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

the AD trade idea is insane on like, six levels.

 

I could build a realistic team around Luka and Sabonis.

Reaves (41m) for Sabonis (45m) + Kings 1st.

- Kings get an all star caliber guard to fumble in a few years

S&T Rui (17.2) Knecht (4.2) and Ayton (8.1) for Gordon (32) and Spencer (5)

- They save 18m in cap space by doing this deal and cutting Valancunias
- Get off Gordon’s long term salary for no picks
- Get Rui as a PF shooter
- Get Knecht as a reclaimable shooter
- Ayton is probably a positive asset for Denver as a backup center

Trade for Trey Murphy with Vando (12.4) and Kennard (12) plus 3 or 4 firsts.

- They get 4x firsts, those are worth a lot more than they were when Knicks traded 5 for Bridges.

Luka (49.5) / Vet Min (2.5) / Bronny (2.3)
Smart (10) / Thybulle (5.1)
Murphy (27) / Spencer (5) / Jake (6)
Lebron (16) / Gordon (32) / Adou (2.1)
Sabonis (45) / Hayes (4) / Love (2.5)

You need a backup guard, or Bronny needs to step up. Either way that’s a good team.

 

yeah, i don't have time right now, but luka/sabonis could be the core of a title team. we're watching the towns/brunson parade today, man. the knicks' bench was robinson, shamet, mcbride, alvarado, and clarkson (holy s***, btw, just typing that...).

there are many ways to build contenders. the luka in dallas way is one. but there are many other possibilities. we have the very hardest part done. but the way we launch out of the current situation will have a big say in whether we get a shot at a ring in the next 4 years.

 

Sorry for the double post but I thought I would address a few things:

- Yes we don’t have another small guard to create, but we have LeBron, Sabonis and Gordon who can all create and Smart as a last resort. I actually believe having a larger creator alongside Luka makes it much more resistant to physical defenses that both Brunson and Kyrie struggled with.

- Yes we don’t have a lob threat at the 5, but Gordon & Lebron should be the primary PNR partner with Sabonis out on the perimeter as a release valve. Sabonis needs to develop his shooting like Pau did here. Last three healthy years he had been 37-42% from 3 on low volume. We need to jack this up to 4-6 attempts.

- We have 4 perimeter defenders with Smart, Thybulle, Spencer and Jake to help slow the guys down on the perimeter to help Sabonis and 2x PF’s that are good defenders next to him.

It’s not the team that I would go for, but it’s balanced and works.

 

It’s a good plan. I’m not in the camp of shooting that down. I just want a player. I suggested Towns. I’ve never been lob threat or bust. A archetype doesn’t guarantee you a championship. Before the playoffs if I offered you Holmgren or Towns for Luka everyone would say Holmgren. To go against Wemby. Towns can’t guard s***. Look who’s holding the Larry O Brien? You just don’t know this s***. Kawhi and Marc Gasol went on a playoff run and got hot.

so I just want a player. I want a Center we can get in camp and work with, I think Sabonis would be awesome. Because he’s a great basketball player. High IQ. And like I said a couple of weeks ago on here. If you get Sabonis it’s the player. We have a great player to take care of the rest. Luka can score. And with Sabonis. Sabonis can rebound. Sets great screens. Which is huge for scoring. Ayton doesn’t do that.

with Fox Sabonis and Murray Sacramento had one of the hottest scoring offenses in the league. So he can play in a high octane offense. And with LeBron anything is possible. Defense is just motivated s*** Kevin Love was playing defense against Golden State in a game 7 against a 73 win team.

so we shall see. The other team has to dance with us. They all hate Rob. We got Luka cause Nico likes Rob. Sacramento will not want to trade with us. But maybe they’ll be motivated after a couple of draft picks we throw their way. Still can’t believe that idiot Ranadive fired Mike Brown. And Mike Brown won a championship. Haha lol.

Masai has two. He loves to trade. Pj Washington and Daniel Gafford. Or Maybe you can pry Derek Lively. But he’s had some risky knee injuries.

Walker Kessler seems like the most logical. And maybe there is some player tampering going on. Get to work Austin Reaves. If Kessler goes Anthony Davis and says I’m only going to the Lakers and only want to go to the Lakers. Then the Ainges are going to have to come to the table. We’re in play. Rob knows he’s gotta make a deal. In the meantime Mitchell Robinson and Robert Williams are in play. Let’s see which one we get.

 

I could definitely be talked into Sabonis. It’s not the worst thing in the world. My only problem is he doesn’t really shoot the 3 and he can’t protect the rim whatsoever. So you would have to fill out the rest of the roster with guys who can guard and shoot the three. Just don’t think that is possible especially at 45M next year.

 

I appreciate the effort but I think that's a stretch in so many levels.

