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

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by TIME, Jun 24, 2025.

  1. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    finding a way to get ellis and watson, and keep everyone else but rui (lebron on wink wink vet min), and we're a legit contender, a tier above where we are.
     
  2. KuzmoBall17

    KuzmoBall17 - Lakers All Star -

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    Shai had 16 FT
    whole Knicks roster -17
    yes ,anonymous MVP no doubt
     
  3. svtzr

    svtzr - Lakers Starter -

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    Just adding Watson to this core makes us a contender imo. We’re replacing Rui with a slightly worse shooter, better rebounder and much better defender who can thrive at the 3.

    Adding Ellis to (don’t believe it’s possible) would certainly send us into the elite category.

    Luka / Ellis / Bronny
    Reaves / Smart / Bufkin
    Watson / Kennard
    Lebron / LaRavia / Adou
    Kleber / Ayton / Hayes
     
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  4. Kobeluka99

    Kobeluka99 - Lakers 6th Man -

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    Peyton Watson would be perfect for us. Now just the question are we able to get him?
     
  5. Kobe Bryant 8

    Kobe Bryant 8 - Lakers Starter -

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  6. Swagron

    Swagron - Rookie -

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    How long will it take for someone to post we should get this guy lol
     
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  7. Kobeluka99

    Kobeluka99 - Lakers 6th Man -

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    No one will be signing Jaden Ivey. He’s done. His NBA career is over. What an idiot. A complete Idiot. And rightfully so. Why go on social media and say some dumb a** s*** like that. He probably plays with Gay players. You know I don’t get it. People are Gay people are straight. Who gives a f*** about what you have to say and honestly what are you going to add to the narrative.? How can we have an actual productive dialogue. How about we have all kinds of people in the world who are all different in orientations. We support each other and however you want to socialize is up to you. We just want people to be happy.
     
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  8. Kobeluka99

    Kobeluka99 - Lakers 6th Man -

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    But adding a joke. Anthony Edwards anti gay comments Max Contract Jaden Ivey anti gay comments waived

    it’s a business.
     
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  9. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    yeah, watson and ellis is a completely unrealistic expectation. it's possible, but incredibly unlikely. either one would help us quite a bit, though.

    he's clearly not in a good place, mentally. he's already made a ton of cash despite doing basically nothing in the league, so hopefully he can get some help and live a good life outside of basketball. but i agree he's finished. and again, for the jhs hand-wringers--this dude was the 5th overall pick by a front office everyone agrees is good. stuff happens. sometimes you can't see the issue ahead of time.
     
  10. svtzr

    svtzr - Lakers Starter -

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    Did you catch the starting center upgrade too? LOL, couldn’t help myself.
     
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  11. svtzr

    svtzr - Lakers Starter -

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    I’m not excusing Ivey’s comments. But I find it interesting that other players can have domestic violence cases and yet continue in the league but being homophobic and you’re out.

    I feel like it should be clear penalties across the board and violence against women / in front of kids / family abuse should be a single strike and you’re out.
     
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  12. showtime24

    showtime24 - Lakers Starter -

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    I would prioritize Ellis though. Lowest hanging fruit.
    • Perfect complement to Luka and AR. We already have proof of concept, in a player like Smart, and previous Luka players like Jones, and Washington (3 and D).
    • We have the cap room to pay market value for him, or a little more. Just have to have the balls to agree to a generous enough contract to lock him in right at 12:01. Don't mess around negotiating too much.
    • He is unrestricted, as opposed to restricted free agents, or trading for a Dort. So it would cost us no assets.
    • Going for a Watson could be a lot more complicated, so you have that. Watson has star potential, so I understand the argument for prioritizing him. But I'm just saying, pursuit of RFA's go unsuccessful more often then not. Go for the lower hanging fruit, ink Ellis to an early deal, and then take a look at getting Watson.
     
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  13. svtzr

    svtzr - Lakers Starter -

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    I don’t think Ellis is a Smart type player. I think that’s a misnomer. Smart is a mini Artest, super intelligent, fast hands, strong frame, quick enough, crafty and a pest. If you want another Smart type, trade for Caruso.

    Ellis is a good defender, gets lots of deflections but gets killed on screens, which is how teams will attack us with him, Luka and Reaves.

    I’ve also changes my mind on Dort, he has fallen off defensively and I think these playoffs he’ll be played off the court.

    Give me Watson or Caruso. There’s a reason why they’re harder to get.
     
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  14. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    lol, sailed right past me. my reading comprehension is losing steam lately.

    i wasn't making a moral judgment, just a practical one--whatever the content of the speech, the lack of presence of mind to just not do that isn't conducive to the high-pressure lifestyle he's found himself in (and looks to be wishing to exit, perhaps understandably).

    like, you may not be wrong that nobody will care if the pistons won when you're standing in front of god...but...that's not why people want to talk to you right now. not recognizing that is kind of a sign of dysfunction, akin to not dressing for the weather.

    i'd be totally fine if we slightly overpaid for ellis at 12:01, then pursued watson after, pleading the loss of some of our space as part of the negotiations. in fact, i'd hope rob has already communicated to watson's agent (and thus denver) that if they want to play nice pre-FA, there will be more on the table.

    ellis is smart-like in that he's an energetic perimeter defensive player who can play offensively without needing rhythm. but yeah, the players they're suited to guard are quite different, which is why i said i view them as complementary (as opposed to supplementary). thiero would be supplemental to smart in that he's also a guy who will impact via physicality at positions 2-4. ellis is for 1-2 on ball. all can be disrupters off ball.

    caruso and dort are like smart in that they're more like 2-4 guys, too (e.g., schroder roasted dort when he was here). caruso is currently better, but older. not sure which i'd prioritize in a vacuum. but my undying love for caruso makes the choice easier.
     

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