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

https://espnanalytics.com/nba-net-pts

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...ints-latest-nba-metric-amazing-early-findings

This is interesting:
Lakers big 3 guys in the top 50 this year. luka and lebron top 20
Cleveland has 4 (ty jerome at first is a wtf but he's been frankly awesome the games I've seen)
Boston with 4 (kornet wtf)
OCK with 3 (hartenstein is the 3rd)

Even more interesting: Lebron and Luka were both top 5 last year. Considering both had slow starts and now are coming on strong the Lakers could have a duo with AR that has considerably higher ceiling then others

 

How has the Los Angeles Lakers' defense thrived after the Anthony Davis trade and is it sustainable?

After a win last week at the Portland Trail Blazers, Lakers coach JJ Reddick detailed that he had been struck by a "revelation" earlier in the season. "There's actually only one cheat code in the NBA, and that's playing hard," Redick said in the midst of his team winning 16 out of 19 games since late January to surge up the standings. The effort has been the fuel to the Lakers' revamped defense, but the personnel change cannot be overlooked. Davis was the team's best defender, but the addition of Dorian Finney-Smith and the contributions from Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt -- both finally healthy -- have given the Lakers' defense a constant wave of ball pressure to disrupt opposing offenses.

Add in the competitive spirit shared by LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, and it's a cohesive defensive group night to night. "LeBron's playing at an All-NBA defense level," Redick said. "There's no conservation of energy [from James] on that end of the floor." The biggest question is if this team could be peaking too soon: Does it have enough depth to get through the regular season without burning out the 40-year-old James for an extended postseason run? -- Dave McMenamin

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/pa...answering-biggest-questions-nba-playoff-races

 

…. added to his reasons ^^^ to be miserable.

 

AR and Rui listed as OUT for Pels game. So is Markieff Morris.

Dejounte and Herb Jones are out for the season.

All year New Orleans has been bit by the injury bug.

Now DAL says "Hold my entire case of beer" with Kyrie out for the season, AD possibly packing it in for the season (acc. to Shams), and the loss of Hookah Doncic to the (checks Internet)...the Los Angeles Lakers? Wow! When did that happen?

 

interestingly...if kyrie tore his acl while luka was still there, it would have complicated trades even further.

dallas probably needs to be thinking seriously about having a firesale this summer. they own their pick in 2026, but not after that for a bit. if there's a time to bottom out it's next year.

they get off AD's salary (and get tons of picks), and their books are squeaky clean for 26. they could try some fvv stuff there and eat some other contracts for more draft capital. i don't know...trying to put lipstick on the grossest pig ever right now. all-time low season for mavs fans.

 

What is going on with all injuries
Edwards exited to the locker room after sustaining an apparent left wrist/thumb injury during the first quarter of Tuesday's game against the 76ers, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic reports.

 

FINALLY some clarity on the two way guys.

 

That's going to be a tough sell. Just WOW!

 

It's going to be nearly impossible to beat the Lakers if both Luka and Lebron are hitting 3s (nevermind AR).

Since for them that means tough contested 3s they can generate so much offense that you can afford to play lineups with a bunch of rugged Energizer bunny defenders to make life really really hard for the opposing team. Hayes, Jemison,. Vando, DFS are all causing havoc on D and the glass while feasting on easy shots by the top guys

 

Lebron and Luka combined for 64 points and 21 assists. That’s over 100 points.

I’ve never seen anything like this. We went out and got Lebron another Lebron. And we kept Reaves who’s been averaging 20/8 while having a lot of pesky defenders.

I can’t see us not being a high powered offence every game with so many options. Defensively it’s all going to come down to effort, energy and health.

7 in a row!

 

I can’t lie. I love it when things don’t work out for guys who pass on us.

 

Mavs have completely set their franchise on fire and lost a whole generation of fans. It will be a really long time before they recover from this

 

i know it was framed that way (even by klay to some extent), but i'm not sure if that's exactly what happened. i think nobody wanting to take dlo as part of a s&t was a big part of why klay didn't end up here.

 

Agreed but as you say I do feel like Klay (and several others over the years) have either kind of played into the narrative of choosing someone over us or directly thrown us under the bus.

 

more people will want to play with Luka thank Lebron I think

could be wrong, but just gut feeling

 

I think when free agency opens agents with athletic big men will be calling us, not the other way around. They see what Luka and Bron together are able to do for Hayes. Imagine what they can do someone is a top 15 center without their help instead of a borderline backup C.