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

i don't know if it's my preference, but i'm MUCH more open to it than most of our fans (save the sirrons and others who just hate lebron). i don't and haven't hated lebron, but we may just be at the bandaid ripping point with both him and rui. it will hurt, but it might just need to be done.

 

I just think Rui has performed so many times in the playoffs. Been clutch hit big shots. I don’t think the guys being out had anything to do with it. He’s had great playoff games series against Memphis. Knew how to play with AD knows how to play with Luka. You can’t just get rid of guys who know how to play with different players like that.


I don’t want to see him on Phoenix or San Antonio or Minnesota saying see we had that guy.

I think he’s worked hard here. Believes in the organization here who helped him turn his career around and believed in him and he’ll be back.

He played phenomenal against OKC when Reaves got back. You can’t just teach a guy who how to play in the playoffs. Look at Fox. You either have it or you don’t.

we knew we had Big shot Bob for one reason when he was there. Big shot Rui can make plays. Some guys just show up. Big game James.

everybody points to the regular season some guys just have a different intensity for a game on a Tuesday against Memphis when you’re coming off the bench or a game against Minnesota in game 5 of the western conference semifinals.

I know Rui he’ll give you 5 great games where you’re like he’s the breakout star of the NBA then he’ll give you a stinker. You just gotta take it.

but for what he does on a basketball court. The skillset is there. Scoring comes at a premium shooting comes at a premium and we have it with Rui. You can’t teach that. That’s why I think he’s a must to come back.

Honestly my opinion best shooters on the team.

1. Luka
2.Rui
3. Lebron
4. Reaves

and in terms of what our guys like to do LeBron Reaves Luka penetrate find guys. Rui is the best at that. So we could argue Ruis set threes corner threes are just as important having that lob threat for Luka.

cause if we have a bunch of defensive specialist who can’t hit a shot or shoot it like Vando Luka will be pissed because everyone will be sagging in the lane waiting for Luka to come in.

BTW I have Kennard in there for shooting just not sure how definite we bring him back.

 

i get why people like all these guys; i'm just not of the mind that letting them go is unfathomable. this isn't like letting caruso go for less than the mle when you're over the cap. totally different situation.

 

Rui has a lot of stinkers and he's had plenty of playoff series (entire series) where he was meh. Do we just collectively forget how his biggest asset in the Denver matchups was just being a spacing big?

This is not to say he doesn't have value - a 3 point shooting big is an asset. But it's going to be tricky navigating his contract as he is not a starter level player for a playoff team. Bench guy

 

Yeah, ideally you surround two weak defenders with an elite rim protector, a 3D POA specialist, and a 3D wing defender.

In the short term, an energy conserved off-ball Lebron might sort of fill that 3D wing defender role, in spurts anyway. He could somewhat mimic what OG does, primarily on offense.

We need to try to find that rim protector and the 3D POA specialist.

Good teams also have depth at those spots. Kind of nice that teams like the Knicks could bring the Alvarados, McBrides, and Robinsons off the bench to shut down opposing offenses. We've seen this with teams like SAS, OKC, and Detroit. Smart would be ideal as the back up 3D POA specialist. Hayes, Ayton, Vando and LaRavia would be better as break glass in emergency type players, not in the rotation.

Interesting that Rui doesn't fit any of those defensive archetypes. Even at 41, Lebron could still sort of fill that need 50% or so of an OG on the defensive side.

Also, pretty sad that last year we didn't have a single rim protector on our team, only one playable POA defensive specialist in Smart, and only one playable 3D wing in Lebron, albeit a lesser version, but probably playable. Vando and LaRavia could defend but their offense is just too atrocious.

Problem is, if you bring back Rui, and pay Lebron too much money, it doesn't leave much left to obtain the defensive components that we need. We could get creative in trade, but said trade should be done before we make any further decisions-to see where our cap room and apron situations are at that point.

For example, trading Vando, Knecht, #25, 2031 1st to New Orleans on Draft Night for Jones, Missi, and #58. We actually gain a couple million in extra cap room in that scenario, while adding two starters that fit those important defensive roles that I mentioned.

Maybe after that trade, keeping Lebron and/or Rui might make more sense then before the trade.

Unbelievable we went as far as we did, considering how awful we were built from a defensive standpoint. Credit to JJ for doing the best he can with that.

 

i'm definitely keeping Rui out of all the role players if given the option, meaning a reasonable contract around what he already had.

shooters that dont shrink:

1) with the Lakers
2) in the playoffs

are probably 0.5% or thereabouts

we had guys that were some of the best shooters in the league, get here and shoot below league average.

