NBA 2026-27 offseason trades, signings & rumors

[Who]

Michael Scotto: Sources: The Milwaukee Bucks declined to tender Ousmane Dieng a qualifying offer, which will make him an unrestricted free agent. Bucks have significant interest in re-signing Dieng in free agency. He averaged 11.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists last season for Milwaukee.

That is surprising. I thought MIL liked what Dieng gave them in the 2nd half of last season.

I am not a fan. I don't think he is an NBA level player. He is too passive. Good size & athleticism. Just too passive. Doesn't use it. Plays like a 6 foot 4 SG instead of a 6-10 combo forward. He should go back to Europe and work on his game.

Eric Nehm: Taurean Prince has chosen to opt in to his contract for the 2026-27 season and remain with the Milwaukee Bucks, a league source tells @TheAthletic .

Some were looking at Taurean Prince as a possible bench piece for the Celtics next season. Not happening. He is returning to MIL.

[celticinorlando]

My guess is Boston signs Rob

NBACentral
@TheDunkCentral
?
26m
Robert Williams III is expected to leave Portland in free agency and is seeking $15 million per year on his next contract, per
@jwquick
 

?The Blazers have immediate needs at center and power forward. They are not expected to retain free agent center Robert Williams III, who is hoping to land a contract in the $15 million a year range, leaving only second-year center Yang Hansen as a backup to Donovan Clingan. The Blazers are also thin at power forward, with Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara their only options.?

[Phantom255x]

My guess is Boston signs Rob

NBACentral
@TheDunkCentral
?
26m
Robert Williams III is expected to leave Portland in free agency and is seeking $15 million per year on his next contract, per
@jwquick
 

?The Blazers have immediate needs at center and power forward. They are not expected to retain free agent center Robert Williams III, who is hoping to land a contract in the $15 million a year range, leaving only second-year center Yang Hansen as a backup to Donovan Clingan. The Blazers are also thin at power forward, with Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara their only options.?

Yeah even with his injury risk/history, he's probably one of the better ones available considering Porzingis stayed in Golden State for 2/40M. For the MLE I'd do it. Then maybe trade for another guard or wing, OR sign someone like Brandon Williams who has been linked to the Celtics by multiple people.

[Phantom255x]

Kevin O'Connor

@KevinOConnor
?
2m
Jaylen Brown news from the always reliable
@AdamHimmelsbach
: "A league source said that Brown has grown frustrated with the organization?s approach following a season in which he guided the Celtics to 56 wins while Jayson Tatum was sidelined for months with an Achilles injury."

In fairness, he's not wrong there. They reverted back to the 3-point philosophy in the postseason and went away from what worked in the regular season. During the season, their 3-pointers and reliance on them went down a bit and was neutralized. We've been critical of Mazzulla's philosophy and I think Jaylen is too.

I am not sure he is upset with the play style. Brown took 42 3s in the series vs Philly. I take it more as he is tired of the Cs prefering JT over JB.

But my question to JB is how come he couldn't lead the Celtics to Game 7 wins in 2023 and 2026? No answer? There we go

Sure, that's a valid criticism. However, Tatum still played Games 5 and 6 in that Sixers series and they still choked. And how do we explain 2025, when they choked that Knicks series by just chucking 3s and not adjusting? Mazzulla ball is killing them more than just Jaylen.

[Who]

Shams on Kawhi

"Those talks are continuing, they're serious between the Clippers and the Raptors...all signs point to these two sides being motivated and the future is nearing it's end Kawhi Leonard's tenure is nearing it's end in Los Angeles. He has not been given any indication that the Clippers want to give him a contract extension"

I saw someone else saying that Kawhi was forcing his way out of LAC because they were not willing to give him that contract extension.

APHoops: The Toronto Raptors are willing to offer Kawhi Leonard the 2-year $126.1 million max contract extension he is demanding, per @ShamsCharania.

2026-27: $50.3M 2027-28: $61.5M 2028-29: $64.5M
Total: $176.4M

Ramona Shelbourne said that Kawhi likes places he has been before and where he is comfortable. She also added that Kawhi was comfortable and confident in the Raptors health staff. They load managed him. They kept him healthy. They understood and accepted his issues the last time round. He appreciates that. 

[Who]

Julian Champagnie and the San Antonio Spurs have agreed to a new three-year, $45 million contract. The $15 million annual average is aligned with the non-taxpayer midlevel exception.

The Spurs declined their $3 million team option on Champagnie to sign the new deal to put him under team control for three seasons.

Champagnie played a key role for the Spurs reaching the Finals with his perimeter shooting at power forward. Champagnie played in all 82 games during the regular season, averaging 11.1 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 27.6 minutes while shooting 38.1 percent on three-pointers.

Champagnie originally reached the NBA in 2022 on a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, who waived him after the 2023 trade deadline and was claimed by the Spurs.

Champagnie at the MLE is good business. Probably around the 20th best SF in the league but plays PF for San Antonio in order to get more shooting and ball-handlers around Wemby.

[slightly biased bias fan]

Something interesting I just read, now that Jonathan Isaac has been waived, four out of the top six picks in the 2017 draft are out of the league. Only Tatum & Fox remain active.

