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

Most of us believe LeBron heads back to Cleveland.

I’m having a hard time seeing us replace both his and AR’s production regardless of how well everyone fits together right now.

Austin leaving us and signing somewhere else would be a disaster. I don’t think we should risk that by lowballing him even if the chances of him leaving are low.

 

Say it with me LOUD …. S*** Happens.

 

First injury from Utah that's probably true

Yeah no way we can lose AR.
I think AR wants to stay too. He also doesn't look like he wants every single dollar like Harden and rather be in a context where he plays for titles while being paid fairly. From what I'm aware, he basically just plays golf when not playing basketball, not very materialistic.

I wouldn't be surprised if he signs for a value a bit lower than the max as we find a middle ground with him. He also wants to maximize the team and a bit more money can allow us more flexibility to strengthen the team.

I may be wrong, but I'm not worried with him

 

Stop it.

 

Loud sigh.

Luka, LeBron, and Reaves played just fine together last season when they finished 3rd in the west. Injuries and a somehow even more inconsistent supporting cast have been tough for us this season but we’re still in 5th.

 

I'm not going to assume that Reaves will ge less than the max, but it would be really helpful if he did. But I'm not going to count on that. I'm going to assume he gets paid 41.5 million. Anything leas than that is a bonus. For salary cap purposes thoughz it's only the 20.9 million cap hold that counts. The deal he signs would be after will fill in the cap room. Butyeah, it does count for apron and trade flexibility purposes, so agin it would be nice of he would take less, but I'm not going to count on it.

 

The team is allergic to defensive rebounding and it's keep costing them game after game.

 

You might want to change your opinion after this game. As a matter of fact, up until the Boston game? I think they played a total of 700 minutes or so and have had a negative 3.5 rating according to Jovan. I'll see if there's an update on that.

And that same trio got their a** kicked in the PO's in the first round. We have to reassess this trio and look to break them up this summer, IMO. It isn't working. What we're seeing ont he floor against elite competition, the analytics backing that up, it has to change. We'll probably get even more validation once they flame out of this season in the first round. Yes, the roster sucks, but we have to addresses the elephant in the room and break up that trio, IMO.

As Weezy pointed out, Luka is on a shelf life; he's played a lot of basketball. We need to get this right.

 

Man I’m gonna say the quiet part out loud. What the f*** was Luka doing? He’s been off. He had a great shot twice. The first shot was golden. He got the perfect screen from Ayton. That’s his shot. 3 point butter shot wide open let’s go home. What the f*** was he doing???? Passes to Lebron for a hero 3 in the corner. That wasn’t going in. Lebrons looking at him like what the f*** are you doing? Why the f*** are you giving me the ball? That’s your shot.

 

Let me give you guys a little preview into Mark Walter because I think you deserve it.

First off season move. Making sure Austin Reaves is a Laker for life.

He’s a foundational piece. He does a lot on the court. He’s part of the good chemistry.

How can I compare this to the Dodgers.

if Luka is our Mookie Betts who we got for nothing in our trade. Austin Reaves is our will smith. Good guy. Not too loud just produces.

his defense is atrocious. But f*** it you gotta deal with it.

Luka and Reaves. That’s where you start everybody could go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Gianiss in a trade if he forces his way here. Who mark wants. If not pieces and creative trades Peyton Watson Nic Claxton athletic guys. We will seek.

I don’t know if Rob is the guy for that. But I hope he makes it hard for Mark. I know Masai can be the Friedman.

because all you guys talk about the wings. And then when I bring up the guy with the best track record of picking drafting trading for the best wings and pure athletes. You laugh. I’ve been around him. I know him from Denver. He was their top scout. He has a scouting background. Not an agent background. Let’s get back to the scouting Jerry West. Everybody’s gone scouting department. Coach.

cause Mark don’t play. But let’s get back to Masai. just marinate on this.

Toronto

Van Fleet
Pascal
OG specifically developed him.
Scottie Barnes
Powell

You give Masai the resources where he doesn’t have to ship players out because of cheap ownership. We’re gonna have a squad we can be proud of really athletic.

that’s what we have to find.

 

seems like every game against orlando ends up being a last second loss

just hurry up and get swept in the first round already. i'm so ready for walter to clean house

 

But the way Lon Rosen talks they like Rob Pelinka. Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi will have more involvement like I thought.

but does that mean really dipping into the scouting and finding the right players to put around these lakers we shall see.

 

Haha me too!!!!

 

WTF happened to Rui?

 

If i see more than 3 (max 4 guys) from this roster next season, im OUT. I'll miss this place and Lakers ball but enough is enough. If Luka wasn't my fav player, all this would be so much easier...

 

I acknowledge that they haven’t looked as good this season. Just saying we did see that the three could work together and the reason we got beaten was the overall roster construction which is again our problem.

When this team struggles over the years we tend to just focus on the stars when the lack of quality guys around them that fit together is the issue IMO. Luka and whatever player we want to throw in there isn’t going to be any more successful than LeBron and AD were if we keep trotting out rosters with clear flaws and a bunch of guys we dig out of the bargain bin.

LeBron is heading home to Ohio in my opinion. We really need a plan on what kind of roster we want and then start building it piece by piece.

 

Disagree with the bolded. You can't have 3 liabilities out there defensively. We consistently give up double digit leads and teams just walk us down. Luka/Reaves is pushing it with respect to being respectable defensively; with LBJ on most nights? Yeah, it won't work, IMO.

Ask yourself this, and I posed this in the GT thread; if the Lakers truly believe in Austin as a "cornerstone" and a star next to Luka for the foreseeable future, why are they pursuing Giannis? Is it just because they have the space to absorb him and they want to add talent? That could be the case, but it just boggles my mind that if you really believe in Reaves the way Lakers forums do, why wouldn't you just go and pursue the best possible free agents instead of wasting all your space on Giannis and trotting out merry minumus that are going to follow?

Hoping NY flames the f*** out and they throw the house at Milwaukee.

 

Have to see how these PO's play out, but I think I'd go after Eason this summer. Houston has to pay some of their guys going forward, and I think he might be left out. Digging in, and I like what I'm seeing so far this season. Fits the mold. I think I take a shot there this summer.