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

Stop with the LeBron sign and trades to Cleveland. LeBron has no interest going back to Cleveland. It’s not going to happen.

 

Tony Brothers not only Scott Foster.

 

Lebron ain’t going anywhere. Only sign and trade I can see him supporting is to the Clippers for Kawhi or he can just sign there outright. He has no interest leaving L.A.

 

So glad we got rid of Jeanie Buss. That Caruso decision is destroying this franchise. Cheap f***. 20 points now he’s looking like Steve Kerr on the bulls. Just a stupid dumb decision.

 

I think LeBron James for Julius Randle would be terrible. You see the Knicks without Julius Randle??? Julius Randle is extremely overrated.

He just dribbles the ball. And he’s not an effective shooter. He is one of the reasons Minnesota lost. Lebron does way more on a court than Julius Randle.

 

Ayton, Hayes
Randle, Rui
Jake, Adou
Smart, Tybullie
Luka, Austin

 

think we've proposed that first trade a few times, but i have some reservations about adding a 1st to take the gamble on jones with only the #58 (let's face it, this is a non-pick, as several UDFAs will be more desirable than anyone taken after the mid-forties, really) in return. i've kind of talked myself into the fact that jones is a neutral asset at best for NO. i'd be willing to add our second to the deal with missi coming back. in that case, i'd consider sending a future lotto-protected first instead of this year's 25 if NO would prefer that. i suppose if our scouts said nobody we want will be there at 25, that might change my thinking, too, as if it's going to be a jhs situation, you may as well just not have it.

i wouldn't pay robert williams 15m per on long-term deal, but i think that's what it would take to get him out of portland. why? portland over the cap but with plenty of room below the apron. with the mle market not being great, i wonder if they'll just use bird rights to keep thybulle and robinson on large, short-term contracts to retain them as tradable assets--they clearly balked at moving them for seconds at the deadline (i'm sure someone would have bit on either or both).

i agree that robinson is a poach candidate, but don't underestimate the feel-good vibes in ny and dolan's money. i think they'd go into the second apron to keep him. so i think it would take more like 20 per at multiple years to get him.

grimes *might* be available at 16, but if i'm going this route, i think i'd rather see if i can get smart for 12.

with all that, you probably have enough that you can split the rest of the space between lebron and rui, and maybe use room to bring back kennard?

robinson/hayes/missi
lebron/rui
luka/thiero
reaves/kennard
jones/smart/bronny

one vet min each at guard and forward can be either young or old guys, tbh, last roster spot stays open.

all this assumes that ayton and jake are stretch-waived, i'm guessing? if there was a way to retain jake as the backstop forward, i'd be down for it.

 

I acknowledge this. Thats why i called him a fringe and why i think Wolves may look to trade him. Thing is he might fit with Luka and Austin. Lebron might put up the numbers but he dont have the energy anymore.

Not really. I think Lebron adds to the teams lack of energy. Being the oldest player in the league playing with 2 unathletic guys is not the best of mix especially when they all trying to do the same things. Randle is not perfect we know this. fringe star at best. thing is he may fit well alongside Luka and Austin. He will have to sacrifice his game shoot less be more like Dramond green.

 

I hate to say it and why i think Lebron should leave. I think if Lebron stays the team is just be in limbo. Stuck between building a team for Luka and still being in the Lebron partnership. Then you have the fight between Austin and Lebron. Austin want to be the star and Lebron still trying to get his. Even from Lebron end he should avoid playing for
Lakers who draws the most media attention. The talk of Lebron holding the Lakers back will only get louder so IMO its best to nip it and move on.

 

teams have been hoping for this for his entire career. he just doesn't have the green hoop iq or processing speed or whatever folks are calling it these days. he's always been super sketchy in team defense, which is why he consistently ranks near the bottom in defensive metrics. he has all the physical tools to defend, but just...can't or doesn't keep up.

if you want draymond, you're better off hoping lebron picks up where he left off to end the season prior to the luka/reaves injuries. or, lol, just S&T lebron for draymond himself. but that would be a step back because of the offensive slippage, and green is also nearing the end of his career.

 

Nawh i am done with Lebron/Lakers partnership. I am willing to try anything else. I already seen Austin/Lebron for some time now. It makes the season to predictable for me. I already know the end results.

 

That’s just this years team, except Lebron is swapped for Randle and you added Thybulle.

Lebron is better at everything than Randle and will probably continue to be for the next 2-3 years.

 

Yeah, you might as well try Randle I guess… at least it’ll be fun trying to guess how many less games we will win than last year?

 

Lebron might be better but redundant talent and lack energy. The one month Lakers played well with all 3 Luka was avg 40ppg that is not sustainable. Lebron was also not fully accepting of role all season.

 

not really. I 100% get Randle is not great. It's more about adding hustle energy removing Lebron shadow. For me a player like Randle is like Lamar Odom on a championship team. Not a second option but a guy thats not great at anything in particular but can do it all.

 

Luka
Reaves
Watson
Lebron
Gafford/Robinson/Williams

I'd try to get Gafford from the Mavs as the first option with Williams as the backup. They may have gotten over the saltiness from Luka's trade by now.

have never been a fan of Hayes, I can't point out a single thing he's above average at, so I'll be happy to see him go rather than paying over the vet min

 

Aha. I get it now. You want Lebron gone ASAP, in order to expose the fact, that Austin Reaves isn't a legit 2nd option next to Luka. With James off the team, Reaves will be revealed as your true target. "We can’t truly build around Luka, with Austin Reaves as the 2nd option. "

The subtle, Lebron is holding Reaves back take, to mask the... See! Austin doesn't really work with Luka premise.

 

How does this address the stated objectives from the FO. A starting Center and another secondary playmaker?

 

f*** you Shai