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

Mark Walter would rather clean the slate than worry about this year. I agree with this process. The new CBA was the last nut punch for relative player movement unless you are complete buffoon (Dallas ownership with Luka).

The draft and cap space with stars testing the market is the standard now. Other than the real stars like Flagg, Wembys, etc in the future, no one else is gonna get these max deals and super deals unless they are of that ilk. Just a dumb deal that the players agreed to like morons.

Anyways, the Lakers are not getting a superstar or a relavant player at this deadline. And no one else will. Milwaukee has more leverage in the summer to move Giannis and that's likely the scenario there. See Trae Young to Worshington if you don't know.

 

yeah, more histrionics based on non-information. rob has never said we won't take on any money. we told woike we had a "desire" not to take on money which prevented the hunter trade. i also desire cap space over hunter.

both guys keep having to say "if rob is doing this, then he's an idiot" and discounting the very likely possibility that...he's not doing that?

it's also funny that he lists the moves this summer as strike one when they were actually all very good moves?

i'm sure rob has considered trading for summer targets and that he might have even considered angles that twitter/message board warriors haven't.

 

I’m not even sure what the argument is here. Vinay says Rob could trade Dalton to simply open up a spot. Please explain the rush? Not really following how not wanting Hunter’s bad contract is proof Rob doesn’t know how to build around Luka.

 

it's pretty simple: because it's not? people are just in their feelings because a trade was made and we didn't make it.

 

With Ellis off the board, I’m shifting my attention to Grimes. Would be great to get him in the building instead of trying to play the restricted free agency game. Although with PG getting suspended and McCain not regaining his pre injury form yet, I’m not sure they’re in a rush to let him go.

 

Grimes would be nice

not convinced we will stand pat. I think we are clearly working the phones and a move could happen.

I’m okay with waiting until the summer and letting Walter get his people in place and then start making moves with whatever cap space and draft capital we’re working with.

 

WTF is Rob supposed to be scared of? He flipped the Westbrook contract, and the team went to the Conference Finals. Now he pissed away some of the assets, that he accumulated after that season, but I don't get this continued noise about the Westbrook trade. Russ is about to be 4 playoffs removed from this team, bout time to stop using that trade as an excuse for not making moves.

Speaking of moves...our eyes might be pointed towards Dallas again?
https://heavy.com/sports/nba/los-an...for Mavs Role Star After Missing on 2 Targets

 

Feel like the optics of trading with us again would scare off the Mavs

 

Maybe but it depends on what we are offering IMO. Dallas isn't really in this terrible position, that some people keep projecting them to be, Flagg is official and they should have another top 10 pick, in an upcoming deep draft. With AD,Kyrie, Gafford, Washington, Max, Lively,Marshall etc..they have the pieces to make moves or stand pat and run it back next season at full strength. I wouldn't rush to bury them guys soo fast, things can turn around quickly in this league.

Hell..WE still need to get out of the 1st rd, before we start crowing and beating our chest incessantly IMO.

 

Grimes would be cool. I forgot he is a UFA. He'd be a nice option.

Ideally, Peyton Watson, but I think Denver pays him. .

The trade deadline is the Feb 5th? Coming quickly.

The FO better have a plan(s) this summer if nothing happens during this transaction cycle. I'm also sure we'll be revisiting the Giannis situation if he is't dealt by the trade deadline. I hope he doesn't hold us up.

Either way, I guess we'll see.

 

Wait, this person is mad that Rob will only green light trades that he will win???

 

Watson is Rich Paul's client...I thought we wanted out of the Klutch Sports partnership?

 

Oh sh**. I didn't even know that.

Well, thanks for the information, but that sucks. It wasn't like we go after RFA's, but I was hoping for a miracle.

LOL.

 

Well I don't think that banking, on outbiding a team for their RFA, is the best strategy. If Rob and Rich were still tight, that might be a more plausible idea.

Anyway...I think Rob has a move or two up his sleeve though, most likely something out of left field as usual.

 

People overrate the agent thing in this sort of context. Half the league are Klutch clients, does that mean we’ll never get any of them after LeBron leaves? Of course not. If we offer Peyton Watson as much or more money than anyone else, with a clear starting role on a good team that happens to be the most famous basketball franchise in the world, what is Rich Paul going to do? Say no, go sign with the Wizards instead? That’s not how being an agent works.

 

True ..but if said agent is basically publicly saying, that you don't know WTF you are doing as the GM, that can be an uncomfortable working environment. However...Vando and Thiero are Klutch too.

 

Definitely, I’m sure Paul and LeBron have enjoyed being at the center of the most famous franchise in the world and are mad they’re getting shown the back door. But Paul isn’t stupid. Peyton Watson being the long-term starting forward on the Lakers is in Watson and Paul’s best interest. Agents don’t just negotiate their clients NBA contracts, they’re negotiating their endorsement deals as well and making commission on those as wells. More money goes into Rich Paul’s pocket if his client is on the Lakers than if his client is making the same NBA salary on the Hornets. And getting your clients into higher profile positions like that is how you attract more clients. Paul is pitching Giannis right now on switching over to Klutch by saying he can get Giannis out of Milwaukee and into his preferred destination now, like he did with AD.