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

We don't have to be. We weren't a finely tuned machine when we got AD.

 

Warriors won a Title, b2b Finals and a 73 win season in the 2 years before KD. That example makes no sense.

KD, Kyrie, Harden
Kawhi, Harden, PG
Booker, Beal, KD
LeBron, AD, Russ
Dame, Giannis
Harden, Embiid
...

Adding stars together without a supporting cast does not work

 

Absolutely. Miami or Knicks make a lot of sense. East is open, they don't have any foreseeable better alternatives, makes sense to go all in.

It doesn't for us

 

So you wouldn't have taken the risk on Beal because he previously had a history of injuries/health problems back in Washington? And you think that doesn't justify my argument because in your opinion the injuries were the biggest issue at fault in Phoenix, and not the fact that Beal and KD did not fit well next to Devin Booker and that the three of them had too much of the same strengths and weaknesses and because the trio had such huge contracts, the Suns had little to no depth elsewhere around them?

But you also think it's a slam dunk move for the Lakers to trade the farm and sacrifice any opportunity they have currently for roster depth in order to go trade for another superstar who is increasingly more and more and more and more injury prone?

 

You didn't name one example that didn't involve major injury issues either. Not a single one.

Golden State won 73 games and STILL went out and got KD. I'm not sure that reference carries the weight, that you think it does.

 

For that matter, even if I think Boston doesn't need to trade for Giannis at this point in time, I can get why they'd be interested in possibly trading for him this summer. It wouldn't be as huge of a dent for them as it would us and while Giannis' lack of a reliable 3 point shot wouldn't be an obvious fit under Mazulla's coaching, the fact that Giannis is Giannis and his game is what it is would force other teams to devote players defending him aggressively regardless of the lack of shooting, thus leading to more open looks for the rest of the C Bags and their shooting.

 

Nope because Beal was obviously injury prone in Washington. If Giannis had chronic back issues, I wouldn't be interested. Let's just skip over the fact that Beal or Booker aren't even close to being the caliber of players that Luka and Giannis are. They didn't play together much at all in Phoenix either did they?

So again..why can't you simply post your idea of a roster better than the one I presented and why? If it's soo obvious, that shouldn't be hard for you to do. I'll hang up and listen.

 

Stop making stuff up. Many of those teams had playoff runs, they just sucked. And take a hint with how any injury absolutely plummets those teams.

It has the weight but you're missing it. They were already a GREAT team with a great SUPPORTING CAST. That's the point. A Luka/Giannis team has LaRavia as 6th man and Bronny as a rotation player.
It doesn't work

 

Giannis is Giannis and his game is what it is would force other teams to devote players defending him aggressively regardless of the lack of shooting


Works absolutely the same way here .

 

You are still deflecting...which one of those teams fell healthy? Not a single one, yeah injuries have a way of plummeting any team, we already knew this with LeBron and AD. You still haven't made a point, you are just voicing your opposition to the concept.

Golden State saw an opportunity to chase greatness and took it. You really think that team needed great depth? FOH..that was simply overkill. The Warriors could have won 5 straight if KD didn't get hurt.

So you are simply sidestepping Denver's Championship, because it doesn't fit your narrative? They weren't deep at all.

 

Personally? I like optionality and not locking into one singular scenario here, because the great thing about this summer is that while our resources are finite and limited, they are sizable enough and diverse enough that there are multiple angles to go about rebuilding around Luka. I personally have my go-to favorites.

For example, just going off of potential starting lineups, consider these scenarios...

Luka Doncic
Austin Reaves
Lu Dort (either sign him as a FA if OKC let him go, or trade for him on Draft Night)
Peyton Watson or Tari Eason (S&T)
Mitchell Robinson (UFA signing)

Or in the event that Giannis gets traded to the Knicks, we could help facilitate that trade and get talent back as a benefit, leading to...

