to build around Flagg. AD gets the most media rumors, but Stein & others have said that Gafford is actually the most likely to get traded this season.

Instead of trading for AD, if we can’t get another star, we should look to the Mavs to fill roster weaknesses via backup C, PG, and a playoff tested shooter.


The trade:
RJ Barrett, Ochai Agbaji, TOR ‘27 1st (top 18 prot)
for
Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson, DAngelo Russell


Minor notes: Toronto also ducks the tax, and Dallas unites 2 Duke guys.




Toronto:

Quickley / Russell
Klay / Jakobe
Ingram / Dick
Scottie / CMB
Poeltl / Gafford

^ that is a legit 10 deep roster, with a mix of size,
shooting, vets and youth.

PS: Klay is the perfect guy to teach Gradey.

Mamu says hi

[MessiahUjiri]

Everyone knows Mavs are looking for young assets to build around Flagg. AD gets the most media rumors, but Stein & others have said that Gafford is actually the most likely to get traded this season.

Instead of trading for AD, if we can’t get another star, we should look to the Mavs to fill roster weaknesses via backup C, PG, and a playoff tested shooter.


The trade:
RJ Barrett, Ochai Agbaji, TOR ‘27 1st (top 18 prot)
for
Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson, DAngelo Russell


Minor notes: Toronto also ducks the tax, and Dallas unites 2 Duke guys.




Toronto:

Quickley / Russell
Klay / Jakobe
Ingram / Dick
Scottie / CMB
Poeltl / Gafford

^ that is a legit 10 deep roster, with a mix of size,
shooting, vets and youth.

PS: Klay is the perfect guy to teach Gradey.

This is one of the better trades I’ve seen on here. Very well balanced and makes sense for both sides.


EDIT: nvm we’re actually taking on more salary after this trade lol. I think the pick should be coming to us which Dallas wouldn’t do.

Ah, Spotrac showed us below the tax.

If we need to, attach a backbencher like Temple/Battle. And replace the 1st with Mogbo, as he won’t play for us anyways.

The principle stays the same: If you wanna win, Go get a star, or go get players who complement your stars.

[TGM]

Everyone knows Mavs are looking for young assets to build around Flagg. AD gets the most media rumors, but Stein & others have said that Gafford is actually the most likely to get traded this season.

Instead of trading for AD, if we can’t get another star, we should look to the Mavs to fill roster weaknesses via backup C, PG, and a playoff tested shooter.


The trade:
RJ Barrett, Ochai Agbaji, TOR ‘27 1st (top 18 prot)
for
Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson, DAngelo Russell


Minor notes: Toronto also ducks the tax, and Dallas unites 2 Duke guys.




Toronto:

Quickley / Russell
Klay / Jakobe
Ingram / Dick
Scottie / CMB
Poeltl / Gafford

^ that is a legit 10 deep roster, with a mix of size,
shooting, vets and youth.

PS: Klay is the perfect guy to teach Gradey.

This is one of the better trades I’ve seen on here. Very well balanced and makes sense for both sides.


EDIT: nvm we’re actually taking on more salary after this trade lol. I think the pick should be coming to us which Dallas wouldn’t do.

Ah, Spotrac showed us below the tax.

If we need to, attach a backbencher like Temple/Battle. And replace the 1st with Mogbo, as he won’t play for us anyways.

The principle stays the same: If you wanna win, Go get a star, or go get players who complement your stars.

The depth is nice, but don’t see this making us that much better of a team. Can’t see it making pass the semi’s. Also this is at the loss of Barrett. If that is what we are giving up I much rather make a trade with the Kings for like Sabonis, Monk and Carter.

But I get the logic of trading with teams that have no choice but to sell. Kings, Mavs, potentially Clippers might have to go down that path.

With this being said, I feel interior scoring and rebounding is something we need to address. Still hope Giannis goes to NY and Towns gets made available.

[Thaddy]

Maybe the Mavs would be willing to deal their or LAL's 2029 1st round pic for RJ. It would need to be a 3 team deal.

Gafford + salary back to the Raptors + 2 picks (DAL and 3rd team).

RJ to the Mavs

Third team gets PJ Washington for a pick.

Poeltl / Gafford
Barnes / CMB
Ingram / Walter
IQ / Dick / Agbaji
Shead / (DAR?)

We get more balanced and we can retain our young guards to see if they can produce and raise their value.

This trade would manage cap and help the Raps set up for a future trade for a star. We also put IQ in a more suitable role as a scorer, which would also raise his value.

[PhilBlackson]

I still want to find a way to trade for Trey Murphy.

[arbsn]

Everyone knows Mavs are looking for young assets to build around Flagg. AD gets the most media rumors, but Stein & others have said that Gafford is actually the most likely to get traded this season.

Instead of trading for AD, if we can’t get another star, we should look to the Mavs to fill roster weaknesses via backup C, PG, and a playoff tested shooter.


The trade:
RJ Barrett, Ochai Agbaji, TOR ‘27 1st (top 18 prot)
for
Daniel Gafford, Klay Thompson, DAngelo Russell


Minor notes: Toronto also ducks the tax, and Dallas unites 2 Duke guys.




Toronto:

Quickley / Russell
Klay / Jakobe
Ingram / Dick
Scottie / CMB
Poeltl / Gafford

^ that is a legit 10 deep roster, with a mix of size,
shooting, vets and youth.

PS: Klay is the perfect guy to teach Gradey.

You have Gafford as having more value than RJ??

In my opinion Klay and Deangelo are negative assets