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

lol you posted this right as I was editing my post - I think the point remains. Goodwin isn't a PG and we have seen that AR works best when he doesn't have to the ballhandler nor primary wing defender.

 

i think the injury that limited smart last year was a finger? he's only played 1200 minutes total the past two years, so there's not a lot to go on, but i don't think his injuries were too serious (think it was an ankle before?).

gpII was better last year, but he's also actually 2 years older, and i'm wondering why gs isn't re-signing him, tbh.

but yes, i'd like another guard.

 

Chet for 250 millions just killed potential dynasty

 

My wording may not be precise, but I just mean that it will be a mistake by the FO if they don't get a solid POA defender. My preference would be to just sign Melton or GP2 now. We agree that it would most likely be possible to sign one of them now, right? I assume the reason we haven't is because Rob is working on trade possibilities, possibly Thybulle or someone else. If he does so, for a good price, then hats off to him. If he doesn't, and we lose out on both Melton and GP2, then it will have been a mistake imo. Can we agree on that? That's all I was trying to say.

 

Lakers still interested in Wiggins

 

If Goodwin can take a jump, that would be huge for us. He doesn't have to be a PG on offense, we have Luka, Austin, and LeBron. He just needs to be a PG/SG defender who can hit 3's. His defensive metrics and eyetest were promising last year, and he hit a career-high 38.2% from 3. If he can maintain that on a higher volume, that would be big. I would like to play him at POA 1/2 defender, where a lineup of Goodwin, Austin, Luka, LeBron, and Ayton could be great. Replace 1 or 2 of the 4 starters, and that's still a really good lineup against 2nd units.

There was never any potential dynasty, and the media is still vastly overrating them imo. They would have lost to Indiana if Haliburton were healthy imo. Probably Denver too if they were fully healthy. I'm not scared of them. I'm a little more worried about a re-tooled Denver and a much improved Houston tbh.

 

Can we make any kind of exceptional expirings plus cost controlled shooter in Knecht offer for AC? He is getting older you know for their dynasty timeline. Or one of their other POA defenders?

 

It does make sense for them to move Caruso IMO. He's 31 and is owed $18 million a year for the next 4 years. They have Wallace, Joe and Wiggins to absorb his minutes and now Topic joining the rotation after a redshirt year. Not sure how much longer Dort is going to be there either, but he only has 2 years left so not sure there's urgency to move him. I think they probably keep both guys around for at least next season, though. It feels like Hartenstein/Dort/Caruso are all going to be swapped out for younger/cheaper role players within the next couple of years.

 

I just listen to all you guys argue both sides of this issue and I just find myself disinterested. The Lakers organization, in the Buss era, has ALWAYS taken pride in taking care of their older superstars. Lebron played dang good last year, I don't mind paying him his money this year. I probably wouldn't have minded it he signed a full 2 year contract either. But I recognize he is getting older and he does play some games with management, so however this ends out, I just am not worried about it. Not going to hate on Lebron, if I haven't up to now, why go there now?? If the Lakers drive Lebron out, you have to consider how it will make Luka feel. He will know, if they do this to Lebron, they will do this to me. The realization before was how they took care of Kobe and even Magic. I would like to think that those two were special, more special than Lebron, but truth is, when push came to shove, both those guys asked to be traded.

I still think, we have a shot to win a ring with Lebron this year, if we get the right pieces and we are not far off. We actually were not far off last year, just had no center that could stop a flea. We have one now, not sure if he is the answer, but he is a true center that should help some. Looks like we are going to have a healthy Luka and that should be game changing by itself. If Lebron can give us a solid, not great, playoff performance and Luka can mesh with Ayton, I think we have a shot. How big of one, I don't know but it would be pretty awesome to see Lebron ride off into the sunset with at least one last chip.

I am a Lakers fan, pure and simple, I want to win and don't really care how we do it, as long as we do.

 

I'm a fan of Goodwin and frankly think due to his ability to punish catch and shoots at times with pull drives or layups he has a much better chance of being a playoff contributor than a guy like Vando, who has no offensive skills whatsoever.

That being said Goodwin is 26 and he's been in the league awhile now. Unfortunately there is a good chance he is who is and I'm not comfortable going with him expecting to be the 2nd or 3rd best guard. I really like him as the 4th guy in a rotation and the way the league works somebody is going to get hurt and he'll have oppurtunities to show he can be a 2nd or 3rd guard in the rotation. In other words Goodwin would be a great complement to guys like Smart and Melton who have shown a lot more but also are injury prone

 

Great post
The Lakers brand is to have stars and those stars are "true" stars that are as long as they are committed to winning they'll will be taken care of. The relationship can wax and wane (shaq trade, magic and kobe requesting a trade) but overall scheme is to get generational talent and treat them well.

Even with the ownership change and the CBA changes I doubt that changes.

 

Do you think Jokic is worth 98M per?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And a player's value, is determined by the person paying him, I guess.

 

Make the Godfather offer and bring AC back.

 

Why does the NBA Cup grouping of us and Dallas seem SUPER INTENTIONAL?

 

And first time Clippers will play vs Lakers in NBA cup.

 

TV ratings count

 

Jeanie to remain owner for 5 years. I thought she was selling the team. Damn that’s a long time. How are we gonna bring in players.? So she will just be that in title? That’s Lukas whole contract.

 

NBA cup sucks.

 

summer league report. Knect looks great. Shooting finally coming around. I like what I saw him making that corner three routinely. He’s gonna have to do that with Luka.

25 points just like I said he’s gotta put that up. Was scoring in bunches.

damn that Darius Bazley looks good. Not too old. Still young. Can we sign him. He looks explosive. Very athletic.

whoever the signing is Beal Smart or Simmons take a look at Ben Simmons for that perimeter defense.

Brogdon would be perfect with Luka in the mold of a Jalen Brunson but the damn dude cannot stay healthy.

does Jrue Holiday get bought out in Portland? Does he become an option?

 

i have to see a few things, tbh.

1. what do they sign for elsewhere?
2. what do we end up with?
3. if no POA, how do we fare in the early part of the season?

the third thing is just in case jj is saying he thinks goodwin and gabe can do what he needs in the defensive system he hopes to employ. i doubt he's saying that, but if he did, and i was the gm, i'd let him have his shot, particularly if guys like melton and gpII are out of our price range (FA trends thus far indicate they might be, imo) and the trade market is being laker-tax-ish.