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

We shall see about that, I will definitely be around, to remind you of this comment.

 

Meh you aren't the first with Vando and I've gotten plenty of flack from a large section of this board being the most vocal contrarion with him. I get it He's a likable player to watch and his game brings a lot of love of true aficionados of the game. His defensive instincts are very good for example and you don't don't find guys with that Scottie Pippen like frame often

But my take on Vando have not only held but gotten stronger. your the only getting on my case about it nowadays lol

 

He's been hurt for most of the last two seasons, it makes a difference. Since we got him, we haven't won a playoff series, without Jarred Vanderbilt starting ironically.

 

I’m actually optimistic about Vando as well

 

The thing with our signings is that critics seem to be focusing on whether the players can be as good as they were in their best seasons. While that would definitely be great, I think that overlooks that for us they mainly just have to be improvements over what we had last season. Thats a low bar and I think they will clear it with no issues as long as they don’t get hurt. even if someone does get hurt, these were still good moves and we’ve worked the buyout market as well as any team could.

 

We just need them to blend with the team and give their best effort

Be a vital cog in the machine

Not necessarily be a star

 

Right. Especially with Smart.

 

Who are the next realistic buy out candidates? This is becoming more exciting than free agency.

 

if we have any success this year, there will be an emergency cba amendment, lol.

 

Vucevic maybe? Seriously I'd offer Gabe,Knecht, 1 unprotected FRP, and 2 unprotected pick swaps for Coby White.

Gabe, Kleber and 1 2nd, and 2 pick swaps, for Thybulle and Time Lord? Worth gambling on Smart and Bronny, at PG?

 

For sure

Just to block players from coming to the Lakers

Never mind what other teams do

 

clips do well with Beal: shrewd management!!

lakers do well with ayton/smart: lucky cheaters! Close the loophole!

 

but he was a part timer, not a huge contributor. None of these guys were huge contributors last year was what I was trying to say. Lartvia was part time. Smart was hurt. Ayton was butthurt and not at his best. hopefully we get the best version of all 3 AND a healthy Maxipad Cleaver.

 

Dump DK. Get the closet approximation of a 2 way wing you can for those two.

Goodwin is much more valuable on this roster while DK will continue to lose value because of those ahead of him and his poor fit in a serious basketball team.

 

100% this

 

I kind of wanted to see what maxipad had to offer

maybe there's no faith he can stay healthy, or we may realize we are so far over quota that corrective action must be taken immediately. It would be a twofer.

 

Yeah, it’s clearly Option 1 for me. Partly because I’m skeptical we’d get a better return closer to the deadline. Dalton’s value could be even lower if he’s riding the bench all season. Plus if the team is playing well and it’s clear they’re 1 piece away from legit contention, it’s not like teams won’t still be demanding high prices in February.

 

I’m interested as well in his fit. I have zero confidence in Hayes, especially in the post season, so if we do make a trade that includes Maxi, it would be nice to get a serviceable big in return.
Maybe the FO is happy enough with Koloko’s development(as I am) and are ready to test him out as the first big off the bench?

 

This would do the trick quite nicely:



That's assuming we can convince Portland to trade with us and stop overvaluing their players. That's the rub.

But in this deal...we're not relying on Timelord but also have the insurance when he gets hurt with 3rd stringer Jax.

Smart, Thybulle, and Vando give us a solid defensive base that can anyone on the perimeter.