2024-25 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

this one is a great read, btw.

 

me a month and a half ago smh

 

SYH? Like that’s a lock? “Sight unseen” too what AR at his current salary and what it means to our finances and roster construction THIS year …. in a “career contract year”? I think you guys are seriously short changing the next level he’s going to this year. Lakers at least NEED to see “that”. IMO of course.

 

again, not sure exactly what memphis is doing/wants to do, but why trade reaves for JJJ now when you can sign him outright in FA with reaves still in the fold?

just gotta handle it much better than the paul george situation, which was a big bungle by this FO, probably rob in particular.

 

On defense, Luka is best guarding 3's, and AR guarding 2's. So, we need someone who could guard 1's. Not exclusively, switching of course, but a versatile defender who has the speed to guard 1's. AR was being hunted. That was Max Christie. So we need someone to replace what he was doing. This is our second biggest problem, besides the center position.

 

i realize this is the least sexy option in the universe, but do you think goodwin can do it?

how long before bronny might be able to do it?

i'm still interested in looking dennis smith and or ol' pal schroder, too.

 

So it seems like Durant is making it known he has no interest in Minnesota. Feels like its going to end up being Houston.

 

Yeah, exactly. We are not hopeless and dead in the water wit this. Goodwin and Bronny could actually be candidates for this role. But when you look deeply into our perimeter players, you see that not only are we lacking a point-of-attack defender, but we are also lacking speed and athleticism. Also, it would be ideal that this player is catch-and -shoot, and good at it to boot. Goodwin has shown he could defend, but his offense is still shaky. He kind of disappeared toward the end, as Reddick seemed to loose confidence in him. Bronny seems to have the speed, and athleticism tools, as well as a promising shot. But he is still sort of a project at this point. It would be GREAT if he blew up this season, but it would also be wise to not depend on that to happen, as he might be 1-2 years away. It's hard to get a player with all of these qualities in the open-market. Teams generally don't want to give these guys up. The best way to get this type of player is to develop them, like we are doing with Bronny. But what if we get a 3 and D point-of-attack quick and athletic player who is more NBA ready? This is something that nobody is talking about. I know it sounds suspect at best to depend on a rookie to be your primary defensive weapon on a team that has Lebron. That is the problem I'm having trying to communicate this to folks. Young players have surprisingly helped teams in the past. By Caruso's third season, his defense helped us win a chip. Cason Wallace is a second year player, who's defense has been a integral part of OKC's identity and success. As a rookie, backup center, Derek Lively helped Dallas reach the NBA finals last season. Players such as Thybulle and Jones reached all-NBA defense status early on in their careers. Thybulle for 2nd-team his 2nd and 3rd season. Jones was first-team his third season. There are also countless other examples. People need to be open minded about trading into the first round and finding some diamonds in the rough. Unfortunately, we seem to live in a society where people now adays are reactive and want to buy high and sell low. This is the opposite of good business sense, and it is prevalent in fandom of course. But maybe, it would be wise to slow down, analyze the situation, and be proactive about obtaining the type of players we need. A hyper-athletic big like Neidenhauser could be the next Derek Lively. A Drake Powell could be an Herb Jones type. Walter Clayton Jr. could be a much better offensive version of Thybulle, etc. Lakers just need to be willing to tole the dice. They have the scouting department to identify the appropriate talent, they just need to focus on the right things. I know JHS wasn't a good example of that, but he wasn't athletic at all. We need to makes sure who we get is athletic, can defend, and preferably have a decent three-point shot and take it from there.

 

I was a year too early on Max becoming a solid rotation guy and he showed more in his rookie year than Bronny did. I think we can start thinking about Bronny as a real contributor for the 2026-2027 season.

Goodwin, on the other hand, I have real hopes for. I don't think he should be our primary POA guy, but I'm comfortable with him as the second guy in that role. He was the guy I wanted to see get some minutes down the stretch of the Wolves series.

