2026 NBA Free Agency and Trades

[GatorAZ]

The 76ers have a solid support cast if Embiid stays healthy.

They have the most talented roster in the league but being the best team depends on unrealistic injury luck and ego sacrifice. Taking out the polarizing Lebron factor you have Embiid and Jalen Brown who aren’t exactly picnics when it comes to weirdness and distractions.

 

[Yuma]

They have the most talented roster in the league but being the best team depends on unrealistic injury luck and ego sacrifice. Taking out the polarizing Lebron factor you have Embiid and Jalen Brown who aren’t exactly picnics when it comes to weirdness and distractions.

Embiid just seems like a goofy effer. Brown might be too intense. LeBron is passive aggressive, but on court, he has always dished dimes, and tried to set up guys. Sometimes on the Lakers there were whole quarters where he seemingly didn't shoot. LeBron started his career with criticism that he was setting guys up too much in the final minutes of fourth quarters. I don't think LeBron will be the problem ON the court. Maybe, Brown will need more accommodation.

 

[Mainstreet]

They have the most talented roster in the league but being the best team depends on unrealistic injury luck and ego sacrifice. Taking out the polarizing Lebron factor you have Embiid and Jalen Brown who aren’t exactly picnics when it comes to weirdness and distractions.

Indeed, best roster and best team can be two different things.

 

[Adrian]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
·
31m
EuroLeague star Mario Hezonja has agreed to a one-year, $2.8 million deal to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Michael Tellem of Excel Sports Management told ESPN.

 

[GatorAZ]

Indeed, best roster and best team can be two different things.

.
All depends on the big guns willingness to sacrifice. Their bench should be solid with Simons, Philon, Wade, KCP and Bona. During the season more backup bigs will be available.

 

[Mainstreet]

.
All depends on the big guns willingness to sacrifice. Their bench should be solid with Simons, Philon, Wade, KCP and Bona. During the season more backup bigs will be available.

Simons is a player I have always liked. Bona is a solid backup center.

 

[Adrian]

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[Adrian]

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[Adrian]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
The Denver Nuggets are matching the Oklahoma City Thunder's two-year, $12 million offer sheet on Spencer Jones, retaining the key forward in restricted free agency, sources tell ESPN. Nuggets valued keeping their homegrown player whom they landed on an undrafted deal in 2024.

 

[Adrian]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
·
11h
By matching Jones' sheet, the Nuggets face a $32 million increase in current luxury taxes ($36M to $68M) and enter the second apron. They are deep in tax bills but could shed money via trades in season.

Next Denver order of business: Navigate retaining RFA Peyton Watson while the Hawks, Bucks and Clippers pursue him.

 

[Adrian]

Evan Sidery
@esidery
·
32m
LeBron James will be a resident of New York City while playing for the Sixers, per
@WindhorstESPN
.

LeBron is officially set to commute daily from NYC to Philadelphia, potentially via helicopter.

 

[Adrian]

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[leclerc]

Poor Bronny. Hope he earns some playing time and has a nice season.

Silly King Flop if it's true that he will live in NYC and helicopter to Philadelphia. Is it not posh enough in Philly for him or his wife? Boo!

 

[Mainstreet]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania
·
11h
By matching Jones' sheet, the Nuggets face a $32 million increase in current luxury taxes ($36M to $68M) and enter the second apron. They are deep in tax bills but could shed money via trades in season.

Next Denver order of business: Navigate retaining RFA Peyton Watson while the Hawks, Bucks and Clippers pursue him.

Suns looking good on wrapping up their free agent players early.

 

[Chaplin]

Evan Sidery
@esidery
·
32m
LeBron James will be a resident of New York City while playing for the Sixers, per
@WindhorstESPN
.

LeBron is officially set to commute daily from NYC to Philadelphia, potentially via helicopter.

What a circus.

 

[Hoop Head]

Poor Bronny. Hope he earns some playing time and has a nice season.

Silly King Flop if it's true that he will live in NYC and helicopter to Philadelphia. Is it not posh enough in Philly for him or his wife? Boo!

I can't imagine an NBA player would want to helo back and forth after Kobe's accident. Different coast and all but still doesn't seem right.

 

[Mainstreet]

I can't imagine an NBA player would want to helo back and forth after Kobe's accident. Different coast and all but still doesn't seem right.

Solid point. I had put that in the recesses of my mind.

 

[Adrian]

Evan Sidery
@esidery
·
3h
Jalen Duren and Peyton Watson are now considering picking up their qualifying offers to become unrestricted free agents in 2027, per
@TheSteinLine
.

Both sides remain far apart in active contract negotiations.

Duren wants a max, while Watson wants around $25+ million annually.

 

[Hoop Head]

Solid point. I had put that in the recesses of my mind.

I'd seen a lot about Kobe since Bron signed with Philly. Kobe was from Pennsylvania and apparently Bron played the Sixers when he passed Kobe on the all time scoring list. There were a few other weird coincidences as well. Regardless of the Suns/Lakers rivalries, the basketball world lost a legend far too soon when Kobe passed.

 

[Adrian]

Evan Sidery
@esidery
·
16h
Russell Westbrook is not generating much, if any, interest on the free agent market.

It appears to be a likely scenario Westbrook opens the 2026-27 season not signed.

After being on seven teams in the past nine years, this could soon be end of Westbrook’s Hall of Fame career.

 

[Bada0Bing]

We are getting to the point where every role player in the league will have generational wealth. No wonder the old time players get so bitter lol.

They make a lot of money, but they spend a lot of money.

 

[Hoop Head]

Evan Sidery
@esidery
·
16h
Russell Westbrook is not generating much, if any, interest on the free agent market.

It appears to be a likely scenario Westbrook opens the 2026-27 season not signed.

After being on seven teams in the past nine years, this could soon be end of Westbrook’s Hall of Fame career.

I'm a little surprised he didn't stay in Denver. It took a little while but once he and Jokic developed some chemistry and familiarity they appeared to get along really well. It was the most animated I saw Jokic on the floor regularly and appeared he was having fun.

I think you can build a second unit around him still. Give him a lob threat, a pair of shooters, and a more traditional PG that can help facilitate. In today's league though teams aren't spending much on their bench. They'll pay a 6th man and maybe someone else who is insurance for a starter.

I've always been a Russ fan so it sucks to see him go out like this. He is a 1st ballot HOF'er and should get to go out on his own terms.

 

[Adrian]

I'd seen a lot about Kobe since Bron signed with Philly. Kobe was from Pennsylvania and apparently Bron played the Sixers when he passed Kobe on the all time scoring list. There were a few other weird coincidences as well. Regardless of the Suns/Lakers rivalries, the basketball world lost a legend far too soon when Kobe passed.

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[GatorAZ]

I can't imagine an NBA player would want to helo back and forth after Kobe's accident. Different coast and all but still doesn't seem right.

I don’t see the correlation. Kobe flied to games and practices throughout his career. The accident was a different situation post retirement.

 

[Adrian]

Square profile picture
Underdog NBA

@UnderdogNBA
·
1h
Updates from
@shamscharania
:

- Heat, Nuggets, Cavs among teams interested in DeMar DeRozan
- Heat among "several championship contending teams" monitoring Klay Thompson's status
- Lakers, Cavs remain interested in sign-and-trade for Jonathan Kuminga