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

guessing we're helping someone else out (relationships) or saving some cash?

excellent breakdown, and i agree that you can proceed with a 1 star lineup in the modern nba if your one star is a top-5, mvp level guy, which we have.

 

Mac McClung

“I’d sign him. It would be hilarious because he’s white.”

—Rob (Probably)

 

The Heat managed to have Lebron, Wade, Bosh and surround them with Ray Allen, Shane Battier, Birdman, Chalmers, Norris Cole Haslem, and Rashard Lewis. GSW managed to have Curry, KD, Klay with Green with Iguodala, McGee, Looney, Livingston, Cook and Nick Young.

This new CBA has meant the days of a big 3 are gone. Even the last superteam in Boston got broken up - they had 2x stars plus 2x pseudo stars (Jrue & KP) and 2x sub all stars players (White & Horford) plus another 2 rotation players.

Moving forward, it's either 2 stars with a good 4-5 man rotation after them (Knicks, Boston, GSW, Denver) or a top 10 player with a good 7-8 rotation after them (Bucks, OKC, Houston, Lakers, Dallas).

I'd rather Luka just has 6-7 solid two way players around him than Lebron/Giannis and 4 other players.

 

Unless you believe Dalton will be the answer this team has zero reliable bench scorers.I would take Beal for that role specifically but I’m sure he wants to start somewhere

 

Beal needs to have that Carmelo Anthony moment. He’s Carmelo Anthony. Go be a 6th man.

 

I would just show Deandre Ayton videos of Shaq Kareem Gasol Wilt and Davis.

and just say one word LEGACY!!!!!!

 

I don't get folks wanting to trade Rui. He played very well in the playoffs vs Minnesota and is our Lebron injury insurance. I wouldn’t be opposed to him coming off the bench in favor of a more defensive minded wing though. But to me he’s essential to the depth of this team.

 

Considering they got him for Nunn and some seconds he’s been outstanding

 

Less to do with wanting to trade him and more to do with the realization that outside of him and Knecht, the Lakers don't have any tradeable assets on contract worth anything.

Rui is the only player with positive value so by default, he has to be included with any trade deals that the Lakers hope to get a good return.

 

Yes. Most of the recent off seasons have been really stressful for me.

The problem is not losing DFS. The problem is paying a significant price for him and then letting him walk for nothing. We didn’t actually “swap” him for anyone.

 

losing 3 second rounders isn't the end of the world

 

I wonder if Philly would entertain a S&T for Quentin Grimes? Gabe, Shake, Knecht and a swap for Grimey. They cut Shake, get a 3&D PG and a shooter SF that they need.

We know Grimes is a good defensive player from his Knicks time, they were anticipating him becoming the second coming of Jrue.

Then this last year he exploded offensively averaging 22/5/5 in 28 games in Philly after the trade. He’d be a great backup 1-3 off the bench. To me he is a guy that’s ripe to blow up and when he puts together both sides of the ball at the same time, a contract around 20m per is going to be cheap. Philly can’t afford to sign him to what he wants and no one has offered anything else for him.

I’d kick the tyres and see what’s up.

Luka / Melton / Bronny
Reaves / Grimes / Goodwin
Rui / LaRavia
Lebron / Vando / Adou
Ayton / Kleber / Hayes

I’d be more than happy to roll into the season with that team. Youth, athleticism. Lots of defence off the bench and Melton, Grimes and LaRavia are all good shooters. Stagger Reaves and Lebron early for Grimes and LaRavia. You’d have lots of defence and shooting around the Luka and Ayton pick and roll. Then LeBron, Reaves and Kleber come in for Luka, Rui and Ayton. Have a switchable 5 with lots of shooting in Grimes, Reaves, LaRavia, Lebron and Kleber.

 

We’ll have to disagree on the definition of “significant price.” 3 future 2nd picks is something, but I don’t call that significant. We have a lengthy track record of buying 2nd rounders and just this year we turned the 55 pick and cash into the 36th pick. We once traded Thomas Bryant for 3 2nd rounders. Not too difficult to replenish those picks.

