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

the suns schedule is not easy. Of their last 15 games 10 are against playoff or playin teams

 

Small sample size but in the 15 games Matisse Thybulle has been back from injury his DBPM is +8.2.

 

I absolutely love this scenario except for one thing; Nic Claxton.

I've been trying to get onboard with the idea of trading for Claxton for over a year now, because on paper he seems like a perfect fit next to Luka and in JJ's current defensive schemes, plus his current contract is descending, which would help too. The fact that Claxton has been reliably healthy to play most games of a season for some time now is a great positive too. Every time I start to get onboard with the idea in my head, I reason the logic as "Not every player in a starting lineup needs to be a flashy Lamborghini, teams also need a starter who is basically their Honda Accord. Someone who isn't super flashy or immediately exciting, but is reliable to a fault and gets the job done."

And then I remember that Nic Claxton weighs 215 lbs soaking wet and that Jaxson Hayes somehow weighs more than him, despite also being seen as a very lightweight center himself. That Claxton doesn't tend to get a lot of rebounds. That he almost exclusively dunks or does a layup. All these smaller things that just kinda pile up in my head and make me nervous, because as good as Claxton can be, I can't shake off the feeling that a lot of his current reputation benefits a great deal from being a player in the Eastern Conference, where most of the best Bigs in that conference all seem to be under 7 ft.

If we do trade for Claxton, I won't doom and gloom about it. I get the logic for going after him and it's not hard at all to see how he'd fit in with the template for a Luka-AR led Lakers roster. But I'd be insanely nervous about him faring against the taller and bulkier Bigs of the West until I see him help win a playoff series for us against one of those other Bigs.

It's part of the reason for why I'm just so bullish on us drafting a Big or two this summer and do a bit of Center by Committee for the first year or so. We'd probably have to be patient with them, yes, but I feel like we'd probably be better off in the long run homegrowing our own Big.

 

I'd be shocked if we successfully trade for Watson with a 2nd and a Pick Swap. Dude's gonna cost us a First for sure, especially considering the value Denver seems to be seeing Watson at now long term.

That's part of why I'd rather we draft a Big than trade for one; we can trade the '31 and '33 Firsts for our starting Wings/Forwards in Dort and Watson, while using our '26 First (and maybe one of OKC's Firsts this year if we're lucky) to draft a Center who can ideally develops into our longterm starting Center in the next couple of years.

As for OKC's apron situation, it'll get really severe this summer with JDub and Holmgren's extensions kicking in, but apparently OKC have indicated in the past that they aren't afraid of dealing with the penalties for being over the second apron for a year or two, which is why a lot of OKC fans think that they probably keep Hartenstein for one more year and just move off of Dort this summer, even though the former would help way more in clearing up their cap space. So yeah, they'd probably just cut Knecht if we package him in the trade, but who knows?

 

That sounds like a very good plan. We could easily do this if Reaves cap hold turn out to be only 20.9, and Hayes 4.5. But if Reaves cap hold is 26.5, and Hayes 6.5, we would come up about 12 million short from being able to offer Watson 32 million (assuming Ayton and Smart opt-in). At that point, we would have to see if we could salary dump some players (unlikely, since there are not a lot of teams with cap-space). If we can't salary dump players, then at that point we would have to consider waiving and stretching some players. After trading for Dort, and maybe promising him an extension at a reasonable number, Rich Paul could help facilitate Watson to the Lakers. There is also the possibility of Denver accepting players back in return, which would mean we might not have to use stretch provision on anybody.

 

i've been skeptical on claxton since the rumors started, almost going as far as thinking he's just not THAT much better than hayes overall. better, but not 2-3X the salary better.

 

DRAFT DAY

• Trade the 2033 1st to OKC for Dort.
• Draft a lob-catching and rim-protecting big with the 23rd pick.
• Before the deadline, Lakers ask Ayton to opt-out of his contract, and promise to sign him for the room-exception for a 1-yr, 9.4 million contract. Ayton gets 1.3 million raise.

