2025-26 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

Spacing wasn't a problem precisely because we didn't have to field a player like Simmons and we played very little Vanderbilt.

I don't understand why, on a team where you have a player who is consistently guarded by two opposing players, we should choose to give an attacker to the opposing defense, allowing him to effectively double-team Luka.

Hiding Vanderbilt's offensive deficit was already difficult and will be; it means that when the ball comes out of Luka's double-team, you have three effective attackers out of four.

I don't understand why we should create another problem for... Ben Simmons?
It seems to me that this team already has several other problems; I wouldn't add another.

Bro, Simmons is coming off a season where he didn't get 3 FGA.
In the 2025 NBA, he'll have less than 3 FGA.

You have to be better than Gary Payton to be eligible for the playoffs with such offensive prowess.

 

Bunch of nonsense. We didn't have to hide Vanderbilt 's offense. Taking him off the floor didn't solve anything either, it simply made the defense even worse. The small ball spread offense stuff, doesn't work for us in the playoffs period. We've leaned into this idea, that playing 3 perimeter oriented offensive players, with LeBron is the way to go. It is not, that's why we are 0-3 in our last 3 playoffs series, and have only won 2 games in the process.

 

It has been proven time and time again that mentally fragile players just don't work on the Lakers. I'm having a hard time coming up with a player more fragile than Simmons.

Hell NO!

 

And I'm absolutely sure that adding a player who doesn't reach 3 FGA allows us to win a PO series, absolutely.

 

Javale and Dwight didn't shoot much either. We won a chip with them

.

 

Not really sure why people keep throwing out the Beal in Phoenix stuff. He's on a buyout, not making 40-50M. That means that he's on a better, deeper team. That matters too

 

Beal at 5 mil is a no brainer signing to me.

I just trust the Clippers.

 

They are still going to Flip!

 

Beal’s a good fit for the clips to replace norm Powell. We didn’t have the same opportunity for him. Clips will be good, but they’re on borrowed time whereas we are wisely looking to get younger and more flexible.

 

I will be interested to see how well he fits with Harden and Kawhi when he didn't like being the third wheel in Phoenix but we will see. Just think he had a better opportunity with the Bucks or even the Heat.

 

Ayton is the clear better signing to me but the media won't ever admit that.

 

LoL

 

Wonder if we’ve called on kuminga or grimes.

maybe we’re just waiting on how things shake out in gs before making our last signing, though. Can’t imagine they keep gp and sign melton.

 

Roster is pretty set.

I do think Simmons is an add on. Dwight turned it around with the fan base.

yall forget Dwight wasn’t here to score 18 he put the best post defense on Jokic and won us that championship in the bubble.

So I look at that. A guy Simmons frustrating Anthony Edwards. Or Jalin Williams or even some Clippers.

Perimeter defense. Simmons can still do that. At the end of your bench.

we have 4 guys who can legit get 20

Luka Ayton LeBron Reaves. Add Hachimura to that we have more than enough offense to off set Simmons.

Now if you sign Horford I get it. Brogdon is nice but he ain’t locking guards down. Melton is a nice addition. And Smart can we argue that he’s that much better than Simmons.

well let’s add one of those guys.

The Clippers are balanced I looked at their team. Good depth good bench. It’s gonna be hard beating those guys. All their guys play in and out.

Harden Beal Leonard Collins Zubac all can shoot defensive wings Jones Dunn.

They’ve really balanced out the Roster.

Nir But hey they still traded Shai.

 

You got me to buy in on DA

I'm now on board

Not so sure that Simmons is our guy

I get the defense that he brings and the passing ability

His total lack of shooting skills are a big concern for me

 

I hear you. It could also be looked at as "guy who could guard point guards". We do need someone like that though, because AR and Luka are too slow to do it. It might end up being Gabe or Vando. We did draft a defensive dynamo in Thierro, but he is said to be more of a wing defender, so that doesn't help much. But maybe Thierro ends up able to guard point guards. It's just We need to get the most competent shooter possible who could do it. And its not like we even have average defenders at the other perimeter spots, so it makes it Luke We need someone who could also switch, so there in lies the challenge.

 

We don't have average perimeter defenders nor a rim protector, so we have to play a switching scheme anyway. But the point guard defender guy needs to switch from 1-3.

 

I did like that Lebron was at summer league hanging with Ayton and LaRavia. Very good to build team chemistry. I don’t need to hear it and the media doesn’t need to see it or know it. As long as the team and teammates are doing it that’s all that matters.

We need the team bonding now.

So glad LeBron is buying in.