The LA Lakers are expected to be active in free agency this summer and players like LaMarcus Aldridge, Rajon Rondo, Jimmy Butler, Goran Dragic, DeAndre Jordan, Brook Lopez, Omer Asik, and Paul Millsap are potential free agent targets and this comes as players like DeMarcus Cousins, Eric Bledsoe and Roy Hibbert could be targets for trade deals.
The Lakers are coming into the offseason with cap flexibility and according to the LA Times, the team could potentially have over $20 million in cap space to use. Eric Pincus writes at the Times that depending on what the team does with Robert Sacre, Jordan Hill and Ed Davis, the team could have $44 million in cap space to use on free agents. The team already made one major move this offseason by getting D'Angelo Russell in the draft and now they may focus on the front court in free agency.
The Lakers had the choice between Russell and Jahlil Okafor at number two and they went after the Ohio State point guard over the Duke big man. Many scouts feel that Russell has the chance to be a star in the NBA, but he may need some time to develop due to his young age. The Lakers have needs all over the place and heading into free agency the team has Jordan Clarkson, Kobe Bryant, Ryan Kelly, Nick Young and Julius Randle as the main players on the roster.
According to Marc Stein at ESPN, the Lakers and Kings discussed a deal for Demarcus Cousins heading into the NBA draft, but the sides did not come close to pulling it off. The framework for the trade had the Lakers giving up a combination of Clarkson, Randle and a draft pick for Cousins, but now that the draft is over, the deal is not likely to happen. The team likely will not be interested in giving up Russell and the Kings are reportedly considering keeping Cousins.
The Phoenix Suns offer Eric Bledsoe in a trade to the Knicks before the draft, according to Sean Deveney of the Sporting News, and the team will continue shopping Bledsoe this summer. The Lakers could be an option for Bledsoe, but the team likely will focus more on a big man in free agency. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers could have $22 million in cap space depending on what happens with Hill, who has a team option, and Robert Sacre, who has a non-guaranteed deal.
The LA Times speculates that LaMarcus Aldridge and DeAndre Jordan ae potential targets for the Lakers, as they can offer four year deals to those players in free agency. Aldridge is expected to leave Portland, while other free agent options include Paul Millsap, Greg Monroe, Brook Lopez and Omer Asik. The Times also writes that Roy Hibbert could be a potential trade target, as he has a $15 million contract for next season and that would be in the range of some of those free agents. The Cousins deal remains an option but it looking unlikely.
