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

So strange that as big as he is he doesn't get many rebounds

Out of place, lack of effort or something else?

 

With that pick being a young rim defender that can play defense and I can see it working

 

Lack of springs and not quite great lateral quickness. Vando suffers from the lack of springs too. If those two guys had maybe an extra 2-3 inches on the vertical...they'd be entirely different animals. Or Banshees

 

I'm greedy..I'm trying to keep Ayton. But if he gets a better deal somewhere, that Missi and a FRP trade works for me.

 

i've been wondering how many picks it would take to get missi and herb jones for vando and knecht. negligible impact on cap space/aprons, potentially big impact. NO may ask for everything we've got, though.

 

Maybe two?

 

I will say these last 2 performances have really got me thinking what would happen if at some point you did get off of Austin and just surrounded Luka with A++ role players. Maybe 1 being a fringe all star level player though.

 

Can't combine players in the S&T

 

Give me Herb, Messi + Bey while taking Vando + DK and I'm willing to give them two firsts and swap.

Herb = 1
Salary dump = 1
Messi + Bey = multiple 2nds (which is the swap that either won't convert or downgrades to 2nds)

That addresses our baseline needs and then whatever we go out and spend after that solidifies the team and we're operating from more of a position of power at that point.

 

This might actually be one of the lower hanging fruits. The Pelican might want a firs-round pick, and we might wan't to cash our pick in for players that Redick is more likely to use.

Missi obviously provides both rim-protection and lob-catching. His contract is only about 3.5 million. and next year will be his age 22 season.

Herb provides that "second" Marcus Smart archetype that I feel is the priority for this team, although his 3-pt shooting is not ideal. He has shot around 30% from 3 in two consecutive seasons, but he has recently brought his volume up to 6 attempts per game. He has also been dealing with injuries. I think between recovery from injury, playing with Luka, and a lot of practice, Herb could stabilize as a 35% 3-pt shooter, on about 6 attempts per game, which is all we would need him to do. We just need him to make 2+/6. Next year he makes only 14.9 million, but his extension kicks in the year after that, which is part of what maybe makes him expendable to New Orleans.

I would offer Vanderbilt, Knecht, #25, the 2031 1st, and the 2033 2nd and take it from there.

As of right now, Missi alone is probably worth #25 and the 2033 2nd.

It probably costs at least the 2031 1st just to get off of the combination of Vando and Knecht. And we absorb Jones in the process. It might cost a little more, but this is a good baseline offer. A lot of addition by subtraction in there, which is great. The trade arguably sets us up to be "too deep", which is arguably not a problem anymore in today's NBA, where players play about 65 games.

 

You can as longer as they aren't getting a max deal. We are a cap space team now..that apron restriction doesn't apply.

 

If you really want to maximize this roster for Luka you trade Reaves for two players.3-D wing and a ball handler. Unpopular for sure but truthful nonetheless

 

Like who do you have in mind?

 

Haven’t combed through the league yet but hey I’m open to suggestions.I’m really just pointing out a hard truth

 

I'm not... I've been very vocal on not re-signing LeBron earlier in the season when he was playing very lackluster at sharing the ball and effectively turned Reaves into a bystander. There are many posts of me on the LeBron thread stating as such. I said he had to play more like Draymond for the team to work or he should be removed from the team and traded... I was at that point, advocating to trade LeBron for Jimmy Butler because Butler would have no issues playing an off-ball role with fewer possessions and playing defense.

It all changed when LeBron came back from his injury and you could see he understood what had to be done because Luka+Reaves were winning without him.

I'm in complete agreement with you about him possibly being overpaid (if that's what will happen) but I don't see a combination of players worth $20 million, which I am expecting Bron to get paid, that will give you the same results or better.

There are already talks of Luke Kennard being worth $15 million right now and he is worth it based on how he's playing. Are we seriously suggesting LeBron isn't worth $5 million more than that? We all know he is so he isn't the problem here. We're seeing that right now how he's shouldering the huge load without Reaves and Luka. The Lakers should have zero chance at beating this Rockets team but LeBron has masterfully played into his role.

