2025-26 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

Shake's option is due on July 20th, I guess we'll be showing our cards here soon.

 

Man this Hansen kid is f***ing fun. Portland had to wait a long time but they are finally getting Bill Walton back. This Yang kid has the wrap around one hand pass that Jokic doesn't even do.

 

The Don has spoken Rich Paul. In other words. Windhorst Windho shut the f*** up.

Lebron James has not asked for a trade from the Lakers.

Lebron James and us never asked for more years on the contract from the Lakers.

The Lakers are buisness as usual as the Lakers still want to compete for championships and field a championship team around Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

nothing to see here. F U Windho Romona I knew you would stoop to this.

s*** article.

glad LeBron responded. Let’s go win a championship.

Like I said he ain’t going anywhere. And Like I said Savannah runs it. And they aren’t leaving L.A.

 

Kind of looks like a baby Yao Ming and Jokic would’ve had if they had a baby.

 

If we trade Bron we would have to get multiple players, so we can only do that if we cut Shake loose. Guess that's why we haven't sign the FA yet.

I still believe we are getting Melton

 

Lebron has a no trade clause he would get traded for pennies

 

Not only would he reject a trade to all but maybe 3 destinations, he'd reject a trade where any value is traded. On top of that, we'd only want expirings back to preserve the Joker/Antetokounmpo plan.

Only way he leaves and I think there's maybe a 5% chance of this is via buyout.

 

I don't get how a buyout is even talked about. It's a huge blow in Bron's legacy, which he cares about. And what does the Laker get for doing that? We become severely weaker, would have no chance of competing with Luka in his prime when he is starting his tenure in LA. Wouldn't be the best start.

 

It's the only path that allows him to end it truly on his terms if he's as fed up here as Windy and Ramona want us to believe. It would be Lakers doing right by him and giving him the chance to go get a 'ship. The biggest wrinkle in that fairytale is that it'd have to happen in the off-season because if he's bought out in-season then apron rules really limit where he could go.

He'll retire a Laker and continue to grumble about our two timeline approach and wasting his last chance at a championship as a Laker and I really don't blame him for that. We're not a contender but do have the assets to put us in that second tier and then it's a health race to June. But it doesn't seem like we'll go that route, instead will float around 5th or 6th seed and wish upon a star for the next FA. For someone who loves parables as much as Rob, guess he never heard one in the hand is worth two in the bush

 

Does trading Dalton and the 2031 1st now really ruin our chances of making future moves? Another 1st becomes tradeable next summer. Our 2026 first will be tradeable on draft night. Whatever Dalton and/or the 2031 1st are traded for can also be traded. Once Austin resigns, we can pivot to trading him too if absolutely necessary.

Say we trade our expirings + Dalton + the 2031 1st for Wiggins and for whatever reason it doesn’t work out and the team is still a first or second round exit. Well, now Wiggins is an expiring we can package with two firsts on draft night. Add Reaves to that and maybe you’re in the market for the best guys available next summer. The reality is that another Top 15 player probably isn’t coming here without (1) that guy forcing his way here specifically and (2) us giving up Reaves. So I don’t think turning our non-Reaves assets into a useful player now really restricts future moves much.

 

Well sorry to break it to you, but we’re in all likelihood not getting the next star to pair with Luka without trading Reaves. What I actually said is that whatever we trade Dalton and the 2031 1st for can be subsequently traded. Again, use Wiggins as an example. You could trade Austin/Wiggins/two firsts for Giannis, or Austin/Dalton/additional salary/three firsts. I really don’t think it makes much of a difference.

The folks in favor of punting the next 1/2 seasons for some reason think a player we trade for now to help this team couldn’t be traded again later. Could the player we trade for now depreciate in value? Sure. But so could Dalton. I haven’t exactly been encouraged by his performances in the summer leagues.

 

Team cookie.

wiggins is this year’s Jerami grant; who’s this difference maker that could have been had? Who’s been moved for what we had to offer?

 

Wiggins is just an example and besides the point. The point is that that the assets we trade for a player to help now don’t just extinguish, the new player becomes an asset. Even if we think the trade is an overpay right now. It may turn out that Dalton sucks and the 2031 pick isn’t worth much with Luka still here.

 

I personally think the two situations are vastly different. Grant wanted out of a winning situation to be the guy with the bag and has been stumbling around losing situations since which in turn has made him a loser. Took the bag and mentally checked out. Wiggins had mental questions in GS but that's a lot to do with off the court drama, Miami is never in a rebuild with Riley there. He'll find 10 scrubs, bathe them in "Heat culture" and still tell them the expectation is to compete. Meanwhile I think ownership is ready to hit a reset, you go against Riley too much and I'm still not sure you don't find yourself floating in a river.

Ultimately I don't think it'll take a first to get him. I know what they're saying now. But Expirings, DK, maybe a 2nd. Honestly I think, Rui AND DK is an upgrade for them.

But THE package around the league:
-I think you can get Ellis. They say he's not available but that's an offer probably too good to keep him.
-I think you can steal an Indy wing. They're cheap and now have a reason to be cheap this year.
- Call OKC, find out how many billions they want to spend on keeping that team together. Dort is the next one due.
- Memphis is a joke, could've probably gotten KCP rerouted here in a 3 team, maybe netted Goga in the process.

(And I'm only looking at short term money here)

Expirings, DK, and a first should get you a 2-way wing. If they're not over 30, they'll retain value on the next trade if you need to make one to get the always promised future fish.


I like the odds of a roster with
MVP Luka, top 10 Bron, hungry Ayton, cheap AR, a 2-way wing + a couple other FA hits

Instead of:

Bron retiring, AR costing 3x as much, Ayton pricing himself out, and maybe we land a star in a gutted roster. Paying Antetokounmpo $70m+ and surrounding him at Luka with scraps is best case of this grand plan. When Antetokounmpo learns how to shoot or stays healthy, wake me up. There's no depth and the West lapped us twice over. Meanwhile Luka is two years older and what do we have to show for it? Finally kicking Bron off the team? AWESOME!

 

I don't think Luka in Dallas had super talented teams but they had competent roleplayers and they got to the WCF and Finals

Just don't understand punting seasons again. First AD and Luka too old and now this target 2 full seasons of prime Luka in terms of team building.

 

Nah- our FO has been perfectly clear about keeping their cap sheet clean for the next two seasons after this one. There’s a zero percent chance of this happening. I’m not getting into the optics of how bad this would reflect on a Franchise that’s built a reputation up of catering to it’s aged out “stars.”

 

And here we are talking again as if this season and next season are being “punted”. In spite of Thiero, LaRavia and Ayton being added and no one has patience to see Rob’s next moves. As if they think he’s done.

Vando’s first healthy summer in awhile for hard work and internal improvement.

Austin Reaves’s best season yet coming up with career contract year.

Same with Rui Hachimura for same reason.

Same with Ayton for same reason PLUS Luka Doncic.

Internal improvement NOT unreasonable to expect from Goodwin.

Maxi Kleber should be able to add quality smart basketball depth, was unavailable last season.

Internal improvement from Knecht not unreasonable to expect for as long as he’s here.

All the assets, expirings, picks and talent we can spare are STILL there. No one is punting the season!