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

Latest from Stein and Fischer


Hawks in the lead for NAW

Pistons targeting LaVert

DS to Kings still seems to be their big move

Kings not done being dumb though...

Pistons could look to Robinson to replace Betting Beas

Grizz have eyes set on Jerome

On the Ayton front

DLO to Dallas seems like a lock

 

I just think he’s going to check out like D’Angelo. OMG he’s 26 and averages 10/10… but watching him play tells a vastly different story. He just only wants to collect checks.

One year deal is fine with me but giving him more than that is just asking for trouble.

 

not a fan of ayton at all, but can't complain if they're getting him at that price. especially when the alternative is jaxson hayes

 

If we can retain DFS and sign Ayton for the TPMLE, we’re in a good spot.

Luka / - / Bronny
Reaves / Goodwin
Rui / DFS / Adou
Lebron / -
Ayton / -

I’ve left Knecht, Gabe, Shake, Kleber and Vando off the list because we might trade some of them.

We could maybe go for Wiggins with a Gabe, Kleber, Knecht combination. That would move Rui to the backup PF slot and we’d start Wiggins.

 

Miami wants to compete. Either they are very high on Rui and believe he's an upgrade for them over Wiggins, or I don't see it happening. And it would only happen if Wiggins market was really dry

Well, I think I gotta warm up to Ayton after the buyout. Still don't like him at full MLE but it's probably happening. It's better than trading for him though. Would rather split the MLE in Capela+wing

 

Yeah you're probably right, maybe we should try to use the pick on one of these emerging 3&D guys. Keon Ellis seems like the best bet with the Kings picking up his offer.

Give them Knecht + 1st for Keon Ellis. Or ask about Keegan Murray.

I'd also be open to taking on a bad contract from them for an expiring if they have any? Valanciunas maybe? Or whoever.

 

Lakers need to find a way to unlock the fire inside Ayton

If we can get him to commit to working out and playing with full effort all the time this would be a huge move

Do the Lakers have the staff and veterans to get through to this guy?

He has to know the legacy of the team centers and should want to do whatever he needs to be a part of that

 

So regarding the financials: we can have access to various avenues -- BAE or S&T'ing DFS somewhere but we would be close to the first apron hard cap if we give Ayton the full NTPMLE. So we need to dump salary on Brooklyn or similar to give us some breathing room. IE: find someone to eat Gabe or Kleber's contract but we'd have to give up something for them to do that. We're limited on 2nds, so enticing a team to do us that solid won't be easy.

Big thing Lane hammered home on his live last night: we need to see what Ayton is giving up in the buyout. That's likely and historically what they look to recoup on that next contract. Whether he's giving up $14m, $5.7m, or somewhere in the middle.

Regardless, my thought is more so about the next deal than this one. Whenever a player becomes a buy out player, that's their new worth until they prove otherwise. A starting C in his prime would want to be seen as a $15m player (starter) vs a $5.7m player (backup). If we have that, Duffy would be a fool to ask for one cent less.