1. Kings maxing AR + giving a pick (when they'll continue to be awful) is... wishful.
2. Still unsure you can combine guys in S&T but let's say it's possible. Does that allow them to pay Watson and stay below the 2nd apron? Doesn't seem like. They also only move Gordon to bet on Watson which makes less sense if they're getting Rui. I don't see Denver make that deal
3. Kennard is UFA. S&T to the Pels? Why would they do that?
4. Betting on Smart as a +30mpg for a full season is asking for trouble
5. That team is 6-deep, 8 max
6. Not sure how you get Smart, Thybulle and Jones at those values. Either Smart opts in and Jones/Thybulle split the MLE or one of those 3 doesn't sign. We are over the cap by signing Bron, Rui and Kennard
7. It looks like the anti-Luka team. Only 1 lob threat in the backup C. Only 1 sharpshooter in Murphy. You get a good level of perimeter defense but you have no rim protection
8. In a couple years Smart, Bron and Gordon are not playing/a shell of themselves + Sabonis is old. None of those players will be a tradable asset. And we have 0 picks to do anything else
9. That's basically a all-in on a 2 year window, with no flexibility to improve after that, betting on a very thin team that needs the healthiest versions of Bron, Smart, Gordon and Luka to have a punchers chance in the playoffs.

I hate it for the present and future. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm really against that idea. Even with a few moves that seem hard to believe teams would bite.

Rather run it back and keep optionality for the deadline lol

 

Luka tampering with Duren lol

 

lol just kill me now

 

I didn’t add Myles Turner to that list. I should’ve. But Rob didn’t want to trade for him when Lebron was begging for him. Do you trade the 2 picks? I know Milwaukee would want draft capital after trading Gianiss a fire sale. But Rob didn’t want to trade those picks to Indiana for him before. Why would he do that now???? Does he put us over the top????

 

myles turner ain't netting two picks anymore. he's 30, off a down year, and has three years left on the contract. dude was a net negative last year and is a career 6rpg center. i've never understood the fascination, tbh, and i definitely don't now.

i shall pay you one vando and zero picks.

 

Westbrook was a stud in his prime. Just saying. His fit and decline was bad timing. No different if it was CP3 or Nash past his prime on fast decline. Russell Westbrook is widely considered one of the most explosive, relentless, and fiercely competitive point guards in basketball history. He Also lead teams to playoffs. AS for Trey Young Fans reacted the same exact way with Kyrie/Luka. ..... The pairing of Kyrie Irving and Luka Dončić was a highly potent offensive backcourt for the Dallas Mavericks that reached the NBA Finals, but it was heavily scrutinized by fans. Criticisms generally stemmed from the pair's overlapping ball-dominant playstyles, defensive liabilities, and doubts about Kyrie's track record and off-court availability. ... I am very much in knowledge it wont be a popular choice or liked by the masses. ........ Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns proved their critics wrong by leading the New York Knicks to an NBA. Brunson—the reigning NBA Finals MVP—publicly fired back at skeptics who claimed a team couldn't win with him and Towns as the focal points. Its not very uncommon of critics. Some even think others are crazy for not sharing the same outlook. The reality is Young is the better PG than Austin. Young boasts one of the highest career assists-per-game averages in NBA history (consistently around 9.5+ per game), ranking only behind legends like Magic Johnson and John Stockton on the all-time.

 

Luka Dončić holds a career playoff record of 26 wins and 29 losses, Austin Reaves has a career playoff record of 11 wins and 21 losses Jalen Brunson holds a career playoff record of 51 wins and 35 losses, Trae Young holds a career postseason record of 12-15, Kyrie Irving holds a career NBA playoff record of 63-33. Stephen Curry holds a career NBA playoff record of 108 wins and 51 losses, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a career playoff record of 38-23. Jamal Murray has an all-time NBA playoff record of 48-37. Rajon Rondo compiled a career playoff record of 79 wins and 55 losses Players above .500 playoff record won a ring. If Luka and Austin want to increase their odds of winning a ring they have to have more success in the postseason. Have to be in it to win it.

 

Crazy thing is Domantis Sabonis worst statistic season was last season. 15.4 ppg 11 rpg 4.5 assists per game. And he was injured for most of it. Dude is baby Jokic. You think he would shoot better because his dad was closer to Jokic and had a beautiful shot like Butter.

 

I’m not in love with the idea myself, but just wanted to say it’s possible to make a team that works. I’m still keen to run it back with the addition of a center and wing.

But here are the rebuttals:

1. The Kings have to start again after trading away Halliburton and then Fox. Reaves is an excellent piece to start that with their new draft pick. Their mouth pieces also had Sabonis worth a single first. So this trade is even if not in their favour.

2. Denver saves 5m in not signing Spencer, 10m in cutting Val and another 5m in the trade while getting a better backup center, a starting PF and a backup shooter. All without trading a pick to dump a problematic contract. On top of that if they dump Zeke Nnaji, they’re below the second apron by a bit after they resign Watson to 24-30m. Their team could be:

Murray / Brown
Braun / Knecht
Watson / Cam Johnson
Rui / Cam Johnson
Jokic / Ayton

That’s a top 4 team in the West.

3. Because the highest percentage shooter in the league isn’t overpaid at 12m on a rebuilding team. People have lost touch with the reality of contracts, 12m is sub MLE money for a good player. Also, I suppose the 3-4 firsts is why they do it. One of those could be huge for them in 5 years. Look at the clippers now, they’ve been gifted a franchise saving pick.

