Luka AD trade thread Part II

facothomas22 · Post #1301 » by **facothomas22** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 1:45 pm

I have a feeling the Spurs,Heat,Magic,Nuggets will all clear out as much salary as possible to sign Luka in the 2026 off season. Could also see the Grizzlies and 76ers bidding for him as well in Free Agency. I know one thing for sure. He's not staying with the Lakers beyond next year.

Handlez · Post #1302 » by **Handlez** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 2:42 pm

Read on Twitter

And I definitely believe it.

Homer38 · Post #1303 » by **Homer38** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 2:43 pm

Cowherd is not credible....And this is only what he think so who care!

XtremeDunkz · Post #1304 » by **XtremeDunkz** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 2:43 pm

IF true. And that's a big if. I resign before making this trade. This is a career killing trade potentially.

Infinite Llamas · Post #1305 » by **Infinite Llamas** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 2:45 pm

No GM has the power to make a trade of this magnitude on their own.

Nico is a certified clown but he’s the fall guy for the real villains in this operation.

Frank Dux · Post #1306 » by **Frank Dux** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 2:46 pm

Cowherd doesn’t have sources.

jg77 · Post #1307 » by **jg77** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 2:52 pm

Infinite Llamas wrote:No GM has the power to make a trade of this magnitude on their own.

Exactly. Ownership was behind this trade.

Yoshun · Post #1308 » by **Yoshun** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 2:52 pm

Infinite Llamas wrote:No GM has the power to make a trade of this magnitude on their own.

Nico is a certified clown but he’s the fall guy for the real villains in this operation.

This came down from ownership, it had to. Otherwise Nico would have been fired already.

Handlez · Post #1309 » by **Handlez** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 2:52 pm

Infinite Llamas wrote:No GM has the power to make a trade of this magnitude on their own.

Nico is a certified clown but he’s the fall guy for the real villains in this operation.

Correct.

Now we just want to know who actually made the call and why.

Was it the NBA or the owners? I don't buy that they didn't want to pay Luka because if I'm not mistaken, they're worth 35 billion? I could be wrong. Maybe Luka pissed them off and they want revenge, though.

I think the NBA made the call. Along with Klutch, possibly.

JustBuzzin · Post #1310 » by **JustBuzzin** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 2:58 pm

Frank Dux wrote:Cowherd doesn’t have sources.

Cowherd doesn't have sources.
Wade doesn't have sources.
Let me guess conspiracy theories?

Nah man this entertainment if you don't understand the business you won't understand the sport.

We just saw the NFL take away a Bills 1st down and they told us what we saw didn't happen and gave the ball back to the Chiefs. Sports are getting so rigged that most of the public viewers continue to watch it and ignore the nonsense that comes with it.

Some fans can recognize the shady side of sports. Lakers keep getting generational stars. This has been happening for decades. It's best for the business.

Cmon man just embrace that sports can be rigged.

Meeksology · Post #1311 » by **Meeksology** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 3:00 pm

XtremeDunkz wrote:IF true. And that's a big if. I resign before making this trade. This is a career killing trade potentially.

100% agree with u. Not only would I resign I would book the first (credible) media talking head available that second and air out the owners true intentions. Ya, I'd be out of a job for a bit but at least I wouldnt have a green light on my life in Dallas.

Yoshun wrote:
Infinite Llamas wrote:No GM has the power to make a trade of this magnitude on their own.

Nico is a certified clown but he’s the fall guy for the real villains in this operation.

This came down from ownership, it had to. Otherwise Nico would have been fired already.

My thoughts on this as well.

Rendei · Post #1312 » by **Rendei** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 3:03 pm

Handlez wrote:
Infinite Llamas wrote:No GM has the power to make a trade of this magnitude on their own.

Nico is a certified clown but he’s the fall guy for the real villains in this operation.

Correct.

Now we just want to know who actually made the call and why.

Was it the NBA or the owners? I don't buy that they didn't want to pay Luka because if I'm not mistaken, they're worth 35 billion? I could be wrong. Maybe Luka pissed them off and they want revenge, though.

I think the NBA made the call. Along with Klutch, possibly.

