Western Conference · Southwest · 74 updates
Bennedict Mathurin remains a restricted free agent because the Clippers haven't pulled their qualifying offer, according to Jake Fischer.
Anonymous executives gave Heavy their estimates for what it would take to land three trade-market names. One Western Conference exec pegs Trey Murphy's price at a good rotation player plus two firsts, down from the four-first-rounder asks the Pelicans have floated before.
A trade idea has New York sending Pacome Dadiet and Phoenix's 2029 second-round pick to Charlotte for 7-foot-1 center Ryan Kalkbrenner, with no reporting that the two sides have talked or that the Hornets are shopping him.
+3Three late-summer money moves are pitched, none of them reported as under discussion. One would send Josh Green from Minnesota to Memphis for D'Angelo Russell and Kris Murray, saving the Wolves just over $3 million so they can complete Jonathan Kuminga's two-year, $12.4 million deal.
Six Pelicans could be moved after a 26-56 season, among them Herb Jones ($14.9M), Saddiq Bey ($6.6M) and DeAndre Jordan ($3.9M). New Orleans should cash in on veterans and build around players under 25.
Two free agents are off the board: Jonathan Kuminga is joining the Timberwolves and Bennedict Mathurin is going to the Pelicans. Nekias Duncan and Steve Jones broke down both fits on Yahoo's Dunker Spot podcast, including the shortcomings each move leaves behind. No terms were given.
With Jonathan Kuminga off to Minnesota, the Lakers still have an open starting spot, and Yahoo's Jacob Rude lists five ways they could fill it: P.J. Washington, De'Andre Hunter, Saddiq Bey, Ben Simmons and internal option Adou Thiero.
Saturday, August 29 at 4:00 pm Central is the cutoff for teams to waive a player and stretch his guaranteed 2026/27 cap hit, since the current CBA requires the player to clear waivers before September 1.
A rundown of stars unlikely to move before the season but plausible in February: Jimmy Butler on an expiring $57 million deal in Golden State as he rehabs a torn ACL, Anthony Davis in Washington after both sides agreed to postpone extension talks, Kyrie Irving with two years and $82 million left in Dallas, and Zion Williamson needing a second healthy season to draw calls.
Svyatoslav Rovenchuk at LakeShowLife names Kyle Kuzma as the Lakers' most gettable power forward now that Jonathan Kuminga has signed with Minnesota despite a bigger offer from Los Angeles.