Luka Doncic
Austin Reaves
OG Anunoby (part of Giannis trade)
Tari Eason (S&T)
Mitchell Robinson (UFA signing)

or

Luka Doncic
Austin Reaves
Lu Dort
OG Anunoby
Mitchell Robinson

The bench is trickier and IMO it's something that will likely take us multiple cycles to fully nail and fix. But guys like Josh Okogie, Keon Ellis, Dean Wade and Robert Williams III are all viable UFA targets who we could get on good, cost efficient contracts.

Likewise, this year's draft class is crazy deep and there are a number of great and safe prospects we can go after who I think would be relatively quick rotation additions who could develop into potentially starter roles within a couple of seasons, like Mo Krivas, Isaiah Evans, or Morez Johnson Jr.

 

We don't have the reliable shooting from everyone else for it to work here, my dude.

 

Luka can shoot, so can Lebron, hell Luke is the best 3pt shooter in the NBA. What are you talking about?

 

Not a single one trumps

Luka, Giannis, Lebron, Smart and Turner. Come on man. Luka and Giannis are two top 5 players in their prime dude. As SVTR already pointed out..we could still sign a Keon Ellis or Grime type.

 

Agree to disagree. I don't think Giannis or Turner fit very well next to Luka. Likewise, I don't think Luka fits very well next to them either.

Most of the team can't shoot. Yes, Luke and Rui help a fair bit off the bench, but the team frankly needs more reliable shooters across the board in order to successfully be able to do Mazzulla Ball.

 

We aren't Boston we have who we have..it's not a system it's the players you have

So again explain why Luka doesn't fit with Giannis and Turner. What are you basing this assumption off of? Turner can play 4 or 5, defend the paint and stretch the floor as a 5 or 4, and catch lobs .Why doesn't he fit?

Giannis is one of the most unstoppable players in the history of the league at attacking the paint. He is the best small ball 5 that you can have in the modern NBA. He plays defense, he can guard every front court position. He's extremely effective at helping on defensive rotations. Smart, Giannis and Turner are an amazing defensive trio around Luka. How does Giannis not possibly be a good fit with Luka? He needs the ball too much? Lebron and Austin shoot almost as much now, as Giannis does being the main guy in Milwaukee.

I'm not seeing this compelling evidence of a bad fit..please expound on this idea. I mean seriously...which teams in the NBA, are built to contain a Luka/Giannis combination?

 

Yeah, for sure. The Lakers will have a big board for draft picks, free agents, trade, options, etc. I agree with those ideas. Robinson is pretty much the best rim-protector that would be available in unrestricted free-agency, so that's a good choice if we go the UFA route for the center position.

For POA/3-pt Shooter, I like Dort, Ellis, Anunoby, Bridges, Watson, Melton, Thybulle, etc. I also like Carr in the draft.

For Rim Protector/ Lob Catcher I like players in the draft: Mara, Cyril, Budenga, Quaintance, Suigo, Reed, etc., Free agents : Kessler, (Probably Reaves trade), Robinson, Richards. Hopefully there would be more trade options too, like Claxton,Missi, etc. But the draft is loaded with our protype big.

For Wing Defender, I'm good with Lebron and Thiero. This could be kind of a position where we keep costs low- Thiero on a rookie deal, and Lebron taking a pay cut.

Different Option: (Changes the roles a little), Giannis as Wing Defender and Reaves secondary ball handler role (He's highly ball dominant) /Lob Catcher, Turner as Shooter/Rim Protector, Lebron in similar role offensively as this season, POA: One of the aforementioned options.

Turner essentially replaces Reave's lost shooting. Ayton lack of shooting is replaced by Gianni's lack of shooting. Giannis replaces Reaves ball handling. Smart and Lebron essentially their roles don't change that much, although Lebron would definitely have to be off the ball even more.

 

I gotta admit it's a gift, hats off

 

Damn..OG Anunoby is owed 87M over the next two seasons. Jeesh trade Austin for Kessler but not Giannis? WTH?