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

JJ tanked V

JJ tanked Van value.

 

I'm still leaning towards bringing the team back. Re-sign Lebron, Reaves, Rui & Hayes (maybe even Kennard if Lebron takes a bigger cut). Split the MLE between Smart & Spencer Jones. Offer players like Timelord & Thybulle the vet minimum with a promise if they perform they'll get more next year (doubt they take it, but others have used a year in LA to leverage bigger contracts before).

Then play the trade market, we have 3 firsts and Vando, Knecht, Jake, NSJ & Ayton that can bring back ALOT of salary over 2 trades about 48m worth. Hart & Claxton could be possible as an example salary wise.

Luka (49.5) / Smart (9.1) / Bronny (2.3)
Reaves (41) / Hart (20.9) / NSJ (2.5)
Spencer (6) / Adou (2.1) / Jake (6)
Lebron (30) / Rui (15.1)
Ayton (8.1) / Hayes (6) / Kleber (2.5)

Spencer Jones can defend 1-4. Maybe we even start Smart over Reaves to sure up the defense more? If we could improve the 5 by trading Ayton & Jake, I'd consider that strongly.

 

Who’s trading for Baun????

 

Baun is one of the worst contracts in Basketball. Who’s taking that. The guy can’t shoot. And he is just athletic.

 

i'm more open to the over-the-cap run it back than i was two months ago, but i'm still pretty iffy on it, tbh.

unlike most, though, i actually trust rob to have a pretty good handle on which path makes most sense. there's so much stuff the gms know that we don't. like, why did watson switch agencies? i feel like rob knows that, and it probably informs his thinking about this summer.

 

i don't think he's that bad or the contract is that bad. it's just everyone knows denver wants off money, and if you have that cash, you're thinking you can probably do better than braun. now, braun and a 1st that happens after jokic's prime? maybe. i can see chicago doing that, for example.

 

Don’t you be bringing that whack s*** over here. We want nothing to do with him.

without Jokic he’s barely another Grayson Allen. And Graysons a better shooter. I’d rather have Max Strauss than Baun.

 

Denver is shedding salary. If we jack that price up we got a shot at Peyton.

And Peyton Watson was the difference maker why Denver didn’t win against Minnesota.

I want nothing to do with Spencer Jones.

 

I’m gonna say the quiet part out loud. These NBA playoffs have sucked!!!!!!!!!! This is a game 7 and it was over at Halftime. Detroit took a dump on their whole fanbase.

You can get Duran I guarantee they aren’t paying him.

 

Cam Spencer is different to Spencer Jones.

I'm not sure if you know much about him?

 

HIGHLY UNLIKELY DEN sends out their only tradable 1st to dump Braun, and teams like CHI and BKN are likely not going to want to absorb Braun with their precious cap room.

More likely scenario is the Nuggets accept the 2031 Lakers 1st in a sign and trade for Watson. They are very pick poor right now, and they would have to jump thru a lot of hoops to be able to sign Watson without going over the 2nd apron.

Not my favorite plan, but I could see Watson to the Lakers happening. My preference is getting lower cost players like Grimes and Robinson. They are more precise fits, and help build out the depth JJ was talking about. Both thaie guys might cost the same as Watson, alone. But there might be some politics thing there with Klutch/Lebron for Watson.

 

Oh s***. I meant Spencer Jones. No I know the white guy in Denver. Spencer Jones is alright but I wouldn’t put him in the tier with Peyton Watson and Cam Johnson.

 

Watson is Laker bound this can happen.

Watson Robert Williams let’s get it done.

 

Lebron isn’t going back to Cleveland. As I said they ain’t messing with none of what’s working for them.

plus reports have Harden signing a multi year extension there.

No Gianiss in Cleveland I told you.

they got a perfect squad.


Donovan Mitchell Harden Struss Allen Mobley.

Good foundation good bench. Well we can get Ellis he ain’t getting no burn.

 

Lebron it’s probably us Clippers and Warriors.

 

Watson is going to cost 30m, Cam Johnson is at 22.5m. Spencer Jones might cost 5m from the MLE.

What would you rather, Rui & Spencer Jones or Cam Johnson?

Or what about Rui, Spencer & Smart vs Watson?

 

Jones is a decent consolation prize. Nuggets likely let him walk if they scrounge up enough pennies to sign Watson.

I'm sure the Lakers would much rather have Watson for 30, but it's nice to have options.

 

For sure, I think the point where Watson become highly improbable is when Denver lost in the first round in kind of embarrassing fashion. McDaniels was calling them out and they couldn't do anything to stop them. They won't want to lose Watson now. I think they'll look to trade one or two of Braun, then Cam Johnson, then Murray/Gordon.

Spencer Jones will be a throw away for them, and we can get a POA defender that can shoot the 3. Either him or Thybulle would be nice (except Thybulle is always injured).

 

I like Peyton Watson. I think he’s special.

 

I don't think you necessarily need to lose Smart if we get Watson. He either opts in with a wink-wink deal or we give him the exception.

I think if we go for Watson, it just means we surely lose Rui and Kennard. And I'm fine with that. Then Bron takes the rest of the money left. And we count on Smart and Ayton picking up their options, leaving us 2 other slots to add to the roster: exception and a trade using Vando/Knecht and the picks.

If Smart or Ayton don't opt in, we need to use the exceptions and/or trade to replace them

So, best case scenario:

Luka | exception
AR | Smart
Watson | Jake
Bron | trade | Adou
Ayton | Hayes

Or worst case scenario:

Luka | vet min
AR | Smart (exception)
Watson | Jake
Bron | Adou
Trade | Hayes

Or something in between.

In short, going for Watson likely means less depth on the short term. But I think it pays off as we get a potential 3rd star to pair with Luka/AR, giving us that core 3 backbone. In following years we try to round out the roster through exceptions, draft and vet mins paying off.
Watson blocking ability is his best skill that fits a need we have. We'll always have a hard time having our guards getting blown by so having a forward that can protect the rim and help the center will be important