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

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

  1. sk2408

    sk2408 - Lakers 6th Man -

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    I do think with the right scheme, Ayton can help us quite a bit defensively. Portland had him playing a really deep drop which doesn't really suit him. He has pretty quick feet, so if we can bring him up a little higher on P&R's I think that can help mitigate some lackluster POA defense. Not much we can do, though, on straight ISO blow-by's. We'll just need to be really good at help and recover, which we were in that really good defensive stretch in the regular season. The problem was we couldn't do anything else because we didn't have a center.

    I'm sympathetic to Simmons, I really liked him and those early Sixers teams. That 2018 Sixers team with Embiid/Simmons/JJ/Covington/Saric/Belinelli/McConnell was pretty likeable. I was rooting hard for them to beat the C Bags in the 2018 ECSF.
     
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  2. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    Hell Nah.. you are the one spitting pure gibberish!. Jordan was the highest paid player in the League. Did he take a paycut in Chicago at the end? Why in the f*** would James opt out and take the minimum? That s*** makes absolutely no sense, unless it coming from an anti Lebron point of view.

    How in the hell do you KNOW he's not thinking about retiring? Because he didn't take a 1+1? I don't get your logic, maybe he always took these deals, because he wasn't planning on retiring?

    If taking a 1+1 doesn't preclude retiring anyway, wtf are you even talking about then?
     
    Last edited: Jul 8, 2025 at 12:53 PM
  3. Weezy

    Weezy Moderator Staff Member

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    I didn’t post it because it’s Irwin, and whenever I post Irwin rumors people rant and rave about how I shouldn’t post Irwin rumors because he doesn’t have sources and it’s spreading false info. You’d think I were platforming a terrorist or something :D

    Anyway, it’s not looking great for us right now, just like every offseason at this point, we expected more and have had little actually happen. Looks like Melton to GS, Beal likely to the Clippers (I didn’t want him anyway, we need defense, just saying, we’re rarely ever actually in the mix for these names were linked to), the free agent pickins are slim. Now of course we get the annual Rob is going to Vegas, talks should pick up there report, which is also from Irwin, so I guess take it with a truck of salt if you don’t like his stupid fat face



    I just don’t have faith in this FO after years of this same thing over and over, aside from our stars and maybe starting lineup, our bench is bad and yet again made up of borderline NBA players, it has to be addressed or it’s another wasted season. I’m just kind of indifferent at this point though, this is temporary until the new owners take over and hopefully hire the best of the best. Until then I just have to hope this FO doesn’t screw up so bad that Luka walks, I guess at the very least they’re doing his agent favors and building a good relationship there as Klutch is being pushed out the door.
     
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  4. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    Bryce isn't a NBA prospect like Bronny. That part is cap.

    All this IF stuff, hell Luka might get hurt, Austin too. That's part of the game. What you are saying doesn't make any sense.

    You were still All NBA Lebron, but we are taking a 1+1 off the table, because you might get hurt? Man that s*** is utterly ridiculous!
     
  5. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

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    Well YOU assuming LeBron going "I see You" at Savannah is why HE chose only one year sounds even sillier. ;) :D Bryce has always been expected to be the better prospect with the same genes but much taller. Bronny just last year was the Make a Wish ridiculed kid.
     
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  6. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    Where is Bryce considered to be a better NBA prospect? Show me where this information is listed.

    That man has accomplished more than most players could ever dream already. What makes you think that his wife doesn't have any sway in his decision making?

    I'm still waiting on you, to elaborate why taking a 1 year deal, means anything other than, he might actually be ,seriously looking at retiring now. 41 is 41 bro.
     
  7. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    Look.
    If anyone out there, just doesn't like LeBron James, and just wishes that he move on.

    JUST SAY THAT s*** THEN!!

    Don't hide behind this BS, that's it's better for the team, and Luka's timeline. That's ridiculous, and I haven't seen one person, step up and produce a rational position ,to support that idea.
     
  8. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

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    I'm not hiding behind anything because I want him here as long as he can still play reasonably, if not totally at the level he's been playing in his advanced age. You're thinking of 15 other guys not me. LeBron giving up that 2nd year was not his choice. Why do you think he and Rich Paul came out (saving face) all passive aggressive? They just took the power away from him is all. I hope he does great and we ring chase this year and he comes back and same thing next year.
     
