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

You gotta ask yourself. What is Mark Walters golden plan? Is it Anthony Edwards???

is it Anthony Edwards and Luka in L.A.????

Like this off season of course get the Center. But is the play to bring Anthony Edwards here and have him team up with Luka?

Because Minnesota’s owners are cheap. Arod. They traded Towns Anthony’s running mate because they didn’t want to pay a luxury tax. Facts!!!!! Ant man took San Antonio to 6 games. If he has Towns is he holding that Larry O’Brian trophy???? So Edwards with a tight owner. Our owner has deep pockets. Doesn’t mind paying a luxury tax. Doesn’t mind going into a second apron. And will do whatever it takes to win. Having an owner like that is huge. So if Ant man decides he wants to go Anthony Davis he can do that. He’s in his prime. He’s a Klutch guy. Rich Paul LeBron. We’re doing right by LeBron Bronny. just say I only want to play for the Lakers with Luka We can make it happen. I will only sign an extension with the Lakers. Nike has Luka out here. Let’s get adidas in L.A. L.A. is a town for Ant man. So we got alot out here in play. There is a lot to watch this off season. I would expect the Ant man stuff to heat up after next season. That way you would be able to trade a Reaves for Ant man and use him as part of your trade with your picks.

 

Again, I ask the earlier question....I am confused if we hate everyone but LeBron right now or if we are all just saying we are screwed no matter what and hate the team as a whole.

Like, are we saying that Reaves and Luka together isn't enough to make it happen? Are we saying that we need Luka, Reaves and LeBron or nothing happens? Are we saying that EVERYTHING is stupid and we should just keep LeBron and go for anyone else? Like, what are we complaining about now?

 

giannis and shai both need the ball all the time, too. they had better teams.

wild that all of a sudden we were going to win the ring this year if only luka were better or healthy.

wild.

 

Giannis and Shai are champions and MVP winners at the same age or younger than Luka.

Giannis had better teams? Yeah, because he made them great. They were notorious losers before he stepped into that franchise. He won B2B MVP's at ages 24-25. Remind me, how old is Luka by the time next season ends? 28. Giannis doesn't need the ball all the time. Have you watched Milwaukee play? He has no issue giving up the ball which is how Jrue and Lillard played great basketball.

You know what's wild? Giannis and Shai have improved every year they have been in the league. You know who really hasn't? Luka. Quick, name me the improvements Luka has made since his third season in the league. Just name me a couple.

See, when you get irritated, you draw in this sense of strawman arguments and try to act like a jokester. I never said they would have won it all. I clearly said they had enough to try and win it all. Same way many of us probably had OKC beating the Spurs or the Nuggets beating the Wolves. s*** happens every playoffs and I wouldn't have ruled out the Lakers possibly beating OKC if Luka was healthy.

Wild. LeBron+Luka+Reaves can't beat OKC according to you? That says more about Luka than anything. You have very little faith in Luka being able to lead a very good team to beat OKC seems to be the consensus here. Or are you suggesting that the Lakers roster is bad? Because it really isn't. They secured great value from Reaves, Smart, and Kennard. LeBron was still playing like an All-Star. Rui did his thing in the playoffs. They beat the Rockets despite the series essentially being LeBron + recovering Reaves.

So what does Luka need to win? If he can't win with that as if it's some wild underdog story unlike anything we have seen before, maybe he isn't the player we all think he is and could be. Because I'll tell you what, prime Kobe or LeBron have done far more with much less. Prime Kobe or LeBron, you're absolutely giving them a huge chance to beat OKC. Luka? Funny how that changes the tone.

 

I think Luka is better defensively than he’s given credit for, but I think saying he’s neutral or above average is a a bridge too far. I know what the advanced stats say, but the same stats say Jokic is solidly above average defensively. I think we all know that’s b*******. There’s something about these efficiency stats that seem to let the offensive side of the ball seep into the defensive metrics. I’m not smart enough to know what it is, but I do know that if a stat tells me Nikola Jokic is solidly above average defensively I’m not going to take it as gospel because I have watched a hundred Nuggets games and it’s obviously not true.

Similar to late career LeBron, it’s mostly an effort thing for Luka. When he actually tries he’s fine, but he’ll go through long stretches where he doesn’t. Which a lot of star players do. The conundrum is that he’s best in that low-man role that LeBron currently occupies, which leverages his intelligence and rebounding. So for now he has to make it work in a helper role and/or make it work in our switch-heavy scheme.

 

Defensive stats are tough to measure which is where the "He does things that don't show up on the box score" comes from.

