2024-25 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

yeah, i guess i was surprised leonard took one fewer year, but that doesn't mean george has to do the same. george is two years older, so it's possible leonard has another contract in mind, whereas george is accepting that this is his last one, so he wants the most he can get? anyway, losing him for nothing or for pennies on the dollar over one year seems silly.

but philly and the magic are the only teams with max space that could be really good by adding george. if he doesn't like philly cuz morey (i get it), orlando's the only team that can put any pressure on the clips to max him. why close that door?

from orlando's perspective, why not use george as the bridge? he helps you be good now, and by the time banchero and wagner are your top dogs making big bucks, george will be an expiring contract you can move for the next third guy. again, maybe one year of cap hell in there, but possibly several years of HCA in the first round of the playoffs in the east, right?

 

https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1805663895270441203
So much for signing for less lol
The Lakers are committed to re-signing LeBron James, and would offer the max $162M contract over three years according to ESPN.

: 5% above last season's $47.6M salary

: 8% raise
: 8% raise


That means the Lakers would be paying LeBron over $58M when he's 41 years old
JJ already got LeBron increase in contract
But I don't know if Jeanie lost touch with reality or what

 

this isn't new information, though. we've supposedly had the full offer on the table the whole time. he just hasn't accepted it yet.

we're not going to play hardball here; we're not the clippers.

 

Jeanie is probably making much more from Lebron being in LA, than whatever the max is.

obviously save for a miracle this means no championship in the near future, plus delaying the inevitable rebuild, until after probably AD is done as a top player as well.

 

i'm not sure lebron walking in FA would bring a title any sooner. the only way we're avoiding a rebuild is by trading lebron and AD. and that might not get us there sooner, even if we were inclined to try it (we're not).

 

But some insider post that if Bronny will be chosen by Phoenix or whatever LeBron is going to sign there for minimum.We just have to wait for draft and LeBron still has couple more days

 

LeBron retires as a Laker.

 

There’s rumblings that the Lakers may be interested in trading for Jerami Grant with the #17 pick attached.

There’s also talk of New Orleans preparing to trade Brandon Ingram this week as well, and if the price is about the same for Grant/Ingram, I would hope we get Ingram instead.

 

Paul George is seeking a four-year contract (Mark Stein)
Paul George expects to sign a new contract for 4 years this summer.

This was reported by insider Mark Stein.

Among the key points regarding the future Paul George in Clippers or another team: sources in the league say that a 34-year-old player continues to seek a new four-year contract.


It is expected that the star forward will take advantage of the option of renewing the contract for season 24/25 worth 48.8 million dollars, after which he's going request a trade.

 

17th pick in this lousy draft is probably equivalent to end of first round pick most years: that would be a good value for Grant and the Lakers would be happy to do that if all it takes is that and some salary filler

 

multiple sources said the Bucks have made it known Lopez is available in a trade.

Teams that could be in play for Lopez, sources said, are the Grizzles, Lakers, Thunder, Mavericks, Pelicans and Rockets.

The Rockets heavily courted Lopez in free agency last summer before he decided to return to the Bucks.
I prefer Valanchunas .

 

According to Amick, Bron and AD want us to go big game hunting this week

 

Ingram is the better and younger talent but Grant is the better fit for our current team. Ingram hasn't defended consistently since we traded him and weirdly refuses to take spot-up threes. Grant would probably be cheaper too.

 

The Lakers are going to make a big splash in FA

 

Grant would be a great move, especially if we keep Reaves.

Ingram doesn't work with Lebron, he needs the ball too much.

 

I think he's redundant with Banchero/Wagner. I think both can achieve a really high level, 2 potential All-stars imo. Not superstars, but All-stars is already great for Orlando for the next decade, although they may need to wait 2/3 years for them to peak. PG may hinder their progress and they're still short of Boston, Philly or Knicks with him.
They need a PG for the next 2/3 years, where they can then pivot if both their young stars develop as they expect and go all-in on a superstar

I wouldn't do it.
I don't think Paul is the guy who moves the needle enough. If you do a move like that, you need to become a top contender. Don't think it's the case.
Orlando can benefit of an aging Butler, Giannis and Embiid in 2/3 years time. Even Boston without Jrue, KP and Al

 

Paul only goes to Orlando if they give him the 4 years. For 3, he stays in LA.

Ingram doesn't fit well with LeBron. He was also unplayable at some point for NOLA, they closed games without him. He averaged 14pts and never scored 20pts in this postseason. He's awful. He'll have a career in play-in, mid lottery teams

 

i disagree. the top picks in this draft are like having the 6-10 in other drafts, but after that, i think it's comparable. we'll see later, but that's how these "weak drafts" have gone, historically. there's no obvious superstar this year, but 1/3 of these guys in the first round will be long-time nba players, and a couple will be all stars, probably in surprising fashion.

rui/gabe/top-8 protected 1st and this year's 17 (or jhs) for grant is fine by me. but i could also see rui being a more valuable player than grant going forward. it's a grass-is-greener situation, maybe. again, i'd make a deal for grant; i just wouldn't feel triumphant upon completing it.

if not PG, then who does it? who's the last FA better than him to switch teams? kd during the weird cap explosion (that has since been outlawed)? lebron to us?

boston was the lucky team injury-wise this year. holiday or horford goes down for the playoffs next year, and they're ripe for the takedown. current orlando can't beat that team, but orlando + PG does, imo. then maybe you get to the finals against one-legged luka, too. just sayin'.

i'd do it. they have control of banchero, wagner, suggs, black, and carter. you can try a quick strike now and regroup if it fails.

 

It's true that not many FAs get available. But there may be someone wanting to leave their team (like Don recently) and liking the idea of playing in Orlando (Florida is nice) while potentially contending

I don't think they're (with PG) better than Boston, Knicks, Bucks or Philly (even just with Embiid and Maxey) next year, but we're going to agree to disagree on that one


With DLo or Klay for the next 3 years, they have 2 years with a better team but still lead by Paulo and Franz, growing in the playoffs and maybe stealing a series, and in the last year using such expiring as bait for a trade for a guard star or targeting that free agency if someone available. I would rather go that route and overpay those guys