NBA 2026-27 offseason trades, signings & rumors

[Who]

Golden State is prepared offer James the $15 million Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception this summer. That would involve the Warriors clearing some room under the first apron, as using the Non-Taxpayer MLE triggers a first-apron hard cap. However, Golden State is confident that they can create the room necessary to use the full exception.

The Warriors plan to clear additional spending power seems to revolve around Draymond Green opting out but re-signing on a new deal that lowers his salary for this season. It's important to note that Green and James share Klutch Sports as their agency.

[Who]

League sources said Ballmer has maintained a firm stance against a Leonard trade, preferring to continue building around his star forward.

ESPN

[jambr380]

Walker Kessler and the Utah Jazz remain far apart on contract talks despite a five-year $140 million offer, sources told ESPN. The figure would represent the largest contract ever given to a center who had not yet earned an All-Star selection.

In 2024-25, he ranked second in the league in blocks (2.4) and fifth in rebounds (12.2) while averaging 11.1 points and shooting 66.3% from the floor.

That is insane.

That is just under $30mil a year. $28mil a year.

How much does Kessler expect to make? I wouldn't want him to pay him in excess of $30mil per season. As for BOS and Kessler potentially being a TPE target, UTA are already offering more money so that is a non-starter.

I kind-of want to see the Jazz start to do well. I hope they let Kessler go to the Lakers and don't tie themselves down to that kind-of contract.

There are people here that want to bring in Kessler. Hopefully they realize that Kessler at $30M+/yr is not the right decision. Dude is okay, but nothing special.

[Phantom255x]

Golden State is prepared offer James the $15 million Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception this summer. That would involve the Warriors clearing some room under the first apron, as using the Non-Taxpayer MLE triggers a first-apron hard cap. However, Golden State is confident that they can create the room necessary to use the full exception.

The Warriors plan to clear additional spending power seems to revolve around Draymond Green opting out but re-signing on a new deal that lowers his salary for this season. It's important to note that Green and James share Klutch Sports as their agency.

Even with the age of the roster and their stars too, I do think Lebron's best bet is Golden State. Weird to say with a Lakers team with Doncic, but GSW has Curry, Butler, Green (presumably lower salary), probably Porzingis or Horford, and still some solid role players in Gary Payton II, Santos, etc. It's a high risk-kind of move but they would still have more high-end talent than LAL. Injuries really sabotaged Golden State last year otherwise many still predicted they'd make the playoffs outright (no play-in). Butler as a 3rd option is a lot better then Reaves.

[jambr380]

If the thought or report is that the other team is DET, how would they even do this?  I don't think they have a big enough TPE to take in Hauser.  I believe they would have to send something back.

Another thought on this is that move up may be to make the pick more valuable to MIL in a Giannis trade.

I don't see our pick as relevant in a Giannis trade -- it's what another team would offer for getting JB.  If we had to throw in a first then #27 would likely suffice since a pick 5-6 slots higher is only slightly more valuable and not enough of a difference to kill a deal of that nature

I liked Vermont Green's take on this. If we assume Jaylen on his own is better than the Miami package, then why would we need to add anything to Jaylen in order to get a deal done? Maybe there are other teams Giannis would be willing to extend with, but we haven't heard who those teams are or what they have to offer.

So I agree, there's no reason for us to add any picks or players to Jaylen in a Giannis deal. And anything we do with our pick(s) should have no bearing on whether or not we try to acquire Giannis.

[slamtheking]

If the thought or report is that the other team is DET, how would they even do this?  I don't think they have a big enough TPE to take in Hauser.  I believe they would have to send something back.

Another thought on this is that move up may be to make the pick more valuable to MIL in a Giannis trade.

I don't see our pick as relevant in a Giannis trade -- it's what another team would offer for getting JB.  If we had to throw in a first then #27 would likely suffice since a pick 5-6 slots higher is only slightly more valuable and not enough of a difference to kill a deal of that nature

I liked Vermont Green's take on this. If we assume Jaylen on his own is better than the Miami package, then why would we need to add anything to Jaylen in order to get a deal done? Maybe there are other teams Giannis would be willing to extend with, but we haven't heard who those teams are or what they have to offer.

So I agree, there's no reason for us to add any picks or players to Jaylen in a Giannis deal. And anything we do with our pick(s) should have no bearing on whether or not we try to acquire Giannis.

I'm confused.  you "liked VG's take" but everything you wrote backs up my take on it. 

[keevsnick]

So the issue with Jaylen being a part of the Giannis deal is that:

I'm not 100% sure Jaylen IS more valuable than the heat package, depending on what the Heat package is. On draft nice the Heat could in theory trade #13, 29', 31, 33' first rounders along with swaps in 28', 30', 32' plus Hero, Jaku, Jaquez and Ware*. Now obviously we don't know if all of that is on the table, but if I'm the Bucks I might prefer the pick heavy package from a team that will be locked into Giannis/Bam at Giannis' age 33-38 seasons over Jaylen.

Now, it depends on what you can spin Jaylen off for. If you can get back your own picks from Portland then that exceeds any MIA offer, but it's not obvious Portland would do that. I can see a scenario where they'd rather just keep those picks with the Bucks imploding. There's no other pick-based offer out there that is so obviously better than a bunch of Mia future draft capital. It would be a bit of a bet, but not a bad one.

Which leads to the whole problem with a Jaylen based offer: He'd the best individual piece the Bucks could get, but he's not the KIND of piece they want. Sure, Boston could blow away the MIA offer by doing Jaylen and a bunch of their own picks but they you get into the conversation of why you'd trade BOTH JAYLEN AND ALL YOUR PICKS. That's too much.

This is why 3 team teams are hard. You need to find a team that wants Jaylen at a 35% max, has the assets to offer a similar price to what Giannis would go for, and wouldn't simply pay that price for Giannis directly.

[Celtics2021]

So the issue with Jaylen being a part of the Giannis deal is that:

I'm not 100% sure Jaylen IS more valuable than the heat package, depending on what the Heat package is. On draft nice the Heat could in theory trade #13, 29', 31, 33' first rounders along with swaps in 28', 30', 32' plus Hero, Jaku, Jaquez and Ware*. Now obviously we don't know if all of that is on the table, but if I'm the Bucks I might prefer the pick heavy package from a team that will be locked into Giannis/Bam at Giannis' age 33-38 seasons over Jaylen.

Now, it depends on what you can spin Jaylen off for. If you can get back your own picks from Portland then that exceeds any MIA offer, but it's not obvious Portland would do that. I can see a scenario where they'd rather just keep those picks with the Bucks imploding. There's no other pick-based offer out there that is so obviously better than a bunch of Mia future draft capital. It would be a bit of a bet, but not a bad one.

Which leads to the whole problem with a Jaylen based offer: He'd the best individual piece the Bucks could get, but he's not the KIND of piece they want. Sure, Boston could blow away the MIA offer by doing Jaylen and a bunch of their own picks but they you get into the conversation of why you'd trade BOTH JAYLEN AND ALL YOUR PICKS. That's too much.

This is why 3 team teams are hard. You need to find a team that wants Jaylen at a 35% max, has the assets to offer a similar price to what Giannis would go for, and wouldn't simply pay that price for Giannis directly.

Couple things.  One, the Heat can not offer a first until 2030, because of protections on a pick that do not expire until 2028.  So it is three picks max.  #13, 2030, and 2032, or #13, 2031, 2033 if they wait until post draft.

Two, are they adding in a bunch of swaps?  Have not heard that.  If they do, the Celtics should let the Heat win the battle.  Not totally sure they can add all the swaps, either, because the Bucks are missing 1sts to swap some of those seasons.