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

Yeah, I mean this could also be Knecht or even Ayton, depending on what they want. 13.5 million for Kuminga first year salary is not bad at all for him at this point. The number also coudl help justify any hierachy concerns in terms of him possibly starting over Mamu or Grimes.

 

KD on the move again would've been comical.



Slo Mo to Toronto



Another option off the board

 

Down to Kuminga, Rui, Zaire Williams? Who am I leaving out? At some point Vando becomes our best option for a perimeter defense rotation piece at the wing?

 

Keep Carr McDaniels out of trade suggestions.

 

One piece that hasn’t been floated yet is Spencer Jones. He wants 4m from Denver.

Send Knecht out and bring him in for 4m. That guy is a defensive workhorse and can guard 1-4. As a backup SF, it’s fantastic. If we could bring in Kuminga, I’d feel better about the offseason.

Luka / Sexton / Bronny
Reaves / Carr / Knecht
Grimes / Thybulle or Jones / Jake
Kuminga / Mamu / Adou
Kessler / Ayton

Thybulle and Kuminga would shore up a lot of our wing defense that we have zero of.

 

Whatever team signs Lebron probably absorbs Bronny from us. It opens up a roster spot, and we might even be able to get a 2md round pick out of it.

 

kuminga is a bad defender, but i'm on board with him for the athleticism alone

 

I'd feel disrespected by the Lakers if I was Rui so I dont think he's coming back here unless he has no other choice.

 

Kuminga is the Ayton of wings. If he played his role and bought in, he helps you a tonne. But instead he wants to be the guy and disappears into his head for long stretches.

You just hope at 10-14m in value he understands what he is. Because his defense when engaged is a significant step up from what we have on the roster for wings.

I’d be happier with Thybulle and Spencer Jones. But I doubt the front office will be.

 

Yeah he isn't the perfect fit. I see him sort of as a more developed Thiero. Gives Thiero or Carr (whoever exits the rotation) at least another year to develop before being thrown in there. Zooming in on Kuminga's defense, it doesn't seem like a disaster. He has averaged 1.0 stl and 0.7 blocks per 36 over the course of hs career, which is better than Rui's averages per 36 of 0.8 stls and 0.4 blocks. Steal rate of 1.4% and Block Rate of 1.7% are also better than Rui's 1.0% and 1.0%. Alos, Kuminga has a career DBPM of -0.3, while Rui has a career DBPM of -1.2. Kuminga is also a good rebounder for his poistion, with 6.9 rebounds per 36 for his career comapred to 6.0 for Rui.

 

Stats don’t give context. When locked in Kuminga is a very good on ball defender (kind of like Westbrook), he is athletic, strong and has decent hands.

His issue is he has low iq, low effort and doesn’t respect the team defensive concept. So he gets lost on help and rotations. The thing is, he locks in for 5-10 games at a time and everyone thinks oh wow he is finally getting it - then he reverts back to wanting to be Kobe.

But if you saw the playoffs, in 1 game he took on OG and Bridges and did well, then the next game he shut down KAT in the 4th. He is capable, just frustratingly inconsistent.

But what better options do we have?

 

Thiero is going to develop by being thrown in there and will make a significant impact.

 

This would be ideal, but I understand why they are still looking for another forward.

 

The rumor is we are interested in Kuminga, so there is that. He's going to have to play a role. If Kuminga and Rui are both looking for money, it would be easier to pay Kuminga thru a sign and trade. We obviously can't sign and trade for Rui, he would have to take the minimum or the 7 million from stretching Vando. I like the idea of maximizing our apron room and having more trade ballast avaialble for possible future trades.

 

We could just tell Rui: take the minimum and we have your bird rights next year. We value a player of your caliber at this: and you lay out some figures like 15-18m per.

It’s not illegal because you let him know that it’s just how we view him internally and as long as he does his thing, that would be our view of him.

 

Yeah, that's true.