JULY 1 (FREE AGENCY MORATOREUM)

• Talk to Rich Paul about getting Watson.
• Rich Paul presents scenarios to Denver.
• Rob tells Denver we are going to offer Watson an offer-sheet starting at about 32 million.
• Ideally, Denver would agree to accept LaRavia + 2031 1st + 2033 2nd + 2032 swap for Watson.
• If they don't agree to take LaRavia, then Jake's 6 million dollar contract would have to be waived and stretched over 3 years.
• If for whatever reason Denver does not want to do the trade, then it gives us indication that they are going to match an offer sheet for Watson, so at that point we probably quickly pivot elsewhere with that 29-33.5 million.

So, those are possible paths to 6-million. Have Ayton opt-out, then either include LaRavia in the trade, or waive either him or Vando. LaRavia stretch is less painful-only 2 million per year for three years. A huge negative of this, is we are no longer able to give Kennard the room-exception, so we likely loose him. We could get a vet min shooter though.

 

The first thing the lakers need to understand is what is LeBron going to do?
Is he walking is he open to sign and trade is coming back for significantly less money?This will make clearer their direction

 

..... do NOT want a 215lb starting center here in the West. Screw that. Look how much more effective Hayes has been after putting 10-15 lbs of muscle on and his frame can maybe handle a little more.

Yeah my glass half full outlook still likes what we have in Ayton and "hopes" he plays up to his capabilities these playoffs and picks up his player option. He's NOT going to find better PGs to play with anywhere than Luka and AR, and at that price is a steal for us still. Can rebound, has good quick vertical for lobs, can move his feet on D and block some shots. And when he's "ON" has great touch from short range.

 

Lakers could make a hand shake deal with him. Ask him to opt-out of his 8.1 million player option, so they open up more cap room. Then sign him to a 1 + 1 for the 9.4 million Room exception. That's a 1.3 million raise, or 13.8%. Ayton gets another year to prove himself, he gets a raise, and the Lakers get additional cap room.

 

I’m not trading any first rounder to OKC!!!!!!!!! It ain’t happening. Period.

 

LOL, why not?

 

I’m looking at Thiero making a jump. Cheap young rookie deal. Gotta see what is out of Bronnie. Lebron might want to come back cheap. This team needs to do well in the playoffs.

I really like Lebron in that Karl Malone role.

I gotta get more out of Hachimura. Can he come back??? He’s one of our best defenders.

we all scream 3-D. We did pretty good against one of the top 3-D teams the Twolves. With Edwards and Mcdaniels. Can’t say it was the back to back because we played them. First. Let’s see how we look against Denver. We beat them like this before in Denver last season. Blew them out. just play through Luka.

Watson is appealing. And might be even more appealing than Gianiss. Me knowing L.A. and the temperature and Walter. We’re going to check in on Gianiss and make a run at Gianiss.

things are going to get f***ing crazy. Kawhi might want to stay in L.A. and come here. It’s really going to be alot.

 

Dort is Dillon Brooks.

 

@Kobeluka99

Liked everything until you got to your usual we're going after Giannis take. Hopefully not. These other teams ahead of us are far deeper with talent. We would be so top heavy with Reaves too (he's not going to Milwaukee to rebuild and freeze his golf loving a** off) ..... with a bunch of scrubs again after top 5-6 guys, comparatively. Plus Giannis WANTS the ball. Horrible fit. NO!!

 

That was from LeBron.

 

Rui is a playoff player. I would compare him to Kike Hernandez. He wakes up in the playoffs. And he turns it on. Big shot Bob used to be like that sleep walk through the regular season and then show up in the playoffs and shoot and hit the big shots.

If you want to be honest about it. Hachiumura hit some big shots against Minnesota in the playoffs last season.

and talking defense. He has been the guy we used to guard Jokic and that’s when we had AD.

 

and I’m in the minority here. I think the Lakers will destroy and beat the Spurs in the playoffs. Remember beginning of the regular season we beat them with Wembyana.

I still think San Antonio is not ready yet. And I don’t think those kids are ready yet. I dont see Fox making the consistent jumper in the playoffs. Castle is good.

But what we will do is use Luka to bring Wemby out and run him all over the court. You tire him out. And Luka goes crazy shooting the ball. Him and Reaves. Ayton can bring Wemby out the paint.

between Ayton Hayes and Vando. just send as many guys at him as possible. He can average 50 but if those other guys don’t get off we’re winning that game. And we’re winning that series.