Free Agency & Trades Thread 2 **NOW OPEN**

[DreamTeam09]

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Monk is better than DeMar, at least on the Kings roster anyway

[Jerry Lucas]

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[DreamTeam09]

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I didn't see this posted

[WuTang_CMB]

You know how you can tell the Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Dončić era has officially begun?

Because LeBron James had one of his classic media moments, with his longtime agent, Rich Paul, explaining James’ decision to pick up his $52.6 million player option for next season in the kind of way that would have caused concern for his employer in years past, and it was met with the organizational equivalent of a shrug emoji. His leverage isn’t what it once was these days, and that has everything to do with Dončić.

“LeBron knows the Lakers are building for the future, and he also wants to compete for championships,” Paul told The Athletic and ESPN. “We understand the difficulty in winning now while preparing for the future. We do want to evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career. He wants to make every season he has left count, and the Lakers understand that, are supportive and want what’s best for him. We are very appreciative of the partnership that we’ve had for eight years with Jeanie (Buss) and Rob (Pelinka) and consider the Lakers as a critical part of his career.”

Only time will tell if this will be remembered as an early goodbye letter, but the tone of the messaging was such that it’s fair to wonder how the LeBron-Lakers partnership will go from here.

The speculation was rampant all around the league when news of James’ decision broke, with rival executives wondering if this was a precursor to a trade request (James, remember, has a no-trade clause and could thus control any such move). Or, of course, it could be yet another attempt to apply pressure to the front office to find a way to add impactful talent. Either way, it’s becoming increasingly clear that — even if James doesn’t retire next summer — this could be his last season in a Lakers uniform.

While the Lakers most certainly care about how James’ final chapter goes, and would love nothing more than to celebrate the 40-year-old’s legendary career all season long before he headed off into the proverbial sunset, any plans that go beyond that point present roster-building problems when it comes to paving a path forward with the 26-year-old Dončić. That’s the uncomfortable truth that was laid bare Sunday.

So long as they’re able to secure Dončić’s signature on an extension when he’s eligible on Aug. 2, as is widely expected, then every move from there must be made with a long-term view in mind. As such, the notion of the Lakers committing to James at a max-salary level beyond this season was clearly seen internally as unwise.

Team sources say James and the Lakers did not discuss deals that would have added years to his Lakers tenure that began in 2018, either by way of extension or with him opting out and signing a new deal. Conversely, James and his camp signaled months ago that there would be no discounts offered this time around (the Lakers, team sources say, didn’t propose any sort of discounted deal out of respect for James).

If the Lakers have any hope of staying nimble in the crucial years to come, and potentially adding the next co-star to put alongside Dončić after James is gone, then it behooves them to maintain as much flexibility as possible. The second-apron realities of today’s NBA mean that elite talents could shake loose at any time, with owners who pushed for this virtual hard cap now facing its grave consequences.

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There are already star-player situations brewing that teams like the Lakers are surely monitoring, chief among them Giannis Antetokounmpo and his uncertain future with the Milwaukee Bucks. Just last week, Denver president and governor Josh Kroenke was highlighting the dangers that come with this salary-cap system and opined — unsolicited, mind you — about a nightmare scenario in which the Nuggets might one day be forced to trade three-time MVP Nikola Jokić. Any team that is stuck in second-apron hell when those sorts of opportunities arise is, for all intents and purposes, disqualified from participation. And then there’s the Austin Reaves factor to consider in this Lakers calculus.

As our Dan Woike first reported Thursday, the 27-year-old guard turned down the Lakers’ four-year, $89.2 million extension offer last week (which was the max they could offer him) and is headed toward unrestricted free agency next summer. If the Lakers ultimately decide to try to keep Reaves a year from now, when he could be in line for a deal that’s much larger than the one he turned down, they’ll need those books to be as clean as possible. And even if they trade him for an impact big man this summer, as is certainly possible, then there’s a good chance they’d need that wiggle room to hold on to that player for the foreseeable future as well.

The Lakers’ choice to prioritize basketball business beyond James isn’t personal, but it is a matter of how they view the younger personnel. To that end, it would behoove them to either find a way to hold onto 32-year-old forward Dorian Finney-Smith (who opted out of his deal Sunday) or find a way to replenish what was lost if he heads elsewhere in free agency. When it comes to holding onto Dončić’s confidence in the plan ahead, and getting off to a great start in this Mark Walter era that began with his $10 billion purchase of the storied franchise from the Buss family earlier this month, those are the kinds of moves that matter most in the here and now.



For LeBron’s purposes, the tricky part is that the grass isn’t always greener somewhere else (and even if it is, it’s not quite as easy to get there as it was so many years ago). While the Lakers aren’t title contenders at the moment — as their first-round flameout against the Minnesota Timberwolves made clear — there’s reason to believe that a full season with Dončić, James, Reaves and all the rest of their holdovers will lead to significant growth.

Add in that LeBron gets to play another season with his son Bronny, all while living in his preferred location in Los Angeles, and there are all sorts of reasons for him to ride this out with a smile on his face and simply figure out how he feels about his hoops future a year from now. Especially considering his remarkable legacy is already set in stone.

