Potential Free Agent/Trade/Sign Tracker, '25-'26 Season

[Tetsujin]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1927374241944506378

Gonna need the Nuggets to give me compensation for taking on MPJ’s poopoo contract though.

MPJ’s contract is too big to just take on in a Deebo swap too

 

[twslam07]

Another idea to throw around…

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DAL GETS: DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk, Jonas Valanciunas, & 2026 CHA 2nd
DAL GIVES: Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington, & Naji Marshall
WHY FOR DAL? With Irving rehabbing, the Mavs will be desperate for some go-to scoring, ballhandling, and playmaking. Both DeRozan and Monk fit that description and can help keep them afloat until Irving is back (giving them a great shot at making a run at a title). Both of these guys can also come off the bench when DAL is fully healthy giving DAL a formidable bench. Lastly, they also get two attractive future 2nds to help them add young, cheap talent over time.

PG - Irving / Monk / Williams
SG - Christie / Hardy
SF - Flagg / DeRozan / Martin
PF - Davis / Prosper
C - Lively / Valanciunas / Powell

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SAC GETS: Klay Thompson, Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington, & Naji Marshall
SAC GIVES: DeMar DeRozan, Malik Monk, Jonas Valanciunas, & 2026 CHA 2nd
WHY FOR SAC? The Kings significantly improve their size, length, defense, & shooting. However, they do lose scoring & playmaking. Washington slots in as an excellent fit at PF next to Sabonis and allows Murray to move back to his ideal position (SF). Marshall gives them another tough, lengthy, forward who can defend and knock down the 3. Thompson gives them a sharpshooter off the bench that can help with the scoring. Gafford gives them a legit backup C who can defend at a high level and protect the rim. They’d still be in desperate need of a real PG, but again, they’d have much more size, length, defense, and shooting to help improve in other areas. They could plan on seeing if Carter has what it takes to be a lead guard/PG this year with the ability to explore a trade for a star PG next offfseason by using LaVine’s massive expiring salary as a good way to make contracts work.

PG - Ellis / Carter
SG - LaVine / Thompson / Davis
SF - Murray / Marshall
PF - Washington / LaRavia
C - Sabonis / Gafford / Jones

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[KayDee55]

I dont think mavs part ways with pj washington, he fits nice with AD
We could try and make a run at lively though, as he will be buried behind AD

We could try to get some talented bench guys like Anthony black, mathurin, jarace walker, mcconnell, isaiah joe, cason wallace, ajay mitchell etc.
Some of those you should be able to buy low

 

[twslam07]

I dont think mavs part ways with pj washington, he fits nice with AD
We could try and make a run at lively though, as he will be buried behind AD

We could try to get some talented bench guys like Anthony black, mathurin, jarace walker, mcconnell, isaiah joe, cason wallace, ajay mitchell etc.
Some of those you should be able to buy low

Davis will be playing PF next to Lively at C. He won’t be buried behind him.

Davis has always had a preference for playing PF over C, and I think it’s wise (at least in the regular season) to appease that request to help save his body for the playoffs. The Mavs can easily go with a C rotation of Lively & Gafford and allow Davis to play full time at PF which then leaves minimal minutes to be had at backup PF.

Now you could say Washington can play SF and get his minutes there, but the Mavs just lucked into Cooper Flagg who will likely be logging big minutes at SF/PF right out of the gate.

Washington is much more expendable now that they’ll be adding Flagg to their roster. Even many Mavs fans are very much open to the idea of moving him for someone like Monk or DeRozan as they’ve been vocal about a need for another scorer/playmaker (especially with Irving rehabbing).

 

[Tetsujin]

Davis will be playing PF next to Lively at C. He won’t be buried behind him.

Davis has always had a preference for playing PF over C, and I think it’s wise (at least in the regular season) to appease that request to help save his body for the playoffs. The Mavs can easily go with a C rotation of Lively & Gafford and allow Davis to play full time at PF which then leaves minimal minutes to be had at backup PF.

Now you could say Washington can play SF and get his minutes there, but the Mavs just lucked into Cooper Flagg who will likely be logging big minutes at SF/PF right out of the gate.

Washington is much more expendable now that they’ll be adding Flagg to their roster. Even many Mavs fans are very much open to the idea of moving him for someone like Monk or DeRozan as they’ve been vocal about a need for another scorer/playmaker (especially with Irving rehabbing).

Washington is also up for an extension that the Mavs absolutely cannot afford to pay next season. There is plenty of reason for them to move him but that also means he’s going to be in high demand around the league.

 

[KayDee55]

Davis will be playing PF next to Lively at C. He won’t be buried behind him.

Davis has always had a preference for playing PF over C, and I think it’s wise (at least in the regular season) to appease that request to help save his body for the playoffs. The Mavs can easily go with a C rotation of Lively & Gafford and allow Davis to play full time at PF which then leaves minimal minutes to be had at backup PF.

Now you could say Washington can play SF and get his minutes there, but the Mavs just lucked into Cooper Flagg who will likely be logging big minutes at SF/PF right out of the gate.

Washington is much more expendable now that they’ll be adding Flagg to their roster. Even many Mavs fans are very much open to the idea of moving him for someone like Monk or DeRozan as they’ve been vocal about a need for another scorer/playmaker (especially with Irving rehabbing).

If they plan like that, then its a good trade.
I thought lively doesnt fit AD and Kyrie offensively, because will have to be parked inside to be effective.
I would try to do it without derozan though, and try to get a proper PG with derozan.

 

[TheMobb]

If they plan like that, then its a good trade.
I thought lively doesnt fit AD and Kyrie offensively, because will have to be parked inside to be effective.
I would try to do it without derozan though, and try to get a proper PG with derozan.

It’s not a bad idea, the problem is a trio of Sabonis/LaVine/DeRozan is a clunky fit offensively, and limits you defensively. I think Sabonis wants to play as the hub, running DHOs, setting screens, finding cutters. Maybe DeRozan and LaVine can learn to play like that with time and have a better synergy with Domas, but we haven’t seen it up to this point.