2025-26 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

We are projected to have about 48 mil in cap room, with Reaves 20.9M cap hold, Hayes 6.5M cap hold, Ayton likely opting in, and Smart likely opting out. If we operate under the cap, we could sign Lebron for 20M, Rui for 15M, Smart for 14.3M, and all of the money would be gone. A free agent like an Ellis or Thybulle could then be signed with the 9.4M Room exception.

We could technically sign-and-trade Reaves to Utah for Reaves. People here have been very critical of this idea. But, it could be a thing. Especially with AR's value dropping. Kessler could bolster the defense, and help make up for weak perimeter defender like Luka, Lebron, and Rui. In this scenario, we keep the aforementioned players and ad the room exception player.

If we renounced Reaves, we could actually combine that 20.9 additional cap-room with Smart's 14.3 million, and pay Watson a descending deal that starts at 35.2 million. At that point, either Smart or Rui could take the Room exception.

Basically in this scenario, we essentially swap Reaves and a room exception like Ellis or Thybulle for Watson. We probably have better options than that, and it might not be the best asset management. Basically replacing Austin and an Ellis or Thybulle with Watson, that's the crux of it.

If we could get Keyshawn, that would be great. I'm not sure what Washington would want for him though. I wouldn't want AD back. He's toxic Imo. IDK about Cam, KD, Zion.