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[CazOnReal]

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Good lord that Fox return looks disgusting so far.

Schroder, a couple of Hornets 2nds, a very distant 1st from the Wolves, Nique Clifford via trading that Spurs pick and one of the worst contracts in the NBA which has seemingly gone overlooked via Zach LaVine.

[RoteSchroder]

There doesn’t seem to be a lot of teams that would want either RJ/IQ.

I wonder if an RJ for Grimes sign and trade is a possibility, as Philly needs a bit more size with Maxey/McCain/VJ and I doubt they’d want to pay Grimes. At the same time, would we even want Grimes..last year may have just been a fluke where he was statpadding on a bad team..plus, how’s his defense.

Benefits being that Grimes really does break out and we get good 3 point shooting and a more manageable contract that’s flat or front loaded. If his play is for real, it could also make IQ expendable.

[Tor_Raps]

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Good lord that Fox return looks disgusting so far.

Schroder, a couple of Hornets 2nds, a very distant 1st from the Wolves, Nique Clifford via trading that Spurs pick and one of the worst contracts in the NBA which has seemingly gone overlooked via Zach LaVine.

Just imagine if we could upgrade the PG spot by trading RJ and some trash.

[DG88]

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[WuTang_CMB]

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[mtcan]

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WTF are the Kangs doing?????

Would much rather have Devin Carter and draft compensation than Jonathan Kuminga.

Schroeder
Lavine
Derozan
Kuminga
Sabonis

...not a good starting line-up at all. Not enough shooting.

[niQ]

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Giving up on Devin Carter already?

[Thaddy]

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I didn't see this posted

Nothing gained and nothing lost.

[Tripod]

Kings have been wanting a PF.

[Mr.Raptorsingh]

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WTF are the Kangs doing?????

Would much rather have Devin Carter and draft compensation than Jonathan Kuminga.

Schroeder
Lavine
Derozan
Kuminga
Sabonis

...not a good starting line-up at all. Not enough shooting.

They probably flip DeMar (to the Bucks?) but yeah not sure what their plan is

[Mr.Raptorsingh]

Kings have been wanting a PF.

Don't they already have Keegan Murray

[arbsn]

If Toronto makes a trade and wants to keep under the tax, I'd be looking at Chicago as a trade partner.

Patrick Williams
Coby White
for
RJ Barrett
Ochai Abaji

Williams is overpaid for his current contract at $19m a season, while White is the main centerpiece at only $12m a season. White is a player that is ready to become a star offensive weapon and Chicago is possibly pivoting with Giddey in the future.

Overall, Toronto gains a defender who does Ochai type things while being bigger, and Coby White who can play either guard spot and offers more outside shooting depth. This year the team saves $4m in the trade which helps prevent us from being an over-the-tax team.

In sum:
+PG depth
+saves money
+defensive gain

Would love Coby White that's a guy I'd be willing to give up on RJ for

[Godaddycurse]

If Toronto makes a trade and wants to keep under the tax, I'd be looking at Chicago as a trade partner.

Patrick Williams
Coby White
for
RJ Barrett
Ochai Abaji

Williams is overpaid for his current contract at $19m a season, while White is the main centerpiece at only $12m a season. White is a player that is ready to become a star offensive weapon and Chicago is possibly pivoting with Giddey in the future.

Overall, Toronto gains a defender who does Ochai type things while being bigger, and Coby White who can play either guard spot and offers more outside shooting depth. This year the team saves $4m in the trade which helps prevent us from being an over-the-tax team.

In sum:
+PG depth
+saves money
+defensive gain

Would love Coby White that's a guy I'd be willing to give up on RJ for

we cant afford him after this year unless we go into the tax

[DreamTeam09]

You guys wanna just for the sake of trading. RJ if traded will be for an upgrade as salary filler, not a lateral move. We don't need to ship RJ bad enough to take on 4 BS yrs of Patrick Williams

[PushDaRock]

You guys wanna just for the sake of trading. RJ if traded will be for an upgrade as salary filler, not a lateral move. We don't need to ship RJ bad enough to take on 4 BS yrs of Patrick Williams

It's getting ridiculous at this point. The Derrick White rumor was the only one where it was an actual upgrade. Bobby has been pretty clear that we are in talent accumulation mode, we aren't just dumping RJ for a downgrade in talent. For now, he is our starting 2 and an important piece for the next season. If he proves to not be a good fit and/or our young players take a big step to make him expandable, then we can start thinking of the types of moves people keep proposing. Until then, let's hope he keeps making improvements defensively and is able to do well in a more optimized role similar to when he first got on our team.

[SFour]

You guys wanna just for the sake of trading. RJ if traded will be for an upgrade as salary filler, not a lateral move. We don't need to ship RJ bad enough to take on 4 BS yrs of Patrick Williams

RJ is still young as well, it's not like he reached his ceiling as a player....I'm expecting him to make a small leap this upcoming season.