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

That's 20% of the cap. The max is 30-35%. AR is worth that.

 

AJ Mitchell was a 2nd rd pick. Thiero a 2nd rd pick. Jenkins in Detroit was undrafted...we need to up our scouting game.

 

Why should he be worth that? What has he done in the post season the last 3 years to justify paying him that. He can’t defend against both bigger or quicker players and he turns it over constantly in the postseason. I mean it’s just not the type of player that you need next to Luka to have a chance.

 

He'll get paid that for his regular season alone. If he could recreate it in the playoffs and be a 25/6/5 player, he'd be worth the 30% max which is 50m per year.

Not sure how objective you are if you're asking why he should be paid 30-35m? What would you offer him?

 

He could not stay in front of anyone tonight I’m not giving him 35 million. I don’t think I’m touching over 31-32. But that’s because I believe if you look at his past 3 postseasons there is evidence this will not work with Luka. You got Luka to shift to a younger superstar to go compete for championships so I think it puts the roster at a disadvantage.

 

yep I'm not gambling on the Luka + Reaves formula unless there are no other options. If there is a chance to S&T Reaves for a nice starting two-way player, I'm taking it.

 

Ok, so we're talking about a difference of 3 million. If you can't build a team at Reaves at 35, you can't build one with him at 32. I mean what are we actually talking about here?

OKC made an adjustment this game, in games 1 and 2, they were playing high pick and roll, and our defence was slowing them down in the half court consistently. Tonight they asked SGA and Ajay to just beat Reaves or Smart 1 on 1 from the logo with speed. And they gained an advantage off of that more times than not. AR can't guard fast guards out on an island, so we have to make our own adjustments back. Not sure exactly what they are without selling out our help defense.

 

Simple because he is not worth that. A player can be inflated. Austin isnot the type of player you build around. At best he is a Manu. He not going to win you rings or sell tickets, Meaning not a max player.

 

No one is saying Max, I'm saying you pay him 20% of the cap. That's high end role player territory.

 

Austin is frustrated because of the success he had in regular season making a living at the free throw line. Its not working in a more physical playoff setting. Not even Lebron getting touch
Calls. They are letting them play and the physical nature of the playoffs wears you down both physically and mentally. There is a pattern with Austin from team USA to date.

 

I am OK with paying him a fair market value. I just think his role needs to be adjusted and stop treating him like a star.

 

That’s the problem though he’s heavily counted on he’s not a high end role player

 

We’re scoring that ain’t the problem. We just can’t play any defense. With Luka that’s about 138 it would be much closer. We need the defense. I’d keep Reddick. I’m proud of this team.

just unfortunate Luka isn’t out there. I hope LeBron comes back. But I’m not going to listen to the b*******. We got a squad.

We gonna be alright. just gotta keep scouting.


Our bench isn’t up to par. You can’t win a game like this without Luka. He just puts everybody in their proper spots.

 

This is not the 1st season. We have been at this since 2020. The key player we swapped was Luka and Davis. However we keep having the same issues. Davis as a defender and nothing like Like Luka. So yes we have a squad always did. The pieces however need to fit the the key player to provide hustle and energy that been a lingering issue. I cant ask that from a 42 year old Luka or Austin. So as great as Lebron played and carry the team in Luka/Austin absents its time to move on. Its a pick between a 42 year old or a prime fringe star.

 

Lets say Lakers traded Austin for Turner a few years ago. Dlo, Smart, Lebron, Davis, Turner i think the beat Denver

 

Where is Smart magically coming from? DLO is absolute rubbish, he alone guarantees you an exit in the playoffs.

 

maybe but at the time he was a better playmaker and pg than Austin. The pairing of Austin/Dlo was the issue so targeting a defender like a Smart would have helped Dlo.

 

You can't just add another DPOY player without explaining how. You already traded Reaves for Turner in your scenario. It's like saying, we'd win against the Thunder if we had traded Austin for Duren and we had a team of Luka, Smart, Watson, Lebron and Duren. Where did Watson come from?

 

I feel like the good news is: we seem to have some kind of squad here. Kennard, Smart, Adou, Rui & Hayes is a good bench. We just need the right starters around Luka and to figure out if that is Lebron and Reaves and whether we make larger moves, move guys to the bench for balance or blow it all up.