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

You’re making me realize that “Lebron taking a paycut to open up the MLE” might not mean “Lebron will take a ~$16M paycut to open up the MLE with the roster as currently constructed”.

It could mean “IF the Lakers first clear enough salary to be within striking distance of the MLE (by dumping rotation players) THEN Lebron might take a very small paycut to clear the difference and open up the MLE”.

That scenario just to sign Klay would definitely be a disaster

But I really don’t get that sense from the reporting. Klutch has emphasized that Lebron’s focus is improving the roster. I know LeGM has demonstrated bad judgement when it’s come to roster construction, but I have to imagine that he knows that straight up dumping DLo or Rui just to sign Klay isn’t a big roster improvement.

My cynicism towards Lebron’s paycut is moreso that maybe they already have the sense that Rob WON’T be able to acquire the kind of MLE target that Lebron wants. So this story is just a pre-emptive cover to deflect from possible criticism Lebron will face after signing the max. “Well Lebron would have taken a paycut to help improve the roster, it just didn’t work out”

But the reporting and specific names like Klay and Valanciunas make me feel there is no way Lebron can now backtrack and refuse to take the paycut if a player of that caliber made it clear they’d be willing to sign for the MLE

 

gotcha. hey, if lebron actually takes the big cut, i won't be mad when he starts b****ing at the deadline again. at least he will have literally put his money where his mouth is this time. really annoyed me last year with that s***. you're making 50 million, bro--you fix it.

edit: btw, i also just don't believe that klay leaves the warriors for the mle--that they'd allow it to happen. i know, respect and all, but again, they offered 24 per for two years last year. you're going to let him walk for nothing after that? they (and klay) will want the S&T. and then we lose trade assets.

 

@Helljumper that's exactly right. Great job and well stated. It isn't like GS would do anything to help facilitate an S&T to enhance his earning potential with the Lakers? Maybe I eat my words, but I highly doubt it.

Let's see what happens...

 

What's if it's not about the money now with Thompson?

 

IMO Klay would do better here than the last couple years in GS.He would have two offensive players with gravity instead of one to enable him to not work as hard to get open which would help his defense

 

We’d be all in with the nepotism this year with Klay’s Pops being part of our radio team and past player. All about family with these Lakers.

 

Damn right.

I can't wait until we trade Reaves for Young.

 

…. not happening

 

Now that everyone but Lebron, is locked in, TB, Rui and, say Reddish and Hayes, gets us in Trae Young territory. Young and Valenucius at the MLE...That's not a terrible idea.

Or throw In Gabe instead of the minimums, that's more than enough for Young. Have to keep JHS, and expect some improvement.

 

That isn't a good deal, IMO.

 

Latest from Stein

PG and Philly

Mavs want Klay and to keep Jones, Naji in the mix if Jones leaves

Magic like PG or Hartenstein and KCP

DeRozan likely waiting on the PG situation to play out

Clippers and Spurs mentored as possible spots for CP

 

CPDirty and Westbrick together on the Flippers??
Oh man, that’s a powder keg I need to see!

 

Not sure who TB is, but yeah with the DLo opt in it occurred to me that trading for Trae Young might not “gut the roster” the way I initially assumed.

DLo, Rui, and Gabe is enough to match Trae, and it helps to consolidate the roster. Of course we’d have to throw in some draft assets, but seemingly less than some of the other marquee trade targets.

So the idea of being able to get Trae, keep AR/Vando/Knecht/Christie, etc and then ALSO have the MLE to spend after a Lebron paycut… that’s actually pretty intriguing

 

I’m not sure why everyone’s so down on Klay, he is still a terrific shooter. And he’ll try hard on defence, maybe he can’t be the POA defender he use to be, but he’ll rotate properly.

We could do worse.

 

Next FA position

SMALL FORWARDS

If you want to follow along at home:
https://www.spotrac.com/nba/free-agents/_/year/2024/position/sf/sort/contract_value

There's quite a few guys here that interest me and should be able to nab at least one of them. What are we looking for though? You want a two way wing, for an impact one you got to make a trade. After we get past the top 2, my targets are cheap guys who can maybe give you two shifts/15 minutes.

What are we doing here? I don't anticipate a great opportunity for the below guys because either Rui and Vando are there, the elusive 3&D wing we're out there looking for eats the minutes, or we're trying to get extra minutes for Max, Knecht or Austin here.

First let's get these two out of the way:

Do not under any circumstance, for any price want A)Miles Bridges. Don't want the team to associate with that kind of person. B) Caleb Martin. Heat injury reasons.

Tier 1

1. DeMar DeRozan: not a great fit, but i bet if Klay doesn't come here that's the next wing name on Bron's list. DeRozan is already outside Bron's window with a boombox

2. Tobias Harris (they had him listed as a PF on their list, but here he'd be a SF): at $36m annually he's awful and overpaid but at nearly 1/3 of that i think he becomes a value. Not a two way guy either, but like I said you're not getting that at an impact level via FA. Would require thinning out the depth at the position.

TPMLE GROUP

3. Saddiq Bey: young, two way player. Defense is inconsistent but it's there. He can shoot. Starter level player. Double digit scorer. Good build. Curious about his price. TPMLE? Don't think he'll be on our radar though.

4. Naji Marshall: good defender. Offense and shot are both a little inconsistent. Buried in the depth chart, so I think he's capable of more than he's currently doing. Mavs are interested if they can't secure Jones so he's on the radar of teams and someone else will likely scoop him up.

Young, limited vet min with upside

5. Lamar Stevens: good physical defender. Can rebound well. Can't shoot.

6. K-Mart Jr: super athletic, can play for defense but is inconsistent. Good rebounder when he gets decent minutes. Can't shoot. Hasn't looked nearly as good since leaving Houston and hasn't been able to find consistent minutes.

The old vets

7. Nicolas Batum: useful versatility and veteran presence. can hit a shot still. Question is he ready to play 2 out of every 6 games? He hasn't had to do that yet, so is he willing to accept age and NBA mortality?

8. Marcus Morris: same role as Kief. Enforcer but with better offense. Should've been on he PF list.

 

It's gameday, folks. Strap in.

There's nothing like opening day of NBA free agency.