2025 Offseason Thread Vol.5

[MettaWorldPanda]

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[MettaWorldPanda]

If Luka does not sign extension he’ll get traded and we will be outbid. My guess is he signs his extension. Talking heads need to manufacture drama for fans to eat up to create false hope. NBA mafia is not letting him leave LA.

[MettaWorldPanda]

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[greg4012]

If Luka does not sign extension he’ll get traded and we will be outbid. My guess is he signs his extension. Talking heads need to manufacture drama for fans to eat up to create false hope. NBA mafia is not letting him leave LA.

Is NBA mafia not letting him leave LA or is he getting traded if he doesn't sign extension? Or do you mean he will get traded but there will be only one potential destination as NBA mafia will force the Lakers to trade him to Clippers?


Hard to keep up with the stream of thought here...

[MettaWorldPanda]

If Luka does not sign extension he’ll get traded and we will be outbid. My guess is he signs his extension. Talking heads need to manufacture drama for fans to eat up to create false hope. NBA mafia is not letting him leave LA.

Is NBA mafia not letting him leave LA or is he getting traded if he doesn't sign extension? Or do you mean he will get traded but there will be only one potential destination as NBA mafia will force the Lakers to trade him to Clippers?


Hard to keep up with the stream of thought here...

Sorry for my post to come off as confusing. Just stating that’s there’s most likely a slim to non chance of Luka coming here. LA is one of the darling markets in the NBA and i find it hard to believe the NBA and it’s representatives after how oddly he ended up getting traded there sees him walk via free agency.

[Vertical Limit]

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Im okay with this…

This “core” needs to see it’s end. 60 million in expirings currently, potentially 90 million when we trade Wiggins by the deadline.

Lebron would have likely extended this mediocre core we got, carrying them to a second round playoff run.

Without him we get to truly expose this roster. Either they finally breakthrough or we move on and blow it up. We can have 90 million off the books, potentially even more by moving on from Herro, and start over with Bam.

[Vertical Limit]

If Luka does not sign extension he’ll get traded and we will be outbid. My guess is he signs his extension. Talking heads need to manufacture drama for fans to eat up to create false hope. NBA mafia is not letting him leave LA.

Is NBA mafia not letting him leave LA or is he getting traded if he doesn't sign extension? Or do you mean he will get traded but there will be only one potential destination as NBA mafia will force the Lakers to trade him to Clippers?


Hard to keep up with the stream of thought here...

He has a no trade clause, lebron has control. They probably want him to sign some extension like 2 years 60 million… but he’s making 53 mill on 25-26 alone.

Lebron also is their entire TV market and revenue.. despite luka being in his prime people come to watch lebron even at 41

[greg4012]

If Luka does not sign extension he’ll get traded and we will be outbid. My guess is he signs his extension. Talking heads need to manufacture drama for fans to eat up to create false hope. NBA mafia is not letting him leave LA.

Is NBA mafia not letting him leave LA or is he getting traded if he doesn't sign extension? Or do you mean he will get traded but there will be only one potential destination as NBA mafia will force the Lakers to trade him to Clippers?


Hard to keep up with the stream of thought here...

Sorry for my post to come off as confusing. Just stating that’s there’s most likely a slim to non chance of Luka coming here. LA is one of the darling markets in the NBA and i find it hard to believe the NBA and it’s representatives after how oddly he ended up getting traded there sees him walk via free agency.

I find it unlikely also. Just like 99% of the stuff we discuss on here. I also find it interesting and largely impactful for the entire NBA landscape and genuinely believe that LA is not well set up to succeed given the context.

[MettaWorldPanda]

I believe only one max free agent in years has hit free agency and it was 35 year old Paul George. I just see it as highly unlikely Luka turns down signing his extension. It would break a huge precedent in this salary cap era. You take the money now and if things don’t work out you force a trade. That’s how the max players operate.

[MettaWorldPanda]

Is NBA mafia not letting him leave LA or is he getting traded if he doesn't sign extension? Or do you mean he will get traded but there will be only one potential destination as NBA mafia will force the Lakers to trade him to Clippers?


Hard to keep up with the stream of thought here...

Sorry for my post to come off as confusing. Just stating that’s there’s most likely a slim to non chance of Luka coming here. LA is one of the darling markets in the NBA and i find it hard to believe the NBA and it’s representatives after how oddly he ended up getting traded there sees him walk via free agency.

I find it unlikely also. Just like 99% of the stuff we discuss on here. I also find it interesting and largely impactful for the entire NBA landscape and genuinely believe that LA is not well set up to succeed given the context.

Even with the factors you have mentioned it’s still highly unlikely. Fun to discuss and dream about for sure but the pessimistic view should have a voice as well.