 

Bite the bullet, trade the 2031 1st (unprotected) to a team with two decent first-round picks and draft Niedenhaiuser and Clayton. They are two of the most athletic players in the draft. I'm talking both laterally and vertically. They are also on the older side, so more NBA ready. Even if only of of those guys hits, and the other flops, we are good.

 

Or instead of sending out our only trade-able draft capital and hoping someone turns into an NBA player, we use it on an NBA player.

 

Pass. Too much.

 

if our scouts absolutely love someone, then i'm fine trading future picks for a current one. time will tell on whether that's the case. i just read a bit about how the mavs made like a zillion offers for haliburton in his draft year (offering brunson and other picks lol) and everyone turned them down. so it's not even all in your control, anyway.

i'm against making trades ahead of the draft for what are essentially magic beans, though. we don't know who's going to be there at 15, 25, etc., today.

we also don't seem to be working anyone out that is slated up high--but i suppose we could be secretive about it.

 

Yall gotta stop with this 2031 first round pick unprotected. We have no idea what that first round pick can be.

it can be the next Lebron it can be the next Shai. Who knows what Our team will be.

to be real with you. You don’t trade that pick until you know Luka is signed sealed on the dot with this franchise.

that’s beside the point. The pick is a valued pick.

I would trade it if I knew I was getting

Jaren Jackson I would package it with a valuable player.

I think the pick would be valuable for Ayton cause that allows me to attach garbage like Vando.

if I’m giving you that pick you’re taking my garbage Vando to.

made sense for Mark Williams I see that as value another first round pick who could be Jaren Jackson Jr. 23 years old. Not the skillset and defense but the anchor in the middle we need.


Ayton has value that’s a former number 1 pick 26 years old prime. We have a good season to look at the expiring contract and see if we want to get out of it and go after a Jaren Jackson jr. and we get outa that Vando crap.

Brooklyn they are going to want the 2031 1st round pick and Knect for Claxton. That’s too much. Two 1st round picks for Claxton nah I’m good. 4 first round picks went for Bane.

remember yall Boston traded Paul Pierce and KG Brooklyn traded all that for Paul Pierce and KG going all in. and it cost them Jayson Tatum and Jaylon Brown.

let’s see what this pick is and can get us.

let the other teams over trade.

 

my mantra pretty much every summer. we're good enough to be patient and look for unusual opportunities, imo.

 

Hopefully he's done for finals

 

The Lakers know what they’re doing.

Pau Gasol

Anthony Davis.

they make these trades and everybody goes crazy.

Memphis is tearing the house down. I don’t care what anybody says. They fired their coach they traded Bane. Jah will be next.


You don’t need Rob to say it. Flexibility for 26. Jaren Jackson Jr. you have the first piece the hardest piece was acquiring Luka.

now you got that give Jaren Jackson Jr. the paper when Lebron retires.

to take care of Lebron you will have to trade that 2031 pick with Vando and Vincent to get Ayton


Maybe you sign Chris Paul and we have a banana Boat for one season.

Luka/Paul/Bronnie

Reaves/Knect

James/Hachimura/Finney Smith

Hachimura/James/Finney Smith

Ayton/Capela/Hayes

you got some shooting rim protection. Pick and role.

Lebron happy. Ayton is a rental or insurance if Jaren Jackson Jr. doesn’t sign. We sign Ayton.

maybe also sign Ben Simmons to play some power forward off of the bench.

 

the new d*** Bavetta.

 

down the stretch the pacers lost by themselves, but i thought the refs really helped okc in the third quarter of game 4. game wasn't being officiated evenly--one team got to be more physical.

 

Congrats to the 2025 NBA champions Oklahoma City Thunder. Game 4 really did it. Indiana will get blown out in this game. They’ll play thier a**** off next game. Might even win it. Maybe they win by 15. But they’ll lose by 8 in game 7.