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

yeah,

1. we sort of have a lot of that.
2. it doesn't address defense at all.

and i get that that's not how the question most obviously reads ("play your game" definitely implies offense), but there are more considerations. not to beat a dead horse, but the best luka teams had a secondary playmaker of high quality, lob threats/shot blockers at center, and then a bunch of versatile perimeter defenders, all of whom while not being great shooters, could hit enough to keep defenses honest.

our current makeup has a couple really good shooters but absolutely nobody who can defend anyone (well, the two guys that can don't do anything offensively at all, so they can't be played against good teams). ok, maybe smart counts as two-way that fits the previous luka success mold, but he's older and can't be counted on for 70+ games, 30+ minutes. we need like, three of those guys. don't need to be stars, just your djj, pj washington types (defensive positional versatility, adequate if flawed offense).

i'm still pretty perplexed by the concept of running it back, even understanding the difficulties and being a person who values continuity.

 

Yeah. There are real things this team needs to address. I can't see running it back either. We have to add some pieces.

 

Alright, let's play the Wild Card of what would be nice this summer:

Marvin Bagley III
KCP
Lu Dort
Ayo Dosunmu
Tari Eason
Keon Ellis
Tobias Harris
Walker Kessler
Kevin Love
De'Anthony Melton
Larry Nance Jr.
Jusuf Nurkić
Kristaps Porziņģis
Collin Sexton
Day'Ron Sharpe
Gary Trent Jr.
Peyton Watson
Andrew Wiggins
Robert Williams III

So, if people were signed to the right deals AND we didn't re-sign everyone, honestly I would think 2-3 (MAYBE 4 to 5 if people want some VET MINs) could be had from this list. Some might be better than others, but like........

That might not be a bad list to consider. I also expect MOST, if not all, of these guys to just re-up with whoever they are with currently, but like.....MAYBE something crazy happens?

I think Reaves and LeBron deserve whatever they ask, but like.....I hope they will consider a slight cut just to help make some of this easier. We may never get a summer with cap like this FOR A WHILE........so some help would be nice.

 

I expect a surprising name or two to be bought out.

Also seems to be a lot of smoke around the restricted guys. We will see.

 

I mean, would it even be a TRUE OFF-SEASON if it wasn't "'X' is going to sign with the Lakers this summer"?

 

I would take names like Sharpe, Love and Nurkic out of there. They don't seem to fit the center archetype the Lakers are looking for.

 

I wasn't aware Wiggins has a player option. If Lebron leaves that's a no brainer to give him a longer contract for less money so that he opts out and signs here.

 

Couldn't Nurkic be a good off the bench Center though for the B-Squad? I feel like the times I have seen him play, he's chippy enough to be good and helpful, but again....I would expect him to resign with the Jazz at this rate. I think they like him enough.

Love would also be an off the bench guy, but a PF...not a center. I feel like Love has the Pau and Davis thing where "sure" you could play him at Center, but like.....how about we don't and say we did?

 

game 7 of the 2010 finals was 16 years ago today

easily the most satisfying of the lakers 5 titles in the 2000s