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

I don't hate the idea of Brooks. He's always been one of those players you hate when he plays against you, but end up loving when he's on your team.... much like Metta World Peace and Matt Barnes.

I would hope the Lakers front office tries to pitch this trade sometime by the trade deadline when the Suns realize they are still a NBA Play-In candidate at best and decide to try to reset their salaries (considering they have been in luxury tax hell for the past several years). They would be incentivize to do this to get off some longer term salary (Brooks and O'Neal) while getting our expiring contracts. If they do the trade, they would basically be left with $135 million in salary (mostly to Booker, Jalen Green, Grayson Allen) by next summer.

This might end up being a depth pipe dream for the Lakers because if the Suns agree to it, we would have 2 very good 3&D swingmen in Brooks and O'Neale. O'Neale's $10 mil is actually very reasonable too for his skillset and age. We would also get Center depth with Nick Richards who's a expiring contract that the Suns would most likely let walk next summer anyways, and the return of Jordan Goodwin.

The depth chart would ultimately end up like:
Luka/Smart/Bronny
Reaves/LaRavia/Goodwin
Brooks/O'Neale/Knect
Lebron/Vanderbilt/Thiero
Ayton/Richards/Hayes

What's not to like about that?

 

Brooks and LaRavia are essentially the same type of player. Brooks can’t defend 1’s-2’s and that’s our glaring weakness.

 

Team is pretty much set.

 

We’ll see Friday against the Suns.

 

Gianiss hasn’t given any indication that he’s staying in Milwaukee any!!!!! Joker was more adamant about Denver.

But Gianiss said in Greece and saying international players should be in Big Markets he could definitely bolt here. That’s what that was about and him playing with Luka.

When LeBron comes off the books that should happen. But Gianiss is Bolting this season after this season book it for L.A.


shoe deal might have something to do with it. With Nike.

they wanna get that LeBron star out here. Even though Luka is with Jordan Brand.

 

Maybe after December 15, Lakers could trade Kleber + 2031 1st (top-8 protected) to the 76rs for Grimes and Gordon?

 

We still need a real POA defender at guard. I would also like to replace Hayes with a real backup big.
Maybe Gabe can hold down the fort and make enough shots until the trade deadline?
I’m hoping LaRavia can level up enough throughout the season so we can then trade Rui later on for said defender. You guys know I like Hachi, but he and Knecht(after he improves his stock value)seem like the most valuable trade pieces.

 

This essentially makes the Lakers a 15 man deep squad

 

Young H Town gotta level up this season, the reward will be a fat payday. A lot of teams will have some cap space this summer. Time to "show and prove", that last season wasn't a fluke!

 

I'm looking forward to "souped up" Jackson Hayes. He's going to have his best year yet this year just like a lot of the other guys on the team. All hugely motivated for team and chip .... sure. But they ALL also have literal career years going on at the same time. That is crazy. A souped up Hayes isn't even a joke here. He says he put 15lbs on and exaggerated or not it will be added strength for him to go with the more spectacular plays he's capable of making. In his correct position having his opponents being off the bench too rather than legit starters.

 

Jaxson outperformed his contract last season . That's all you can wish for, from a guy on a minimum contract.

 

And you know how this goes. And now go watch him average 22 points and 6 assists for the Mavericks.

 

I think you need to temper your expectations. It's unlikely Hayes plays more than 12 minutes a game

 

If he's noticeably better due to some extra strength, any level of improvement really, for those 12 minutes it's something to look forward to. As opposed to saying wish we had a decent or real backup center. He will be.