Annnnnd, we’re done. Mostly. The summer of 2026 NBA trade rumor mill has done a full cycle now that Bennedict Mahturin is heading to New Orleans and Jonathan Kuminga has passed on a three-year sign-and-trade deal with the Lakers to land in Minnesota on a $6 million contract for this year with a player option for next year.
That takes care of almost all the league’s outstanding issues, with the exception of restricted free agent Jalen Duren in Detroit. But the Kuminga and Mathurin deals have opened up yet another round of trade rumors and speculation about who’s next and what the Lakers might do now, so let’s get into it.
NBA Trade Rumors: Who Wants Josh Green?
The Timberwolves are hard-capped at the second apron, which means they can’t spend more than $220 million in salary. They’re at $222 million with the Kuminga signing, which means they will need to find a way to lose $2 million off their books. They will try to trade Josh Green, who is a decent 3-point shooting wing, but with a $14 million salary, there is really nowhere to unload him.
There is only one year, at $14.6 million, on his deal. The problem for the Wolves is that teams that could potentially take in his salary–the Bucks, the Grizzlies–with a trade exception are already over the roster limit and likely have little interest in Green. The kicker: The Wolves have no tradeable draft picks, in the first round or second round, to entice a team into absorbing Green.
The Timberwolves will try for a trade, but in the end, this probably will be a waive-and-stretch situation.
NBA Trade Rumors: Jonathan Kuminga’s Choice
As for the Lakers, the Kuminga situation is being portrayed as though he chose the Wolves over LA, and that this is somehow a defeat for the Lakers. That’s ridiculous. The Lakers were limited by sign-and-trade rules, and could only give Kuminga a deal worth $12 million AAV. But sign-and-trades require a three-year deal. So, Kuminga would have locked into $12 million per year for three years.
Understand, Kuminga sees himself as a $25 million per year player. In his eyes, he will go to Minnesota, play well, help the team win and get his $25 million per year next summer. He chose to take $6 million for one year, then try again at something like a three-year, $75 million deal next summer.
Taking the Lakers deal would be playing it safe. He did not pick the Wolves over the Lakers, he picked betting on himself over the safe option.
Lakers Next Options Are Not Going to Be Popular
Of course, after the Kuminga deal, the Lakers chatter swung to: Who else can they get?
The truthful answer: Probably nobody. Yes, they spent all summer trying to find a taker for Jarred Vanderbilt, but short of that, the Lakers appear ready to accept that he is going to be part of the roster this season. He has two years on his deal, worth $12.5 million this year and $13.5 million next year, so the goal is to play him, see if he can recover his value, then trade him down the line.
There will need to be some heart-to-heart conversations with coach JJ Redick–the two did not see eye-to-eye last year. And Vanderbilt will need to stay healthy, which has been a problem in LA. But it is very possible that after trying to dump Vanderbilt, the Lakers will instead make him the starter at power forward.
You’ll hear PJ Washington and other names. But the Lakers just don’t have the assets to land him, or the desire to absorb his contract.
…
The Lakers do need to make another move, though, with 16 contracts on the roster. They would like to add a more legitimate backup 5 than Kevon Looney, but they could wait until the season gets going to address that.
…
As for the Pelicans, they will need to make a trade to make room for Mathurin’s signing. They’ve been shopping Jordan Hawkins for much of the summer, and the consensus is that he’ll be the one to go.
OK, now for the revamped big board of NBA trade rumor targets …
NBA Trade Rumors: Which Guards Are on the Market?
Kyrie Irving, Mavericks. (Remaining contract: two years, $82 million, player option in second year.) Marc Stein mentioned him, so we’re putting him on the list, but nothing is imminent. Like a lot of veterans, the idea is to play him through January, build value and see if something can be done at the deadline.
Dejounte Murray, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: two years, $63 million, player option.) Teams will want to see how he looks now that he should be fully healed from his Achilles tendon injury, but expect him to be a trade candidate as the deadline nears.
Jamal Murray, Nuggets. (Remaining contract; three years, $161 million.) Maybe? It’s not likely to happen now, but the finances in Denver are grim. It’s not hard to see a Jaylen Brown situation here.
Mikal Bridges, Knicks. (Remaining contract: four years, $150 million.) It would make sense for the Knicks to give them flexibility going forward, so we’ll slide him on this list. But the Knicks appear determined to try to hammer the team under the second apron for as long as it can–there will be a breaking point, though.
Shaedon Sharpe, Trail Blazers. (Remaining contract four years, $90 million.) Sharpe is out with a torn meniscus, a tough break for him and the Blazers that will probably remove him from trade consideration. Still, he averaged 20.8 points last season and Portland has a guard logjam.
Jordan Hawkins, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: one year, $7 million.) Hawkins never lived up to his lottery billing after his impressive UConn tournament run in 2023, so the fact that he is on the trade block is probably not exactly newsworthy. Still only 24, but he is a career 37.4% shooter.
Ty Jerome, Grizzlies. (Remaining contract: two years, $19 million, including player option.) Jerome took advantage of the mess in Memphis last year and averaged 19.7 points, shooting 42.0% from the 3-point line. The Grizzlies will need to thin out their roster, and the 29-year-old Jerome really does not fit here. He would have good value if Memphis wants to flip him for future assets.
Dalton Knecht, Lakers. (Remaining contract: two years, $10 million, including two team options.) Knecht showed some promise as a rookie but fell off in Year 2 and is now a contract filler in a potential trade. It has been surprising that no team has been willing to gamble on his upside–he is only 25.
