Offseason Thread

[DefenseWinsChamps]

With the Ayton signing seems Horford is down to GSW, return to Celtics, or retire.

The Warriors will be better than the C's next year, back in a stacked west they are probably no better than 5th (OKC, HOU, DEN, MIN).

I agree, but I also think that a healthy team of Curry-Green-Butler-Horford could beat anyone. Big asterisk next to healthy, but it does give them a better chance to compete for a championship.

[Larry for 3]

With the Ayton signing seems Horford is down to GSW, return to Celtics, or retire.

The Warriors will be better than the C's next year, back in a stacked west they are probably no better than 5th (OKC, HOU, DEN, MIN).

I agree, but I also think that a healthy team of Curry-Green-Butler-Horford could beat anyone. Big asterisk next to healthy, but it does give them a better chance to compete for a championship.

Better chance as in out of the play in?  I guess. OKC runs roughshod over that lineup. It?s a new era in the NBA. It?s over for the old guys. Just window dressing at this point.

[Birdman]

Be a blackeye for James if he want out and go to a title contending team lije Houston or Cleve

[Who]

I guess if the Cavs put Garland and Allen on the table, the Lakers would probably like that trade and you can see the narrative for Lebron going home one more time.

That would be wild. It does make sense for both teams, too.

Cavs: Lonzo, Mitchell, Hunter, LeBron, Mobley with Strus, Merrill, Wade, Nance Jr off the bench. That?s a championship caliber team.

Lakers: Garland, Reeves, Doncic, Hachimura, Allen is a very solid starting 5.

if I'm the Cav I don't think I'm giving up Garland and Allen for one year of Lebron.

I wouldn't do it from the Lakers side of the aisle.

G: D Garland
G: A Reaves
F: L Doncic
F: Hachimura
C: J Allen

It is an above average team but not a great team. Darius Garland has yet to prove he can be a reliable 2nd option on a contender. He is more of a 3rd option. Reaves is a 3rd option. J Allen is a 3rd/4th best player on a contender. So Luka has 2 3rd options and a 4th best player.

The other issue is that you have one of the worst defenders in the league (amongst starters) at the PG position, the SG position, and the SF position. Rui is a solid defender. J Allen an above average defender trying to make up for everyone else. So no true 2nd option and a defensively vulnerable team.

I think Luka has a better chance at winning with LeBron than with D Garland & Jarrett Allen. And a good chance at getting better talent to LAL via FA that is superior to Darius Garland.

[Who]

That Lakers team is going to be a lot of fun to watch next season.

Ayton is a good improvement over Jaxson Hayes. Jaxson Hayes was around the 45-50th best center in the league. Ayton is around the 20th.

[Who]

I guess if the Cavs put Garland and Allen on the table, the Lakers would probably like that trade and you can see the narrative for Lebron going home one more time.

That would be wild. It does make sense for both teams, too.

Cavs: Lonzo, Mitchell, Hunter, LeBron, Mobley with Strus, Merrill, Wade, Nance Jr off the bench. That?s a championship caliber team.

Lakers: Garland, Reeves, Doncic, Hachimura, Allen is a very solid starting 5.

if I'm the Cav I don't think I'm giving up Garland and Allen for one year of Lebron.

That Cavs team would be nasty

G: Lonzo, M Strus
G: Donovan Mitchell, S Merrill
F: DeAndre Hunter
F: LeBron James, Larry Nance Jr
C: Evan Mobley, Dean Wade

Just think of the speed of that team. The open court play. The floor spacing. A five out offense. LeBron at the four. The passing of Lonzo & LeBron. Donovan Mitchell as the main offensive engine. LeBron playing 2nd fiddle. Evan Mobley feeding off of all the passers. The transition game of that team would be amazing. The three point shooting would be impressive.

That team would be a nightmare to play against. I would certainly fear that group more than their current crop of guys.

[Goldstar88]

Was hoping the C?s would have taken a flier on Love. He looked really good in the NCAA tournament. Against Oregon he put up 29pts, 9rebs, 4ast. 10-18 from the field, 5-7 from 3pt.

Against Duke in the sweet 16, he had 35pts, 4reb, 1ast. 11-21 from the field, 5-11 from 3pt. He also shot 92% from the FT line during that tournament.

