Lakers get better (w/CHI and UTA)

[babyjax13]

LAL trades: Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, Christian Wood, Jalen Hood-Schifino, unprotect 2027 LAL 1st
UTA trades: John Collins, Patty Mills

The Lakers turn bad and/or injured players on unambiguously bad contracts into a useful, good player on a bad to neutral contract. This raises their ceiling, and gets them an actual rotation player. For Utah, they see if they can rehab Vanderbilt (I really liked him when we had him) and they unprotect a pick that is presumably post-LeBron.

LAL trades: D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, Max Christie, 2028 pick swap (CHI receives higher of LAL/CHI 1st), 2029 LAL 1st
CHI trades: Coby White, Torrey Craig, Jevon Carter

The Lakers turn a guy who really does not fit LeBron well into the exact sort of combo-guard who can operate on and off-ball that has had success with LeBron. Chicago clarifies their long-term backcourt a bit and gets two very high upside pieces to capitalize on White's value contract.

Rotation:
Davis/Hayes/Collins
Collins/Hachimura/LeBron
LeBron/Craig/Reddish
Reeves/Knecht/White
White/Carter/Mills

[JMAC3]

The deal with Jazz it feels like LA is giving up the pick more so to pay for the salary dumps then the actual player, I don't think they are in a position where that should have any value to them.

[zimpy27]

Lakers are set at PF with LeBron and Rui.

I don't see a role for Collins on the Lakers.


This is the Lakers roster:

PG: Reaves (20) | DLo (28)
SG: Knecht (30) | Reaves (18)
SF: Rui (24) | Reddish/Christie (24)
PF: LeBron (38) | Rui (10)
C : Davis (38) | Wood (10)


They really need defense and rebounding from a backup C and guard spot.

[ChettheJet]

Maxwell Lewis, really?

DLo remains his expiring contact OK the Bulls are moving on from Carter and his next year but they get Christie who's contract is about the same size but goes a year longer. Not the gain they're looking for

I don't see the urgency for the Bulls to trade Coby White if there's any chance of moving Lavine, if John Collins is in motion the Bulls would be looking for him. you'd have to prove to me that there's any way on Earth that 2028 pick swap is going to benefit the Bulls

[Texas Chuck]

I think those are both overpays for the Lakers and they should not be trading 2 unprotected picks and a swap for marginal upgrades like this.

[dcstanley]

I like White and Collins a lot better than the pieces going out. Collins is having a pretty fantastic season, he's shooting the hell out of the ball right now and he's certainly an upgrade on Rui on both ends of the floor (though I wouldn't call him a stopper by any means). That said, I wouldn't give a 1st for him. His contract is too rich for my liking.

I would give a lightly protected 1st for White, though. I think he's an excellent fit with this team.

[jbk1234]

The only player who upgrades their roster is Coby White and he shouldn't cost more than an expiring Dlo and protected 1st or swap rights.

[babyjax13]

I like White and Collins a lot better than the pieces going out. Collins is having a pretty fantastic season, he's shooting the hell out of the ball right now and he's certainly an upgrade on Rui on both ends of the floor (though I wouldn't call him a stopper by any means). That said, I wouldn't give a 1st for him. His contract is too rich for my liking.

I would give a lightly protected 1st for White, though. I think he's an excellent fit with this team.

TBF, it isn't trading a first for Collins, Utah already owns that pick 1-4 protected, instead it is adjusting the protections.

[babyjax13]

The only player who upgrades their roster is Coby White and he shouldn't cost more than an expiring Dlo and protected 1st or swap rights.

Collins is a pretty substantial upgrade to their front court rotation and is better than DLo.

[jbk1234]

The only player who upgrades their roster is Coby White and he shouldn't cost more than an expiring Dlo and protected 1st or swap rights.

Collins is a pretty substantial upgrade to their front court rotation and is better than DLo.

Is Collins going to play PG? They've got forward rotation of AD, LBJ, Rui, Vando (when healthy) and sometimes Reaves at 3. It's the one part of the roster that's solid.

[Daddy 801]

Lakers are set at PF with LeBron and Rui.

I don't see a role for Collins on the Lakers.