I find it very unlikely that the league is behind this. They made the supermax specifically to allow less popular teams to keep their stars. And that's an extremely unreasonable demand to make of a new owner.

I also don't think that they're particularly opposed to it, because of the potential earnings.

LakersSoul · Post #1313 » by **LakersSoul** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 3:03 pm

Handlez wrote::noway:

Read on Twitter

And I definitely believe it.

1000%!

The new owner signed off and supported and most likely pushed for this move.

You had nobody know about it

You had Nico so uncomfortable in the press conference and then shielding Jason Kidd from the responsibility. You dont do that if its your call.

Nico is taking blame when it was the owners making the call.

Going from $43 to $70m per on SuperMax is something a business owner is not comfortable with, esp with luxury tax implications. Add AD and a great contract from Max and remove Kleber to get under the luxury tax.

Its so obvious it was owners call to get under luxury tax and not pay tax and Luka.

LakersSoul · Post #1314 » by **LakersSoul** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 3:05 pm

Nico did the best he could without adding blame and shame to the new owners.

Thats a real man!

Bob8 · Post #1315 » by **Bob8** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 3:06 pm

facothomas22 wrote:I have a feeling the Spurs,Heat,Magic,Nuggets will all clear out as much salary as possible to sign Luka in the 2026 off season. Could also see the Grizzlies and 76ers bidding for him as well in Free Agency. I know one thing for sure. He's not staying with the Lakers beyond next year.

Funny thing is, that Lakers will have more than enough cap space to sign whoever at the moment LeBron stops playing and players were always pretty eager to play there. I would say that probability Luka stays and plays with another star is much bigger in LA than anywhere else.

LakersSoul · Post #1316 » by **LakersSoul** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 3:08 pm

Handlez wrote::noway:

Read on Twitter

And I definitely believe it.

Think about it!!

Which logical GM would go from making the Finals to trading their 25 yo star player and saying its because of “defense”?

Its all about the money and luxury tax.

CobraCommander · Post #1317 » by **CobraCommander** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 3:21 pm

Infinite Llamas wrote:No GM has the power to make a trade of this magnitude on their own.

Nico is a certified clown but he’s the fall guy for the real villains in this operation.

all these guys that think Nico made this decision over coffee also believe Jordan was shadow suspended over gambling.

these guys don't get that businesses look out for their best interest and the owners (without a real strong board with majority stake holders) are the only ones that can arbitrarily make a move of this magnitude.

us that work for companies and make executive decisions know if we wanted to make a big change in strategy its vetted against all other divisions. moving Luka is the biggest decision in MAVs history....its as big as moving Nash... You can't say its Bigger cause Nash won two MVPs during the era with Tim, Shaq and Kobe and TMAC etc...and if he wins a ring or 2 he is in the pantheon of greats within the top 20 at least.

Bob8 · Post #1318 » by **Bob8** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 3:30 pm

CobraCommander wrote:
Infinite Llamas wrote:No GM has the power to make a trade of this magnitude on their own.

Nico is a certified clown but he’s the fall guy for the real villains in this operation.

all these guys that think Nico made this decision over coffee also believe Jordan was shadow suspended over gambling.

these guys don't get that businesses look out for their best interest and the owners (without a real strong board with majority stake holders) are the only ones that can arbitrarily make a move of this magnitude.

us that work for companies and make executive decisions know if we wanted to make a big change in strategy its vetted against all other divisions. moving Luka is the biggest decision in MAVs history....its as big as moving Nash... You can't say its Bigger cause Nash won two MVPs during the era with Tim, Shaq and Kobe and TMAC etc...and if he wins a ring or 2 he is in the pantheon of greats within the top 20 at least.

There's just one problem about believing they wanted to save money. They traded for AD, who has 200 mio on the books, making much more than Luka next few years. And they will need to pay Kyrie too and AD next contract.

Giving Luka supermax doesn't mean you need to pay him everything, you can always trade him, no matter how fat he's and how many legs he has.

Timing had no sense either, they had at least 1 year time to figure out what to do.

Far the most logical explanation is arrogant idiot and owner, who doesn't know anything about basketball and doesn't care much.

