2022-23 Team Developments: News / Trades / Free Agents / Rumors

dallas didn't have enough picks to make it possible. that was 4 1sts and a swap. alongside two quality starting nba wings.

i actually think i like our trade better than 2 unprotected picks for kyrie. we'll see how it all plays out, though. maybe kyrie stops being a kook.

 

I have trashed Rob and still blame him for the mess we are in, but this trade was objectively better than any I’ve seen proposed for Westbrook.

 

Hahaha... teams want multiple firsts back to take back this "shooter." That's rough

 

yeah, i probably proposed over 100 separate russ trades over the last year, and this is better than all of them. still can't believe we got the pick top-4 protected that immediately turns into 2nds. hugely underrated aspect of the deal, as it means that a) we're highly unlikely to miss out on a generational talent in the draft and b) future picks aren't held hostage by the protection.

i would not have thought that possible. love that the press is like "meh" when they all swore we'd have to give up 2 unprotected picks and take like, davis bertans back or something.

 

that was such a terrible signing. from day one. and it's really hampered miami from a team building perspective. with bam, butler, and their geographical advantage, they should be better than they are.

 

Same, I love this trade. DLO, Beasley, Vanderbilt, Rui, Reaves and Christie are all 26 or younger, we could have all of these guys for a while or aggregate salaries if another trade comes along. We’ve gotten so much younger and more athletic around LeBron/AD since last season. This is the best I’ve felt about the team in a long time.

 

The anti-KD.

 

As spectacular as Pelinka's trade was yesterday he has some homework left to do now after the Suns getting KD immediately after the Mavs secured Irving. The wide open west where Denver was the only team assured as a true contender, now has a formidable foursome in Arizona and a two-headed monster in Texas. The Grizzlies look to add to Morant and co., the Warriors might add, the Pelicans are looking for upgrades for when Zion returns and the team across the street still want a PG to add to their big two of Kawhi and PG13.

Without a doubt, the Lakers success will still depend largely on AD and if he can return the dominant play he was doing in November/early December, but also now they have some floor spacing and shooting with the acquisition of both D'Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley. The two guards shoot about a combined 16 threes a night and with the return of Austin Reaves gives them more size (all 6'4/6'5) than the three guard rotation who were routinely out there in Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley and Dennis Schroder- who were all 6'3 and under. The average age of that threesome was also about 33 years old where the three replacing them are all 27 or under. So almost overnight the Lakers are younger, faster, taller and have better shooters in their backcourt.

The Lakers also added 24-year old Jarred Vanderbilt, a 6'9 power forward who joins their recent addition of 25-year old Rui Hachimura (6'8) and gives the team much needed size and athleticism, something they have sorely lacked.

It is a formidable 8-man rotation:

LeBron James
Anthony Davis
D'Angelo Russell
Rui Hachimura
Malik Beasley
Jarred Vanderbilt
Austin Reaves
Dennis Schroder

The obvious omissions from the above list are Patrick Beverley and Lonnie Walker and the combined $20 million salary that comes with them. Beverley brings intensity when he is out there and at least a defensive mindset, even if he is undersized and has struggled with his shot this year (although better of late) while Walker also is undersized but his athleticism early in the season had him arguably as the team's 3rd best player. Will Pelinka be able to move them and get a big to help protect the rim or another 3 and D wing that can help defend the quicker guards and wings in the loaded West??

Lakers bottom end of the roster likely won't change with C Thomas Bryant (who has shown he can step in for Davis and provide offense, but is not an ideal rotational player because of his limitations on defense), F Troy Brown Jr (6'6 and likely behind the two taller guys recently added in Rui and Jarred now) and F Wenyen Gabriel (a nice young player who can do the dirty work and provide a spark, but will likely find minutes hard to come by). Rookie Max Christie has upside, but chasing a playoff spot is not the ideal time to get him into a rotation.

So the question remains what if anything will Pelinka do in these final hours??

 

LMAO how did we get a lower grade than Utah. They were looking for a first round pick for EACH of the 3 they traded away. They only got 1 pick and now have to buyout Russ... #lakersbias

 

According to James Edwards III of The Athletic, Bojan might require a 3rd team if traded. Some suitors (including us) don't have what they're looking for.

Another interesting nugget regarding the Pistons, Woj said that the 3 team deal that would've sent Collins to the Suns that was shutdown when the Suns turned to KD, the 3rd team was Detroit. Can't figure out who or what would've been involved on their end though.

 

Honestly I don't get the fascination with Bogdanovic. He's an excellent shooter but also one of the worst defenders in the league. With DLO and Lebron taking possesions off on defense, we need elite defenders at every other position.

Brooklyn has a logjam of wings and they would probably want to keep Bridges, but maybe we can snatch up Cam Johnson with the '29 pick? He's one of the best 3&D's in the league. If not Harris or Crowder for a 2nd Rd pick?

 

Laker killer. They needed another big, I'm not sure that's the kind of big they needed.

 

Makes me think Gallinari is donezo.

And I still can't believe we traded Zubac for Muscala.

 

it’s ridiculous

 

We made Muscala's career. LOL