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

We need to get Nic Claxton also.

 

And those weren’t OKC Thunder fans at the Lakers game tonight with their sunglasses. Those were pozers. Love those pozers that act like their fans of the hottest team. Like OKC bandwagoners.

 

Sam Presti is a hell of a GM. The Thunder head into a deep draft, with 3 FRP.

 

Presti is the best in the bizz.

 

Austin Reaves is Eddie Jones. Eddie Jones was an all star in the regular season and then he would get destroyed by Isiah Rider in the playoffs when we played the blazers.

that’s the similarities I see with Austin.

Jerry traded Eddie for Glen Rice because he fit better with Kobe and Shaq.

So while I like Austin Eddie was my favorite player favorite Laker but I knew he had to be traded and it was a trade to win the championship.

A Austin Reaves for Keegan Murray trade would be better for the Lakers because he fits better next to Luka and Lebron a set catch and shooter. Kind of what Cade Cunningham is going through.

 

He's not a shooter though. He shot 28% this year and his shot has gotten worse every year. 41% to 36% to 34% to 28%. Trading Reaves for him is as bad as keeping THT over Caruso.

 

Austin clearly don't understand the physical nature of the playoffs. He is thinking this is like regular season 15 points off touch fouls at the free throw line. He was crying all night once again with the refs.

 

Today’s NBA is a one star system with a deep versatile roster.In reality the Lakers bet to accomplish that is S&T with both LeBron and AR

 

"the thunder are the thunder because of their moves around the edges

Lu Dort - undrafted, 2-way contract (4th in total minutes)
Isaiah Joe - signed as a free agent after 76ers cut him (5th in total minutes)
Ajay Mitchell - 2nd round pick (6th in total minutes)
Aaron Wiggins - 2nd round pick (7th in total minutes)
Jaylin Willians - 2nd round pick (8th in total minutes)

that is freaking incredible. half of their rotation are freebies."

nomoreshaq on LG posted this - that's pretty damn good.

 

I endorse this message.

 

Denver might be the only team since the Spurs, to win a Championship without at least two All-Stars.

 

Being a all-star doesn’t make you a “star” in the NBA.The writing is on the wall.One dominant player with versatility and depth off the bench is what must be done because of the constraints of the CBA

 

What's your definition of a star?

 

Joker,SGA,Luka,Giannis,Wemby..,, Ant

 

Ok...MVP caliber players....there are only a few of those guys.

 

Yeah, that's a good point. I remember wondering why the Lakers didn't just put Jones at the 3, but that would have been a reach for that era. I remember how frustrating Jones was in the playoffs, and we trading him for Rice, which really was kind of a buy-low. Rice was a certified all-star, but was coming off of an elbow injury I think. If it wasn't for that, he might not have been available to us. He wasn't the old Gen Rice, but he was good enough to provide spacing, and help us win in the playoffs. Rice as more of a pure shooter type, while Jones was a slasher/defender, who could shoot too, so the Rice fit was better too.

That's a good comparison moving forward. Rui is the inverse of an Eddie Jones or Austin Reaves type of player, so we definitely should keep that guy. Who's the aging, broken down star out there that we could get? KD? And is this even what we should be looking at? I see a huge athleticism deficit with our guys.

 

Yes and the Lakers have one .OKC and SA have built deep versatile teams around that star

 

Lakers are going to have to hit at 25 in this years draft. When I say hit, I mean an all star type player or at least a borderline all star. They will also need to get a really valuable player for the MLE this year. The free agent class is not good and we don't know if Jokic and Giannis will opt out for next year yet or if Giannis is going to get traded before the draft.

 

They drafted well too; We haven't and I'm not, just talking about lottery picks. It's more than one way to skin a cat though, the Firecrackers had more talent on paper. We just need 3 more decent players IMO. We have one bridge year coming up next season. We have to start collecting some young, athletic kids like Adou. We should have kept this Reese kid. Talent development has to get better too.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/r/reeseju01.html

 

With the 24th pick? Probably not..but another prospect or two, with some athleticism and energy like Thiero, would be great. Hopefully a 6'9 or better one. Preferably two.