This is the Lakers roster:

PG: Reaves (20) | DLo (28)
SG: Knecht (30) | Reaves (18)
SF: Rui (24) | Reddish/Christie (24)
PF: LeBron (38) | Rui (10)
C : Davis (38) | Wood (10)


They really need defense and rebounding from a backup C and guard spot.

LeBron may be labeled a PF but does he really play PF? He’s really the PG. I could see LA wanting Ubanks in addition so they can have a serviceable center to play with AD.

Utah and LA are perfect trade partners. Utah can give LA a combination of Ubanks, Collins, Sexton, Clarkson, Mills, and maybe Filipowski for LA removing the protections and one more FRP for whatever garbage LA wants to send. Utah just wants contracts that expire as fast as possible.

[Daddy 801]

The deal with Jazz it feels like LA is giving up the pick more so to pay for the salary dumps then the actual player, I don't think they are in a position where that should have any value to them.

So Utah just takes a salary dump for free? Why would any team ever do that?

[JMAC3]

The deal with Jazz it feels like LA is giving up the pick more so to pay for the salary dumps then the actual player, I don't think they are in a position where that should have any value to them.

So Utah just takes a salary dump for free? Why would any team ever do that?

Didn’t say they should, just saying it makes no sense for LA to worry about dumping salary if the goal is win now. They need to worry about adding the most possible talent, not cleaning up cap sheet for future seasons.

Just a bad use of assets, can find a better return

[kobe_vs_jordan]

Think the path to unprotected the pick would need involve Sexton or Walker to make sense for Lakers.

Not sure Bulls trade has a path forward if that's the gap on DLo and White.

[zimpy27]

Lakers are set at PF with LeBron and Rui.

I don't see a role for Collins on the Lakers.


This is the Lakers roster:

PG: Reaves (20) | DLo (28)
SG: Knecht (30) | Reaves (18)
SF: Rui (24) | Reddish/Christie (24)
PF: LeBron (38) | Rui (10)
C : Davis (38) | Wood (10)


They really need defense and rebounding from a backup C and guard spot.

LeBron may be labeled a PF but does he really play PF? He’s really the PG. I could see LA wanting Ubanks in addition so they can have a serviceable center to play with AD.

Utah and LA are perfect trade partners. Utah can give LA a combination of Ubanks, Collins, Sexton, Clarkson, Mills, and maybe Filipowski for LA removing the protections and one more FRP for whatever garbage LA wants to send. Utah just wants contracts that expire as fast as possible.

Lakers need a backup rim protector (that can start against certain teams) and they need a starting guard that can defend and playmake.

Maybe Kessler is of interest to Lakers, that's about it.

[babyjax13]

The only player who upgrades their roster is Coby White and he shouldn't cost more than an expiring Dlo and protected 1st or swap rights.

Collins is a pretty substantial upgrade to their front court rotation and is better than DLo.

Is Collins going to play PG? They've got forward rotation of AD, LBJ, Rui, Vando (when healthy) and sometimes Reaves at 3. It's the one part of the roster that's solid.

AD primarily plays center for them, so they have a really thin forward rotation of LeBron/Rui. Plus Collins can play center, too.

[zimpy27]

Collins is a pretty substantial upgrade to their front court rotation and is better than DLo.

Is Collins going to play PG? They've got forward rotation of AD, LBJ, Rui, Vando (when healthy) and sometimes Reaves at 3. It's the one part of the roster that's solid.

AD primarily plays center for them, so they have a really thin forward rotation of LeBron/Rui. Plus Collins can play center, too.

Does Collins play SF?

LeBron and Rui largely play PF, though both do play some SF to fit with each other.

Lakers have $70m invested in the PF spot. If you just count Rui and LeBron. I can't see lakers acquiring Collins. Just doesn't fit their needs.

[vxmike]

Wouldn’t Vucevic be a better pick up for LAL?

[Daddy 801]

Getting the protections removed is nice and all. But people are over valuing what that is worth IMO. The chance the Lakers are so bad in 2027 that they are in the top four is pretty damn low. LeBron will probably be gone. But AD will probably be there and some new free agent will have signed that offseason as LeBron comes off the books. I wouldn’t be surprised if multiple free agents have signed that offseason.

[babyjax13]

Wouldn’t Vucevic be a better pick up for LAL?

I think Collins is a better player who can play PF or C, so in my opinion, no.