There has been no shortage of buzz this offseason when it comes to the Lakers, and while their big pieces are in place, that doesn't mean they're done dealing. We heard last week that Steve Blake and/or Chris Duhon may be available and then today from Mitch Kupchak that the team is not actively looking to move anyone. As we all wait patiently to see how their roster shakes out, let's round up some other notes out of the Staples Center:
- David Wharton of the L.A. Times profiles Lakers center Ronnie Aguilar, who is working hard in hopes of going from training camp longshot to backup center. As of three weeks ago, Aguilar's efforts were not going unnoticed, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo reported that Aguilar was a "dark horse candidate" to make the Lakers roster.
- Also from the L.A. Times, Mike Bresnahan writes that the Lakers have become an economic juggernaut. Bresnahan says that the team makes up to $90MM in ticket sales per year, and is in the first year of new television deal that pays them $120MM this year. While they owe $30MM in luxury tax and are projected to pay $49MM in revenue-sharing in 2013, the franchise seems to be in as good of financial shape as it's ever been.
- Living in constant fear of being shipped out of Los Angeles this offseason, Pau Gasol had to temper his excitement for playing with Steve Nash, writes Sean Deveney of Sporting News. While swapping out Andrew Bynum for Dwight Howard shouldn't majorly affect Gasol's game, no one should benefit from the existence of Nash more than the mid-range capable Spaniard.