What happened: The player's current club prefers to retain him but remains open to sign-and-trade proposals. A qualifying offer preserved that club's matching rights.

Why it matters: An offer sheet could be matched, while a sign-and-trade would require cooperation from the current club. A completed deal would advance New Orleans' offseason roster work before 2026-27.

What to watch: Watch whether the talks produce an offer sheet or a sign-and-trade framework.