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

Yup.
He has a ways to go to get his stamina up and learn how to counteract being roughed up by stronger bigs.
I don’t think he will get to Jordan/Kobe status, but if he can stay healthy, he should be able to win at least three or more rings.

 

We will need to make trades in order to significantly upgrade our roster.

 

Look at the post I did a few posts above. We significantly upgrade in the CORRECT role players and depth, just not with stars. But that's just the worst scenario, with nobody taking on our trash, and Lebron leaving.

 

I see what you’re trying to do in the bring in players that should fit Luka well.

Luka / Ellis
Reaves / Smart
Grimes
Rui / Vando
Robinson / Hayes

If Robinson can’t play 65 games, I think this team is closer to the play in than home court.

We added Grimes, Ellis and Robinson, but lost Lebron, Kennard and Ayton. I do wonder why we wouldn’t just run it back over the cap? The guys we lost are cumulatively better than the ones we add.

 

In this scenario, Lebron is replaced with Rui. If Lebron wants to stay, then Rui walks. It's one the other, imo.

Thats fine if you think Kennard is better than Grimes and Ayton is better than Williams, that's your opinion, but not accurate at all imo.

Grimes is 3 and D, Kennard is just 3.
Ayton is in defensive traditional post center, with some mid range game, and low motor. Williams is an elite lob threat and rim protector, ultra high motor. Injury prone, but loaded up center with Hayes and the rookie with the 9'5 standing reach. Could ad another big too with a vet minimum.

Not sure what criteria you are using for what you consider good. I'm using ability to play both sides of the ball, and ability to function with Luka. Ayton and Kennard both don't fit that criteria. It's a perfectly reasonable criteria to go by, and you know the stuff about us wanting to get Luka lob threats and 3 and D players. Why do I have to re hash this?

 

Them calf strains damn.

 

not taking sides on svtzr/showtime's exchange, just like the respectful discussion of plans.

i actually don't think it makes sense right now to make full non-lebron plans. i was encouraged to hear him say he was waiting out FA, as it means that he wants to see if we can make some noise before he decides. let's do it.

 

I’m just saying swapping LeBron, Kennard and Ayton for Grimes, Ellis and Robinson would have us finishing lower. I wasn’t comparing individual players - although I’m happy too.

I’d like to improve this offseason in a meaningful way. It’s certainly tough to do. But if we are the same or worse, I think Rob should be out. It’s inexcusable to be wasting prime Luka years.

Also I think you maybe used hyperbole to overrate a lot of these players. As an example:

Mitchell Robinson: if Wemby is a 10 as a rim protector, Robinson is an 8 and probably the same as a lob threat. The issue is he can’t stay healthy averaging 49 games a season (more like 40 over the last 4 years) and can’t hit a FT. And both of those are major issues. He can’t be your starting center and New York won’t let him go easy because he is so effective in limited time.

I really like Grimes. If Curry is a 10 shooter (volume and percentage), Kennard is like an 8 (lacks volume) - that kinda makes Grimes a 5 or a 6. He shot 33% from 3 this year which is really bad but shot 38% last year on volume which would make him like a 7 or 8. His defense is pretty good. But for whatever reason the advanced stats have him as a slight negative on that side.

Ellis we have all given our 2 cents on. Strange he isn’t getting any time on two teams now for how good he should be in theory.

 

I don’t know why I thought Mitchell Robinson over Robert Williams. My bad!

Both are great players with similar profiles. Timelord is even less healthy than Robinson though. He averages 36 games a year at 19 mins a game. I mean we just can’t give 16m to a guy like that. You’ll be stretch and waiving him in a year.

If he wants to come over for the TPMLE at 6m no problems. But I’m out otherwise. I think the rule should be no more dead salary.

 

You could easily just swap out Rui for Lebron in this build, and it wouldn't affect the other numbers. I believe Lebron would also be in that 15-16 million range. To be clear, I been on the Lebron comes back side, but this particular build is sort of an optimistic worse-case scenario, if that makes sense. Optimistic in terms of those other guys even wanting to sign with us.

 

My hope is they get in on Giannis trade to upgrade the roster.Seems like the best way to improve and keep their players