EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS. pic.twitter.com/rboJa8yYv8— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) June 1, 2025

NBA Trade Rumors: Mock deal sees Lakers swap Rui Hachimura for Josh Hart and add Knicks' 7-footer in 3-team deal https://t.co/POqLc5aqLR— LakerTom (@LakerTom) May 31, 2025

The Lakers are the favorites to land Nickeil Alexander-Walker in free agency, via @BovadaOfficial Los Angeles Lakers +235Brooklyn Nets +290Golden State Warriors +How we feeling Lakers fans? pic.twitter.com/zPmz1eF5KC— Jake (@playoffjake) May 31, 2025

THE WIN-WIN LAKERS-MAVS TRADE WE NEED!Here's the trade the Lakers need to make with the Mavs. It's the rare trade that fills both teams roster needs and only costs players they can do without and zero draft capital. Win-Win. Lakers get bigs and defensive guard they need. Mavs… https://t.co/KjgKTnGtsK pic.twitter.com/XPqn2nv5Fv— LakerTom (@LakerTom) May 29, 2025

Lakers may get another gift from the Mavericks thanks to Cooper Flagg https://t.co/BBR4NL8ikf— LakerTom (@LakerTom) May 29, 2025

IS THIS START OF OKC THUNDER DYNASTY?Looks like everybody is already crowning the Thunder as the next NBA champions and predicting they're going to win 5 rings over the next decade. Pundits are even suggesting that teams like the Lakers should just be patient and hold onto… https://t.co/j5A7KYPCNi pic.twitter.com/WS3ULauf5T— LakerTom (@LakerTom) May 29, 2025

I don’t see any move the Lakers (maybe even the entire NBA) can make that will put them past OKC. They will be the prohibitive title favorites for the next 2 seasons at minimum. Might be foolish to give up too many assets trying to catch them next season. Daniel Gafford ain’t putting us over the top.

Lotta fun clickbait news floating around and none of it pertaining to the topic I want to know about the most: what will DFS do with his player option this summer? Let’s look at the numbers:

Dorian Finney-Smith
Player option: $15,378,480

PPG: 8.7 (10.4 in Brooklyn, 7.9 in LA)
FG%: 44.8 (45.9 in Brooklyn, 44.2 in LA)
3 Pt FG%: 41.1 (45.9 in Brooklyn, 39.8 in LA)
TRB: 2.7 (3.0 in Brooklyn, 2.5 in LA)

Everything about DFS’s game dropped off after coming to LA and even moreso in the playoffs.

31.8% from three point land, more turnovers than steals and blocks combined and a combined -10 for the 1st round exit. Nothing about that screams “more money” at face value.

Still, guys who can play the role DFS plays are generally valued around $17-25 million (or more if they can hit the three ball more consistently at volume than DFS does) so it wouldn’t surprise me to see him look for some leverage in getting an extension by threatening to opt out.

If he does opt out, it will make re-signing him quite tricky and he may end his lakers career as a half season rental, which would be bad for us. Although it could be argued that we have a wealth of players who play tough defense but don’t score a lot (Vando, Vincent, Goodwin to name 3) and, in all honesty, how many of those guys do we really need?

Should DFS opt out and sign elsewhere it would also have the (kinda) bonus of freeing up a small amount of money under the cap making LBJ’s likely opt in less of an issue. Very slightly less but what teams do in the wiggle room of the margins is what can make or break a roster.

My guess is he opts out. Not sure what he’d get beyond what we’re already paying him beyond more guaranteed years but this is his window to make money and there are enough teams with a decent amount of cap space that can sign him and promise him a starting role that it makes a lot of sense for him to do so.

Thoughts?

Who are the top players in the NBA right now?@BillSimmons takes stock of the league with his latest NBA top 15 player pyramid. pic.twitter.com/0sMSOxlmAC— The Ringer (@ringer) May 28, 2025

Latest @BleacherReport Every NBA Team's Toughest Upcoming Financial Decision – a primer on what's to come for all 30 with the draft, free agency & extension windows looming https://t.co/ZYCaEXl32G— Eric Pincus (@EricPincus) May 28, 2025

Aloha,

As I have watched the playoffs unfold, it is apparent that the times indeed have changed. Because of the new CBA and the pace of the game, top heavy teams salary wise can no longer compete for a championship. Deep teams, built around a star or two is becoming the new normal. OKC doesn’t beat you with their starting five, they beat you with their depth. The same can be said for the Pacers.

The Lakers lost in the playoffs for two reasons, no center rotation and depth, especially the 2nd units lack of offense. But I believe we have a championship level core. I believe we can add what we need without trading any of our core because we don’t need more stars, just a couple of solid role players at center and perhaps another wing.

The click baiters are proposing trade for high priced players that would decimate our depth. I feel any trade that requires us to send out more than one of our core players is a bad trade.

There is a never ending stream of trade ideas for Austin most of those leave a hole at shooting guard and back up point guard because Austin serves as both. So if Rob decides to trade Austin, it has to be a smart trade.

First you have to identify offense starved win now teams, a rebuilding team won’t want him. Sorry Kessler fans. I would talk to two teams in particular. The Magic and the Rockets. Both very good teams that need offense.

I will give you an example. The Magic have a wealth of bigs but lack scoring. I would send Austin out for Goga Bitadze and Anthony Black. Goga is a starting caliber center. He is a terrific rebounder and shot blocker and at 7 feet a decent lob threat. Anthony Black is a 21 year old 6’ 7” PG that played a lot off the ball. While his offensive efficiency dropped some in his 2nd year there is upside there. But he is considered one of the best perimeter defenders in the league and at his size can guard one through three.

The Magic could plug Austin next to Suggs a top 10 defender in his own right. Austin would probably take over PG duties considering Suggs is more of a combo guard. This is a win win for both teams. We get our center and a replacement for Austin without giving up our draft pick.

If the Lakers are going to trade a core player, this is the kind of deal they should be looking for.