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

yeah, and the fact that bkn wouldn't offer anything is a concern.

 

Yes, you can definitely play Hayes with Luka, and can play Ayton with Reaves or LeBron. The question I'm asking, though, is where does that leave Vando, and are we better off playing units with Vando or Hayes?

I really don't want to play Vando next to Ayton or Hayes. I know some people say there are creative ways you can make it work, and it's possible, but it's not very good imo.

Take the Luka leading a 2nd unit example. What is a better lineup for us:

Luka, Vincent, LaRavia, Vando, and Hayes or Kleber?
(On defense more like, Vincent, Vando, LaRavia, Luka, and Hayes or Kleber)

Kleber just works better there imo. Or if you take out Vando, is this lineup better than the one above?

Luka, Vincent, Knecht, LaRavia, Hayes
(On defense, Vincent, Knecht, LaRavia, Luka, Hayes)

That looks worse to me on both ends, unless Knecht gets back to being a lights out shooter, in which case it's better on offense but still worse on defense.

 

Kuminga just isn’t the kind of player we or many other teams need. He isn’t a star but wants high usage and to be featured as a scorer. We need shooting and defense.

Ask yourself this question, would you rather Herb Jones (22m per), DJJ (10m per), Brooks (21m per) or McDaniels (24m per) than Kuminga anywhere between 25-30?

I’d take any of those over Kuminga everyday of the week.

 

I don't particularly like Kuminga but does feel like he got the sort of the end of the stick with GS. His game just doesn't match well with the Steph centric, off ball movement offense they run.

His ESPN net points show him a negative on offense but at least slightly positive on defense. You wonder how he'd look like if had Thibs as a coach - he hates young players typically but you could sort of see Kuminga as a young Jimmy archetype who he may have fared better with a coach who goes all defense

 

I don’t think it’s funny that Dildos are being thrown on the court at WNBA games. With kids there having to explain to your kids what’s that? What’s going on. Is not good for the league. What happened to bag searches?

now for the Jokes.

they asked one of the women players about it and she said we just gotta stay locked in. Too rich. You can’t write this stuff.

second dildo on the court in a week.

 

the most important move of the summer for us has now been accomplished.

 

I think Kuminga would be your Fourth best player on a Chip Team at best. This is why nobody is clamoring to trade for him.

 

I think Rui should play all the non-Bron minutes.
Luka/Rui and AR/Bron should be 2 pairings most played between the 4. Then Ayton plays the same with both, but agree he might play more with AR/Bron

Luka, Gabe, LaRavia, Rui, Hayes
and
Smart, AR, Vando, Bron, Ayton

Should be 2 main bench lineups.

Of course in between you get other combinations, especially with 3 of the 4 above together, especially Luka/AR/Bron that we should try to play as many minutes as possible. I see Rui getting the first and last breather in halves to get Smart in with our best 4

 

I told y’all Luka was signing that extension on August 2nd. I was off on the money. I said 4 yrs. 229 million.

 

I guess he still wants to be able to sign for the 4 yr. 450 million.

 

It sure is

So grateful as a Lakers fan to have such a classy person on our team

 

pick and pop guy. hmmm....

 

Agree with almost all of this. My only quibble is with the Smart, AR, Vando, Bron, Ayton lineup. Where does Vando play on offense? Since Ayton is in this lineup, is Vando a corner 3 pt shooter that teams will sag off of? Secondary post that clogs up the lane? High post that fumbles the ball or misses a middie? This leads to 4 on 5 offense that gets us into trouble even with our other stars on the court bc of easy doubles and a roving helper.

When I envision lineup rotations, I usually put Vando with Rui in small ball at the end of 1st/3rd and beginning of 2nd/4th. Such as:

Luka, Gabe, LaRavia, Rui, Vando
(on defense, Gabe, Vando, LaRavia, Luka, Rui)
or
LeBron, Gabe, LaRavia, Rui, Vando
(on defense, Gabe, Vando, LaRavia, LeBron, Rui)

Ideally, AR would join one of those lineups, and in the playoffs when the stars play more minutes, there can always be 2 of Luka, LeBron, and AR on the floor. But in the regular season when they are playing 30-33 min (or even up to 36 for Luka), there are still going to need to be some minutes with just 1 of the 3 on the floor. Which is why I pair 1 of them with Rui at the end of the 1st/3rd and beginning of 2nd/4th, against the opposing backup units. Ayton is needed to start 1st/3rd and close 2nd/4th when the opposing starters and their best big men are on the court.

Which leads us back to...where are the minutes for Vando, Hayes, and/or Kleber? If we have 30 Ayton minutes and 8-12 small ball Rui/Vando minutes, what do you think is the best option for the remaining 6-10 minutes?

We could use Hayes, and that means Vando only gets 8-12 mpg.

Or we could use Kleber with Vando. (Something like Luka, Smart, Vando, Rui, Kleber, and variations thereof.)

Or more small ball with Rui/Vando at C, but more than 12 mpg might be pushing it, and wouldn't leave any minutes for either Hayes or Kleber.

I'm not sure, and I'm not really arguing for any of the 3, I'm genuinely wondering other people's takes. I just know that I don't think Vando + Ayton/Hayes works very well, so I'm trying to find the constructions that do.

 

Of course. But LeBron don't wanna hear that nonsense. Not even at 40.