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

I agree with a few folks online who are questioning how effective Dort will be if he leaves OKC and doesn’t get the benefit of the whistle anymore. He’s still a good defender but he gets a ton of rope.

 

Dort is just like donkey, overrated af. Dirty guy, getting special treatment. f*** them both

 

Sneak peak Lakers at practice

 

yeah, i lol'd when i read al horford complaining that everyone grabs steph curry. i'm like, well, he does have lead blockers on every play, so maybe that evens things out a bit?

i had also forgotten this bogut clip, but it was VERY validating for me to hear an nba player talk about what i used to call "run officiating", where nba refs got like leslie nielson in the naked gun when a team got on a heater. i can still remember like, joey crawford and d*** bavetta doing a complicated interpretive dance version of block/charge calls in these moments.

 

btw, another UFA next summer that nobody talks about is marvin bagley. he's quietly become a very playable backup big in the mold we could use, imo.

 

He seems to be understanding what his role is in this league and doing well at it

 

Lakers should get him so he could be Luka's human victory cigar every time they face the Kings and Vlade

 

We might trade for him. We might be able to get a 3 for 1 deal with Rich Paul.

Step 1: Trade LaRavia + 2026 drafted player to Denver for Watson (DESCENDING sign and trade starting at 32 million) + Nnaji

Step 2: Waive and stretch Nnaji (pay him $2,998,667 for 5 years).

Step 3: With $18,835,589 in remaining cap, trade 2031 1st-round pick to OKC for Dort + 2027 worst OKC 1st (likely 25-30)

Step 4: Sign Lonzo for vet minimum

 

i'd like to keep jake if possible, and i think lonzo's fully dead.

but in this scenario, i'm pretty sure we have the room exception to use on a better version of lonzo, right?

 

MacMahon was speculating on Hoops Collective that despite Utah apparently passing up 2 firsts from the Pacers for Kessler, they may not be able to retain him in the summer. He thinks the Jazz want to pay him somewhere around $25 million a year, but Kessler's agent is pushing for considerably more (probably $35 million or more).

 

did indy make them the clippers offer? if so, they should have taken it.

though i must admit i am very interested in seeing a kessler/jjj/markkanen/bailey/george starting lineup.

 

I think the reporting was that Indy offered them two unprotected firsts. That makes me think it wasn't the 2026 pick.

 

i'm still trying to figure out why indy did that weird protection on the pick.

the only way to ensure top 5 is to finish dead last. the wizards, kings, nets and probably the jazz are all gunning for the same goal (dead last), so it's not a foregone conclusion you get it. can your scouts be that confident that if you don't have a top 5 pick, it's not worth having one? all for zubac? i'm just not sure about it.

though maybe my math-ing is off. guess if they figure they're at least third-worst, then three teams would have to jump them to finish 6th or lower.

 

I would like to keep Jake if possible too, but by no means is he a deal breaker in this scenario. The room exception would be available. About 9.4 million. I have us renouncing Kennard's 13.4 million cap hold, and then using the room exception to retain him. Reaves would act as the back up floor general, and Ball would be the third string.

 

i think it's easy to think about jhs and knecht and be sad, but the spurs and thunder have each dumped a former lotto pick for nothing in the past week.

 

Anyone here would prefer him to Bufkin?

Not really sure what player is Sochan. Don't think he would be a good fit but can be convinced otherwise

 

He's another 4.

 

He's a headcase (at least that's what i think) but i wouldn't mind giving him a chance.

https://youtube.com/shorts/MEK29MGJtkY?si=qG49DNNOCuFed1SC