2026-27 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

i honestly don't think anyone on the team not named luka or reaves is a MUST to come back. there are many that i'd like to have back at the right price, but pretty much anyone else could go without me getting super riled up about it. hell, reaves could go if it meant we were getting someone better, i just highly doubt that for reasons we've been over a zillion times.

i'm glad to hear that giannis is trying to put a thumb on the scale for miami. we don't need jaylen brown going to the clippers, and we don't need the C Bags getting one of the few players in the league who's an upgrade on brown, lol.

 

What's interesting to me is if Giannis does just go to Miami, do they just bring Brown back and everything is fine? Or do they still move him for the 5th pick and something else, or for a couple of guys and picks from Portland or Atlanta.

 

won't be the first time brown was on the block and not moved. if i were in pursuit of him, i'd keep my offer pretty low, tbh--boston's shown its hand with him a few times. i keep waiting for brown to make it difficult on them--you don't like me? i don't like you. agent to press: here are the four teams jaylen will go to happily; all others will be against his wishes. have fun, brad!

not going to happen, but maybe should at this point.

 

Yes! I’m so tired of everyone saying we should run it back and just try to add a 20M player. Don’t really know what the benefit of running it all the way back is it would seem like kicking the can down the road once again. Now I’m all for bringing Rui and Marcus back at the right price. Kennard too at the right price.

 

basically running the same team back?

 

it doesn't sound like you're disagreeing that much with the "run it back" folks. really, rui/smart/kennard/lebron is who'd have to go to maximize space. keep even two of them, and you're getting into run it back territory.

i can see the arguments on both sides, and i think there's just so much that we as fans don't know right now (and some of that i think gms DO already know, but not all).

if we end up running it back, i trust it will be because the FA/trade into space market sucked, and we pivoted to retaining assets--not because it was plan A or we got fooled by the playoff magic against houston.

if my trust is misplaced, i'm pretty sure rob will be fired before next year, and i'll probably be on board with it. i choose to be optimistic that we have several plans waiting and maybe even lined up a few dominos in advance.

one thing i'm seeing from tea leaves is that we may not actually have offers on the table for rui, kennard, or even lebron when FA opens. this wouldn't be a new approach for rob, and it is maybe a little anxiety-provoking, lol (caruso ptsd).

 

Well run it back seems good because when we had Luka we were arguably the best team in the nba. And we see what a hot team could do the New York Knicks who won a championship. So why would we not want to bring the guys back and see how they follow through with our best player Luka Doncic playing back. Cause if he doesn’t get hurt do we make a run and end up in the finals? A lot of those players who were part of that hot team when he played are the guys who are free agents.

 

Yeah, in this scenario, we would basically have the same team, except for the draft pick, and depending on how we use the MLE. For example, Smart would get 7.5m and tge other 7.5m would go to a Robert Williams type of player.

Of course, this is assuming the Lakers don't make any trades, but I think they will. I know as is, it looks pretty far from ideal.

A simulation under the cap option could look something like this (Again no trades for comparison purposes):

48-milliion in cap-rorom

Rui (16m)
Lebron (16m)
Williams (10m)
Ellis (6m)
Smart (9.4m)

In this scenario, only difference is Lakers sign Ellis instead of Kennard, and they are able to offer Smart and Williams a little more. The huge difference is Lebron takes only 16m.

It basically hinges on how much of a paycut Lebron would be willing to take. Truth is, even those dollars amounts still might not be enough to sign Williams and Smart, so there is a risk of not being able to get them.

But barring a trade, you ad Williams, Ellis, and a rookie rim-protector like Onyenso to the team, Lakers do manage to improve their defense. Two elite rim protectors and an elite POA defender. Williams and Ellis essentially sign prove-it deals. Williams prove you could stay healthy, and Ellis prove that you are not just theoretical.

The Vando + Knecht + #25 + future draft capital for Jones + Missi deal fits in perfectly within both of these plans, so it would be a nice bonus to do this as well.

