The Lakers are waiving guard Shake Milton, per Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Milton’s $3MM salary for the 2025/26 season would have become guaranteed if he had remained under contract through Sunday. Charania notes that L.A. is carving out room below the first tax apron for forthcoming new addition Marcus Smart.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), the move now puts Los Angeles $3.9MM below the league’s first luxury tax apron. Another transaction will be necessary in order for the team to sign Smart to a deal worth the full bi-annual exception ($5.1MM).
Los Angeles recently picked up its club option on the $2.3MM contract of young, defense-first guard Jordan Goodwin, but only $25K of Goodwin’s salary is guaranteed as of now. He’s the only other Laker on a non-guaranteed deal, so he would likely be the odd man out unless the club trades or waives-and-stretches a player with a guaranteed salary.
Milton was a minimal contributor to head coach JJ Redick‘s rotation after being acquired as part of L.A.’s midseason trade for Dorian Finney-Smith.
Across 30 contests after being traded to Los Angeles, the 6’5″ SMU alum averaged 3.9 PPG, 1.8 RPG, and 1.3 APG in 11.5 MPG. The 28-year-old wasn’t in Redick’s rotation in the postseason, appearing in just two games for 2.0 MPG.
The Lakers don’t have to make a decision on Goodwin till January. Salary rules come into play at the end of the season. So,Lakers don’t have to decide now. Hopefully, the Lakers can keep Goodwin by making a trade.
Goodwin is a very good on ball defender. He is a very good disrupter overall on defense. Great rebounder, especially on offense for a guard. And he shot 39% from 3 last year, and was very good from the 3 as well. Great low price rotational player and on-ball defender that the Lakers sorely need.
I think you are wrong, no?
While tax is evaluated at the end of the season, they are hard capped at the first apron.
You need to always stay below that apron…
He is absolutely wrong. They can’t use the MLE to sign Marcus Smart if they are over the 1st apron, because you become hard capped. So they have to dump another salary to create enough space to sign him.
Yes plus M Smart brings all that and vet experience.
A player who figures to be part of rotation.
Don’t worry Shake, they will resign you around 5pm local time today; the only catch is you’ll be bought out tomorrow at noon!
Only way they would re-sign Shake Milton is on a two-way contract, which he can qualify for.
Also Goodwin would qualify for a two-way contract, but I guess he wants more money.
I wonder if other teams can pick him up on waivers with that low amount guaranteed? Or would his salary become fully guaranteed if they pick him up on waivers?
It’s a bit ridiculous that for 300.000 dollars, they need to waive a player to accomodate Smart.
Was that last bit of money really that important to him?
Milton is not eligible for a two-way, my bad.
They absolutely cannot sign an NBA 8-year veteran to a two-way contract. Man, you Lakers fans are absolutely delusional. The rules still apply to your team, even if the NBA always helps send hall of famers your way for free.
At the beginning of the offseason the Lakers should have done a three team trade where they sent Vincent and Knecht out. The wolves get Knecht and send Nikeil Alexander-Walker (sign and trade) to the Lakers and a second round round pick to a third team like the Nets or Wizards to take on Vincent, and maybe $2.5M cash from the Lakers. Or the third team got Knecht and Vincent and sent two second round picks to the Wolves to trade NAW to the Lakers. The wolves would have needed extra compensation to send NAW to the Lakers than the Hawks.
Smart’s signing makes up for missing out on NAW to a degree. Obviously, better to get NAW long term for $14M a year, though.
Sexton went for a 2nd rd pick
Imagine trading kleber and Vincent w a 2nd for sexton and the 3 m savings while gaining a roster spot
That’s the move we missed out on Imo
Ida even prolly gambled and knocked off the top 4 protection to seal the deal w Utah on the 27 pick
Could have still added smart and have a roster spot open for a Love ( or other ). 4/5 rn ….. or hold Goodwin and be a little guard heavy
The Lakers need Kleber this season. In 2023-24, when Luka took the Mavs to the finals, the Mavs were closing games with Kleber on the floor. The Mavs had the best plus/minus with Kleber in the rotation. He is a great defender in the 4/5. Much much better than Love at this point. Don’t focus on his stats, it’s all about his defense and he is a decent 3 point threat for a big man at 35%.
That’s why in the playoffs Redick chose to bring Kleber off the bench, even though he hadn’t played in months with injury, then trust anyone else on the Lakers bench. And that’s why losing Maxi to injury in the 2024 playoffs hurt them a lot on the finals.
The lakers should get rid of Vando and Vincent. For every positive thing Vando does on defense, he does two dumb things. Stupid fouls, turnovers, etc. and on offense he is completely worthless where teams stay off of him to double other players.
Agree on Vando but nobodies touching that contract currently
We haven’t had a bn Scoring G since early Clarkson
That really improve the bn scoring which was a huge problem all last year
That’s pre inj Kleber , I don’t think we can assume he will get back to that point this year
*Clear space under the first apron, not clear **cap space.
I find it a bit ridiculous that they need to clear 300.000 dollars more to accomodate Smart.
Was that last bit of money really that important to him? Accepting a bit less allowed the Lakers to have an extra player on the roster that could be useful in trades as they can decide on the amount for salary matching…
I have them needing 1.2 more mill to net a 15 th player on min
Currently 3.9 in tank
Cut Goodwin 2.3 makes it 6.2
Smart comes in at 5.1
1.1 left with. 14 players
15 th player costs 2.3 vet min
They are 1.2 short by my math …. Correct me if I’m wrong anyone ….