[MettaWorldPanda]

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[HeatFanLifer]

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Pacers will be a good fit because they already have an injured player for the year and he will provide Haliburton with injured companionship on the bench.

[3ammy3uck3ts]

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[MiamiLoyal926]

So now that we are more than 2 weeks into free agency…. 2025 free agency stunk!!! Nothing like 2010 free agency. The good ol’ days.

[MettaWorldPanda]

C Kelel Ware C

PF/C Bam Adebayo PF Nikola Jovic PF Keshad Johnson

SF Andrew Wiggins SF Jaime Jaquez Jr SF/PF Haywood Highsmith SF Simone Fontechccio

SG Norman Powell SG Pelle Larrson

SG/PG Tyler Herro PG Davion Mitchell PG Kasparas Jakucionis PG Terry Rozier

15th spot open

1.4 million over tax line(Repeater next year if not reset)


2 ways

C Vlad Goldin
PG Dru Smith?
Open spot

[Vertical Limit]

Where do bovada get these weird odds

Lebron to dallas at +125

Oladipo to pacers


Have they ever been right about any of these random odds? I guess they were right about Durant..

[heat4life]

C Kelel Ware C

PF/C Bam Adebayo PF Nikola Jovic PF Keshad Johnson

SF Andrew Wiggins SF Jaime Jaquez Jr SF/PF Haywood Highsmith SF Simone Fontechccio

SG Norman Powell SG Pelle Larrson

SG/PG Tyler Herro PG Davion Mitchell PG Terry Rozier

15th spot open

1.4 million over tax line(Repeater next year if not reset)


2 ways

C Vlad Goldin
PG Dru Smith?
Open spot

So are we cutting our rookie? Where does Kasper fall on your roster?

[SA37]

Less than 15m? What happened to all the expirings we have? Powell, Rozier, Fonteccio..potentially Wiggins.

Wiggins has a PO for $30M. I'd be surprised if he opted out, but it depends on which teams have cap space. I don't see non-playoff teams having any interest (Utah, Brooklyn...etc). Not sure how many playoff teams are in line to have cap space.

Wiggins is absolutely opting out of that. He'll be 31 years old looking for at least one more multi-year deal with a lot of teams having cap space next season as well.

However, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the league is also projecting the salary cap for the 2026–27 season at $165 million, just 7% more than this upcoming year.

Eyeballing from Hoopshype -- and assuming the above is correct -- these are the teams that will have significant cap space ($25M or more): Chicago, Utah, Brooklyn, Portland, San Antonio, Washington, and the Lakers.

This is before San Antonio signs De'Aaron Fox to an extension, which will reduce their cap space to ~$13M assuming Fox's deal starts at $40M.

I don't see Utah ($51M in space), Chicago ($120M), Brooklyn ($42M), Portland ($40M), or Washington ($80M) spending significant sums on Wiggins. The Lakers might.

Even if one of the non-Laker teams did offer Wiggins a deal, I think he'd get significantly less than $30M/year, so it may be better for him to opt-in and ask for a trade to a team that could extend him via acquiring his Bird rights.

[greg4012]

Sorry for my post to come off as confusing. Just stating that’s there’s most likely a slim to non chance of Luka coming here. LA is one of the darling markets in the NBA and i find it hard to believe the NBA and it’s representatives after how oddly he ended up getting traded there sees him walk via free agency.

I find it unlikely also. Just like 99% of the stuff we discuss on here. I also find it interesting and largely impactful for the entire NBA landscape and genuinely believe that LA is not well set up to succeed given the context.

Even with the factors you have mentioned it’s still highly unlikely. Fun to discuss and dream about for sure but the pessimistic view should have a voice as well.

Is it fun to discuss? Or is to something you poopoo and lambast every time it's discussed while putting forth a million equally unlikely ventures in your subsequent posts (and usually acting like they're certainties or likely)?

Where do I say it's at all likely? I don't think it's likely.

I'm just a Laker hater and keep loops open until they are logically closed.

If Luka does sign the extension in August or September, I'll still believe the Lakers are not well equipped to make great use of his presence for the next 2-3 seasons at minimum. Especially if LA loses LeBron after this season and replaces him with cap space in free agency.

[DBurks2818]

C Kelel Ware C

PF/C Bam Adebayo PF Nikola Jovic PF Keshad Johnson

SF Andrew Wiggins SF Jaime Jaquez Jr SF/PF Haywood Highsmith SF Simone Fontechccio

SG Norman Powell SG Pelle Larrson

SG/PG Tyler Herro PG Davion Mitchell PG Terry Rozier

15th spot open

1.4 million over tax line(Repeater next year if not reset)


2 ways

C Vlad Goldin
PG Dru Smith?
Open spot

So are we cutting our rookie? Where does Kasper fall on your roster?

Looks like he Sioux falls