Offensive stats are better tracked because it's just efficiency metrics and counting stats.

Luka is average at best when he wants to be and that's usually if he gets taunted and he starts getting serious. But for every good defensive play, there's countless aloof plays where he lets players drive past him, stands there watching, and he's been starting to do the LeBron thing where he puts his hands up if a Lakers player blows a defensive assignment despite him blowing up many of them as well.

It seems he works best in the post but like you've stated, he's not in the best place position-wise to make that happen which is why you need guys like Smart and a big who he can funnel the defense to and block some shots. I think Luka has a great defensive BBIQ which is how he's able to pick out steals and get into position but he's also shown a pattern of being lazy and aloof defensively which is mainly an effort issue coupled with poor lateral quickness which you can't really fault him for at his size and style of play.

I mean, in terms of Defensive Win Shares, Reaves ranks top 25 for guards. Fox ranked top 10. No one seriously believes either of these guys are average-level defenders let alone one of the best in the league, right?

 

I genuinely don't think Reaves+Luka will get it done as a max contract superstar duo. I'd love to be proven wrong but it's going to be tough winning a title when your two best players getting paid mucho dinero are not athletic, not good defenders, not particularly great off-ball, and have the same skillset. I think a large part of it is that Luka is just so good with the ball that it pretty much destroys most of your options in how you want to construct this team. He won't mesh well with other superstar talent also in their prime so what are your options from that end? Like, KD with Luka is significantly better than Luka + Reaves despite Reaves being a more 'valuable' contract player because of his age.

I think Reaves is a great player but not elite. The narrative on Reaves as a player is going to look a lot different when he's getting paid $40-45 million per year and he's not capable of playing well when it matters. A lot more leeway when he's getting paid pennies so you have more of a tendency to let things go. In today's game, you quite frankly need two elite players or one elite player who is surrounded by many very good/great players. Lakers simply can't surround this team with either unless they get lucky in the draft or signing young talent who they can develop that doesn't cut into their salary cap situation.

It doesn't help that Reaves skillset is essentially the same as Luka except Reaves is better off-ball, which is pretty much a waste of $ paying a guy that money to play some off-ball basketball.

That's why I was advocating for a Reaves-Kawhi swap or Reaves/Vando/Knecht for a Kyrie/PJ Washington/Lively swap. Kyrie is a much better off-ball player who has chemistry with LeBron/Luka. PJ Washington is on a very affordable contract and could be your Rui replacement. Lively, we all know what he's capable of with Luka.

Kawhi for Reaves is a given. Kawhi's still an elite defensive player if he had to be, can shoot the ball, and would excel going back to his Spurs way where he's not the focal point of an offense and can pick-and-choose his spots. Injury/resting risk but he's also on a final year of his contract so he has every incentive to make it work and perform.

Both situations were scoffed at by, ehem, someone who just claimed he thinks Clowney could be worth as much as 3 first rounders.

 

No they are not screwed. Lakers are a top 5 team in the west. Will they win a title? No one knows. To this point they showed potential but the results have not been there to be taken seriously as a true contender yet. It was unfortunate we got robbed of seeing them this postseason to gauge where they stand. Now all we can go by is the success in March and early in the season where they were great. And this is where it can get tricky when you start inking larger contracts. Most of the players were in a contract year. Ex Van got paid in his contract year and have been a negative asset ever since.

 

I think Luka and Austin will have to overcome critics just like Bronson and Towns did.

 

Okay, but what if they keep almost everyone AND add like Kessler and some other really good role players? I have to imagine that would be enough to make the team compete even more. It feels like there's proof that you need two all-stars again, like Luka and LeBron, and A LOT of really good players that are borderline all-stars. So, Luka, LeBron, and Reaves are the start and the rest can come this summer.

We are early on this adventure. The new owner is around, obviously he made the Dodgers work....I have to believe he can replicate again here. If not this year, then next year.

Let the man cook.

Also, it slightly sounds or seems like LeBron and Reaves are taking a light cut. I thought we read that somewhere or heard that somewhere. I know information can change, but still.....it sounds optimistic.

 

I swear if I hear AR’s “max” contract lumped in with other max contracts one more time my head will explode.

There are levels to the max. Devin Booker will be making $75M in a couple of years. AR would max out in the $40s.

Speaking as if these are the same is lazy and ignorant.

