2026-27 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

Hope he’s ok too, but also new ownership, new stars, new era. Maybe it’s time for a change.

 

got a chance to meet Lance. Creole brotha. One of the best. In my opinion the best. Being at staples for the comeback against Portland Kobe and Shaq Lance saying we are advancing to the NBA finals. Western conference champions were awesome. Was awesome. The energy in that building. He will be missed. Yes he had some health complications. I hope he gets better.

 

Yeah! And yes on Stu, for sure, for me too. There’s a few here who aren’t fans, well …. of Billy Mac as well. But I think they’re great and Stu was with Chick all those years and is the last announcing link to him.

And yes to this question too which I came in for to also ask the very same thing. Sure hope he is OK with nothing serious.

 

knowing Ainge’s MO: Reaves + 3 firsts

 

Markkanen should definitely be traded, GSW, Spurs, Detroit all make sense. He’s a really good player.

 

Rui had big games. I think the Minnesota game where Luka LeBron and Reaves played the whole second half and were gassed. Rui was continously making long 3 pointers. They were big 3’s to give us the lead or tie us. He’s just clutch. So those shots you have to hit.

I’ll give you Deangelo Russell. I had a Laker fan tell me Deangelo cost us a championship against Denver. All we needed was one 3 on the road particular game 1 and 2 Russell couldn’t hit any of those 3’s. And in the regular season the guy would hit 44 against Milwaukee.

playoffs he couldn’t hit anything and the Denver series those open 3’s those are the ones you have to hit.

I go back to OKC this series playoffs. The and one 4 point 3. We had to have it. He bought it. That’s the consistency I’m looking for.

We need that. It’s so important to have. I get the 3-D. Who you getting? Herbert Jones playing great defense. What happens when he’s bricking everything when they sag off Luka. Be careful.


Rui to me provides that Glen Rice shooting you need. These guys fit what we need. And Luka Rui is great he ain’t gonna pout if he doesn’t get the ball. Always gonna work hard. Coachable. Gonna always do what coach asks him that’s huge.

Kike Hernandez on the Dodgers.

 

Tinkerbell did choke against Denver, and that cost us, a legit shot at a Finals berth.

His career never recovered, from that Conference Finals no-show either!

 

@Kobeluka99 Much agreed PLUS lots of Rui gear being sold in Japan and whatever else Walter’s multiple hires to max the Lakers brand in Japan come up with. Yeah sorry everyone that wants a perfect player. To have a proven shooter from deep and midrange with his size and strength we would immediately start looking again and same with Luke. How freaking many have flamed out here. Defense … athleticism (Rui’s no slouch) …rebounding … yeah yeah yeah. Elite shooting that steps up in the playoffs for all the ring is the ONLY thing crowd is much harder for the LA Lakers to find. He can’t be paid anywhere near what he must want though, so that part’s on him if he wants to stay.

 

it's going to be incredibly weird watching lakers games and not hearing lawrence tanter's iconic voice

hope the new PA guy keeps it old school like tanter did instead of being another one of the loud, obnoxious PA guys you hear around the league today

 

Lakers have to be careful. Lakers were in this position before a few years ago. This time its a bit different. They know what they have in Austin and Rui. Van still have 2 years on his contract and is now dead weight. What is similar banking on the success they had late in the season and into the playoffs.

 

That Lance Tanner sound so soothing. Did you know he also did the Jazz station radio. Not sure. I think the wave. Iconic NBA icon. That low baritone voice is so chill so L.A. we definitely need a low voice. How about Theo from 92.3 the beat back in the day. What’s he doing?

 

great point. You gotta think Ohtani is like you better keep my boy.

 

What else are we supposed to bank on? Some hypothetical idea of the perfect roster?

 

LeBron James Reportedly Trying To Negotiate New Contract To Stay With Lakers.

 

I would say addresss the known areas of concern. Ex since Lakers have been a bad defensive team for like the past few years and have had stretches of being not so good in 3rd quarters at times lacking energy and hustle. So maybe build a roster trying to address those issues. These may not be realistic # to avg in playoffs. So if you just go by that stretch ncan run into the trap again.
Luka's stats in March: 38/8/7 while leading the Lakers to a 14-2 record ..... Lingering Flaws: Despite their overall improvement and win streak, the team continued to struggle with interior defense and gave up significant points in the paint. They also upped defense in March and was ranking 10th on the month, Their play in March suggest they were at peak form. On one hand thats great the best team in the league. O n the other it could just be a good stretch. An example of what i mean by a trap Lets say a player like Van shoot 44% from 3 in one month it really dont tell a true story of Van avg shooting. So in the off season and your looking for a shooter is Van your guy? Thats what i mean by a trap.

 

so the rumor is the jazz offered 5/140 to kessler. that's basically a 5-year starting at ~25 per. for a 4-year RFA offer to match that total dollar amount, it would have to start at ~32-33 per. so, it seems like they're playing it how i'd play it with reaves. it's more dangerous as reaves is a UFA, but we also have the absolute max to work with, so it becomes comparable. i wonder if our first offer to reaves will be the lowest can offer in total money over 5 years that exceeds the most possible money he can get from another team in 4 years by a fairly healthy margin?

that still equates to a 5/200 deal for me, either escalating from 35 or flat at 40.

anyway, back to kessler--if 5/140 isn't enough, this would mean any RFA deal his agent would seek would have to be hefty. i said 4/140 would start at 32 above, so to make him bite and utah squirm, you're getting into max territory. maybe not quite there, but at least starting at 35.

tbh, if i'm utah, i offer 5/170, and if he doesn't bite, i tell him to bring me an RFA offer. but i can see why he's balking at the 5/140.

guessing parallel conversations are happening with the other RFAs (watson, duren, eason) with numbers in similar neighborhoods (duren a little higher, eason a little lower is my guess). i'd imagine rob (and the nets and bulls gms) will be getting word from agents on those numbers and using that to decide how to approach things.

 

Luka Doncic gives input on what type of players Lakers need

 

so basically keep Rui cause I need shooters doesn’t want to be double teamed and Kennard. Bring back Hayes and try to go get Missi or draft a lob big man. Or sign Robert Williams.

 

I know it's a BIG ASK.....but you think Reaves and LeBron will take a SLIGHT pay cut, since it worked out for Brunson, to help the team? Asking for a friend.

 

This is all common sense not escaping anyone in the organization. There's going to be changes. Book it. Wait and see what they do to accomplish, or try to accomplish shoring up the weak spots, while retaining the best of what we have already. As evidenced by the next post you made above with the article on what Luka wants. And certainly what Redick wants as well will factor in to their best laid plans A, B and C.