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

Stolen from LG.

 

I feel like guys on that Ayo Dosunmu level could actually work. Not All Stars but solid contributors on offense who can defend.

I still like the thought of bringing in some of the guys we’ve all discussed a lot like Herb Jones or Keon Ellis but at the right price.

 

Sure, that's fine & if the only way to build a competitive roster is around Luka/Austin, do it. It's just my opinion that with the right pieces, we'd be a 2nd round exit every year. Maybeeeee WCF. Maybeee.

 

I do think Wiggins would work here but giving up a pick for him is a tough sell IMO. Just feel like we can use a pick to get someone better.

He checks multiple boxes for us though.

 

i don't like negotiating from a position of weakness. if we didn't think he was worth a 1st in the summer (AND negating all flexibility this summer), why now, when he's having one of his worst seasons in terms of most metrics i trust?

i keep looking at bad teams with developmental crunches.

like justin champagnie in washington--might they move him and a 2nd for knecht?

 

Yeah, he isn't worth a first rounder, IMO. Can't be desperate. Ayo works, Thybulle works, Ellis works, etc. Young talent with upside and buy low, ideally.

 

Oh I agree. And I was vocally against giving up a lot for him over the summer

 

I like Thyblle. How do we get him?

 

Vincent plus a second? Does that work? We only have one tradeable second round pick.

 

Trade 1: Knecht + 2031 1st unprotected for Ellis + 2027 Charlotte 2nd

Trade 2: Rui + Vincent + 2027 Charlotte 2nd + 2032 2nd for Wiggins

 

Sometimes in basketball. s*** gets Masked

actually Luka and Reaves are better playing together having a defensive minded Thiero next to them as opposed to a Lebron.

You have to see how it works next season. Now you’ll look at LeBron and say bring him back. But fact is he can’t guard anybody so now the perimeter is completely destroyed cause you don’t have any defense.

at least when LeBron wasn’t in there you had LaRavia. You had some length some athletic defense and brining Thiero you would add to that. I’m not calling him Artest yet but he’s getting there.

and then let the other guys be who they are offensive scoring players.

And Reaves and Luka don’t have to worry about should they be getting him the ball.

that’s just the way it is. Lebron being on the court he has to have the ball. It was the same thing with Kobe even at his advanced age you had to get him the ball. Cause when he’s on the court his presence made guys have to feature him. You can’t say Russell taking a better shot or Clarkson or even Randle was better so those things happen with hall of fame players on the court.

that’s why you saw the team playing the way they did when LeBron wasn’t in there.

 

i'd do these.

 

Heck yeah. Notice we don't have to absorb Monk in that deal. Let the Kangs feel like we got fleeced. That's the only way we get a deal done with them tbh. But, in 2031, Reaves will be 33, Luka will be 32, and Ellis will be 31. Thiero would be around 27 at that time. I think there's a good chance we would still be pretty good, and the league knows this. The pick is likely going to be in the 20-30 range. With Charlotte sucking, we could infer that the 2027 pick would likely be in the 30-35 range, and it is 5 years sooner than that 31 1st, which matters. Lakers able to make a good offer to Miami without over paying. It's also an effective liquidation of Rui, who we don't want on our team anymore anyway. Notice we also liquidated Knecht to Sacramento. Wiggins is not worth giving the Heat cap relief AND a 1st rd pick, but two 2nds is reasonable. Wiggins fills that 6th man role (at least for this year) that Monk would have, but is better defense, and has a shorter contract. Next season, him or someone else liek Thirero coudl slide into starting lineup if Lebron retires.

 

also, these guys with the player options on their contract (wiggins, kcp) might be convinced to opt out and re-up at a lower amount to help us better use our cap space. like, if wiggins was willing to sign a 3/60 after opting out, that's about as good a use of our space as just having it would have been, if that makes sense. there might not be anyone on the FA market better than wiggins next summer.

 

Yeah it makes sense. Pre agency but more nuanced. But thats why im ok with trading for player like Keon, who you get his bird rights, and also has a low cap hold- so you leave option open for free agents if need be- but thats a great point about the opt out flexibility. But even if push comes to shove, and we agree to absorb Monk, Wiggins still fits under the second apron (if Lebron is off the books).

 

Yeah. These are reasonable IMO.

 

If not the Wiggins trade, then Rui to Chicago for Patrick Williams and 2027, 2028, and 2029 second-round picks.

 

Well Reaves is out for 4 weeks that’s a month.

I think the this is the opportunity to play Thiero for 35 minutes a game and start him next to Luka and see what it looks like and Lebron.

If it goes the other way Trade Lebron acquire some picks maybe you get Kaminga tell Reaves to rest his calf the rest of the season and see how it goes with getting a top pick and rebuilding around Luka.

 

Damn

 

LBJ isn't going anywhere. He likes it here. The team could be a dumpster fire and he still likely isn't going anywhere. He likes LA period. OX is correct. He has an NTC. We need to look at other options. Maybe they bring Kobe Bufkin up and give him a look? They tried auditioning Nick Smith Jr in the starting lineup and he s*** the bed. Rob needs to continue working the phone lines.