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

So we are looking at a Wiggins, Grant, or Watson type I assume.

 

Wow

 

What are we going to do about about Jokic, Wemby, Holmgren, etc?

 

I don't think you can do anything with Wemby in the future tbh. holmgren and jokic are manageabel with big forwards types
you beat them everwhere else

 

Pass on Keegan. I get he's been stuck on a bad team but he overperformed his rookie season and hasn't been anything worthwhile since. A big who can't rebound, below average defense, and if his shot isn't falling, you get nothing out of him. $28 million each season for the next five seasons... no thanks. My guess is Kings knows free agents won't sign there so they had no choice but to try and keep him even though they aren't really that interested in him.

I'm not sure why Bobby Portis doesn't get mentioned enough. Literally everything the Lakers would need. Plays 3 positions, elite shooter, elite rebounder, very good defense, and healthy for the most part. Just one season remaining on his contract but he's perfect for the Lakers. If he does well next season, give him a 3 year deal and keep him on the team until 34 where he'll still be a good player. Trade Vando and multiple 2nds for him. Bucks are rebuilding anyways with Giannis more than likely gone.

Depending on the Kawhi situation, I wonder what the league will do. If they rescind his deal, can the Lakers snag him in free agency for around $30 million? That would entice LeBron to take less $ and stay. Where else would he go?

To me, the keepers outside of Luka, LeBron, and Reaves are:
-Thiero
-Bronny (keep LeBron happy)
-Hayes
-LaRavia: Would still like to keep him but man, he has a lot of work to do to get that offense up to shape. Defensively, he's fine and very active. But unplayable on offense when he looks scared out there. Dude needs to spend the entire offseason working on his offense and adding 5-10 lbs of weight on him. He's on a cheap salary and you can count on him to play 15-20 minutes per game while being healthy so it doesn't really make sense to trade him unless as a salary filler for a better player.

Maybe:
-Kennard: Don't like what I saw from him outside of the first few Rockets games. Went back to his old ways of looking lost out there, not being aggressive enough, looking scared. He'll probably get about the same what he is getting paid now. The inability to step up cost him $3-5 million per year.
-Smart: Atrociously bad after a hot start against the Rockets. Looks like he just gassed out and couldn't do much on offense. Not sure there's a huge market for him out there. Would love to keep him roughly around $8 million-10 million per year but don't think he's worth more than that considering his age.
-Rui: Would love to keep him but the reality is while he is an efficient scorer, he just doesn't provide much elsewhere. Not a good rebounder, playmaker, or defender. Luka+Reaves can score but they need the grimy enforcers out there... guys like Dillon Brooks who have a nasty side to them. Rui is just too nice and only scores. Won't be enough and he'll likely want around $16-20 million. If it's less, you try and do a deal so maybe you can keep him.

Nope:
-Ayton: I think the experiment is over. Honestly, seen enough of him. Tired of watching him fumble easy touches, doesn't play aggressive enough out there, looks like he just wants to go home and play with his dogs or something. Just not what Luka needs in a center. He needs a dog who will jump out the sky and dunk it on someone's head to get the crowd going and create momentum. Ayton is just too 'boring' and not an enforcer down there. Not a good fit, he won't improve his game, and seems to be a distraction with him being unhappy but not really living up to his potential.
-Vanderbilt: Time to go... can't shoot... that's really it. No point of him being on the team at this point especially when you can give his minutes to Thiero and try to develop him.
-Dalton: Time to go... He needs a change of scenery. Don't really see him getting any minutes. Best situation for him would be Memphis or Kings where he can get minutes and have no expectations to do anything. Lakers lights are too bright for a guy like him. Likely a trade filler. Him + Vando for an actual player who can contribute would be golden.

That leaves you with:

1. Luka
2. LeBron
3. Reaves
4. Hayes
5. Thiero
6. Bronny
7. LaRavia

 

Yeah yeah I get you, I like the fit of that build with this team.
I think with Luka there's an opportunity to have a really big team and make things difficult to others through size. It's certainly an area I would look to strengthen

 

We all talk about the players. Luka has got to be on the court. Hes got to play. I’m saying it the nice way.

I’m glad he isn’t playing for Slovania. His body it can’t take the regimen of playing he puts on it.

Unfortunately he needs alot of Load management. I would come up with a plan of games he’s going to sit. We went for the MVP this season. That’s out the window. Now let’s win a championship. It’s about him staying on the court.

That’s just my opinion.

 

I mentioned Keegan on here.

 

I’m guessing Dejounte Murray will be available. As New Orleans wants to get Jerimiah on the court.

Quickly would be great. But might be harder to acquire.

 

That’s You and @KareemtheGreat33 that have said this now. Am not doubting and want to be worry free about that too. Do you have the quote and link?

 

Right now the payroll is already around $105 million just with the Ayton, Smart, and Reaves situations included. They only have about $50 million left before appron

Let’s say Ayton picks up his option — possible. But Smart and Reaves probably won’t.

A healthy Smart alone deserves at least $10–15 million. Then you still have to deal with contracts for Kennard, LeBron, Hayes, and Hachimura.

Kennard earned himself another deal around $12 million with the way he played. Hayes probably won’t stay for $3.5 million anymore either. Ayton is probably looking at something like $8 million minimum himself.

Rui also played well enough in the playoffs to deserve around $19–22 million.

