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

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by TIME, Jun 24, 2025.

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  1. FrontOfJersey22

    FrontOfJersey22 - Lakers All Star -

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    NO.
     
    FrontOfJersey22, Dec 27, 2025 at 2:40 PM
    #6921
  2. FrontOfJersey22

    FrontOfJersey22 - Lakers All Star -

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    BINGO!
    We are currently in “no man’s land” because of the LeBron situation. I’m not even sure if I would do the LeBron for Jimmy/Podz swap since Butler’s really close to becoming a bad value contract.
    Like I’ve said before, it’s going to take at least this summer and next to build a properly balanced team around Luka and Austin. We could get lucky and get one or two pieces at this deadline and then a couple more perfect fits this summer, but I think that’s a bit too unrealistic.
    It’s going to take some time.
     
    FrontOfJersey22, Dec 27, 2025 at 2:50 PM
    #6922
    abeer3 likes this.
  3. FrontOfJersey22

    FrontOfJersey22 - Lakers All Star -

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    How can you claim a Luka/Austin team will always be a poor defensive one when there hasn’t been enough time to build it?
    Luka/Kyrie worked and so can Luka/Austin.
     
    FrontOfJersey22, Dec 27, 2025 at 3:08 PM
    #6923
    LTLakerFan, abeer3 and Savory Griddles like this.
  4. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

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    It's suggestions like this that make me wish this forum had a dislike button.
     
    Savory Griddles, Dec 27, 2025 at 3:09 PM
    #6924
    lakerjones, ElginTheGreat, svtzr and 1 other person like this.
  5. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

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    Exactly. A 3nd player that can switch between the 3 and 4 spot, and a 3nd POA player would completely transform the team. Early in the season, we were better defensively. We added possibly the worst possible fit next to Luka and Reaves, a slow, heliocentric player that can no longer play defense for more than one possession in a row. Heck, a revitalized Kuminga (if you could revitalize him at this point, which I have my doubts) + Keon Ellis probably makes us a scary proposition.
     
    Savory Griddles, Dec 27, 2025 at 3:16 PM
    #6925
    ElginTheGreat and abeer3 like this.
  6. svtzr

    svtzr - Lakers Starter -

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    Watching Mavs vs Kings - Keon Ellis with 32 mins: 21 pts 3 steals 2 blocks with 5/10 from three.

    He would be a really great addition here in my opinion. And the hope would be Adou can develop into that wing stopper.

    As an aside: Westbrook is shooting 45% on wide open 3’s this season, top 10 in the league. Bizarro world.
     
    svtzr, Dec 27, 2025 at 4:14 PM
    #6926
    abeer3 and ElginTheGreat like this.
  7. svtzr

    svtzr - Lakers Starter -

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    Knecht + top 5 protected first for Ellis and a second.

    Trade Rui for an upgrade at wing. I’d love to get a three team trade for DJJ.
     
    svtzr, Dec 27, 2025 at 4:25 PM
    #6927
    ElginTheGreat and abeer3 like this.
  8. karacha

    karacha Moderator Staff Member

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    Like it, and then unlike it. It will give you some satisfaction.
     
    karacha, Dec 27, 2025 at 4:50 PM
    #6928
  9. sk2408

    sk2408 - Lakers 6th Man -

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    Where in that post did I say Luka/Austin will always be poor defensively? I said you need three plus defenders around Luka and Austin to make that duo viable. I think everyone agrees with that. But I’m not sure Luka/Austin + three defensive players is actually good enough offensively.


    That’s what happened to the Luka/Kyrie Mavs. Kyrie, and to a lesser degree Luka, struggled against an athletic and switchy defense in the C Bags and the rest of the team were defense-first role players. The result was the offense sputtering (they hit 100 points in 1 out of 6 games) and getting blown out in the Finals.
     
    sk2408, Dec 27, 2025 at 5:09 PM
    #6929
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