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

dave mcmenamin Just said the Lakers are working on a trade. This makes much more sense then signing a center after

 

This actually sounds bad. Sounds like the Lakers are "hoping" that other teams' trades or signings make a "surplus" Center available. So even if we get Ayton, they're hoping for someone else's 3rd stringer to become our 2nd stringer?

 

If it's a trade for a starting center, yes. But not if it's a trade for a 3rd stringer to become our 2nd stringer, which is what it sounds like.

 

I don’t believe it’s a trade for a center at all

EDIT - Nvm Dave said center

 

Deeetroooit Basketball



Maybe he'll stay off fan duel

 

A locked-in Ayton is better than Turner minus the shooting. I think people will be pleasantly surprised if we get him.

He's really talented, just a bit lazy and obviously had huge expectations that he never lived up to due to being the #1 pick.

 

We have plenty of them (center's)
Koloko,Trey and Hayes
Valanchunas and Jokic are going to torture Lakers with Ayton or without.What is first pick in next season draft,any potential all star ,friend asked

 

In a recent ESPN report, NBA insider Dave McMenamin dropped a bombshell that could reshape the Lakers’ roster. The team may part ways with several key rotation players, including $51 million forward Rui Hachimura and $33 million guard Gabe Vincent, in their quest to acquire a dominant center.
Is Shaq coming back in time machine or who's dominant center via trade ?

McMenamin revealed that promising young guard Dalton Knecht and veteran big man Maxi Kleber could also find themselves on the trading block as the Lakers aggressively pursue frontcourt upgrades.

P S.These rumors started right before trade deadline in January

 

haha lol.

 

lol well get a Diddy Verdict before Ayton is signed.!!!!

 

Fine then we'll continue to snark away. There's new ownership and you think there haven't been discussions on what they want to have happen ... like this season ... that don't include ridiculous phrases like wasting a couple years of Luka because Rob is punting again. We've already improved our bench and perimeter defense IMO and yeah I do think Ayton is a lock. This didn't all just luckily fall into Rob's lap. You get tired of me fine. I'm more than sick of all the doom pre-maturely .... but carry on with it. You didn't bring up Bob Todd whoa big deal everything else but, immediately knee jerk starting with the LaRavia pick. So we'll see who's closer to right when the smoke clears and can take shots back and forth for what we all consider to be poor observation pre-maturely.

 

It’s kind of in between the sky is falling and Rob did 3 great moves though isn’t it?

We may still nab Ayton, a POA guy in Melton and have enough to swing a trade for a wing.

But also it’s a stretch saying he did 3 great moves. Moving up to nab Adou is a great and aggressive play, but to make it a great move he has to develop so the jury is out on that.

Ayton hasn’t signed so it isn’t a move until the ink drys. But also I’m not sure we can call him a great move, he just left his last place because he wasn’t being professional. I’d say it’s a good move.

And if LaRavia was so great, why did the Kings let him walk for TPMLE… he’ll be somewhere between ok to good.

So far it’s been a disappointing free agency not because of what we have done, but because of how much other teams have improved. Denver catapulted back into contention, Houston did as well. The Spurs, Clippers and Mavericks all improved. While the Wolves and OKC didn’t get worse. Then there is us and Golden State that have had a poor off season so far.

 

They’ll be selling off centers like they did average wings a few years ago.

 

Maybe because they have more pressing issues money wise? I see a different player than you I guess in the clips and reading about what Memphis fans actually thought of him, and finally when Cranjis got around to it how good and disruptive he is on perimeter D, and seeing how he can handle some and play make and is tough with a leave it all on the floor including diving on it mentality. Very Caruso like. Plus of course he's a real nice shooter from deep that allows the totality of his better package at a younger age to replace DK who will probably be used to bring something nice in as well.

 

I’d actually be kind of cool with Ayton and Horford. A motivated Ayton is a top 10 center, a non motivated Ayton is still starting quality. That’s a big improvement on Hayes.

Horford if he can give us 20-25 mins is SOLID. He’s what I would hope Kleber could have been if healthy. Also gives us some LeBron insurance if he gets injured that isn’t Vando.

Luka / Melton (for the min?) / Bronny
Reaves / Goodwin
Wing trade / LaVaria (MLE portion)
Lebron / Vando / Adou
Ayton (MLE portion) / Horford (BAE)

Assumption is we trade Rui, Gabe and Kleber for a wing. Wiggins would be good. Herb would be better. Knecht for Ellis would be a huge move too.

If you told me, we let DFS go and sign Ayton, LaVaria and Horford with his salary slot. I’d sign up to that - that’s 2 rotational players for one and another young regular season guy to take some minutes that can develop into a playoff rotational piece.

If we land the wing that can defend 1-3, I’d say we’re back in contention as one of the favourites.

Let’s see how this plays out.

 

LT, at some point we have to assume the people working in front offices around the league are a better judge than you and me. To take that further, if Cranjis was such a break through, he would also be hired into an analytical department and paid millions.

LaRavia can be a good player, no doubt. But his last team let him walk for 6m, so we should set our expectations accordingly. He’s probably not the caliber of player like Troy Brown Jr or Stanley Johnson but on the flip side he probably isn’t the caliber of Herb Jones and Andrew Wiggins (sub all star) guys either.

 

if they do make a trade, it'll be something no one was expecting as per usual under pelinka

 

Trades? Any of…

Reeves and 1st (fillers) for J Brown.
Gabe/Rui/DK/Swaps for Wiggins
DK Swaps or Protected First for Kessler

Sign Ayton.

Possibly sign Horford depending on the trade(s).

Sign Dame in March.

Fun.