As free agency nears, the Lakers may avoid signing players to contracts that extend past 2017/18 for fear of eating into potential Paul George cap space, Justin J. Page of ESPN writes. The club is currently expected to have $18MM to work with this summer and potentially over $40MM next summer, depending on the status of Julius Randle.
Considering that the key here would be to retain flexibility to make a move for George when he officially hits free agency in 2018, the Lakers could zero in on players with one-year deals when the 2017 free agency period begins next week. Los Angeles could justifiably overpay for players in 2017/18 so long as they come with team options for anything beyond that.
Page also writes that fans can expect the franchise to continue shedding as much salary as possible, the primary target being Luol Deng and the $54MM remaining over the course of the last three years of his deal.
There’s more out of the Pacific Division:
- The Clippers ended up agreeing to pay $2MM for the Bucks draft pick that turned into Sindarius Thornwell at No. 48, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets.
- Shortly after trading the No. 2 pick of the 2015 draft, Magic Johnson called to question D’Angelo Russell‘s leadership abilities. Per Baxter Holmes of ESPN, when Johnson introduced rookie Lonzo Ball at the Lakers’ practice facility, he implied that the team needed a leader and somebody that other players want to play with.
- After finding a seemingly impeccable fit with the Warriors, JaVale McGee is eager to remain in the Bay Area, Scott Reiss of KTVU tweets.
- As speculation mounts that LeBron James could be targeting a move to Los Angeles next summer, the battle between the Lakers and Clippers gains momentum. Mark Heisler of the Los Angeles Daily News points out that the potential pursuit of James may see L.A. legends Magic Johnson and Jerry West squaring off.
$40m not going to be enough for both George and LeBron or Westbrook and George. Unless a big discount is in play. Big DISCOUNT
Yes, but keep in mind that they are likely to trade Clarkson before then (either for an expiring contract this year or for no salary coming back), and they can stretch Deng if they can’t find a taker for him. Those 2 moves right there (trading JC and stretching Deng) would clear up another $24MM or so in space. Also, they do have a decision to make regarding Randle. Though he only makes about $4.5MM this year, his cap hold for next summer as a restricted free agent is about $12MM. It’s possible that they could have to move him too.
This is why trading randle and clarkson for George makes a lot of sense. I wish they would have accepted the lakers offer before the draft.
So the Pacers can be the current Lakers? No thanks! Cap space is too valuable to take on bad contracts for mediocre players.
Pacers dont need Randle they got Leaf
The Pacers dont need Randle.
Well they are about to get nothing in return for George so they better act quick. The pacers have no leverage. Once George announced his attentions the pacers lost everything.
The Pacers will be fine, have you not seen TJ Leaf? He’s a beast.
TJ Leaf a “Beast” ? I live in LA & saw him play about 30 times. If he has a great point guard like he did at UCLA, he can have a nice career…but please!! H will get pushed around the NBA for the next 2-3 years with his slight body.
Thats what they used to say about Klay.
exactly how gud do they expect LeBron to be in 2 more years?? to old to be franchise changing after 2 more years… he and melo are the same age… if melo is old then do is he…
Lebron is washed, Melo will last another 3-4 years because he does not depend on athleticism to score. Lebron just bullies his way through traffic and can’t even blow by a defender like Kawhi without a pick.
Nobody blows by kawhi so there’s that
lebron is washed lol how do you figure? 30-8-8 in the finals man thats production of a washed up player lmao.
He got alot of his points in garbage time like he did in 2014.
Troll.
Kawhi beat him, Kawhi is better then Lebron.
Trollololololololol. Or just dumb.
Or maybe you are just a Lebron fan, Kawhi already beat Lebron, he actually embarassed him 2014 and had to leave the game cause of cramps lmaooooo.
I agree about Melo, he’ll age like a fine wine. He can just pop jumpers until he retires, a la Paul Pierce but actually good.
Exactly. Westbrook and George would be great but man $60m+
I think Jerry will get George in a Clipper uniform. Lebron lovers no you will not get George and he would not be enough to beat GS, the sooner you guys find out Lebron is the problem in Cleveland the quicker you will succeed. Lebron is a coach killer and wants an organization he can have control of everything, not going to happen in LA with Magic there.
Disagree
Sure you are a Lebron fan.
I disagree because whether you want to accept it, the Clippers are the other child in LA. First off, I love the logo, but an 80 year old man isn’t gonna sway PG13. Second, it’s the Clippers man. It would be like saying you wanted to be a Yankee and ending up with the Mets. But even that’s giving the Clippers too much credit as the Mets have actually won and played for a couple other championships
Agree Magic let the kids grow.
People around the country with no idea of the LA basketball landscape, think Paul George will want to play for the Clippers because its in LA. Paul George is a Laker fan, Laker fans hate nothing more than the clippers, their owner, their fans, they’re logo, the fact that they play at the staples center… get it? They have about 20,000 fans in this area of over 10 million. 10k of those fans go to every game ( but don’t put on their clipper gear till inside) the other 10K in the arena root for the other team. Paul George ain’t playing for the Clippers.
@dionis – James was just player of the month, the Cavs have only been good when he’s present, and he hasn’t even started declining. James is either the best or close to it.
It doesn’t take fandom to see the obvious; It takes hatery to deny it. Your other choices are stupidity and/or trollery.
that’s were magic messed up… he gave away Russell wen he could have traded him and got PG-13 this year instead of trading him 4 nothing like the pacers about to do
They made the trade to offload a horrid contract. Lopez is actually worth a decent amount of what he’s making.
Spot on; then Magic needlessly throws Russell under the bus.
Russell in the gym right now, he’ll make the Lakers pay for moving him. Crazy cause Mitch put the franchise in his hands and Lakers got desperate, although Lonzo will also be a great player I like Russell as a scorer and deadly shooter. Hopefully Marks does a good job spending money this summer to field out a competitive roster Russell could probably lead.
Lol D’Angelo is in the gym but it’s sadly in a spectators seat. Come on I think DLo will have a good year as the Nets focal point, but the guy never has been a gym rat. Honestly I think his approach to the game is what got him traded. You can have all the talent in the world but it doesn’t make you a leader
Alright go ahead and doubt the man and watch him shine.
The pacers didn’t want Russell! Even the
Lottery teams passed on him!
Its not that they didnt want him, Kevin is mo
Kevin is not going to just make a lop sided trade. Russell will be an all-star in 2 years, his 3 point shot is lethal and he plays with a controlled pace. In Brooklyn he can start with a clean slate.
That trade the lakers made with the nets was offered to the Pacers, they said no. So the lakers moved on, in a roundabout way that trade with the nets allows them to sign Paul George. (I’m sure your aware of Lopez’s contract) The pacers have already seen the best offers they could get for George, they should have accepted one. Now they’ll end up trading him for less or losing him for nothing.
@dionis ur absolutely correct
I know I am :)
Randle Deng and a future 1st. If the Cavs Nuggets deal doesn’t happen. All u have is holding out for a Nerlens Noel type of deal at the deadline. Who’s giving up assets when he’s in LA in a few months from when you trade for him.
Lakers should just let the kids grow!
George is not a sure thing? Let the kids
Mature, hopefully get some shooters.