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

Kessler?

 

Maybe go with a three-headed lob-monster.

Mitchell Robinson and Robert Williams are both very injury-prone, which makes them easier to afford. Their talents put them in the 16-20 million range, but their availability issues might put them closer to Room-Exception level money. When healthy, both of them are elite vertical threats, and elite rim-protectors. I would consider both of them, maybe even pay them a little more, but make the deal team friendly, with a team option or something like that. Not the be all end all, but a potential option.

 

Possibly even 25 million.

 

Hopefully we could use players like Vando and/or other trade ballast like Knecth, LaRavia, and Ayton + #25 and/or additional draft capital to upgrade a slot or two. Potential options:

Allen
Claxton
Herb
Missi
Gobert
Hart
Brooks
PJ
Gafford
Okongwu
Lively
Maluach
Dunn
Dort (absorption)
Caruso

It hurts to do it, but for example, swapping Vando + Knecht + #25 + 2031 1st for Jones increases cap room to 52.3 million and fills a need at the same time.

 

I like the Paul Reed option. I was impressed with how he did in this year’s playoffs.
Ayo and Reed, plus bringing back AR, LeBron, Rui and Smart is a good summer. I think Ayton will opt in and maybe we can trade him at the deadline.
If we want to bring back the guys who played well, we won’t have enough to add a good wing and a starting level C this summer.