Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included Chauncey Billups' coaching future, the Pistons' moves after losing Malik Beasley, the chances of a Jonathan Kuminga trade, Deandre Ayton's impressive start with the Lakers and more!
As we outline in greater detail in our breakdown of 2026's traded first-round picks, a series of convoluted conditions - including swap rights and protections - make it impossible in many cases to tell this early in the season exactly which first-rounders will end up being sent to which teams.
However, based on the on-court results from the first month-plus of the 2025/26 season, we're starting to get a clearer sense of where teams might land in the standings, which in turn gives us a better idea of which of those traded picks will change hands, which teams will receive them, and which ones will be the most valuable.
With the caveat that plenty could change between now and next May's draft lottery, we're taking a closer look today at which of 2026's traded first-round picks are emerging as high-level assets and which ones are more likely to fall toward the end of the first round or not change hands at all.
Let's dive in...
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included the Celtics' tanking options, the Bulls' future plans at center, Victor Wembanyama's injury woes, whether the Clippers should trade for immediate help or future picks and more!
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included the best direction for the Mavericks after firing Nico Harrison, the Wizards' strong position heading into the trade deadline, the Clippers' options after losing Bradley Beal, the Bulls' inability to guard opposing big men and more!
There are currently 53 entries on our list of traded player exceptions available to teams around the league. The vast majority of those exceptions - which allow a team to take on a certain amount of salary without sending out equivalent matching salary - won't expire until after the 2026 trade deadline, but the majority of them will also expire without being used.
In many cases, it's impractical for a team to use a trade exception. The exception might be too small to be legitimately useful, or the team might not be in position to add more salary to its books due to its position relative to the luxury tax line or the tax aprons.
In some instances, the best a team can do with an exception is to roll it over for another year. For instance, if a club holds a $10MM trade exception and ends up swapping one $10MM player for another, it could use the exception to acquire the new player, creating a new $10MM TPE for the outgoing player.
However, there are a handful of trade exceptions across the league that could be genuinely valuable at this year's trade deadline, allowing teams to absorb salary without sending out any themselves. We're taking a closer look in the space below at those exceptions, which will be worth monitoring in the coming months.
When ESPN's Shams Charania broke the news in September that Cam Thomas had accepted his qualifying offer from Brooklyn, he noted within his report that the Nets guard should be better positioned in free agency next summer -- not just because he'll be unrestricted, but because there are "at least 10 teams are set to have cap space."
While it's true that unrestricted free agency should be more favorable to navigate for Thomas than restricted free agency was, it feels premature to assume that there will be double-digit teams with cap room next offseason.
For one, some of the teams projected to operate under the cap in 2026 could make in-season trades that add salary to their books for next season and beyond. Additionally, even if those clubs don't take on any future salary in the coming months, they may not end up having cap room available, depending on what happens with their own free agents.
In the space below, we're taking a closer early look at the teams best positioned to have cap room in 2026 and weighing how realistic it is that they'll take that path.
Let's dive in...
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included Ja Morant's future with the Grizzlies, Patrick Williams' improvement in Chicago, the Pelicans' disastrous start, the chances of a Pacers' tank job and more!
Our latest Front Office mailbag covers questions about the Mavericks' backcourt, the Raptors' slow start to the season, and what an RJ Barrett trade might look like. The questions have been lightly edited for clarity.
Ben asks:
With Kyrie Irving out for most (if not all) of the season, Dallas is a bit lacking in the ball-handling department, which probably coaxed them into experimenting with Cooper Flagg at point guard. It's early, but this doesn't seem to be working out particularly well. How much patience do you expect coach Jason Kidd to have with this setup before the lineup gets adjusted, and do you expect the Mavericks to target any point guards before the deadline?
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included the Bulls' options amid their 4-0 start, the Heat's dispute with the Hornets over the Terry Rozier trade, the likelihood of Jayson Tatum playing this season, how Austin Reaves' stardom will affect the Lakers financially and more!
This week's Front Office mailbag covers a blockbuster trade idea. The question has been lightly edited for clarity.
Greg asks:
Do you see any logic at the deadline of a three-team deal like this:
- Bucks receive: Karl-Anthony Towns, Jerami Grant, Miles McBride, their picks back from Portland and second-rounders from Knicks.
- Knicks receive: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kyle Kuzma, Gary Trent Jr.
- Trail Blazers receive: Mikal Bridges
- Note: Bridges can't be traded until February 1, 2026.
In this case the Bucks can stay competitive for a few years and have control of their picks from '28 and beyond. Portland gets off Grant deal. Thoughts?
Before I get into whether I see the logic in this blockbuster trade idea, let's first take a quick look at the mechanics involved.