I don't care he sucks in the regular season. I understand @abeer3 and other people here are more focused on the regular season than me, and that's okay.

I think he probably won't stay though, he's likely to get other offers from contenders like Spurs who are desperate for a guy like him.

 

No, Rui is awesome. He almost single-handedly carried us in the playoffs this year. It's just, when you zoom out and look at it - Luka and Reaves are both not defensive players. They are going to need to be supported in that starting line-up with defenders.

But in the near future, if Reaves were to be traded, I wouldn't mind Rui at all to be that "second bad defensive player" role, like a smaller KAT if you will. So maybe the Lakers just get Rui signed as a future starter in waiting type, until at least the all-star break when Reaves could be traded. Maybe the elite defense of Herb and Missi is enough to let the Lakers get away with starting three weak defensive players in the short term? Maybe. A rim-protector that cover for mistakes could go a long way. Last season, we did decent with Smart being the only defensive player in the starting unit. We might be alright. I mean, when you think about it. Even from and offensive standpoint, Rui is a much cleaner fit than Reaves. He's got that catch and shoot down pat, and he is a playoff riser. I would low-key feel more comfortable starting Rui than Reaves.

Potential starting unit:

PG: Luka
SG: Jones
SF: Rui
PF: Lebron
C: Missi

 

think this was kobenluka's idea, too. if lebron walked, i'd be more interested in keeping rui, but i'd still be pretty concerned about paying him any more than he gets right now.

just going to agree to disagree on rui, though, i think. preponderance of evidence says he's just not an nba starter on a good team. we basically tried to trade him every year since we last signed him, with no success.

edit: and yes, were he to sign with SA at the mle, it would be very good for them. i don't know if that's enough reason for me to shrink our options, though.

 

He has evolved a bit though. He has increased his volume, and lowered his usage. He's become more of a catch and shoot guy than a guy trying to do too much. The playoff numbers are staggering and the NBA world at large now seems to be more aware of that. I guess he has a good enough sample size now. Just a potential option, not the be all end all. We have to see how the dominos fall.

 

hadn't seen anyone post this tidbit from the nyt:

not positive what this means, but i'm wondering what a trade framework would look like here.

 

I doubt it. He probably stays. Utah is going to want players that could help them win now. I suppose something centered on Reaves or Rui. Reaves is likely who they would want. A simple one-for-one deal: Reaves max deal to Utah, Kessler 30 mil to Lakers. It's an awful lot to send out for Kessler though. I wouldn't do it.

 

Yeah unfortunately for Kessler to become even somewhat realistic for us, we'd need his agent to agitate even more. Like full on I'm not playing here, Danny Ainge is a liar ala Harden at that Chinese basketball camp level agitation lol. Otherwise, the Jazz are just using restricted free agency like it's intended to be used.

 

rui was my idea. double s&t with a pick outgoing or something. maybe absorb the difference in salaries into space (or make rui's descending, or peg it to the 125%, or add laravia, etc.).

if reaves were outgoing, i'd honestly ask for kessler and bailey, and i think no picks outgoing. so, probably not happening.

still kind of like the idea of having space and just running up the numbers on all the RFAs, lol. tell lebron if we don't get any, he can have all that money.

the intention wasn't really hostage situation, though, which is why it ends up in acrimony a lot.

 

Actually, Rui wouldn't be a great fit in Utah. They have Markaanan at the 4 and Jackson at the 5, so Rui would have to start at 3. They already have a player like that in Sensabaugh. It would have to be Reaves, but the deal feels lopsided in favor of Utah, and I doubt Ainge would throw in sweeteners.

 

Trading Markkanen and paying Kessler still seems like a no brainer to me for the Jazz. Kessler isn't better than Markkanen, but JJJ/Kessler makes more sense as a frontcourt than Markkanen/JJJ. And I know Markkanen has played the 3 some but I just think Markkanen/JJJ/Kessler is just too slow-footed. If the Pelicans insist on trying to win and don't trade Murphy, I think the Pistons should be going all out for Markkanen.

 

I'd be interested in a rerun of last year's team with Kessler and some additional reinforcements.sich as thybulle

 

i'm one of the few who thinks jjj has to play center to be maximized, i guess. he's a lot like AD in that yeah, you can have them play pf and it not look terrible--and they both would prefer it--but your team is better with them playing more at center.

i'm not entirely sure what utah's doing, but as a conference competitor, i definitely don't want them to be able to lock up kessler on a cheap deal going forward. just like denver with watson. i want them to have to go into the 30s on those guys for multiple years.