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

Yeah, if they choose to go that way, I'm not opposed. I've been talking about getting Ware, Claxton and Robinson/Timelord. Heck, I'm also happy to keep Ayton if we can improve in other places.

Another potential is Gobert, I think the Wolves want to shake things up and if he shakes loose, he is a walking top 10 defence. Guy keeps himself in really good shape and should have another 3 or so years of elite rim protection. Plus the lobs with Luka... the guy is like the ultimate Luka center.

We could absorb him into our cap space or do a three team trade sending them Ayton + Jake plus a first and Knecht + Vando plus a first elsewhere.

Luka (49.5) / Kennard (10) / Bronny (2.3)
Reaves (37) / Smart (9 MLE)
Spencer Jones (6 MLE) / Vet Min (2.5)
Lebron (30) / Rui (15.1) / Adou (2.1)
Gobert (36.5) / Hayes (6.5) / Kleber (2.5)

Yeah that's fair. Having multiple 3pt shooters on the floor helps. You'll have space for the primary ball handler, people can't double Luka otherwise he'll throw up the lob. If you take that away, Luka will swing it to Lebron/Reaves who can attack a shuffling defense and if the help is quick, they can pass it to two of the best in shooters in the league in Rui/Kennard and they can also swing it to a SF that can hit at 40%. It's just tough to stop that, it's kind of the OKC model. Sell out to stop our top guy and we'll attack you from across the floor while you're rotating.

It's up to the coaching staff to put Lebron and Reaves in positions where they can succeed, no? Yes, Reaves had troubles against Minnesota last year, but he was playing with a broken toe, this year he had an oblique strain. I agree with you that at some point injuries are just excuses - I started holding it against AD and moving forward I will with AR too since he is going to be on 30m+.

However, with saying all that, Reaves still scored efficiently in two out of the four games against OKC and put up a respectable sum in game 3 too. If you're second option puts up 31 points on 10/16, 27 points on 8/16 and 17 on 5/13 over 3 games, you should be in every game and probably win 2 out of 4. We got beat because we couldn't score consistently - Luka should fix this and because we couldn't stop any penetration, whether that's with a big that can dissuade attacking the basket or POA defenders that can slow down ball handlers - I don't really care. Same thing last year, when Ant, McDaniels, DDV, NAW (now Ayo) can just attack you relentlessly at the rim, it's a problem.

Spencer is a stud, he'd be instantly our best wing defender for 26 mins a game and if he is hitting at 30% and finishing at the rim, he could be a game changer for us.

Don't really get how leaving Luka and Reaves to defend the team's opposing best ball handlers is a sound strategy - but all good.

 

Yeah, so that's why I'm not opposed to him being traded. But if he stays, I think he can improve his shot. I'm not asking him to be a ball handler, just hit open 3's. If you don't think there is a possibility his shot could improve to that level, then we just don't see it the same way and can agree to disagree on this one. I'm not even that invested to be honest, I like Jake, but he is hardly the player I'll die on a hill for when we don't have our top 8 guys set properly. And at 6m whether he is here or not just doesn't bother me that much.


EDIT: He was still better than DFS...

 

We’re talking about AD who won us a championship. Not some scrub. The dude was great for us. And went toe to toe with Jokic and won.

we make trades with teams who trade with us. Washington is a trade partner. AD would be a possibility. s*** Deangelo Russell came back.

AD and Luka would be great with the pick and roll. Yall talk about Luka protection. You need a guy back there that can guard 1-5. I’ve seen him do it against Curry. And win us a playoff series.

 

I would swap Lebron for Davis no question ask.