Training camp is closing in, and a few Pacific Division teams are still juggling big-picture questions that could shape the next move they make. The Lakers are hunting for help, the Clippers’ cap mess may force a rethink, and the Warriors are at least getting one encouraging sign on Jimmy Butler.
For the Lakers, Bruce Brown remains a name to watch. Los Angeles has about 16 players under contract, but flexibility is still the issue.
Jeremy Lambert of Lakers Roundtable reported the Lakers are still being connected to Brown after missing on Jonathan Kuminga, though the math is ugly. The Lakers are above the luxury tax line, can only offer Brown a minimum deal, and bringing him in would also require more roster movement.
Frontcourt depth is another lane the Lakers could explore. Ryan Anderson of the California Post listed Dwight Powell, Jae Crowder, Goga Bitadze, and Mason Plumlee as veteran free-agent options still on their radar.
That roster crunch could put Dalton Knecht in a tough spot. Trevor Lane of Lakers Nation said Knecht could become a cut candidate if he can’t turn things around. Lane also believes the Lakers may decline Knecht’s $6 million option, which would leave training camp and the start of the season as his window to change the team’s mind.
Anthony Davis has also entered the conversation, but a reunion with the Lakers looks far-fetched. Tyler Watts of Lake Show Life pointed to the Lakers’ massive investment in Walker Kessler as the reason the door is basically shut.
Los Angeles gave up two first-round picks and two swaps for Kessler before signing him to a four-year, $129.4 million contract. Davis still has more than $120 million left on his deal over two years, and he is holding out for an extension from the Wizards.
That combination makes a Lakers reset around Davis a tough fit.
Out in Los Angeles, the Clippers’ salary cap situation could push them toward more change. Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports said the loss of five first-round picks could lead the Clippers to consider putting Darius Garland on the trade market in order to recoup assets. That does not mean Garland is being shopped right now, only that he could become available because of the circumstances the Clippers are dealing with.
Jalen Duren’s contract standoff with the Pistons still hasn’t been resolved, and the Kings remain in the mix around it. ESPN’s Anthony Slater identified Sacramento as a possible landing spot if Duren reaches unrestricted free agency in 2027.
Duren wants more than $40 million per year, while Detroit’s offer sits at $35 million. The Pistons, though, have shown little interest in moving him.
Reports say they have rejected sign-and-trade talks involving Domantas Sabonis and are focused on keeping their All-Star.
The Warriors may have a useful trade piece if the season brings the right opportunity. Grant Mona of Roundtable said Kristaps Porzingis is their third-most valuable trade asset behind their first-round picks and Brandin Podziemski. Golden State does not have to move him after signing him at the February trade deadline and then extending him, but that kind of contract can matter in a salary-matching deal if a star shakes loose.
Golden State also got a positive update on Jimmy Butler. He posted workout photos on Instagram that showed him back on the court.
It has been about eight months since he tore his ACL, and there still is no return date, but the update matters for a Warriors team trying to squeeze one more strong season out of Stephen Curry’s remaining prime. The team had considered trading Jimmy Butler before the trade deadline, but there are no concrete talks or offers for him now.
For a club that has spent much of the offseason looking for another major addition, a healthy Butler may be the best one it can make.
In Other News...
Lakers Roster Crunch Is Putting Serious Pressure On One Trade
The Lakers are in a familiar squeeze as the offseason winds down, with the team sitting one player over the roster limit for next season and still searching for a clean way to get back under it. Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt have both been part of the conversation in trade discussions, but Vanderbilt has been the tougher name to move because of his contract and the limited assets Los Angeles can attach to make a deal more appealing.
If the front office cannot find a trade, it may have to settle for a roster move to create room. For now, Vanderbilt remains the most complicated piece in the equation, and the Lakers could wind up keeping him on the roster while treating him as a trade option once the season starts and the market has a chance to shift. [Read more 🡒]
Former Lakers Guard Suddenly Linked To A Familiar Landing Spot
After reshaping the roster around Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Miami Heat have kept their focus on the perimeter, adding Tim Hardaway Jr. and Klay Thompson on short-term deals as they try to stabilize the spacing around their new star. Even after those moves, there is still a familiar name in the background for a team that values continuity and guards who understand its system: Gabe Vincent, whose path has already taken him from Miami to the Lakers and then on to Atlanta.
Vincent is still a free agent, and his track record with the Heat makes him an obvious fit to watch as Miami keeps sorting through its backcourt options. For the Lakers, it is another reminder of how quickly the league can circle back on a former rotation piece, especially one with veteran experience and a proven comfort level in South Florida. His next opportunity has not arrived yet, but the possibility of a reunion is out there. [Read more 🡒]
Clippers Trade Buzz Suddenly Involves A Lakers Need
Jonathan Kumingas decision to sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves leaves the Lakers back where they started in one important area: still hunting for a power forward who can help stabilize the front line. The free-agent route is now off the table, so attention has shifted toward the trade market, where the Lakers are being linked by insiders to names that fit the roster need and the teams broader search for balance.
P.J. Washington and Derrick Jones Jr. have both surfaced as possible targets, which says plenty about where this thing may be headed. The Lakers need more than a body at the four, they need a player who can hold up defensively and fit cleanly alongside their core, and that kind of fit usually comes at the cost of patience and a willingness to keep exploring the market. [Read more 🡒]