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

This is how I feel about that

 

You can't trade alone.
I really wish JJ comes to terms with Vando. He can impact winning and it's the coaches job to find a way. He also seems like a good dude and not high maintenance, so hope JJ stops being stubborn.
He's the type of asset we need next year for a starting level caliber player, as an expiring. His trade + MLE can give us 2 top 7 rotation player, sliding down Sexton and having Carr and Thiero too. That's how you build a championship team.

 

I'm hoping JJ figures Vando out as well. A coach has to make the best use of what he has, plus I like Vando. It is also hilarious to check in on Philly fans. Their worst nightmare has come true...lol. Our young guys are going to show out enough to change what we will be needing next season. Knicks were kind of sweating the 76ers a bit now they laughing too...lol.

 

I get you don’t like Lebron James but you’re take that everyone in laker land is thanking their lucky stars LBJ left and that Philly’s nightmares just came true is just a really odd one.

The 76er fans are calling their offseason the greatest offseason by any team of all time - that’s how pumped they are.

 

not to beat a dead horse, but the media coverage of us is a constant source of annoyance.

like, why is dalton knecht impossible to trade? if any other team had a second year player who had averaged double-figures in scoring for a full rookie season, had at least one marketable skill (shooting), and was on an expiring contract, the framing wouldn't be "they're frantically trying to trade him but nobody will take him!"

in vando's case, i'll grant his contract is unappealing, but the idea that we're just knocking on doors with these contracts is stupid. they're offered because they're what we have to offer. they don't have an obvious role with the current team. every other team is doing this, too. why is it us that gets painted as breathlessly desperate?

 

I've wished LeBron the best and hope he does well but that just isn't what I'm seeing. Go join in a Philly chat or watch a podcast. They ain't happy. I know I offend some LeBron fans but it is really hard to help myself bc I'm strictly a Laker guy. It is just so nice to have so many young players that are going to get a chance to show what they can do instead of just trying to fit players around an old dude that just isn't good enough anymore to be a top option. The Lakers are back!!!

 

And there were many people posting weeks ago (some probably months) that he’d end up taking less money to be a 3rd banana elsewhere. He wanted to be pampered by the incumbent but gets to be the generous hero by doing that for a different team.

 

I say this with respect, but you live in Lala land.

The Brown trade for Philly was what the Luka trade was for us. They were facing a very slow rebuild and are now in the top 3 betting favorites for the ring next year.

We're not even in the top 10 right now.

 

i'll repeat i'm more excited to watch the lakers this year than any year since the westbrook trade.

i'm glad we cleaned house.

 

I wish I could like this twice

He's a narcissist in all ways

 

I don't understand why people have to s*** on Lebron like you're sour that your girlfriend left you.

First of all he's good friends with Austin as far as everyone knows.

I'm not a fan of Lebron's personality, but he's going to be a 3rd or 4th scoring option in Philly as well, so that doesn't make sense.

The fit for him is better there, than with the Lakers. He'll play point, which he couldn't do here, and have much less to do on defense, like @svtzr said yesterday.

 

the fit is better in philly because they have three other guys in the starting lineup to cover for lebron on defense. offensively, i'm not sure it's better, as there's not alot of really fearsome shooting there. i'd be packing that paint all day.

but anyway, this can all go in the nba discussion, as lebron plays for philadelphia now.

i'm focused on who will be our fifth starter. i find it funny that both minny and we swung big trades to fill a big hole on our rosters and are both left short a starting forward right now.

 

I respect all opinions and Lala land is pretty cool...lol. We have a solid contending roster with top end talent and young athletic up and coming players. I like our chances and I like this year's version of the Lakers much more. Easy to get behind. I have to admit the 76er fan chatter is pretty entertaining too. Appreciate your post!

 

Even with Vando on the roster next season, Lakers are still projected to have the Non-Taxpayer MLE, worth about 15.9 million and the Bi-Annual Exception, worth about 5.8 million. With 15 roster spots (4 of those spots vet-minimums), Lakers would still be about 4.3 million under the 1st apron next season. With that in mind, Lakers don't have to prioritize dumping Vando's contract this year. Instead, maybe focus on aquiring the best available talent, using expiring contracts and draft capital.

This probably tracks with us targeting players like Kuminga and Gafford. For example, a trade of LaRavia, Hardy, draft capital for either Gafford at 17.3 million or Kuminga at around the same salary, woudl put us about 1 million under the 1st apron, with 15 players on the roster. Then, next season we could stretch Vando. His stretch number would be less of a burden, becasue it would only be 4.4 million in dead money per year for only 3 years. Stretching Vando would give us access to the full Non-Tax Payer MLE and about 4 million of the BAE (enough to outbid some teams), while saying under the 1st apron by about 1 million.

These are some reasons why either a sign and trade for Kuminga or a trade for Gafford might be optimal use of the 17 million or so salary slot that we would theoretcally have avaialble.

For players in that 15-17 million dollar range, Gafford is literally the only player at a position of need that is apparently available and that we could realistically get for the LaRavia/Hardy combination.

If we expanded it to LaRavia, Hardy and Knecht, we could trade for a player making up to about 21 million dollars, while staying about 1 million under the 1st apron. Players that fall in this range that we might be able to get are Washington and Kuzma. Only thing is, in the case of Washington, his contract for 27-28 would cut into the MLE money by about 1-2 million and we would losse to BAE. With that being said, PJ is good enough of a player to make it worth it, depending on how strongly the Lakers feel about maintaining the option of the full MLE.

So the rumored players certainly do track in terms of apron implications. It seems Kuminga, Gafford, Washington and Kuzma are the most sensible options.

 

You got that first part wrong, I'm not sour like my girlfriend left. I'm partying like that Bit#$ is outta here!!! Plus Austin will say the right things but there ain't no one on the team sorry LeBron is gone. They are at the party with me!