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  9. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    my only issue with irwin is that he highlights information that makes the front office look bad, almost exclusively. and he just sweeps good stuff under the rug. also, he's often been wrong.

    like, the framing of his latest bit--"after a promising start"--dude, you were chicken-littling all over the place for the first couple days of FA, now you're admitting that was promising and saying NOW it's doom. maybe...try waiting again.

    what did we expect? a center? got one. a good one. what else? we weren't trading for durant.

    well, we got two of them already, and the roster is currently full. likely route to improvement is trades, maybe soon, maybe later.

    everyone's going to vegas. they talk. doesn't mean anything will happen. nobody promised as much. the only thing the FO said they'd do this summer is get a center. i'm sure they have other goals and hopes, just like we do.

    this is life with a couple max guys at the top of your roster. it's hard to fill out the rest after that. again, i'm just not sure what folks are expecting to happen. what impact player has been traded for expirings so far? did you want jrue holiday or porzingis?

    we still have expirings and 1sts, and i'd argue that luka/lebron/AR/ayton/rui/gabe/laravia/hayes/goodwin can be a very competitive team. we have room to improve, and i don't think we're actually done with the offseason, tbh. we might be, but i don't think so.

    the way to screw it up is with panic win-now moves that doom luka's prime. that's how you end up on the wrong end of the ask-out. by making this year's version of last year's jerami grant option.
     
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  10. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    good lord. both your points were refuted, and your response is "nuh uh".

    if money doesn't matter, why does he want it?

    if he's retiring, why not announce it? if he might retire, why restrict your options?

    i'm sorry you're in your feelings about it, but the simplest explanation is a 1+1 wasn't on the table.
     
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  11. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    How do you know this? Is this what Rob said? He said that James would get 3 years, if that's what he asked for. Rob’s lying about that too?So what makes YOU, so convinced that isn't true?
     
  12. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    logic and observations of both the world and the people involved.

    and yes, i believe rob would lie to the press. hell, i expect him to.

    and i'll invite anyone--not just you, slick--to persuade me that there's a reason to take a 1 year over a 1+1. i've yet to see anyone make a credible argument for this. i could think of one, but it doesn't make sense and is much more complicated than the likely truth.
     
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  13. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    You didn’t refute s***. So..where is your roster proposal that shows how we'd be better of without Lebron?


    Why in the hell would he take less money, coming off an All NBA team? Who in the hell, has ever done that? Why should LeBron James be the first?

    He wants to see what happens and is truly taking one season at a time?

    That's CAP, and you still haven't presented anything to back up that claim. Other than, well...he's never done it before!
     
  14. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    YOU'RE THE ONE WHO SAID HE'S A BILLIONAIRE AND DOESN'T CARE ABOUT MONEY. AM I TAKING CRAZY PILLS?
     
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  15. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    Taking what you are worth, has absolutely nothing to do, with needing the money dude.

    Are the friggin owners giving back money, because they have plenty already? That's silly logic man.
     
  16. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    ok, so it's about ego. and he still took 50 instead of 100.

    still waiting on why you wouldn't take the player option. but i realize it's silly to wait.
     
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  17. LTLakerFan

    LTLakerFan - Lakers Legend -

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    Finally healthy with a full off season of work ahead of him, Vando .... and just possibly a much improved Bronny might want in on that. ;) Regular season at least ... eat minutes, play defense and be "athletic and quick" like they are.
     
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  18. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    yeah, i think maybe weezy's point is it's not a title-favorite-level team, and i can't really argue with that.

    okc is the same (and better than everyone, hence ring). houston got better. denver got better. we got better but not as much as those teams did.

    i just don't view things as title or bust every year. and with the way the nba has set the rules, i'd suggest others stop pinning their hopes to annual contention.

    my main focus right now is how best to maximize the upcoming luka era. part 1 is not screwing it up. and if we can be good while being a bit conservative, it's going to help us be more aggressive going forward.
     
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  19. Weezy

    Weezy Moderator Staff Member

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    I expect a better team put around our stars. They said when JJ joined we needed athletic 2-way players, and unless you’re talking 2-way CONTRACTS, we don’t have those, we STILL don’t have those. If you think the roster you just listed is a competitive team, then there really isn’t anything more for me to say, we just see things differently, agree to disagree. It’s not a very good roster, just like it wasn’t a very good roster going into last season when people said we were fine. It may be a better roster than that time, but it’s still not an actual championship roster, and if you have Luka and LeBron and you don’t field a championship caliber team, you failed, simple as that.

    There’s still time to fix this, all I said was I don’t have much faith in that based on previous offseasons. We likely punt until the deadline again, and while that’s fine if you get better deals, it has season after season been causing us to play catchup and tire out, and not be able to build chemistry as a team and practice enough to get to where we need to be. It would just be nice to go into a season with a super solid team for a change is all. We are the Lakers, an ok or non-lottery roster is not the goal, it is a championship, so many West teams have meaningfully improved and we IMO, have not. Again, I look forward to new ownership overhauling this FO, to me it has proven it is consistently in over its head and/or behind the times. I just hope Luka signs that extension, if he doesn’t, hoo boy it will be nervous time.
     
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  20. Slick2021

    Slick2021 - Lakers MVP -

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    Meh..What's the point of taking the player option? Why is that necessary? Explain this again. All this time, you have been going on and on, about how Lebron 's 1+1's, are holding the team hostage. Now..it's a no brainer, that he should have taken the same deal?


    Do you think Kobe would have taken 50% less after he made All NBA? Let alone a friggin minimum contract?
     
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