NBA 2026-27 offseason trades, signings & rumors

[Who]

Denver match the offer sheet to Spencer Jones.

The Denver Nuggets are matching the two-year, $12 million offer sheet Spencer Jones signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Denver will retain Jones, who became a valuable rotation player for them last season.

Matching the offer sheet for Jones will push the Nuggets over the second apron. Denver still has Peyton Watson's status unresolved, as the forward remains a restricted free agent.

Oklahoma City will remain under the second apron by $6.9 million. The Thunder will also retain the use of the full Taxpayer MLE, which is valued at nearly $6.1 million.

In other news, Mario Hezonja is back in the NBA

The Cleveland Cavaliers have agreed to a one-year deal with wing Mario Hezonja for $2.8 million. Hezonja returns to the NBA with Cleveland after spending the last six seasons playing for teams in Greece, Russia and Spain.

The 6-foot-8 last played in the NBA during the 2019-20 season with the Portland Trail Blazers. Hezonja started his NBA career with the Orlando Magic and also played for the New York Knicks.

Last season, Hezonja averaged 15 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists for Real Madrid. The 31-year-old helped Real Madrid to the EuroLeague championship game, where they fell to Olympiacos.

Cleveland have a lot of perimeter depth

G: D Mitchell, D Schroder, T Proctor
G: J Harden, S Merrill, Maleek Thomas
F: M Strus, J Tyson, M Hezonja

They have been trying to do a cap dump involving Schroder or M Strus. I expect Hezonja was brought in to replace whoever leaves in the rotation. Right now though, without that cap dump, it is hard to see how he fits in. Maybe Jaylon Tyson slides up to PF instead of SF. CLE have no big men depth.

F: E Mobley, N Tomlin
C: J Allen, T Bryant

Tomlin can't shoot. Tyson plays PF. Hezonja gets some minutes at SF. Hezonja has always been a streaky player in low minute roles. He needs more playing time to be comfortable. It doesn't look like he will get it in Cleveland. I think he should have stayed in Europe. I get wanting to give the NBA another try but this is a bad opportunity for Hezonja. Not enough playing time.

Too duplicative of Strus & S Merrill. All 3 (Hezonja) are wing shooters. Strus is the most well rounded. Merrill the most accurate and prolific shooter. Hezonja has the most size but he has always played smaller than his actual size. He doesn't defend with physicality or rebound well. So he plays more like the 6-5 / 6-6 players that Strus & S Merrill are. Then you have Jaylon Tyson who is a bigger stronger more physical wing than all 3 of them. That is a minutes crunch right there.

[Who]

Philly waive Dalen Terry

The Philadelphia 76ers have waived guard Dalen Terry. This was one of two transactions the Sixers will have to complete to sign LeBron James and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Terry's contract was non-guaranteed. Waiving him opens up room for Philadelphia under their first-apron hard cap.

The 76ers had added Terry on a two-way contract in mid-February. They signed him to a two-year standard deal in mid-April, ahead of the end of the regular season. Terry started last season with the Chicago Bulls before being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans, then the New York Knicks ahead of the trade deadline.

Bulls fans liked Dalen Terry. Very high on his defensive work. His offensive numbers, shooting percentages, are poor though.

Given how badly KCP played last year, those 2 guys might be on the same level performance wise.

Anyway, I would have liked to have seen Philly keep Dalen Terry. They do not have much in the way of wing defenders. They have small guards and big forwards. Few natural wings. Jaylen is their only true wing in the starting lineup. Justin Edwards & Dalen Terry the only true wings off their bench. Now they swap D Terry for KCP. It is still only 3 wings on their entire roster.

3 wings - Jaylen, KCP, Justin Edwards
4 small guards - Maxey, Edgecombe, A Simons, L Philon
4 centers - Embiid, Hukporti, A Bona, J Broome
4 big forwards - Bron, D Wade, D Barlow, T Watford