Trade Official 2025-2026 Trade Deadline Thread

[BatManu20]

It still hurts tbh.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2019897021197345156

https://twitter.com/x/status/2019844730289549530

 

[spurs10]

Your premise is that if acquiring a role player now makes a difference, then it is a sign of a bigger problem.

What constitutes a "bigger problem" I guess is the question. There are problems we already know about, many of them can attempt to be solved via the acquisition of a role player (and I consider anyone not named Wemby, Fox or Castle to be a role player at this point. Harper is a future star, but right now he is a role player). Some role players could play bit roles (3rd string C) or some could be acquired to play larger roles (displacing some CB or Barnes minutes).

But, let's say we lose a series in 7 games where Kornet had to miss the last two of them with an ankle sprain and we have literally no one to turn to. Wemby still goes for 38/18/6 in 38mpg in those games, but we lose the non-Wemby minutes by 15 points. What bigger problem was revealed there? The problem is obvious - we don't have any depth at 3rd string C. We are well aware of this right now, and could have done something about it, but didn't. This is a quite plausible

We can think of a myriad of these scenarios. But if these roles on the team don't make a difference between winning and losing in the playoffs - then we shouldn't worry about them at all. We should just have the last 5 roster spots be awarded to long-time season ticket holders as a thank you for their patronage. Of course they matter.

To me, this is all indicative of one of the last frontiers for this FO to fine tune their skills: optimization of the fringes. Maximizing every single roster spot, including the two ways. Optimizing expiring contracts to provide maximum flexibility in the future. No wasted motion, no wasted activity, maximum economy of our resources. Right now we're not there... (and to be clear, no team has ever reached the optimal state, they can only approach it getting infinitesimally closer), and in the end it's okay... but I hope we do improve in these areas over time.

Not having a 3rd string Center is a problem. Is the general consensus that there ws no interest in the market for Sochan in that regard. Staying pat with your top 9 or 10 player is fine, but we have useless contracts sitting on the bench. Perhaps they tried and failed.

 

[RC_Drunkford]

What I don’t like, and is generally indisputable: the Spurs did reduce their off-season flexibility by doing nothing. We have covered it in this thread. The Spurs will now enter the offseason with $13.3MM of cap space and the $9.5MM room exception. If they want to make an offseason trade, it will have to fit into the cap space or they’ll be forced to send out a member of their current rotation. They will not have any superfluous salary to send out as matching. That is the real thing they lost by doing nothing at the deadline. Let’s see how it works out.

actually you're wrong here.

The Spurs can still operate over the cap, simply by not renouncing Harrison Barnes' cap hold. We all think they will want to resign him. His cap hold is 28.5 million. That would put the Spurs over the cap, even if they renounce all the other expirings like Sochan, Olynyk, etc.

They can then use the full MLE for 15.1 million as well as the BAE for 5.5 million. Then they can resign Barnes for a lower number like 9 million per year with bird rights. Works perfectly fine and would be the smart thing to do.

If they renounce everybody's cap hold, they would have to extend Barnes with the 13.3 million in cap space or the 9.5 million room exception, which would be completely illogical.

Now what they won't be able to do is bring in a player like Aldama via trade without giving up rotation players. Because no team will say "oh we got this problem that we can't fit Sochan's minimum contract in our cap. Why don't we do a sign-and-trade where we pay him 5 million instead, so you can absorb the rest of Aldama's salary into cap space".

 

[BatManu20]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2019863451351339157

 

[scott]

actually you're wrong here.

The Spurs can still operate over the cap, simply by not renouncing Harrison Barnes' cap hold. We all think they will want to resign him. His cap hold is 28.5 million. That would put the Spurs over the cap, even if they renounce all the other expirings like Sochan, Olynyk, etc.

They can then use the full MLE for 15.1 million as well as the BAE for 5.5 million. Then they can resign Barnes for a lower number like 9 million per year with bird rights. Works perfectly fine and would be the smart thing to do.

If they renounce everybody's cap hold, they would have to extend Barnes with the 13.3 million in cap space or the 9.5 million room exception, which would be completely illogical.

Now what they won't be able to do is bring in a player like Aldama via trade without giving up rotation players. Because no team will say "oh we got this problem that we can't fit Sochan's minimum contract in our cap. Why don't we do a sign-and-trade where we pay him 5 million instead, so you can absorb the rest of Aldama's salary into cap space".

Thanks for the clarification on the potential cap mechanics, but it sounds like my main point remains: we've given up the flexibility to acquire a player via trade without giving up a core rotation player... and it doesn't even come with any kind of benefit. We don't gain anything by just letting Kelly and Sochan expire and then renouncing them. We end up still over the cap with the same MLE and BAE at our disposal. That's the important part.

It's one thing to say "we don't want to take back any contracts" and its one thing to not want to take back long term salary... but in this case, avoid taking back an extra year doesn't give you any benefit. It's just weird, since the Spurs always talk about flexibility.

 

[RC_Drunkford]

Thanks for the clarification on the potential cap mechanics, but it sounds like my main point remains: we've given up the flexibility to acquire a player via trade without giving up a core rotation player. That's the important part.