Jaden Hardy, Lakers. (Remaining contract: one year, $6 million.) The Lakers need to drop a player, and Hardy is a good candidate if they can find a taker. Using him in a Jonathan Kuminga deal was their dream scenario, but now they just want to be rid of him.
GettyTy Jerome #2 of the Memphis Grizzlies
NBA Trade Rumors: Everyone Wants Wings
Moses Moody, Warriors. (Remaining contract: two years, $26 million.) Moody is potentially going to be ready for the start of the season, and is said to be staying put. But if the Warriors do anything trade-wise this summer, speculation holds it will involve Moody.
Trey Murphy, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: three years, $88 million.) There have been rumblings that the Pelicans would deal Murphy, and equal rumblings have indicated they won’t. Murphy is a favorite in NBA trade rumors, but New Orleans is slow-playing any potential trade.
Saddiq Bey, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: one year, $6.5 million.) Bey came back with a strong season last year after tearing his ACL, averaging 17.7 points and shooting 45.1% from the field and 36.7% from the 3-point line. It was for a bad team, but he showed he still could be an adequate wing off someone’s bench.
Patrick Williams, Bulls. (Remaining contract: three years, $54 million,) It would be symbolic and probably cathartic for fans to see Williams dumped as a new front office and coaching staff comes in. But Williams’ contract is prohibitive.
Michael Porter Jr., Nets. (Remaining contract: one year, $40 million, partial guarantee.) Porter will wind up in the trade-candidate bin if extension talks falter. They appear to be faltering, so watch from him to be a name on the market in the coming months.
Derrick Jones Jr., Clippers. (Remaining contract: one year, $10 million.) Jones is a defensive ace still, and his expiring contract gives the Clippers some wiggle room to move him. They’re caught in the Aspiration pause, however.
Kyle Kuzma, Bucks. (Remaining contract: one year, $20 million,) His expiring contract is attractive and if the Bucks pull a sign-and-trade for Peyton Watson, Bennedict Mathurin or Jonathan Kuminga, he could be involved.
DeAndre Hunter, Kings. (Remaining contract: one year, $25 million.) The Kings want to keep him as an expiring contract they could potentially flip, but he’s being mentioned as a possible target in the summer market.
Royce O’Neale, Hornets. (Remaining contract: two years, $21 million,) The Hornets would not be able to trade O’Neale with anyone else yet, so they could wait on a deal. But the team has gotten calls about moving him on after he was traded last month.
Jake LaRavia, Lakers. (Remaining contract: one year, $6 million.) Hustles, plays every game, but inconsistent. His contract makes him an attractive piece, though, as the Lakers figure out how to finish their roster.
Herb Jones, Pelicans. (Remaining contract: four years, $82 million, including player option.) Jones is a popular name on the market, but the Pelicans are said to want two first-round picks, and with Jones having struggled with injuries and his 3-point shot in the past two seasons, that’s probably too steep. His remaining contract scares off potential suitors, too.
Cam Johnson, Nuggets. (Remaining contract: one year, $23 million.) The Peyton Watson move probably means Johnson stays put, but he will be very trade-able in the coming months before the deadline. Johnson was a disaster in his lone season in Denver, and he has been a prominent feature on the NBA trade rumor mill for years now. He still has enough of a reputation around the league to warrant trade interest, but the Nuggets value the fact that he has an expiring contract.
PJ Washington, Mavericks. (Remaining contract: 4 years, $90 million.) Like Gafford, Washington is aging out of the Mavericks’ timeline, as he turns 28 this summer. He’s a stretch 4 who plays good defense, but his shooting has been suspect–he made just 32.5% of his 3s last year. Like Gafford, they’re hoping to get a first-round pick, but the contract is prohibitive.
NBA Trade Rumors: Big Men Can Be Expensive
Jalen Smith, Bulls. (Remaining contract: one year, $9 million.) Plenty of teams are still on the hunt for a backup center, and Smith would be a nice fit in multiple situations. The Bulls could cash in for younger assets.
Nikola Jovic, Heat. (Remaining contract: four years, $62 million.) There is trepidation about trading for Jovic, who is certainly available and is still only 23 years old. But the remaining contract is a hefty bite for teams to take. Are the Mavericks the answer?
Grant Williams, Hornets. (Remaining contract: one year, $15 million.) The Hornets are not quite done with their roster, and Williams’ expiring deal has some value. He can still be a worthy big man off the bench.
Zeke Nnaji, Nuggets. (Remaining contract: four years, $32 million.) Dumping Nnaji would get the Nuggets under the second apron and free them up to resolve Peyton Watson’s situation. The Hornets are a potential landing spot.
Jarred Vanderbilt, Lakers. (Remaining contract: two years, $26 million.) The Lakers have been trying to find a taker for Vanderbilt, but no one has been eager to take on his contract. It’s possible the Lakers will use him in their rotation, much to JJ Redick’s chagrin, and attempt to trade him during the season.
Aaron Gordon, Nuggets. (Remaining contract: three years, $110 million.) Someone may have to go depending on how the Peyton Watson ordeal finishes. It could be Gordon, though his recent injury history makes that tough.
Daniel Gafford, Mavericks. (Remaining contract: 3 years, $54 million.) Gafford will be 28 in October, and with the Mavs focused on getting younger, moving him along has been one of the team’s top options. They’re hoping to get a first-round pick for Gafford, but that might be a big ask because of his contract.
NBA Trade Rumors: Timberwolves’ Next Move, Lakers’ Jonathan Kuminga Response & New Big Board