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

karacha · Apr 26, 2026 at 3:47 PM

This dude looks like some kind of long-legged spider out there, covering absurd ground with every step. And I honestly can’t recall seeing this kind of shot-blocking presence before... he can single-handedly wreck an entire offense and force teams to rethink everything they’re trying to do.

abeer3 · Apr 26, 2026 at 4:33 PM

svtzr said: ↑

I believe we’ll operate over the cap if we get a sense that this team is competitive with OKC, we’ll try to bring everyone back and add another piece via trade. If we are clearly out matched, we let some players go and pivot to new options via cap space.
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yeah, i wonder if that will be the referendum, as i foreshadowed above.

svtzr said: ↑

Wemby is going to win the ring this year. He is absolutely devastating - held Portland to 37 in the second half. 7 blocks, 4 steals but he just shut down their offense in the paint.

He is the best defender I’ve seen.
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yeah, he's the best player in the league. if the other team has him, you're in trouble.

JSM · Apr 26, 2026 at 5:12 PM

Guess the figure the injury bug has done enough.

svtzr · Apr 26, 2026 at 6:08 PM

showtime24 said: ↑

Yeah, I think you are right about that. I would shift the strategy to agreeing with Marcus Smart at the opening of free agency for 4-years/65 million. If we decide to operate over the cap, it counts as the MLE. If we decide to operate under the cap, we consider it 15.1 million in cap room. In any case, we should be able to sign Lebron for 20 million, and Hayes for 5 to 8 million. We might end up having to chose between Kennard and Rui. If Kennard agrees to the 13.7, then we operate over the cap, and then also sign Lebron, Rui, and Hayes with cap room. If Kennard wants some more money, then we consider operating under the cap, and signing Kennard for 15 to 16 million in cap room, Lebron for 20 million, and Hayes with part of the room exception. In the under cap scenario, we likely lose Rui, and in the over cap scenario, there is a chance we lose Kennard if 13.7 isn't enough. The over the cap scenario is the best scenario for the team. But, there is also a scenario where we keep Hayes's 6.5 million cap hold on the books, sign both Smart and Kennard for 15.1 million each, sign Lebron for 19.5 million, and sign Rui for the 9.3 million room exception. This under the cap plan might be a good happy medium for all of these guys. Also leaves the option to use the 9.3 million on a player other than Rui.
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I’m probably of the opinion that we sign Smart for 3 years - he’ll be 35 by the end of it. His style of play is just tough on the body, when he says he is thankful to be playing, I think his injuries were worse than people understand and he has managed to turn the corner. But one injury and he could fall apart. You don’t want another Nash situation.

If we’re operating under the cap, I’m giving Smart and Kennard room level money and I think they’d take it. Maybe with an opt out to get some more next season, but they’ll take it. Lebron you bring back at 20m and you try to open up a good 30m in cap space, because if you don’t open up the space - then what’s the point of operating under the cap at all? All you do is lose Rui’s cap slot for a similar or worse level player.

I think we really see what happens with the OKC series and operate from there.

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

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