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

I haven't moved one goalpost ma'am. You read these post, point out the moving of this goalpost, in this little discussion, that you are alluding to specifically please.

 

So you are simply sidestepping Denver's Championship, because it doesn't fit your narrative? They weren't deep at all.

 

In other words you can't think of one, but the theory is still sound?

 

Come on Billy!! I'm still waiting on this analysis of why Giannis and Turner don't fit with Luka!! Abeer I know you are lurking...LT...

 

Your deflection skills are top notch madam.

 

A more simple Giannis trade scenario, just for simplicity's sake:

Lakers get: Giannis and Turner

Bucks get: Reaves, Vanderbilt, Knecht, 23rd pick, 2031 1st, 2033 1st, 2030 swap, 2032 swap, 2033 2nd.

Then, sign Smart with the room exception. Sign Lebron to vets minimum (pre-arranged). Fill out roster with Gary Trent Jr, Lonzo Ball, Tim Hardaway Jr, maybe a Chris Paul, etc.

Starting unit: Smart, Luka, Lebron, Giannis, Turner.

Luka guarding the 2's and Lebron guarding the 3's looks rough, but Giannis and Turner are manning the paint, so it helps cover for mistakes. Plus, Reaves isn't in the starting unit anymore, so there are really only two defensive liabilities. Giannis could still guard on the perimeter too, and probably covers the tougher Lebron matchup. The bench looks a little patchwork, but Ayton and Hayes as center depth is good. Thiero is a budding star, and could provide electric bench scoring and defense. Trent is a shooter, and could defend a little. Lonzo is a multi-faceted. Lebron could actually continue playing off the ball if he wants too, because Giannis is ball dominant. He;s gonna have to.

Of course I'll get ripped for the idea because everybody's got a better idea, right? Just a scenario, that's all.

 

C Bags/Knicks is a good game. Brad Stephens is a hell of a talent evaluator..unfortunately.

 

That starting 5 is elite..best in the League IMO. However if we got Giannis and Turner, we don't need Ayton. I'd be hoping to sign and trade him and Rui somewhere if possible.

 

…going to be some sad faces when that Giannis to the Knicks tweet hits this summer.

 

That's by far the more likely scenario. And I think the Bucks may end up having to settle for KAT + picks, in which case they'll probably regret not taking that rumored Miami package (Herro, Ware, picks).

 

Better the Knicks than San Antonio, Denver or Houston. Any of those would absolutely suck for us.

 

The beauty of that is, we essentially have two elite defenders in that lineup (Giannis and Smart), and Turner is still a very good rim-protector. So three of the five players in the lineup are plus defenders. Albeit, they are on the older side- late primes I guess I would say. Yeah I could see it. Need to check what you came up with, but on my end we don't have any more money for an Ellis type. But the team is an excellent short-term option. If you could do that and Lebron is on board with it, and Marcus agrees to the room exception, then you almost have to go for it. But I'm on the fence about it and I understand both sides for sure. I'm just not completely leaning to either side of the argument, if that makes sense. I'm flexible.

 

Been away for a minute. Catch back up (only read today's discussion in this thread, it'd take weeks otherwise) only to see we're still burning a whole in the keyboard over Giannis

 

SVTR made a post involving Portis instead of Turner back a few pages. That gives an ability to sign Ellis to an MLE or something I believe.

 

Maybe you have the scoop, on the teams built to contain a Luka/Giannis combination. This should be interesting.

 

Okay, that's right. Probably had us sending more contracts out too, to afford Ellis. Maybe send LaRavia out. Not a bad option, although Turner has more of that true center label, to not ruffle Giannis feathers. Don't need another AD. Probably why they moved mountains to get Turner in the first place.

 

This isn't so much like those options above. I would liken Luka and Giannis to modern day versions of Bird and Shaq and the question is do we think Bird and Shaq can win a championship or two together? You'd be a brave man to bet against them.

None of those options you listed Pika were similar.

• KD, Kyrie & Harden - should of won a ring, derailed by strange off court issues, one toe away from winning it all
• Kawhi, Harden & PG - good team, and good point that it didn't work out
• Booker, Beal & KD - Booker and Beal are AR level players earning the max, Beal was past his prime and this was a KD post achilles - don't think this one counts
• Lebron, AD & Russ - Lebron & AD should of won another ring, but never managed to get healthy at the right time again after the bubble
• Dame & Giannis - they never really gelled but were a 50 win team together
• Harden & Embiid - were excellent together when healthy, in their second season they played 60ish games each and won 54, should of won a ring with health

This scenario isn't putting 3 max players together, it's putting 2. You can still build around 2...

In scenario 1; you can't get Watson, Dort & Robinson. It'll be 2 of the 3, and that team isn't better than the Luka & Giannis one.

In scenario 2: you can't fit all those players. Once you sign OG, you'll have 20m-ish in cap space, you can probably get Robinson but you can't have OG, Eason, Robinson, Reaves & Luka. Would you rather OG at 42.5m or Giannis at 58.4m?

In scenario 3: you can't have all those players.

 

I don't think George, Harden and Leonard ever played in a playoffs series, healthy together.