2026 NBA Trade Discussion Thread

[MTS]

It is hindsight in that it is hard to build a team with a player like Walker Kessler as a major piece. We tried it with a better version of Kessler and failed.

The failure with Gobert had nothing to do with Gobert, despite what many idiots believe.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

I think everyone knows this, but the Jazz waived both Ball and Boucher.

 

[idiot]

We never had to worry about the Pacers as they never had the capspace to make us sweat.

That trade actually created a Kessler problem that didn't exist before because the Clippers now have the option of ~$50 million in capspace and no center.

Was probably likely to always be a little bit of a Whack-a-Mole situation with Kessler suitors.

 

[NUMBERICA]

The failure with Gobert had nothing to do with Gobert, despite what many idiots believe.

And if they did, it's because they paid him the modern-equivalent of $60 million a year (twice what Kessler would've gone for on the high-end of going rate in the offseason).

I think a team throws a $35 million a year offer at him or higher. We match and we're spending 90% of the cap on bigs that are limited offensively (some are very good but still limited) and a clunky fit.

Just want to remind everyone that we are at this moment living in the hell of the consequence of dumping salary and the rules are way more punitive now. I would not expect the Jazz to spend multiple years in the tax or ever touch the 2nd apron. That means that the more we owe in guaranteed money, the more players and picks we'll have to dump to just keep the ledger pallateable for ownership.

 

[Ferguson_Mellochill]

So the Clippers have pulled the red handle, it seems. Assume that more of their vets will be available this offseason.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Was probably likely to always be a little bit of a Whack-a-Mole situation with Kessler suitors.

But the Pacers were never ever a mole. I don't understand how they were a problem to solve.

 

[idiot]

But the Pacers were never ever a mole. I don't understand how they were a problem to solve.

Didn't mean to imply the Pacers specifically. Just that when the landscape of the league changes, new teams emerge with money that hadn't been predicted.

 

[NUMBERICA]

Didn't mean to imply the Pacers specifically. Just that when the landscape of the league changes, new teams emerge with money that hadn't been predicted.

The point is that the money is out there. It only takes one team to target him and anyone that wants to do their homework know the Jazz are shaky about Kessler, doubly so now that they're suddenly married to $100 million a year for two 7 footers.

 

[framer]

The failure with Gobert had nothing to do with Gobert, despite what many idiots believe.

Oh I agree to a point. You have to build to his strengths, and bad hammy Conley wasnt it. How are things different if we had added a player like JJJ instead of Conley? That Clippers series looks far different.

 

[idiot]

The point is that the money is out there. It only takes one team to target him and anyone that wants to do their homework know the Jazz are shaky about Kessler, doubly so now that they're suddenly married to $100 million a year for two 7 footers.

Right, I may not be quite as worried as you, but totally with you on the details.

 

[framer]

So the Clippers have pulled the red handle, it seems. Assume that more of their vets will be available this offseason.

We could grab a couple when their bus leaves for the nursing home.

 

[KqWIN]

I think things broke the right way and they may get lucky but I would bet we could have got better numbers and structure on an extension than we will end up getting. I just think it won't come back to hurt them much... but they are still open to getting smacked AND they have now lost any potential benefit of the delayed decision - we didn't trade him in season even though you got as good of an offer as could be expected and you won't be using cap space.

The only hope to "win" this dance is grinding him lower than he would have agreed to in the offseason, but we didn't even get to what that number is. Its this weird inconsistent treatment that bothers me. Its similar to the Kuminga stuff where they don't want to pay him but have these big asks in a trade.

I think they come out of this with maybe only a slight wound but it won't be because they were smart lol.

I’m like 90% confident we were in better conditions to get Kessler on a deal before the year. Extension time is so team friendly because it’s just so much money and security to turn down.

Right now, I’m just hoping is intrigued enough by this project that he gives us the opportunity to match his money in a more team favorable way. So if CHI designs a contract in a very toxic way, for example, he allows us to give him the same money in a less toxic way. We’ll still likely be paying more $$ than if we had extended him, but that’s better than matching the toxic offer sheet.

I haven’t re-looked at teams who could be players, but I was worried for a moment once I saw the picks we traded for 3. Having an unprotected pick makes it easy for teams to mess with you. Thought WAS might right some “guaranteed with playoff appearance” type language.