2026 NBA Rumors Live Blog with Latest News, Trade Buzz and Grades

After acquiring their new starting center, the Los Angeles Lakers may have a fresh starter at power forward as well.

Sandro Mamukelashvili has agreed to a four-year, $52 million contract to leave the Toronto Raptors and join Los Angeles. ESPN's Shams Charania also reports that the fourth year is a player option.

Long one of the most underrated big men in the NBA during his time with the San Antonio Spurs and Raptors, the 27-year-old had a breakout season in 2025-26.

Mamukelashvili finished 10th in Sixth Man of the Year, averaging 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 52.3 percent overall and 38.9 percent from three. He's got a big, strong 6'9" frame with a smooth stroke from the outside.

Coming off a year where he made just $2.4 million, this is a massive raise for Mamukelashvili, but not a bad value for the Lakers if he plays like he did last year.

The question becomes if he can hold up defensively as a starting power forward, or if most of his minutes will come as a backup behind Walker Kessler. As a starting four, this is a great deal. As a backup center, not so much.

Ideally, Los Angeles could have landed him for a little cheaper than this, although Mamukelashvili is a really good player who helps teams win.

Grade for Lakers: B+

The Los Angeles Lakers landed a much-needed center in Walker Kessler, giving him a four-year, $130 million in a sign-and-trade agreement.

Kessler was a restricted free agent, so the Utah Jazz had the right to match any offer sheet he signed. To convince the Jazz to let him go, the Lakers had to give up a massive haul of picks and swaps, including unprotected first-rounders in 2031 and 2033 and first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030.

ESPN's Shams Charania also reports that Kessler received a full trade kicker and player option in the final year of the deal.

This is exactly the type of player the Lakers needed to help cover for Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves defensively, as Kessler is a monster in the paint.

The 7'2", 245-pounder challenges anything and everything at the rim. He's averaged 2.4 blocks in 25.3 minutes throughout his four-year career and held opponents to just 54.8 percent shooting at the rim in 2024-25. Kessler's 7.5 contested shots at the rim were tied for third in the NBA that year.

Notice this was two seasons ago, however. Kessler played just five games in 2025-26 following shoulder surgery and was limited to 58 the year before. Durability has been an issue in his short career.

The money here is fine. An average of $32.5 million a year is very fair for a center of his caliber, especially if he keeps putting up double-doubles and being an elite defender.

The value of picks going back to the Jazz is atrocious, however.

Los Angeles and Rob Pelinka essentially gave up all their remaining assets for a center who's coming off a major surgery. If this team isn't good enough to chase titles in the West with the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, the Lakers are stuck.

Even Dončić will be 32 and 34 years of age when those picks convey. The Toronto Raptors didn't even give up this much draft equity for Kawhi Leonard yesterday, someone who's been the best player on multiple championship teams.

After seeing Mitchell Robinson sign for the mid-level exception, the Lakers would have been better off paying him half of this Kessler contract and keeping their draft picks.

Kessler certainly fits the needs of the team, but this was an outrageous price to pay for the Lakers. The Jazz front office should be thrilled.

Grade for Lakers: C

LeBron James still controls the free agent landscape, with the four-time MVP now reportedly willing to play for a veteran minimum contract.

This is huge news for contenders facing apron issues. Even second apron teams can sign players at veteran minimum deals, which benefits franchises like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat, the supposed favorites to land James according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

In all, 12 teams reached out to James' agent Rich Paul when free agency began. 

James still wants to compete for championships, although it appears money is no longer a driving factor.

In a huge loss for the New York Knicks and significant gain for the Boston Celtics, Mitchell Robinson has agreed to a three-year, $47.4 million deal to switch East contenders.

Robinson, 28, averaged 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 1.2 blocks in 19.6 minutes last season while shooting 72.3 percent, primarily as a reserve. He's one of the better rim protectors in the NBA and is a massive defensive force at 7'0" and 240 pounds.

The Celtics got productive center play from Neemias Queta last season after losing Kristaps Porziņģis and Al Horford to a trade and free agency, although Robinson is a better, more experienced option who should become Boston's starting center.

The money will be coming out of the Celtics' mid-level exception, which hard caps them at the first apron. ESPN's Shams Charania reports that the third year is a player option for Robinson.

The Knicks couldn't have kept their center and stayed under the second apron, and this switch to the rival Celtics will be extra painful to watch next season for New York.

With the Los Angeles Lakers looming as a center-needy team with cap space, the Celtics did very well to land Robinson for their mid-level exception.

Grade for Celtics: A

The Brooklyn Nets continue to restock their frontcourt, adding Moe Wagner from the Orlando Magic for $19 million over the next two years. 

The Nets and Los Angeles Lakers are the last two teams operating with cap space, although it was strange to see Brooklyn use it here.

At 29, Wagner has little upside to showcase for a rebuilding Nets team. He's been productive offensively, although isn't a good floor-spacer (31.4 percent from three last year) and is an average rebounder for his size.

Wagner, who spends most of his time at center, is one of the worst rim protectors in the entire NBA. He blocked a total of two (!!!) shots in 427 total minutes last year and allowed opponents to shoot 66.1 percent at the rim. That was nearly identical to shooting guard Buddy Hield (65.6 percent).

This was a bad signing for the Nets, who will be lucky to even get a future second-pick back for Wagner at the trade deadline.