My point is simply, LeBron has become the Lakers 'Draymond Green'. And that's worth $20 million. It's on the Lakers coaching and front office to try and make it work with other players... and that includes the draft where they need to start picking guys off who are ready to contribute on the court so they can lock these younger role players into rookie contracts. Trying to scapegoat LeBron here as the reason is just ridiculous. He's doing everything the Lakers are asking him to do to help the team. Has he not?

 

thybulle is another smart like pickup waiting to happen. Back to being an elite defender, got good size for his position, can switch onto to different positions, and his 3 point shooting is much better than when he was younger

career been derailed by injury by a bit but he's a guy I don't want a team like OKC getting on the cheap.

 

but no one said he wasn't worth the money, and no one tried to scapegoat him.

i and others have just pointed out that improving the team whilst paying lebron his value is basically impossible. if i'm forced to choose between building a sustainable 3 year window or paying lebron his fair market value, i'd pick the former.

 

Outside of LeBron, Reaves, and Luka, I think the Lakers have to keep:

Luke, Smart, LaRavia, Bronny, Thiero, Hayes, and Ayton.

You are not going to find a better player than Ayton for the price he's getting paid right now so I hope he opts in.

That leaves guys like Dalton and Vando who are also under contract who aren't producing much.

It's obvious Bucks will be going through a rebuild and have a fire sale after Giannis gets traded. Vando and picks for Bobby Portis? I wouldn't do a 1st but multiple 2nds could work? Or what about Vando and a 1st for AJ green + Andre Jackson, and then you waive Andre Jackson?

So let's assume you can trade Vando for a more serviceable role player like Portis.

That puts the Lakers with:
SF: LeBron, Thiero, Knecht
PF: Portis, LaRavia
C: Hayes, Ayton
SG: Reaves, Bronny, Kennard
PG: Smart, Luka

That's a roster you can work with. I think Bobby Portis would change a lot for the Lakers. Can shoot the ball very well, can play center, SF, or power forward, rebounds like a dog out there, and good defense.

Lakers are just 1-2 pieces away with the current roster. I don't see a need for massive change here.

If LeBron gets $15 million and Austin gets near max, I think the Lakers have $45-50 million in salary cap to work with, right? Just split that up with Smart, Kennard, and Rui?

And a lot of these guys fit Luka+Reaves timeline as well. Ayton, Rui, Thiero, Knecht, and LaRavia. I wouldn't mind the Lakers trying to build over these guys as LeBron and Smart age out. Just 1-2 role players and the Lakers are back in business.

 

(1) Trade Vanderbilt + Knecht + #25 + 2031 1st + 2033 1st to New Orleans for Jones + Missi

(2) Sign Lebron for 15, Kennard for 12, Smart for 12, and Hayes for Room-Exception (2-year deal with team-option)

(3) Sign Ellis for 18.3 million is season 1

(4) Max Reaves

PG: Luka (36) Reaves (12) Bronny, Free Agent
SG: Reaves (24) Kennard (24) Free Agent
SF: Smart (24) Ellis (24) LaRavia
PF: James (32) Jones (16) Thiero
C: Ayton (24) Missi (24) Hayes

 

Right... but no one is suggesting LeBron get paid his FMV. Obviously that would be insane. His FMV would be $35 million right now even at his age because his production certainly warrants it.

But if LeBron wants to stay in LA, play with his son, have a chance to compete and win titles right now, him taking $15-20 million isn't out of the picture. Especially with how few teams have the salary cap to sign him that can give him the things I just mentioned above.

I was responding to Weezy stating that the Lakers can't win a title paying LeBron over $15 million. Do you think $20 million is overpay for LeBron? Even $23 million would be a good deal. It's when you start hitting that $25 million + that it becomes semi-unworkable. I think most of us here have been around that $20 million range to re-sign LeBron. If that's what he gets and he agrees to it, the issue won't be LeBron. It will be the Lakers front office not doing their job.