 

and when you get irritated, you based personal attacks on one-off opinions that were retracted literally moments later to try to assail the person instead of the argument.

you're a luka hater/lebron lover. i gave you the benefit of the doubt, and that was a mistake. i now know how to interpret all your comments.

as for the attempts at substance: luka smashed the suns team giannis beat, too, with less help. luka didn't get drafted into a winning situation, nor did he pull the biggest FA punk move in nba history (before durant raised the bar) to pick up cheap rings in this stage of his career.

what does luka need to win? that dallas team not running into a fully healthy peak boston?

prime kobe and lebron did less with less, tbh. kobe's non-shaq claim to fame was almost beating phx as a 7-seed. i love kobe, but that's what it was. lebron's claim to fame before punking out was getting to the finals and getting dismissed by the spurs.

i don't really care, tbh, other than it's all about trying to trash luka because you're mad he took the reins from lebron. i'm sorry that lebron is now old and less effective. these are just facts.

you think SGA is on a different tier than luka (he's not as good, btw)? great, root for the thunder, if you can stomach it. go find nico harrison and give him a fruit basket for being correct.

but if you used your logic in 2009 about lebron, you'd come to the same conclusion you are about luka right now.

 

not possible. those two bums will never win a ring. no defense, man.

oh wait.

sorry. it's three months later and brunson is now better than luka.

thank you for your attention to this matter.

 

Also, if Reaves isn't worth the money...why are so many other teams "interested" in him? Teams don't overly value someone for nothing. I don't know if he needs THE MAX, but give the man the money he deserves and work from there. If you set it up right, and it doesn't pan out, you trade him anyways.........

You just have to work it out to the right deal and pay.

We are fans, and people admit it, but we also don't understand EVERYTHING that happens. We just have to work with what we are given and hope for the best.

 

Ugh, 2006 and 2007 man. We were so close. Kobe should be a 2x MVP for those seasons alone. If we had just handled business in both playoffs, he would have skyrocketed his personal value. Sucks man. Those MIGHT be worse than his last few years getting blown because of LeBron punking out.

I have yet to forgive for the Rescinded trade and I am not sure if there will ever be a way that I find how to forgive. So dumb. Kobe should have gotten a 6th ring and we should have had a Kobe/LeBron Finals.

We got a MJ/Magic (which who knows how fair it was then, but still we got it). Shaq and Hakeem. Kobe and LeBron is such a wasted opportunity that should have happened, at least twice there were chances........

 

Knecht, LaRavia, 2031 1st, 2033 1st to Utah for Kessler (4-years/129-million). It's a 32.25 AAV. Is this fair?

 

At this rate, I kinda hate to say it, I think we have people that are filling some "void" of Kobe, with LeBron....so why hate that guy when you should be annoyed with everyone else.

And it's fine, and valid......but like..........Luka is our future, one way or another. And there's always a chance that we trade him for someone else and move on. Or trade him away and win the #1 Draft Pick the following year. Either way, let's let time tell the tale and see what happens.

People still support those who didn't ever with a title, looking at the likes of Barkley, Stockton, Iverson, Reggie, and others. So like, if Luka doesn't get it.....oh well..............

I think he will get it eventually, but the evidence is he needs the LeBrons and Reaves of the NBA and some specific Centers to help get it done. All of which we can do for a reasonable price right now.

 

2031 Lakers 1st to OKC for the 17th pick!

Why for Lakers?

• To opposing teams, and immediate pick in this deep draft is more valuable than a distant mystery 1st, so it could be flipped in a larger trade
• Good prospects in that range in a deep draft

Why for OKC?

• Overloaded on roster spots, this is a good fallback option if they are unable to consolidate and move up
• Payroll is sky high, they need to cut - so they kick the can down the road and get another future 1st

 

they can but it have to say won't be viewed as the favorite. Well Bronson is more clutch and tough. Luka is the better overall scorer. If Bronson played next to another defensive liability in the back court with him it would have made winning more difficult. Bronson has hart, bridges. Anoboy. Luka has Asustin, Luke. No surprise they are better with Smart when healthy. Both Bridges and Austin are talented but an argument can be made if you swap the two it makes a huge difference. 1 of these pieces is not a versatile defender.

 

hard to argue brunson is clearly better at any single basketball skill than luka, nor is he more "clutch"--like, how short are people's memories? as for toughness? i have no idea how someone measures this.

anyway, so you're saying...like...if you let luka play the rover forward defensive role, and maybe you have a really good wing stopper, a really good POA guy, and a really good back line defender...you might...win a lot? even maybe...make it to the finals? even if, say, the other player on the floor is an undersized scoring guard who is a defensive liability?