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

In a conversation with Slick?

 

They would be pretty good... just not good enough to win a championship.

The makings are there. There are absolutely pieces that we already have that can contribute to winning Ring #18, such as Kennard or Smart. Heck, I'm still open to giving Ayton and LaRavia another year too. Bronny is showing promising signs of development progression that could lead to him having regular rotation minutes next season. However, running it back as is or just making one or two very small changes isn't enough to get over the threshold of beating teams like OKC, San Antonio or Boston each four times in a playoff series IMO.

I still am in the mindset that we need to pursue trades and FA signings on players such as Tari Eason, Lu Dort, Quentin Grimes or Robert Williams. If we're bringing LeBron back, that obviously limits the amount of serious roster overhaul that we can do this summer, but if he takes a pay cut ($25mil instead of $50+ mil), the front office allows Rui to walk and moves off of guys like Vando and DK, I think that can clear up enough space to get maybe two or three of those guys, plus whoever we land in the draft this summer.

 

Telling you all that is NOT going to happen. Maybeee he goes in a trade for value coming back, but even then a crap shoot. You started off saying what we still need to win a championship. One thing you do not do is cavalierly let playoff proven talent that steps up during them just walk out the door. Not directed solely at you as it's everywhere on this site with the under valuation of Rui Hachimura. Bit**ing constantly about the rebounding, but again look at even those numbers in the playoffs, plus all the 3+ more as a 3nD 3-4 we need. Willing to come off the bench. We got 3 other guys in that, if you must, totally expendable category .... Maxi, Dalton and Vando. Work it out some other way.

 

Where are my Philippines brothers at!!!! Kareem and Sirronstuff? We are in the playoffs baby!! AND WINNING!!!!





Rock, Khmrp, Vlade...I know you're lurking around here!!!

 

"Rock, Khmrp, Vlade...I know you're lurking around here!!!"

^^^ LeBron's still here. Too much positive going on right now. AR's not playing to find something to dump on.

 

It's way too early. But, this is where I'm currently at:

• Renouncing everybody but Reaves; and Ayton opting in and Smart opting out puts us at 53 million in cap-room
• It seems Redick seems takes a long time to build trust in young players
• Lebron, Smart, and Kennard are making a strong case to stick around, and are seemingly getting more expensive by the day

(1) Draft-Day Trade (Unless somebody just too good happens to be there, such as Mara or Carr).

Possible Trades:

• #25 to New Orleans for Missi
• Vando + LaRavia + Knecht + #25 + 2031 1st + 2033 1st for Suggs + two seconds
• Vando + LaRavia + Knecht + #25 + 2031 1st for Wiggins
• Vando + LaRavia + #25 + 2031 1st for Hart
• #25 + 2033 2nd for Dunn
• Vando + Knecht + #25 + 2033 2nd + 2032 swap for Herb Jones
• Vando + Knecht + #25 + 2031 1st for + 2033 2nd for Jones + Missi
• Ayton + 2031 1st for Dort (OKC cut cut Ayton if they want)
• #25 to New Orleans for #58 + 2028 Spurs 2nd + 2029 Spurs 2nd

(2) Free Agency

• Sign Lebron, Smart, and Kennard for about 16 million each
• Sign Hayes with 7-8 million of the 9.3 million room exception
• Sign a 3 and D player if unable to trade for one: Someone like Melton, Ellis, or Grimes. Maybe a Gary Trent, although a tier below. Possibly bring back Rui.

Trade could also be made after free agency, to make sure we have enough money for the key players.

 

All the three and minimal defense. Yes, Rui does try harder come playoff time, but it's still not a strongsuit of his game and his IQ of the game is rather notably limited. We need more two-way minded talent on this roster if we want to be able to take down teams like OKC moving forward.

I like Rui, don't get me wrong- but he is absolutely overpaid on his current contract and we're going to have to let some of these expiring contracts walk for nothing this summer in order to make up the majority of free cap space for us to make the roster adjustments we need. Moreover, as much as I want to move Dalton and Vando off our books, it's practically a given that we're going to have to attach draft picks with them to do so, so there's a real chance that they both inexplicably come back next season.

And yes, traditionally, GMs should be smart enough to know not to let expiring contracts that they're not planning on bringing back next season walk for nothing. I was firmly of the mind at this past trade deadline that we should have flipped Rui for Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre over on the Sixers, but alas that didn't happen.

 

I like the Suggs and Dort trade ideas a lot, but I'm too skeptical on Herb Jones and the Pelicans' overly rich asking price for him in a trade at this point. I could be convinced on trading for Missi alone though.

 

Yeah, Jones would be low on the priority list. Desperation level and a leap of faith that he would shoot better with us. But, the trade we make would be the one that is actually agreed to by the other team. Smart's ball pressure and ball hawking in these playoffs really underscores the importance of these type of players, and I would really like to get an additional one on our team. Especially, with so much hustle, that it makes him a bit vulnerable to injury, and his minutes should be managed. We need another such player to not have a huge drop-off in ball pressure and ball hawking, when Smart is out of the game. Suggs, Dunn, and Jones fit this criteria the closest, in terms of ball hawking. Wiggins is a tier below in terms of defense, but he is better than anybody on this list offensively. So, I would take Wiggins over Jones. His defense is good enough. Players like Dort and Hart duplicate the strength, POA defense of Smart, and are good shooters, but they also have less "ball hawking" abilities. But again, the best option is the trade that we are actually able to make, if any. So, the player we get might not be the perfect fit, but it would be helpful. Possible free agent options that our along the lines of an additional Marcus Smart are players such as Melton (player-option), Thybulle, and Grimes (Grimes in terms of strength and POA defense, not so much the ball hawking). Ellis provides the ball hawking, and even shot-blocking, but he doesn't have the body-type that the aforementioned players do.

 

Jesus mikal bridges is making 37.5 million a year. Holy s*** that is highway robbery

 

keeping Smart, Lebron and Kennard, while still being able to bring in a piece or two with the available cap would put us in a great position for next season.

Wiggins is exactly the type of player we should be avoiding. Dude has always been talented and checks all the boxes, but then doesn't have that dog in him. He's just lazy.

 

Until we have someone BETTER I want Ayton back and Hayes TOO ^^^, and Rui and Jake. Building depth pieces going forward with still 3 replaceable roster spots taken now by Vando, Dalton and Maxi.