Yes, that most definitely. That's why I was pushing for them to do a trade at the deadline as well. I'm also pessimistic about the MLE being enough to sign John Collins or Hachimura, which would be the top PF free agents. They both make more than that right now.

 

[RC_Drunkford]

I'm not even gon mention Watson and Eason, who should both get 20+. The only good thing is a lot of cap space has been eliminated by those deadline trades. The bad thing is the Lakers got a ton of cap room next offseason.

The Giannis saga should be another advantage for the Spurs. We could sign some players early while our competition is waiting on Milwaukee.

 

[Robz4000]

I'm not even gon mention Watson and Eason, who should both get 20+. The only good thing is a lot of cap space has been eliminated by those deadline trades. The bad thing is the Lakers got a ton of cap room next offseason.

The Giannis saga should be another advantage for the Spurs. We could sign some players early while our competition is waiting on Milwaukee.

Feel like a lot of teams will just get out of the Lakers' (and NBA front office's) way to let Giannis end up in LA tbh. They'll trade Reaves, junk, and a couple of junk picks to the Bucks while they'll magically end up with a top 3 pick and NO won't initiate a swap since their pick is going to Atlanta anyway.

 

[Ariel]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2019863451351339157

It's a cruel, cruel world when they send you to the US capitol to collect 150M+ to play basketball. My sympathies.

 

[ace3g]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2019969442843881657

 

[Ariel]

Why wouldn't you believe him, lol. He's not some degenerate on a message board only interested in trades like a video game.

This team is having an incredible season. Like, I thought they could potentially get to 50 wins and thought I might be too optimistic. They're a top 3 team in the league right now.

Instead everyone's whining that we didn't get a third string center, when they don't understand what's going on inside the locker room. Instead, recognize what they're doing.

I'm sure he's not insincere in that he likes his teammates and he trusts the FO, just like I'm sure he would have conveyed a similarly positive message had the FO made a trade. Or would you have expected him to berate the FO had they traded Olynyk, Biyombo or McLaughlin? The notion that there's some mystical bonding going on behind the scenes that they can't risk moving their 14th or 15th player on the roster for someone with an actual chance of contributing is magical thinking. Plenty of other well respected franchises (like OKC) don't seem to have any issues with their culture when they retool their roster every year even after winning a championship.

Bottom line, right now, the Spurs are in a short list of maybe 5 teams who can realistically make the finals (add OKC, Denver, Minnesota, Houston). Whether they started the year with that expectation is irrelevant at this point, within reason, they should maximize their chances to win if they have the opportunity. Even if you think Wemby will be on the Spurs playing at peak level for 10 more years, this season would represent 10% of the Spurs window and you have to make the most of it because there's no guarantee that will be the case every year going forward.

 

[CGD]

Thanks for the clarification on the potential cap mechanics, but it sounds like my main point remains: we've given up the flexibility to acquire a player via trade without giving up a core rotation player... and it doesn't even come with any kind of benefit. We don't gain anything by just letting Kelly and Sochan expire and then renouncing them. We end up still over the cap with the same MLE and BAE at our disposal. That's the important part.

It's one thing to say "we don't want to take back any contracts" and its one thing to not want to take back long term salary... but in this case, avoid taking back an extra year doesn't give you any benefit. It's just weird, since the Spurs always talk about flexibility.

I’m of two minds. It felt a little like malpractice not to rollover the Kelly expiring for another contract with one more year left after this one for trade purposes next year, or trade it for another expiring you potentially want Byrd rights too (more the Kelly). Preserve options, while also still having MLE, etc. to work with.

But on the other hand, the MLE is good money for a vet at a position of need (Nic Richard, Thobias, Bagley), and they should be getting another decent rookie. Im
assuming Barnes gets extended via Byrd. I suppose a Sochan S&T is in play too.

 

[John B]

If a trade for a role player by the trade deadline is the difference between success and failure in the playoffs, then the team has bigger problems than that.

Boris Diaw texted. It’s not exactly trade deadline but a day after he was waived by the Bobcats. And we all know the Spurs probably didn’t win 2014 without Diaw’s beautiful plays.

 

[scott]

I’m of two minds. It felt a little like malpractice not to rollover the Kelly expiring for another contract with one more year left after this one for trade purposes next year, or trade it for another expiring you potentially want Byrd rights too (more the Kelly). Preserve options, while also still having MLE, etc. to work with.

But on the other hand, the MLE is good money for a vet at a position of need (Nic Richard, Thobias, Bagley), and they should be getting another decent rookie. Im
assuming Barnes gets extended via Byrd. I suppose a Sochan S&T is in play too.

I don't think a S&T will be in play for Sochan unless he has a rapid and unexpected turnaround the rest of the season. As it stands right now, no one will need to S&T for him if they want him, because he's probably a min salary guy, but if not he'll definitely be able to fit into any exception.

 

[Spursgenius]

That's very nice and politically correct, but I wonder if he'll truly feel that if the Spurs get bounced in the first round when with some team packs the paint and all those guys can't make a shot or grab a rebound to save their life.

this x 1000. Team could have beem improved. Windhorst said spurs were given several offers to improve team for playoff run but they would rather count on Barnes and Champ bricking shots when it counts. Also giving teams wide open threes with no defense. They are not beating Suns with currently constructed team better hope Lakers fall to 7.