[Birdman]

My guess is Boston signs Rob

NBACentral
@TheDunkCentral
?
26m
Robert Williams III is expected to leave Portland in free agency and is seeking $15 million per year on his next contract, per
@jwquick
 

?The Blazers have immediate needs at center and power forward. They are not expected to retain free agent center Robert Williams III, who is hoping to land a contract in the $15 million a year range, leaving only second-year center Yang Hansen as a backup to Donovan Clingan. The Blazers are also thin at power forward, with Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara their only options.?

Never was a fan of him & hopefully don?t waste 15 million on an alway injured player

[Neurotic Guy]

My guess is Boston signs Rob

NBACentral
@TheDunkCentral
?
26m
Robert Williams III is expected to leave Portland in free agency and is seeking $15 million per year on his next contract, per
@jwquick
 

?The Blazers have immediate needs at center and power forward. They are not expected to retain free agent center Robert Williams III, who is hoping to land a contract in the $15 million a year range, leaving only second-year center Yang Hansen as a backup to Donovan Clingan. The Blazers are also thin at power forward, with Deni Avdija and Toumani Camara their only options.?

Never was a fan of him & hopefully don?t waste 15 million on an alway injured player

I like him but agree that 15M is far too much on an injury risk like Rob.

[Indocelts]

Kevin O'Connor

@KevinOConnor
?
2m
Jaylen Brown news from the always reliable
@AdamHimmelsbach
: "A league source said that Brown has grown frustrated with the organization?s approach following a season in which he guided the Celtics to 56 wins while Jayson Tatum was sidelined for months with an Achilles injury."

In fairness, he's not wrong there. They reverted back to the 3-point philosophy in the postseason and went away from what worked in the regular season. During the season, their 3-pointers and reliance on them went down a bit and was neutralized. We've been critical of Mazzulla's philosophy and I think Jaylen is too.

I am not sure he is upset with the play style. Brown took 42 3s in the series vs Philly. I take it more as he is tired of the Cs prefering JT over JB.

But my question to JB is how come he couldn't lead the Celtics to Game 7 wins in 2023 and 2026? No answer? There we go

Sure, that's a valid criticism. However, Tatum still played Games 5 and 6 in that Sixers series and they still choked. And how do we explain 2025, when they choked that Knicks series by just chucking 3s and not adjusting? Mazzulla ball is killing them more than just Jaylen.

Lots of people blamed JB while it was Tatum who chucked 10 3s a game, making only 32%, and disrupted the playing style. If I were JB I would be mad too. JB improved his shots by incorporating a deadly midrange jumper but Tatum kept his old lazy game. For some strange reasons Tatum always escaped the criticism but not JB. Sigh.

[Celtics2021]

Something interesting I just read, now that Jonathan Isaac has been waived, four out of the top six picks in the 2017 draft are out of the league. Only Tatum & Fox remain active.

I think Isaac will catch on somewhere, but that is interesting.  6 of the top 9 too, with Frank Ntilinina and Dennis Smith Jr. both gone.

[slamtheking]

Something interesting I just read, now that Jonathan Isaac has been waived, four out of the top six picks in the 2017 draft are out of the league. Only Tatum & Fox remain active.

I think Isaac will catch on somewhere, but that is interesting.  6 of the top 9 too, with Frank Ntilinina and Dennis Smith Jr. both gone.

Lonzo Ball was still collecting an NBA paycheck last year.   has he officially retired?

[slamtheking]

dup post

[slamtheking]

Kevin O'Connor

@KevinOConnor
?
2m
Jaylen Brown news from the always reliable
@AdamHimmelsbach
: "A league source said that Brown has grown frustrated with the organization?s approach following a season in which he guided the Celtics to 56 wins while Jayson Tatum was sidelined for months with an Achilles injury."

In fairness, he's not wrong there. They reverted back to the 3-point philosophy in the postseason and went away from what worked in the regular season. During the season, their 3-pointers and reliance on them went down a bit and was neutralized. We've been critical of Mazzulla's philosophy and I think Jaylen is too.

I am not sure he is upset with the play style. Brown took 42 3s in the series vs Philly. I take it more as he is tired of the Cs prefering JT over JB.

But my question to JB is how come he couldn't lead the Celtics to Game 7 wins in 2023 and 2026? No answer? There we go

Sure, that's a valid criticism. However, Tatum still played Games 5 and 6 in that Sixers series and they still choked. And how do we explain 2025, when they choked that Knicks series by just chucking 3s and not adjusting? Mazzulla ball is killing them more than just Jaylen.

Lots of people blamed JB while it was Tatum who chucked 10 3s a game, making only 32%, and disrupted the playing style. If I were JB I would be mad too. JB improved his shots by incorporating a deadly midrange jumper but Tatum kept his old lazy game. For some strange reasons Tatum always escaped the criticism but not JB. Sigh.

exactly.  JB haters just gonna hate. 

Tatum was there for all the failures as well but because he missed 2 game 7s due to injury, he's getting a pass when he should be getting crucified like JB for not closing out those series before they ever got to a game 7.

[Birdman]

Something interesting I just read, now that Jonathan Isaac has been waived, four out of the top six picks in the 2017 draft are out of the league. Only Tatum & Fox remain active.

Goes to show you it doesn?t matter where you drafted at