2026-27 Team Developments: Trades / Free Agents / News / Rumors / Ideas

That's JJ style and Luka want shooters. So they just might do that.

 

Now that LeBron is seeing that the Lakers are the favorite going into next season he will try to come back on a vet min and say it was his plan all along...lol. No thank you.

 

only downside to our kessler coup is that the RFA market completely dried up. why is that bad? denver and houston can now play hardball with watson and eason. detroit with duren, too. every agent was using our space as the leverage threat.

it's possible denver can skate by with minimal issues when it looked like they were going to have to lose guys. they signed bagley, so i think that means they'll just cut valanciunas, saving 10m, i believe. they could probably just stretch-waive naji and have enough room to sign watson to a deal starting in the low 20s. they'll be over the second apron, but i think their owner might go for it. okc's clearly did.

i think both memphis and boston have large TEs still, too. either might just eat cam johnson for free--or even give you some seconds or something.

we could probably take braun or cam johnson using the same cap stuff i'm suggesting for kuminga, but denver wouldn't want us to get johnson, for sure. like, that's the very last thing they want right now.

 

@Kobeluka99

Is that you?

 

Yeah. JJ is going to have to have patience with our young guys.

I’m bullish on both.

 

I would love to find a way to get Rui back. I still think the team would benefit from his scoring punch at the 4, and would be interested to see if his play rises with greater opportunity.

His limitations make him not the perfect fit, but value wise if you can somehow squeeze him onto the current roster you’re likely getting a very tradable piece down the line.

If you bring back Rui and add some combination of Ziaire, Bruce Brown, Kuminga, or Thybulle at the minimum, I can get myself excited for that squad.

I don’t think we can rely on Carr or Adou to play meaningful minutes. Of course I do want JJ to give them opportunities and let’s hope that they DO earn a real spot in the rotation. But in terms of constructing the roster, you can’t just pencil in players who have never demonstrated they can produce at the NBA level yet. We need to go into the season with veterans in front of Carr and Adou on the rotation.

 

as it stands, this is a play-in team

 

Lakers won't be the favorites. The question was and will always remain until proven different. The Back court and perimeter defense.

 

Yeah Rui isn't the archetype I'd chose at that 4 spot but I'd be happy to have him back. We just need a good player there. Agreed that counting on Carr and Adou to even be the primary backup at a position going to the season is a bad idea. Starting either of them is out of the question.

 

I don’t disagree with making guys earn it. I do think Adou has potential to be big for us particularly on the defensive end.

 

For Austin sake this has to work. Because not only did Lakers under cut LeBron/Davis for Austin's potential the same might happen to Luka now that they banked on him to be a star with Luka. It won't be a good look having had a pair of the league top players.

 

All teams have questions. Just have to use some vision to see what things can/will become. Obviously, the Lakers won't be favorites for most, that was thrown in for a little humor...lol.

 

They undercut LeBron/AD for Austin?

 

................................Hear Me Out..................................................................................

DeRozen becomes available, after getting waived.........what do we think of him as a Vet Voice in the Locker room?

Truthfully it would be interesting if the C Bags released PG and we could go there on that plan, but like.....I would want them OFF the bench and a Voice in the room for all the young guys........otherwise........forget it.

 

WUT?? Voice in the room?

 

That was the same thing people were saying an year ago

 

Just a Vet like Dudley or Rondo or someone like that. A dude that can play but he's a BENCH guy and just helps keep the young kids in check.

 

this team is worse now than a year ago

 

I don’t like DeRozan’s fit here basketball wise, but I do like the idea of hopefully some prominent veteran somehow shaking free on the buyout market and down to take a minimum contract with us. You’re right, the locker room presence of a player like that would be important and players of that ilk are more likely to take a paycut at this stage of their careers.