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed guard Caleb Love to a two-way contract, Trail Blazers General Manager Joe Cronin announced today. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Love (6-4, 195) played five collegiate seasons?the final two coming at Arizona. During the 2024-25 season, Love averaged 17.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.2 steals in 34.1 minutes per game for the Wildcats, earning First Team All-Big 12 honors.

[SparzWizard]

The Suns and Rockets are reportedly working on expanding the Kevin Durant trade into a deal that would involve a league-record seven teams, per The Athletic.

Other teams involved in negotiations include the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves

Jeez, are they trying to add LeBron, Curry, and Durant together?

[Who]

Dante Exum and the Dallas Mavericks have agreed to a one-year deal. Exum considered offers from two other contending teams, but decided to remain with the Mavericks.

Spencer Dinwiddie and the Charlotte Hornets have agreed to a one-year deal. Dinwiddie gives the Hornets veteran rotation depth in the backcourt, which is critical considering the injury history of LaMelo Ball.

More depth for Charlotte. They must be one of the deepest teams in the league one through four now. Just that center position - so weak.

G: LaMelo, Tre Mann, Dinwiddie, Nick Smith Jr
G: C Sexton, Josh Green, Pat Connaughton
F: Brandon Miller, J Okogie, Knueppel, L McNeeley
F: Miles Bridges, G Williams, T Salaun
C: Mason Plumlee, Moussa Diabate, Kalkbrenner

That is 17 players. Diabate was on a two-way but that was converted midseason to a regular contract. McNeeley was a 1st. I believe Nick Smith Jr was a 1st round pick as well. Kalkbrenner could be a two way.

Drew Eubanks was waived by the Clippers on Tuesday and intends to sign a one-year deal with the Kings once he clears waivers, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.

[Goldstar88]

?I would say that?s uncertain,? said Brian Windhorst on ESPN Cleveland when asked if James may finish his career with the Lakers. ?One thing I feel pretty good about today, although things can pivot, is LeBron?s time with the Lakers is beginning to come to an end. They are beginning to move apart. You can actually argue that started when they traded for Luka. I know everybody thought LeBron was in on that. I know I said at the time I didn?t believe that?LeBron was not in on it. I don?t know what else to tell you. He was not in on it. He wasn?t against it. I think he was shocked they traded Anthony Davis. But LeBron was not in part of that decision process. That was a move away from LeBron as the center of the team.?Source: RealGM

[Who]

If LAL is refusing to take contracts past 2yrs in order to be a FA player in 2027, why not offer LeBron a 1yr extension? It is their best course of action.

They are close to title contention with their current group. Why let the relationship sour? Why risk losing him without a replacement in 2026? Why risk writing off the 2026-27 season?

[Neurotic Guy]

?I would say that?s uncertain,? said Brian Windhorst on ESPN Cleveland when asked if James may finish his career with the Lakers. ?One thing I feel pretty good about today, although things can pivot, is LeBron?s time with the Lakers is beginning to come to an end. They are beginning to move apart. You can actually argue that started when they traded for Luka. I know everybody thought LeBron was in on that. I know I said at the time I didn?t believe that?LeBron was not in on it. I don?t know what else to tell you. He was not in on it. He wasn?t against it. I think he was shocked they traded Anthony Davis. But LeBron was not in part of that decision process. That was a move away from LeBron as the center of the team.?Source: RealGM

Well the Lakers must have 2 top 5/10 players at all times, so they do need to start thinking about how to replace LeBron.  Many teams have never had a top five player. But LA does usually have two (if not top 5 then top 10).

[snively]

Denver looks quite good.  I like Cam Johnson in place of MPJ - easier to work with.  Brown back replacing Westbrook. Val giving them a real backup for Jokic. Don't like THJ's game but the Jokic efficiency boost should make him more useful.

They're my favorites for next year.

[Who]

Trade rumours that LA Lakers are going after another center to backup D Ayton.

Names being mentioned are Nick Richards, Rob Williams, Yves Missi. They want a young big they can work with and develop.

I have no idea why they are interested in Nick Richards. He is worse than Jaxson Hayes. Just bring Jaxson back.

[slightly biased bias fan]

Jock Landale has just been waved by the Houston Rockets.

Perhaps he is an option for the Celtics.