Summer 2026 Trade/FA Thread

[SKOLMN]

Peyton Watson to Cleveland in a 5 team deal. That will weaken Denver, and if I’m jokic who’s refused to sign an extension, this pushes me closer out the door

[somuchyummy]

Have the details been released? I think Strus will be heading to LAC as part of it. I know Watson got his desired 20s per year. It's a 4yr/$88M deal. Denver gets an unprotected Cleveland first in 2031. There are more moving parts to it i'm sure.

I wonder if Watson is simply benefitting by hitting the market right now after a good year. I'm not sure he's worth $22M a season. He's a really good defender - and this year hit 41% from three, so you've got to love that. But the two seasons prior - he went a combined 93 of 288 (32%). If he reverts back to that, $88M over 4 years will be a hefty price tag for a good perimeter defender. Matisse Thybulle will make $3.2M next season - and over the past three seasons, he's gone 138 of 372 from deep (37%).

[aztimberwolves]

I would assume after that trade, that that Cavs are no longer in the running for Kuminga? That would just leave the Lakers and Wolves left.

[twolves31]

Have the details been released? I think Strus will be heading to LAC as part of it. I know Watson got his desired 20s per year. It's a 4yr/$88M deal. Denver gets an unprotected Cleveland first in 2031. There are more moving parts to it i'm sure.

I wonder if Watson is simply benefitting by hitting the market right now after a good year. I'm not sure he's worth $22M a season. He's a really good defender - and this year hit 41% from three, so you've got to love that. But the two seasons prior - he went a combined 93 of 288 (32%). If he reverts back to that, $88M over 4 years will be a hefty price tag for a good perimeter defender. Matisse Thybulle will make $3.2M next season - and over the past three seasons, he's gone 138 of 372 from deep (37%).

Julian Reese is moving to Denver than waived, he's interesting.

[Oriole81]

Have the details been released? I think Strus will be heading to LAC as part of it. I know Watson got his desired 20s per year. It's a 4yr/$88M deal. Denver gets an unprotected Cleveland first in 2031. There are more moving parts to it i'm sure.

I wonder if Watson is simply benefitting by hitting the market right now after a good year. I'm not sure he's worth $22M a season. He's a really good defender - and this year hit 41% from three, so you've got to love that. But the two seasons prior - he went a combined 93 of 288 (32%). If he reverts back to that, $88M over 4 years will be a hefty price tag for a good perimeter defender. Matisse Thybulle will make $3.2M next season - and over the past three seasons, he's gone 138 of 372 from deep (37%).

Julian Reese is moving to Denver than waived, he's interesting.

That's what we call getting "Mo Gueye'd"

[somuchyummy]

Looks like Cleveland is also getting Cam Whitmore from the Wiz. Cost of Tre Mann, a second rounder and some cash.

The Nuggets now apparently have their sights on Demar D.

[SHAFA]

Whitmore’s one of those dudes I’ve always felt like could be a nice piece in the right situation.

[somuchyummy]

Last bit of the Watson move is that LAC traded the rights to Ivorian-French C Ismael Kamagate to Cleveland. Kamagate was a 46th pick a couple years back - mobile, rim running, shotblocker - 6-11 220. He's 25, currently playing in the Italian league - and it's unclear if he'll ever make the leap across the pond. Daniel Gafford type. As you probably expect, Kamagate was on my short list of 2nd round options in that 2022 draft. Ryan Rollins went 44, Josh Minott 45, Kamagate 46 and Vince Williams Jr. 47.

[boxter432]

nuggets better hope Murray and Gordon play every game. maybe KG has a horse farm out west he can entice joker to come here with next year

[somuchyummy]

F Jae Crowder signs with ASVEL in France. It will be his first time with an overseas team. Crowder is 36.

Bucks 2nd rounder F Malique Lewis has decided to remain in Australia - just signed with the Cairns Taipans.

[SHAFA]

3 years/$97 million for a soon-to-be 37-year old Harden.

Gross.

[twolves31]

3 years/$97 million for a soon-to-be 37-year old Harden.

Gross.

That's $198,790,761 in salary for their starting 5 in the 27-28 season.

[mlhouse]

Last bit of the Watson move is that LAC traded the rights to Ivorian-French C Ismael Kamagate to Cleveland. Kamagate was a 46th pick a couple years back - mobile, rim running, shotblocker - 6-11 220. He's 25, currently playing in the Italian league - and it's unclear if he'll ever make the leap across the pond. Daniel Gafford type. As you probably expect, Kamagate was on my short list of 2nd round options in that 2022 draft. Ryan Rollins went 44, Josh Minott 45, Kamagate 46 and Vince Williams Jr. 47.

I think that might have been one of those "you need to touch" someone in what ended up being a 5 team trade.

[SHAFA]

3 years/$97 million for a soon-to-be 37-year old Harden.

Gross.

That's $198,790,761 in salary for their starting 5 in the 27-28 season.

That's even more gross.

[somuchyummy]

Is Cleveland trying to stay under the FIRST apron? That would be actually impressive if they are indeed a serious contender - but it doesn't look possible. It sounds like they are going to waive and stretch Cam Whitmore's deal. That would leave them responsible for only $1.82M of that contract this year, but still would give them only 13 players coming to $208,013,620. That would leave them right around $1M under the first apron - and that's not enough to sign even the cheapest rookie to that required 14th spot while staying under the first apron.

What seems more likely is that they are stretching Whitmore's deal to give them more money to pursue Kuminga - who I guess could be considered a better version of Whitmore. They'd have about $13M to offer JK on a one year deal - and still stay under the second apron.

Update: Well, I "think" I'll take that last paragraph back. Apparently with the signing of Watson, the Cavs are hard-capped to the first apron. Someone smarter can explain why. So the conjecture is that they may just sign Kamagate to a cheap deal - but as I laid out above, I don't know how they can do that with (what I see is) only about 1 mill to work with.

[somuchyummy]

The Mavs have bought out Klay Thompson - looks like he will sign with the Heat.

[somuchyummy]

Former Blazer Javonte Cook has signed with the Beijing Royal Fighters.

[somuchyummy]

Denver signs Demar D.

[aztimberwolves]

Denver signs Demar D.

God, how much Denver has fallen in 2 seasons is staggering. That might be the worst defensive team in the league.

[somuchyummy]

Klay Thompson gets 2yrs/$13M with the Heat.

[somuchyummy]

PG Javonte Smart signs with U-Banca Transilvania. How cool is that?

Spoiler:

And is that a Blood Banca?

[Oriole81]

PG Javonte Smart signs with U-Banca Transilvania. How cool is that?

Spoiler:

And is that a Blood Banca?

Are there any Javontes now left?

[somuchyummy]

I think we may be all Javonte'ed out.

[somuchyummy]

PG Hugo Besson (58th pick in 2022) has signed with ASVEL in France.

Former NBA big man Vernon Carey Jr. is going to Maxima Roma.

[Mnwild1128]

Word is, is that Nuggets had multiple non-negative deals on the table to trade away Cam Johnson. They elected for Cam and Spencer over Watson instead. And i dont blame them. I think his 15 game sample when Jokic was out was fools gold. To me he is not worth more than a mid-level Naw type contract.

Picks update:

Picks 2027-2030 are tied up and not tradable now due to potential conveys

They have their own 2031 1st plus Cavs 1st

No picks in 2032

They have their 2033 1st

Basically as of now, they can only trade a 2031 1st. But as soon as they convey a pick to OKC that is outside the top 5 in any given year, it will open up at least one more draft pick to trade.

This team is pretty screwed. They are going to have to trade Murray soon imo.