Grade for Nets: D

The Boston Celtics' locker room got a major addition with veteran point guard Mike Conley Jr., who signs a one-year deal likely worth the veteran minimum of $3.9 million.

Conley, who turns 39 in October, is one of the most respected vets in the NBA. He played a key role as a starter on really good Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz playoff teams and was the perfect mentor the past three-and-a-half years for Anthony Edwards with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Celtics likely missed Jrue Holiday's leadership after trading him in a salary-shedding move last summer and now get some of that back with Conley, a former All-Star and All-Defensive team member.

As far as on-court production, Conley may not even have a rotation spot anymore. His numbers plummeted last season in Minnesota (4.5 points, 2.9 assists, 33.5 percent shooting overall in 18.4 minutes) and his defensive swing rating ranked in the 32nd percentile via Cleaning the Glass.

For the veteran minimum on a team trying to win a championship, this was a "why not?" move for Boston. Fans shouldn't expect any real impact on the court, however.

Grade for Boston: B+

The Orlando Magic are reuniting with former franchise standout center Nikola Vučević. The deal is for $3.9 million over one year, the veteran minimum for a player with 10 or more years of service.

Vučević, 35, played for Orlando from 2012 to 2021, coming to the franchise in the Dwight Howard deal. His trade to the Chicago Bulls netted the Magic current center Wendell Carter Jr. and first-round picks that would later become Franz Wagner and Jett Howard.

Vučević is still a productive offensive center at his age and was making $21.4 million last season, so getting him at the minimum is a steal for Orlando.

The Magic's woeful offense has plagued them for years, ranking 18th overall in the regular season in 2025-26 and dead last among all 16 playoff teams.

The two-time All-Star isn't going to offer any rim protection, although Vučević is a good rebounder, underrated passer and effective floor-spacer from the center position. He made 40.2 percent of his threes for the Bulls just two seasons ago.

Vučević as a starter playing 30 minutes a night is too much of a defensive liability. As a backup playing 10-to-15, he'll help this offense get out of the mud. The value for Orlando here was too good to pass up.

Grade for Magic: A

Norman Powell was one of the best free agents on the board and now finds a new home with the Chicago Bulls.

ESPN's Shams Charania reports that Powell will get $45 million over the next two years.

The value here is good for both sides, as Powell is coming off a (generous) All-Star season while averaging 21.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals and shooting 38.0 percent from three.

Now, does Powell, 33, fit a rebuilding Bulls team? No. 

Did he take advantage of one of the few remaining teams with cap space? Yes. 

Will he be one of the biggest names on the trade block by February? Absolutely.

In the end, however, everyone gets what they want. Powell becomes the starting shooting guard in the backcourt alongside Josh Giddey in a starting five that also likely includes Matas Buzelis, No. 4 overall pick Caleb Wilson and Nic Claxton. He'll provide some steady scoring for them and should keep his numbers high as the No. 1 offensive option on most nights.

The Bulls will in turn keep tabs on his value, especially as they continue to build this team through the draft. The move did use up the remainder of Chicago's cap space, however, as they'll just have the $9.4 million room mid-level exception to pursue other free agents.

Grade for Bulls: B+

The Detroit Pistons needed to make some additional moves to keep pace in an improving East, especially with Giannis Antetokounmpo going to the Miami Heat, Kawhi Leonard joining the Toronto Raptors and the Indiana Pacers returning to full strength.

Signing John Collins to likely replace Tobias Harris at power forward moves the needle, although probably not by much.

Collins, 28, has bounced around the league lately, now joining his fourth team in five years. He's still an athletic lob-finisher and good floor-spacer (40.6 percent from three last season), although he doesn't fill what the Pistons truly need.

Detroit craves someone besides Cade Cunningham who can break down a defense and create open looks for themselves or others. Collins is good in his role, but this isn't what the veteran forward does. A whopping 71.6 percent of his two-pointers came off an assist last season, and 88 of his 89 made threes were via catch-and-shoot.

Paying Collins an average of $17 million a year is fine, but if the big move this summer is just swapping Harris for Collins, the Pistons are going to take a step back in the East. This is perhaps the team that should be pursuing Jaylen Brown the hardest, even if it means losing Jalen Duren in a sign-and-trade.

Grade for Pistons: C+

The exodus from the Los Angeles Lakers continues as Marcus Smart has agreed to join the Houston Rockets on a two-year, $13 million deal.

ESPN's Shams Charania also reports that the second year is a player option.

Smart joins his former head coach Ime Udoka, who he won Defensive Player of the Year under and went to the NBA Finals with in 2021-22 with the Boston Celtics.

The Rockets were doomed by poor guard play last season after Fred VanVleet tore his ACL right before the year began. VanVleet is back on a $25 million player option and Houston signed veteran shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanović while drafting Ohio State star guard Bruce Thornton with the first pick in the second round.

Smart isn't a true point guard, although he's a steady ball-handler who can defend multiple positions with his strength at 6'3" and 220 pounds. The 32-year-old had a swing rating of plus-8.9 for the Lakers last season, ranking in the 92nd percentile via Cleaning the Glass.

His signing still leaves about $28.5 million of space below the second apron, giving the Rockets a good chunk of money to re-sign restricted free agent Tari Eason.

This was a great deal for Houston overall.

Rockets Grade: A