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

The defensive challenge of Luka and Austin was going to exist with or without Lebron. So with moving Lebron your able to ditch the distraction and balance out the team more. So No

 

svtzr insists kessler's a #4. i disagree. you can be very good with him as #3 in terms of salary and importance, imo.

 

Luka just missed the entire playoffs. 2nd consecutive season with playoffs injury issues. Same with Reaves, both are in their prime. I would feel a lot better ,if my main two guys had more playoffs wins together, but we will barrel forth on faith.

 

Williams has a much higher ceiling in scoring,rebounding and play making while being a good defender.Thybulle is one dimensional defender prone to shooting slumps

 

You’ve always been consistent about that - onwards and upwards!

 

The secret sauce is they play their guys through their mistakes in the winter so they’re playoff ready in the spring. JJ has shown to not have the capacity to do that, and with this current roster this HAS to change.

 

zaire williams still hasn't signed yet, right? those mad about oubre (not me) might be interested. i think he's a good reclamation project at vet min if possible.

 

Yeah, it's kind of a no brainer. If nothing else because it will be almost impossible to get any player around that contract with our lack of assets. So this is it.

I feel pretty strong that he is close to the ideal 3rd guy on a Luka/AR top build. He fits exactly what they need on both ends of the floor and allows to navigate their defensive flaws, without needing 3 or 4 top 3&D wings.
Let's see if he is up for it though, that's still to be seen, but it was a great get no doubt

Good catch! I don't think I commented here at the time but yeah it was pretty visible Bron was completely gassed in the OKC series.
Clearly he wouldn't play the same role again as against the Rockets, but I did question myself how much could he endure an entire playoff run even as 3rd fiddle.

 

you are usually a smart and rational dude, but I think you're getting carried away by the giddiness of all these new players.

It comes down to this: if I am right and this team sucks, and you are wrong, we now have zero assets to fix it and a bunch of very long contracts.

and if that happens, it's extremely likely that Luka asks to leave within 2 years.

 

I’m fine with the Kessler deal. Unprotected picks always raise my eyebrows a bit but he’s a good player on a good contract at a position of need. I’m good with it.


I really don’t like the player options and feel like we overpaid a bit for the other guys but if they perform it doesn’t matter.

I didn’t believe in last years team or running it all back but yes, I’d have kept Smart. Injuries and all. Probably would have kept Luke too.

 

It made zero sense to move on with Lebron given how last season played out. Sure they beat Houston. I actually called that. OKC was another story

If Luka missed it they were not going to win right? If he miss it next season the results will be the same. So it all depends on Luka. Lebron was asked to reduce what he provides. So do you really needed what he provided. If Luka gets Hurt not going to win either way. Look all the contenders were going to beat a hurt Rockets team.

 

eh, not borrowing trouble. no single contract is giant/untradeable. our main vulnerabilities are the same any team has (one of the top three goes down, you're dead). we have holes, but no more than last year, and the core is younger and has room for growth.

last year's team was maxed out everywhere, as evidenced by literally every single exiting FA taking less money than everyone anticipated. that's being pinned on us being dumb, but there's another way to think about that...

 

We are the Lakers brother.

We won a playoff series without Luka, and Austin for most of that series. Do you honestly believe that this group is capable of that?

 

Here is the deal. We need to check expectations. The team will be good. Will they win a championship. Well that depends on many things. So you cant look at it championship or bust. If healthy they will be decent so they will be competitive. So it depends on what you call suck.

 

I will remind you of this optimism around New Year's.

 

Father Time has tugged on Bron’s cape effectively quite a bit in recent years (despite the mysterious weeks off and “rejuvenating” trips to Miami mid-season several times) - those playoff games against Denver (3 in a row were tied or one possession with 5 mins or under and Bron couldn’t close any of them - and made some bad passes and chucked-3 decisions), and against Minny (same - not the closer of old), and OKC (though that was unfair without Luka).

Also - Luka is a top 3 player in the world. I get the “not my team anymore” and pouting about AR being prioritized…BUT…

Steph, Dray, and Jimmy off injury —— really better than Luka, AR, and Kessler? Steph and Dray - at this stage (playoff minutes add like 2 seasons to them) - are not likely to grind-out 3 series in the West without injury either.

I don’t really want him back…but question why and how GS is really a better situation.

 

Luka Austin back court will be the same with or without Lebron he dont help that. And at 42 dont have that youthful energy.

 

That last part is the million dollar question. In all honesty I feel like the answer is no but a lot of that is because of LeBron. And while LeBron being a diva never bothered me I do think it was time for both parties to go their separate ways.

 

Less talented but better team chemistry wise

 

We know Sexton comes in to do sexton things. We dont have to ask Walker to fit in or sacrifice his game, He aint Asking Asutin to come off the bench he aint being indifferent after returning from injury. He aint glad to had the opportunity to get the ball again. The fit should be more easy and simple.