2026-27 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

We’re gonna be watching Detroit send Duren to Boston for Brown instead aren’t we. And then we will pivot, resign Rui, Lebron and Hayes. Pick up DeRozan, Timelord and Beasley for the bench. Trade Vando and Knecht for Braun and he’ll hit 45% from 3 while we go off and win another ring.

Book the red hot chilli peppers for next years parade now.

 

Make an Offer to Kessler and force Jazz to match or let him walk.

 

I think that's the tune of this offseason, either we overpay for the chance at a good RFA, like Kessler or Watson or we'll end up having to spend assets for worse guys (like Turner)

then say we give Kessler or Watson 35-38mill, how do we fill the rest of the roster?

 

Ugh ohhh so Duran contract talks stalling with Detroit as they seek sign and trade partner.

Rob’s been quiet Luke’s been quiet. But how does it work and how do we do it.

the picks Rui Vando Thiero? What will be the return? I’m wondering.

What’s LeBrons involvement.

My thinking were making super max. Super Max offer and Detroit is shook because they don’t want to pay him. Remember the playoffs.

Detroit was actively in the trades for Giannis. And maybe they’re looking at Kevin Durant. They need a shooter are they thinking they’d like to give the money to Norman Powel???

the Duran thing throws me off. The Stewart trade throws me off. Makes sense they would never trade him to us. This is why people hate Rob. Reddicks former teammate Trajen Langdon.

I think it was a Luka tamper the lob threat. And he’s talking to him. The grin when we played OKC the press conference. Are you going to recruit?? We’ll see!!! This might been in the works. And why Detroit came at us why Austin. We got Austin done quick.

well it’s going to be interesting. Obvious fallback if Duran doesn’t work. We immediately sign Mitchell Robinson.

 

Haha I can get with that.

 

I think they would have done it if Lebron was not in the back ground. They have not fully shut the door on his return. They will have to full it out with vet min deals if they do. Or they can go a bit less with Robert Williams or Robinson.

 

As much as i dont like Austin contract there were no Drama uncertainty. The Lebron situation is like a cloud that just hangs over on a sunny day. Thats what its like now. Give JJ Austin the keys turn the page fully. Get the compliments for Luka/Austin. The Lebron saga is going to be drama all season. An example Fox did not like Brown as coach who went on and won with NY. He never fully bought in. In Lebron case always dont believe the team is a contender and want changes. I rather they feel like contenders if its true or not. I think Lebron and Ayton have a style they want to play and dont fully buy in. Lebron looked he felt good running the team again once they got injured but body language was a bit off at times. The team seemed more relaxed and having fun whit him out. I think thats something they can build on.

 

I think if we force Detroit’s hand, they’re going to want a star player back for Duren and not cap space. They feel they’re close to competing… I imagine they go for Kawhi? Or Brown? Maybe Herro and Turner?

 

I can see this happening

 

Essentially you are looking at 35-40M per year if you want to get serious about landing one of Kessler/Duren. I mean I’d probably rather that then pay Watson. If Ayton and Smart opted out I don’t think it’s the worst thing in the world.

 

My God if we get Duren, and he goes out and put up, Ayton type numbers in the playoffs..this place would be in full meltdown mode

 

YES no argument Luka complains all the time and it would be a whole lot better him getting his a** back on D and not doing that. You do NOT see AR and Luka FALLING down almost every attempt to the point SGA is getting mocked everywhere on line for it like the LeBronning craze years ago. Or throwing their bodies and body parts at shot destroying angles just to make contact. And legit complaining after a game where the refs were egregious with swallowing their whistles or getting hacked clearly doesn’t make AR a flopper to the floor.

 

three team trade:

vando/ayton/laravia/swap rights with LA to mil

turner/knecht/big TE/2 LA firsts/one LA swap to detroit

duren (full max contract) to LA

why for each team?

mil: going with youth, ware will be starting center, turner's a luxury, ayton's an expiring who can play backup center, laravia is an expiring and also a young player with upside. eating one year of vando for the swap, saving money first two years and the full last year of turner's deal.

det: clearly don't want to pay duren (they benched him a lot in the playoffs and negotiations aren't going great), need shooting, but can't just not have a center. turner's gotten to the finals as a center in the east, the TE might be used to get powell or with some firsts added to pursue trey murphy. they have some of their own picks, 4 1sts and absorb all the salary might get it done?

LA: get the long-term answer at center. shot blocking/paint defense, rebounding, lob finishing. if the deal happens as i outlined it, we actually would have about 30 million left in cap space after the trade (incoming 50 for duren, outgoing 30), which would allow us to keep lebron at 20 and smart at 10, with kennard taking room exception.

duren (50)/hayes on vet min kcp special?
luka (50)/?/carr (2)
lebron (20)/thiero (2)
reaves (42)/kennard (10)
smart (10)/bronny (2)

basically fill out the bench with vet mins, taking whomever gets shut out in free agency. maybe hayes can be convinced to take the min for a year with a PO, with a promise to up his pay next year a la kcp.

this is a knicks-ish build, top heavy, counting on scrappiness from bench and health for starters.

but luka/reaves/duren is a core i can work with. hell, it's what detroit was trying to do but with cade.

basically traded rui and all the firsts for duren.

 

Yeah Turner makes a lot of sense for Detroit if Duren leaves.

I like that. I'd prefer to use the room on a defensive wing rather than Kennard. And maybe we can get some leftover from that deal? Holland III or wtv

https://x.com/i/status/2070516291459485787

 

If the Pistons really are gun shy about committing to Duren, maybe we can convince Ayton to opt in and be part of the S&T for him. He can be their stop gap, like he was for us. But ultimately I don't think they salary dump Stewart like they just did if they were going to S&T Duren. I think they're just having him go out and find a S&T offer to establish his value around the league and then they'll offer him that same contract or slightly more.

It feels like we're probably just going to sign Mitchell Robinson. I like him, but its an imperfect solution. His regular season minutes need to be under 20 a game, which is easier to do if he doesn't start. So who does start, Hayes? If we bring in Mitch I frankly wouldn't mind keeping Ayton around if he opts in. Play him, Mitch and Hayes each 16 minutes a night in the regular season. But I don't know if all three guys would be cool with that.

The other issue with Mitch is you can't really close games with him because his free throw shooting is so awful. The intentional fouling thing backfires a lot, but he's so bad (career 50%, 40% this year) that it does work with him.

 

that's an elite shooter and really cost controlled, could have been a good replacement for Rui's skill set if we're planning to let him walk.

but the fact is OKC probably will prefer not to strengthen us