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

and thank you, Jeanie lol

 

Lakers have reportedly had interest in Jones, and the Pelicans have reportedly had interest in obtaining a 2026 first-round pick. The trade isn't just about swapping a 1st for Jones. A major component of this trade is the addition by subtraction piece. Lakers shed two unplayable players for a player who is a lot closer to being a complete player on both sides of the ball. I think the new movement lab or whatever could help Jones improve his shooting to at least passable levels. This trade also has a cap room component. Lakers create an additional 4 million in cap room. Additionally, so far the Lakers have mostly been working out players projected in the bottom of the first round, or un-drafted. Probably their typical due-diligence on that front. I know #58 is basically not a pick, it's just a throw in really. But, it does give the Lakers the edge over other teams in terms of undrafted level players if that makes sense. Side note: The 2031 1st going to the Pelicans could still be possible, especially if they are able to flip it for a 2026 first, like to OKC for #18 for example. We could also try and do the swap ourselves, and move up 7 spots essentially for free.

 

. thas a good way of looking at it. Remove lebron we get to evaluate the team better to make adjustments. But jokes aside I would prefer Randle over Lebron who is set to be 42 next season.

 

What starting center out there will be an upgrade over Ayton?

 

Meh..I'd take one year of James over Randle period.

Today... I'm feeling Vando/Jake , plus the 31 FRP unprotected, for Dort and the 17th pick.
Or Vando, 31 FRP unprotected, Isiah Joe and the 17th pick.

The Thunder are going to have to move, some of thier guards this summer IMO.

It's going to be hard to move Caruso, with Dort going out. They have an upcoming overload at guard, on the roster this summer .
SGA is the franchise player, Carson Wallace, is on a team option, with the rise of McCain and Mitchell, both on cheap rookie deals. Someone has to go.

They can move Dort or Joe, for an upcoming expiring, free up some rotation time for the young guys mentioned, and pick up an unprotected future FRP.



Now we have the 17th and 25th pics in the upcoming draft . I'm aiming for Cennac Jr, Jayden Quaintance, and Dailyn Swain(6'8 PG prospect, with defensive upside) Give me 2 out 3 and that's a homerun draft day scenario IMO.

We add 3 players, to couple with Thiero, and just significantly, upgraded the talent level on the roster , without giving up any cap space.

Now you have Ayton, A future FRP and all our capspace to work with for a trade, or S&T.

 

We obviously consider several, if the stated objective, was to acquire a starting center.

 

You have to look at it from the perspective of what starting center would be an upgrade over Ayon in terms of the proper fit with this team. If you are focusing just on sheer skill, Ayton is a very skilled center. But when you consider the specific skillset that fits this team, your are looking specifically for a center who is very good at catching lobs and protects the rim. DA prefers to score in the post and mid-range, and he is not a good rim-protector. On top of the skillset mis-match, Ayton's low motor and inconstancy are things that are detrimental to the team.

 

we're on the same team here. i still don't agree with svtzr and others that lebron has 3 more years left, but i'll take 1 year and then the mle or whatever over downgrading to randle for one year then dealing with his player option.

this does very little for okc, as they need to shed current salary, not just future. one could argue that just not picking up the team option on dort would be preferable to this.

my money was on caruso, but him turning in a playoff performance for the ages is going to make that tough, lol.

opt in to dort, move him into space (chicago or bkn) for a couple seconds. decline kenrich williams (perhaps even bringing him back on a minimum), decline hartenstein and re-sign him to a slightly lower rate for more years, send either joe or wiggins into someone's exception for a couple seconds.

similar to what i said above, though i don't know that anyone will rent their space AND give up an unprotected future first.

what i'm looking for is whether they dump dort to chicago, then we give chicago a 1st for him, something like that.


anyway, long story short, i think the thunder can keep all their most important players next year and skirt the second apron with pretty minimal effort. they'll have to repeat it the next year (when SGA's supermax kicks in), and that's when the depth will start to really take a hit.

 

we also have Hays who is contrast to Ayton. Then if you have a LeBron a Randle you have a small ball center that can dart the running game stretch the floor. Lakers have to start drafting and develop players. Williams and those guys are really not that good. So for that reason o would prefer Ayton opt in his contract.

 

I see the Lakers using 18-20mil of their cap space on 1-2 players and giving the rest to LeBron .Using Rui,Vando etc. and their 3 picks in a trade .

 

Base on what lakers want from LeBron Randle won't be a downgrade. But a better fitting piece. Then you're removing him from a second option since we all know Austin will not be in a bench role.

 

The last month of the season and the playoffs vs Houston have changed the perspective of LeBron/Austin/Luka dynamic. It's fools gold. This team lacks grit and energy.

 

Randle is another rough fit. High usage guy, who is kind of a stretch 4/5 but not really. He's another guy who likes to handle and attack the basket. Lakers hopefully learned from the Westbrook debacle already. I don't know why you guys keep speculating on these rough fits that don't make any sense. It was reported already that they promised Luka a "balanced roster" similar to 2024 Mavs.

 

I am not saying Randle is the key to a championship. What I am saying it have a number of guys I would prefer over bring LeBron back. All these things are true of Randle but IMO can be used on a championship team like how Lamar Odom was used. Koble playing with Odom was not a championship caliber team. However sliding him down a peg he became an important piece to the puzzle. A jack of all trades master of none. Westbrook was playing pg huge difference.

 

I don't think that's something that we need. Keep it simple, if Lebron leaves, just replace him with Rui. Could fill back up power forward with Thiero and a veteran backup like Kenrich Williams, OKC will likely not pick up his team option. Kenrich ads some redundancy with Rui in a good way for that big wing shooter role. Thiero could develop for another year behind those two guys if JJ doesn't trust hum yet. In terms of Rui's rebounding deficiencies, Luka's rebounding form the "1" helps offset that. Additionally, bigs like Williams and Robinson are big time rebounders.

 

I'm very anti-Randle on this team, but I do think the 2024 Mavs showed exactly why we may need to think outside the box a bit. The 2024 Mavs got blown out in the Finals because their offensive attack was ultimately too one-dimensional. You can't just spam high P&R over and over against teams like the 2024 C Bags, or the Thunder and Spurs today, when they have multiple guards that can hold up at the point of attack, legit rim protectors behind them and the versatility/personnel to switch ballscreens as well. You need some other wrinkle to your offense, whether it's a legitimate 3rd star like a LeBron that can initiate offense from different areas (low post, high post, elbow) or more collective ballhandling. We can't just have Luka, Austin, and everyone else either standing behind the three point line to catch and shoot or standing in the dunker spot to catch and lob.

 

What your saying is theoretical. 24 Mavs made it to the finals, which is proof of concept enough with Luka. Get him the balanced team he was promised, and them if you want to get cute maybe you do it from there if it's not working out.

 

If you transported that exact 2024 Mavs team to present day they would not make the Finals. They probably don't even make the conference finals.

 

dude it was like, two years ago.