 

The run it back option is basically dependent on if Lebron won't take a significant paycut to 15-20 million. Even with the run it back option, Lebron would realistically only be able to make up to 35m at the most, in order to fit everyone else in u Der the 1st apron. If he wants more than 30-35, then he has to accept loosing players like Rui and Kennard, and possibly not having the entire MLE to use. He would literally be weakening the team around him, and I don't see Lebron doing that at this juncture, although the reports are they are going to ask for the max. At that point, Lakers might be better off just letting him walk, and using their cap-room.

 

I am ok with it, Only thing is Lebron felt like the odd man out.

 

No I’m not hellbent on bringing them back especially if Rui is getting a lot more than the MLE and Marcus wants a longer contract in years. It now sounds like Kessler wants out which is interesting but Utah will probably trap him to keep the asset. I really think our best path forward to improving the team is executing a S&T. I’m all for letting 2/3 of them walk if it means you have a plan in place elsewhere.

 

Sound like Kessler is unhappy not saying it happens as I’m sure Danny doesn’t care about feelings

 

Rui got hot in the playoffs and 3 point shooting is valuable but the advanced metrics absolutely hated him and Jake last year.

He's doesn't provide any rim protection or off ball defense, rebounding, etc.

He's still a rotation player but he needs to be moved to not being the 5th best player on the roster to give this team a title shot

 

Yeah, ideally Rui isn't depended on as much. 6th man role is fine.

 

Issue is he averaged 8pts coming off the bench
People forget how bad Rui was from the bench throughout the season

 

Rui is not getting paid as a role player he’s getting paid as a starter. You’re paying him for after Lebron retires. After Lebron retires who’s stepping in his role?? Adou Thiero??? How do we know he’s a legit NBA shooter?

what’s the market for small forwards. I think Rui would be a bargain when you add in the fact that you are paying Luka Doncic and probably have to pay Austin max money.

Rui when given his 35 minutes a night is about 18-20 ppg 50% shooter and 40% from 3 75-78% from the free throw line. Efficient scorer. He’ll get about 4-5 rebounds no blocks or steals. He’s an offensive specialist. He’s not OG but he can score like him.

basically Norman Powell stats. He’s developed into a great shooter. He works hard. 6-8” small forward who can do that luxury to have. If he was on OKC we’d be saying wait til he’s a starter.

We just have to accept the fact that our foundation of building blocks the cornerstone of this team is Luka Doncic Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura.

LeBrons gonna fit in where he’s at. But he’s not part of the long term building of this team

 

and a big chunk of fans using the eye test for most of the past two seasons. again, kudos for playing well in the playoffs, but that was not the norm for him. or just this:

is it fine by him? not sure if it's true, but some writer was claiming he was interested in 30 per. obviously not going to get that anywhere, but even believing it was possible is kind of a problem.

i don't think we do, nor do i think we will. i don't see how you could watch rui for a period of years and come to the conclusion that he's a foundation piece. he's just a guy. probably worth full mle, but not to us while lebron's here. even if lebron were gone, i'd hesitate to give rui a contract that wasn't built to be traded (2/40, preferably with team option on year 2 lol).

 

Thats the thing about basketball some forget. The game is played with 1 ball 5 players at a time in limited minutes. You dont get that Lebron if Luka is there, you dont get that Luke if Austin is there, When the team is fully healthy Lakers have to insert Lebron which sends Rui to the bench where he had less of an impact. So sometimes role needed may not = best fit and may need to replace players to fit roles. Not who is better. Rui is better than Gafford but i would trade Rui in a package for Gafford if the fit is better vs paying Rui high price to fit on the bench in limited minutes.

 

My preference is for Lebron to move on. I am sure the returning player would be a less talented player but Luka could use a younger player with more energy doing dirty work. A player like that would also help Ayton.

 

i'm not sure that's true in a vacuum, tbh, but they are comparable to me in that if they're starting for you, you're looking to upgrade, but if you don't have anyone like them on your roster, you're looking to acquire them.