And if Reaves gets something close to $35 million a year, there’s basically no room left to bring in a real third star.
and LeBron is not included in this scenario at all

 

You have to. I repeat you have to bring Rui Hachimura back. He’s the LeBron replacement. You see what he does when LeBron doesn’t play. I’ll say it he was our best player against OKC. He comes up big in the playoffs. He’s an efficient playoff scorer.

He’s the guy. You need a shooter with Luka. I would argue he fits better next to Luka than Reaves.

The bulk of your team after Lebron retires will be Luka Reaves and Hachiumura.

you need guys that can score and put the ball in the basket. We can talk Centers and 3-D all day.

Hachimura is a must. Give me the guy who will guard Shai and Jokic and give 28 points on the other end.

Rui is a pros pro.

 

After the game he said it. It’s not a basketball thing. He’s trying to get Joint custody of his kids. So his focus this summer is his daughters.

 

AHH … thanks have not watched any of their last pressers.

 

Lakers just need 2-3 more pieces. Definitely do-able. Trade Vando + Knecht for a serviceable player. Boom, you now need 1-2 more pieces and it didn't cost you anything in salary. You just have to give up picks, ideally, multiple 2nd's unless you get a really good player for the 1st rounder.

I'm not understanding why people think you need infinitely more. Outside of OKC/Spurs, Lakers have enough to beat every team right now as presently constructed. The problem is OKC/Spurs are DEEP and their top player is elite.

But you give the Lakers 2-3 more serviceable players to replace Vando + Knecht who gave you nothing, now you're back in business.

 

So basically have to find the Gafford, Jones Jr., and possibly PJ Washington archetypes (depending on what happens with Lebron and Rui). But at the same time, the team doesn't want to run it back. I understand where they are coming from. We can't sit here and pretend that Ayton fits the Gafford archetype, Smart fully fits the Jones Jr archetype, and Lebron/Rui fully fit the PJ archetype. Out of the three, I would say the priorities are:

(1) Gafford archetype
(2) Jones Jr archetype
(3) PJ archetype

It's hard to actually get current players that are upgrades over those archetypes, but maybe the Luka effect can help bridge that gap, in specific cases?

An example could be in the 2023-2024 season, when Gafford went from 2.8 dunks per 36 minutes in Washington to 4.8 dunks per 36 minutes after being trade to Dallas. Another example is Hayes going from 3.1 dunks per 36 minutes in 2023-2024 to 4.0 dunks per 36 minutes in 2024-2025, and 3.6 dunks per 36 minutes in 2025-2026. I don't have post-Luka data for this specifically for 24-25, but the eye test shows that Luka significantly helped Hayes with this. I got the dunk data from Basketball Reference, and did the math for the per 36, so please let me know if there is an easier way to obtain this information. The 5 is probably the position that has the greatest impact from Luka. Jones Jr's 3-pointer per 36 minutes increased from 1.1 per 36 with Chicago in 22-23 to 1.7 per 36 after joining Luka.

There are two players that probably don's ignite much confidence from Laker fans in Yves Missi and Herb Jones, but these are sort of the pre-Luka versions of Gafford and Jones. This past season, Missi had only 1.7 dunks per 36, and Herb had 1.8 threes per 36. Missi also had 2.8 blocks per 36, and a 7.4% block %, which is similar to Gafford's 7.9% block % in 23-24 with Dallas. Herb had a 2.7% STL %, 1.6% BLK%, and 0.6 DBPM. 23-24 Mavs DJJ had 1.4%, 2.5%, and -0.3.

In this scenario, Lakers essentially replace Ayton with Missi, and Smart with Herb. Two out of three holes get filled, and if the trade is Vando + Knecht + #25 + 2031 1st + 2032 swap + 2033 2nd for Herb + Missi, we still basically keep all of our cap-room. At that point, Lakers could decide to do sort of a "hybrid" run-it-back, and bring back some of our players. Or, blow it up. Still researching the PJ types. Watson sort of fits that mold. Of-course, there is also the chance of obtaining the actual players like PJ and Gafford, but that might be too pretty costly. Could look into it though. Better to "buy low" on some guys- better asset management. I guess Rui could be that 6th man Tim Hardaway Jr type. Smart could come back at a lower dollar amount in that Exum/Green type of role as energy guy.

 

Herb Jones is doodoo. Can't shoot, can't rebound, and only plays defense. But his defense is really overrated because they only gave it to him (All-NBA defensive award) because the Pelicans had a really good year one time and they had to reward someone with an award. He's very good but not elite.

He's a glorified Vanderbilt but at least Vanderbilt can rebound. Lakers would be wise to stay away from Herbert Jones and that ridiculously bad contract he has. Pelicans would have to give up picks to get rid of him in the near future. If you think Vando's contract is untradable, wait until you get Herbert's $22 million per year and the guy is averaging 4 rebounds per 36 minutes as a 6'7 wing and shoots 30% from three. Disgustingly bad.

 

How about Kuzma and Portis coming here for Vando and Knect? Is that possible?

 

Those two don't fit the archetype Luka wants, and they are both bad at defense. Only time I've seen him with stretch 5's was with Porky, but that didn't work out.

 

Listen to Rogen and Rodney. Am570 La Sports. Rodney talking crazy saying. He would not pay Austin Reaves. He said he would let him walk. He said he would let him walk to Brooklyn. He said it’s gotta be a team friendly deal.

He said He’d rather pay Lebron than Reaves. He said you can’t get another Lebron. He said you can’t get another Luka. Which is crazy. He said you can find another Reaves.

this is the insane talking I’m talking about.

and Rodney is the mouthpiece of his boy Magic.