4. Smart can play 20 mins a game. Or even play as a backup. Thybulle can come in to start. Or Spencer. Or Jake. This is the one time where we have lots of redundancy - perimeter defense. Both Thybulle and Spencer were 40% shooters last year too while being excellent POA defenders.

5. Luka, Lebron, Sabonis, Murphy, Gordon, Smart is a ring winning top 6. Put that against Brunson, OG, KAT, Bridges, Hart. I’d say we are better. Then you have Thybulle, Spencer and Hayes to fill in for Shamet, McBride and Robinson. If the Knicks won, we can do the same with that rotation.

6. Smart and Thybulle split the MLE. Spencer Jones comes in the trade for Gordon.

7. Hayes is a lob threat, which means you maximise the time with him, Luka and Gordon. I imagine Lebron and Sabonis become a devastating duo in the off minutes, you surround them with perimeter defenders that can shoot in Murphy, Thybulle and Spencer. Here is everyone’s 3pt shooting:

Gordon: 4.4 attempts on 39%
Thybulle: 3.1 attempts on 40%
Spencer: 2.3 attempts on 40%
Murphy: 8.6 attempts on 38%
Sabonis: 2.2 attempts on 42%

If LeBron and Luka have a good year from 3, we’ll be a very good shooting team with spacing. Smart sucks at spacing, but whatever.

8. I see your problem, but it’s not so different to our current situation anyway, in 2-3 years, we’ll have Luka and Reaves verse Luka and Murphy in my situation. Unless you think we can get a RFA which I don’t think we can. Here is a break down:

- Gordon will have probably opt out in 2 years to resign for longer at less per, I think he could be a Horford type for the next 5 years if his body gets right
- Sabonis is 30 and has only 2 years left before he is a UFA, I could see him signing for a smaller contract in 2 years as well
- LeBron is only here for 1, maybe 2 years tops… go win a ring while you can and at the discount provided for his talent
- Smart, when you resign Smart, make it a TO for year 3 so you can avoid any issues with his drop off
- You’ll have basically Luka and Murphy on the team with whoever develops of Hayes, Spencer Jones, Bronny, Adou, Jake and the opportunity to resign Gordon and Sabonis plus cap space if they leave and 2 picks by then.

9. I just don’t agree it’s a puncher’s chance. I’ve written a lot about how I feel players have to outperform their contracts to be successful building in the new CBA.

Luka: should be on a 60m supermax - paid 10m less
Lebron: should be on 45-50m - probably paid 25m less
Sabonis: flat if healthy
Gordon: when healthy he is a 40m high end role player like OG - paid 5-7m less
Murphy: worth high end role player money, probably paid flat or a little less
Smart: worth 20-25m this year past, at 10m he is great value
Any of Thybulle, Spencer or Jake could be MLE guys if healthy/develop a little bit.

I think there’s a lot of value in that team and it could be one where people look back on it like they do the raptors and Knicks.

This is a long winded way of saying: Luka, Lebron, Murphy, Sabonis, Gordon, Smart is a heck of a core and with Thybulle, Spencer, Jake and Hayes we have enough to be champions.

 

Out of all the ways to use stats, this is a very poor way.

 

Austin about to be paid base off his stats, Rui hot shooting reflect on his numbers? Numbers dont tell a full story but it still tells a bit. your record in the playoffs is not a 1 year sample. Its collected over a career. If you have more Ls in the playoffs than Ws it will tell parts of the story. If Lebron had more Ls than Ws how could he be in goat conversation. No rings, more Ls than Ws wont he be more viewed like a Westbrook? Look If Lebron Played with two top tier players and be a playin team or 1st round exits wont people call him suck base on the talent around him? Of all that list Trey young played with the least talent yet he dont have the worst record in the bunch and was viewed as the best player on his team......

Austin Reaves has played alongside some of the greatest talent in basketball history, primarily due to his time sharing the floor with 20-time NBA All-Star LeBron James and multiple-time All-NBA First Team selection Luka Dončić on the Los Angeles Lakers.

 

No. Injuries with AD, with LeBron, with Luka and AR last year, NO Luka this year, Russell stinking it up against Denver 2 seasons ago …. it’s not AR in a vacuum. Your thinking on this is biased and frankly weird.

 

So Kobe was getting Killed playing with the often injured Bynum and got Pau 3 straight trips to finals 2 titles 2 MVP. If Lakers continued the Bynum Kobe duo would thay have won with Bynum always injured. And Proceed by maxing out Bynum? The reality is Austin also underperformed even with AD limping. Now its going to be Luka/Austin. Think about it Lakers won the 1st round without Austin and got killed by OKC. So in two years Luke has more wins with Lebron than Austin with Lebron in 2 years. Thats without Luka and Davis.

 

You’re starting up again. The FO and new owner are going to do what they’re going to do with much finer analysis than yours plus input from Luka and from Redick. We’re well aware of your anti Reaves on the Lakers going forward stance. What do you want from those of us that disagree?