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

Look Simmons isn’t coming here to score. Not his game. He’ll playmake make some plays score at the basket.

preferably you want to have shooters around him so he can facilitate.

like second unit him and Vincent and Knect LaRavia. Stuff like that.

He can play small ball 5 Draymond.

But he’s not scoring.

a Marcus smart signing would be great. Play that rugged in your face defense on guards.

and he can hit legit shot.

Brogdon is more of the offensive option.

I think the Lakers are going to wait a while and see how things play out.

Having Ayton just helps. Like How Gasol bought us back in the post. We were balanced with our MVP Kobe.


When you have a perimeter superstar MVP like Luka you want to bring in that post player big. So you can take it off the perimeter. In a way it’s like the triangle. I’m just talking angles like Basketball.


You force teams to commit to your post opening it up for your perimeter player making it easier for him to score.

Now that option Luka has to throw it down low or for the lob is there. Cause that’s somebody the defense respects. Like they would a Shaq or a Gasol.

we were a perimeter team cause Minnesota didn’t respect Jaxson Hayes. It’s like having Olden Polynice there. Theres no offense. So I’m gonna leave him and get on your perimeter. It was so bad even Lebron had nowhere to go. We just settled for jump shots.

Lebron isn’t gonna be that post player as skilled as he is. Because he has to operate on the perimeter with his ability as a facilitator. Essentially playing the Lamar Odom role. But obviously exceptionally better.

this is up to Reddick to make it work.

But this now gives our guys somebody we can throw it down to in the post to get their post game in. And get buckets at the rim and mid range shots. Ayton is a good finisher at the Rim.

Claxton Capela aren’t those kind of scorers. And Lopez isn’t the rebounder.

 

I'd argue that subpar POA defense was a big reason why we lost to the Nuggets both times. We didn't have a guard that could navigate the Jokic/Murray two-man game and bother Murray enough. We asked Austin to do it in 2024 and it took away from his offense. We asked Dennis to do it in 2023 but he was just too small (he did a pretty nice job on Curry in the previous series, though). We saw in both of those series why Vando wasn't the right guy to do it; the Warriors and Nuggets just ignored him offensively and jammed up our halfcourt offense too much.

There is no "the reason" why we've lost the last 3 playoff series. The team wasn't good enough to win those series for a number of reasons. The bottom line is that you need players that are at least viable on both ends of the court and we don't have enough of them. Look at all of the top teams from this past season (OKC, Indiana, Minnesota, Denver, Boston, New York), none of them play guys that are zeros on one end of the court like DLo was on defense or Vando has been on offense since his injury.

We need a 5th starter that can play both ends of the floor and a couple of 7th/8th guys that are viable on both ends.

 

Okogie is a no brainer.

it just depends what option Rob Wants to pursue.

Thiero is going to be phenomenal for us. Remember Theo Ratlif obviously two different players. But just a force on defense.

I think Thiero can have that role. But you’ll be surprised with offense. Kind of like a Ron Artest. Built like a football player. But I’m thinking more OG.

Yeah gotta waive Milton. But the team is rounding out.

take the media haitorade out Ayton was a great signing. Best signing for Luka. We got a Center to change our team.

because Portland got a really good center.

I look for Ayton to resign with us on a nice team friendly contract after this season. What I like is he’s happy to play with Luka.

and he’s 26. We did great. Now we gotta go win this championship. Like I said Championship mindset. It starts with Luka.

 

Redick has no choice but to continue with the switching scheme. Has we got a legit rim protector and/or poa defender we could have scrapped it. But we need to pretty much switch most of the time now. This means we need to get a guy who could guard point guards, but due to switching he doesn't have to be a lock down guy, just someone adequate, but this guy better be a damn good shooter. Also, it would help uf the guy has spewd and athlrtucism. Looks like we are just going to lean into the offense. Lakers seemed to already be thinking along those lines back when they traded for Mark Williams.

 

Sorry, what did I miss re Simmons? People are on here talking like he's coming to the Lakers. Did I miss something?

 

Summons close to sign in New York than Lakers

 

You don't think DA is a rim protector?

Just his size alone will alter shots and discourage players from going to the basket

 

Didn't hear that before

All I heard was LJ hadn't text or called him

In person is even better

 

makes sense for both sides. lillard can play a mentor role on a young, up and coming blazers team while on the downswing of his career. anything he's got left in the tank will be a bonus

 

Total BS. Open your eyes. LaRavia and Thiero (he will get minutes book it) … added, Vando, and OTHERS average “or above”. And Ayton more motivated than in his entire career for multiple huge reasons, not FAT, in his prime … says HELLO!!

 

I really admire your optimism.

 

It’s solid observation and reading on our players. Your statement was just not true.

 

The context was regarding the starting unit:

• AR and Luka are below average perimeter defenders, especially in terms of chasing around speedy point-guards.
• Statistically speaking, Ayton is not a great rim-protector per se, as evidenced by his 1.1 blocks per 36 minutes for his career.

I don't know what your deal is man, but pretty aggressive with that "this is BS garbage" lol. Come on man Mr. 7,000 messages per day let it go. I don't really care, I'm just a fan. Just my opinion, no need to get all rim-protection theory and stuff lol. I hope Ayton does well, and I really do hope there is some advanced data that indicates he is great at altering shots. I really dont give a f*** about being right lol. I just want the Lakers to win.

 

Lillard the mental health aspect was alot for the return to Portland.

He was depressed in Milwaukee. So this will be good for him. Not all players have to win a championship.

He wasn’t getting that from us.

 

Looks like the moves are in place since Beal signed with the Clippers.

 

We’re probably talking trades until we have to make a choice on milton (he’s gone regardless, just a matter of whether it’s trade or waive). I could even see the date getting pushed back, tbh.

 

I think one of those guys is right under your nose.

Bronny James. Can be that young guy to guard those quicker guards. He’s gotta be able to do it. And I can think he can give us points on the other end.

I think 5 -7 points. That’s not a big ask. But I think he can hit that outside shot.

he’s got the athleticism. That you’re looking for.