We paid a small price to improve for half a season and with the Luka trade that followed, it almost worked. But entering free agency, the previous price paid is irrelevant and the only cost that mattered was the opportunity cost of keeping DFS.

Limiting cap flexibility for 4 years on an older player while not being to add a center in free agency is a major cost. Knowing what we now know, I’d still do the trade while also letting him walk in free agency at the price he hit.

 

Rob wasn't feeling Dorian anymore.

https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rum...-on-bad-terms-after-botched-negotiations/?amp

 

Absolutely

He could be one of our center stars if he puts the entire effort and make a name for himself

 

You got me interested in Grimes

Just the kind of guy to bring in to fill a role and improve the roster strength

 

I'd give up Dalton, Gabe, plus a FRP for Mathurin. I hear that we are still interested in another 5 too. The roster might look entirely different, by the start of training camp. Younger, more athletic, and hungry.

 

Mathurin is good and in isolation, I'd do that.
Not sure about Indiana, it needs a lot of ifs to come through. They need to think he's not a long-term piece for them, which I think they do, they need to be high on Sheppard and finally they need to want to use this year as a gap year with Hali down, and sell high on their best guys and plan for the future.

But putting that aside, I would prefer to focus our best assets (FRP, Knecht and expirings) in a defensive beast. The Dorts, Caruso, Whites, Herbs of this world. We don't have one and our roster desperately needs it, now and for the future.
Maybe that guy is only available next summer when we have 3 FRPs and I'm ok to wait. NOLA might be even more of a dumpster fire by then, making Herb more available, or the Knicks need to trade one of Mikal, OG or Hart, or Camara becomes available, etc

We might go to Thybulle this year, as a stopgap before we get THE guy, he would fit really well. But hard to gauge the price for him and I don't think I would be comfortable sending a first, but I may be convinced if someone here believes so and presents strong arguments

 

I have doubts about Indiana paying the luxury tax myself. Especially with the Haliburton injury, they are supposedly high on Jarace Walker too. They aren't going to pay everybody.

I'd have to see how this season plays out 1st. I don't know if we'd still be thinking about, giving up that much for another wing next summer or not.

This might not be the huge hole, it's being viewed as today, next season.

 

Off the top of my head:

Q1
Luka, Reaves, Rui, Lebron, Ayton (Q1 0-6)
Luka, Grimes, LaRavia, Rui, Ayton (Q1 6-10)
Melton, Reaves, Grimes, Lebron, Kleber (Q1 10-12)

Q2
Melton, Reaves, Vando, Lebron, Kleber (Q2 0-3)
Melton, Reaves, Vando, Lebron, Kleber (Q2 3-6)
Luka, Grimes, LaRavia, Vando, Ayton (Q2 6-10)
Luka, Reaves, Rui, Lebron, Ayton (Q2 10-12)

Q3
Luka, Reaves, Rui, Lebron, Ayton (Q3 0-5)
Luka, Reaves, LaRavia, Rui, Ayton (Q3 5-8)
Luka, Grimes, LaRavia, Rui, Kleber (Q3 8-10)
Melton, Grimes, Vando, Lebron, Kleber (Q3 10-12)

Q4
Melton, Grimes, Vando, Lebron, Ayton (Q4 0-4)
Luka, Reaves, Grimes, Rui, Ayton (Q4 4-7)
Luka, Reaves, Rui, Lebron Ayton (Q4 7-8)
Luka, Reaves, + 5th Starter, Lebron, Rui (Q4 8-12)

Time Management:
Luka (34) / Melton (14)
Reaves (32) / Grimes (16)
Rui (14) / LaRavia (13) / Grimes (9) / Vando (12)
Lebron (32) / Rui (12) / Vando (4)
Ayton (32) / Kleber (12) / Rui (4)

You can replace Grimes with any 3&D SG/SF we trade for. I like the team if we can get Melton and consolidate one trade for that defensive presence on the perimeter.