CobraCommander · Post #1319 » by **CobraCommander** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 3:35 pm

Bob8 wrote:
facothomas22 wrote:I have a feeling the Spurs,Heat,Magic,Nuggets will all clear out as much salary as possible to sign Luka in the 2026 off season. Could also see the Grizzlies and 76ers bidding for him as well in Free Agency. I know one thing for sure. He's not staying with the Lakers beyond next year.

Funny thing is, that Lakers will have more than enough cap space to sign whoever at the moment LeBron stops playing and players were always pretty eager to play there. I would say that probability Luka stays and plays with another star is much bigger in LA than anywhere else.

what makes this horrendous trade worse for mavs fans going forward.

1. costing Luke 120 million which is EVIL...its petty...if they don't win the ring this year...why not tee up trading Luka this offseason? sign and trade with lakers and get AD? get Luka his money and get AD? If you failed to win the ring you can say "we can't get over the hump as created and had to make a change with empirical facts AND YOU GAVE LUKA his money to honor him. .no SUPERSTAR is going to trust the mavs to look out for them ever again... you not going to the mavs if you have options...no matter if Nico is there because every player knows the Owner did this...not Nico - the power needed to move Luka had to come from the highest office.

2. you trade Luka to the franchise in your conf with 17 titles - the lakers are a proven championship franchise. Boston and Lakers are inevitable. the lakers are going to stand in the way of the Mavs for the next 10+ years...with Luke denying the Mavs champships ON the MAVS floor. every game is going to be a rivalry game with an angry Luka- so an angry Luka is an assassin...playoff Luka is a demon...ANGRY PLAYOFF LUKA MIGHT BE THE ARCHANGEL OF DEATH foretold in Slovian lore let loose upon the Mavs franchise in every playoff game against the lakers. the Mavs may never win a game against the lakers in the playoffs EVER AGAIN--

3. remember all those Cavs fans that were cavs fans for Lebron. the Cleveland fans burned his jersey but the "Cavs fans cause of Lebron", just moved on and took their money and fandom to Miami.. the Mavs fans not in Dallas but mavs fans because of Luka are now the "Lukas' Lakers" fans....that is going to hurt financially.

dumb.,.. sorry mavs fans...as a wiz fan, I feel worse for you than me...cause I never had a chance...you had a top 5 player

greg4012 · Post #1320 » by **greg4012** » Wed Feb 5, 2025 3:44 pm

Bob8 wrote:
facothomas22 wrote:I have a feeling the Spurs,Heat,Magic,Nuggets will all clear out as much salary as possible to sign Luka in the 2026 off season. Could also see the Grizzlies and 76ers bidding for him as well in Free Agency. I know one thing for sure. He's not staying with the Lakers beyond next year.

Funny thing is, that Lakers will have more than enough cap space to sign whoever at the moment LeBron stops playing and players were always pretty eager to play there. I would say that probability Luka stays and plays with another star is much bigger in LA than anywhere else.

Will they?

If LeBron retires after this season, Lakers would have $18M in cap space.

If LeBron retires after 2026 and Luka opts out, then yes the Lakers will be among the teams with cap space. But, they will effectively have a barren roster. Now look at the 2026 free agent pool:

PGs of note: De'Aaron Fox (expected to sign extension with Spurs), 32-year old Marcus Smart, Coby White
SGs of note: 35-year old CJ McCollum, 33-year old Norman Powell, 34-year old Jordan Clarkson, Ayo Dosunmu
SFs of note: 30-year old Mikal Bridges (fully expect NY to prioritize extending him after giving up huge draft capital0,
PFs of note: Jaren Jackson (first viable needle moving target); 38-year old Durant, Rui, PJ Washington
Cs of note: 31-year old Porzingis, Ayton, Gafford, Mitchell Robinson

Is LA supposed to make an entirely new roster out of just (1) paying top dollar for a mediocre free agent pool (only likely available needle movers are Jaren Jackson and maybe the always injured Porzingis) with only Jarred Vanderbilt, Dalton Knecht, Shake Milton, and Bronny James under contract and the bird rights for Rui, DFS and Reaves?