NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates
More than 24 hours into free agency, armed with LeBron James’ willingness to take less than a maximum salary should the Lakers find worthy use for their midlevel exception, and the team has yet to make any moves of note.
While the Lakers did agree to re-sign Max Christie ahead of the opening of free agency, when teams can negotiate with players from other teams, the Lakers’ roster crunch and salary-cap situation have kept them from making any moves.
The Lakers’ pursuit of Klay Thompson ended Monday with the four-time NBA champion leaving Golden State to accept a sign-and-trade deal with the Dallas Mavericks.
The team’s next step could be to pursue free-agent wing DeMar DeRozan, an elite midrange scorer and playmaker without the qualities as a point-of-attack defender and three-point shooter that made Thompson the Lakers’ priority. It’s unclear how serious interest would be from either side.
The Mavericks reportedly agreed to a contract with Thompson for three years and $50 million. And while some people with secondhand knowledge of the negotiations between the Lakers and Thompson believe he was offered more years and more money by the Lakers, the team would’ve needed to execute a sign-and-trade deal to create that space. If not, the most the Lakers could’ve offered him was the full midlevel exception, which could be for four years beginning with a starting salary of $12.8 million — provided James’ next contract with the Lakers allows for them to use that exception.
If the Lakers are unable to make meaningful moves with that exception, James is expected to sign for the maximum.
Read more: Lakers re-sign Max Christie as free agency period begins
In Dallas, Thompson will be the starting small forward next to Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving for a team that played in the NBA Finals last season.
Thompson, who turned 34 in February, played 77 games for Golden State last season, averaging 17.9 points while shooting 38.7% from three-point range. It was his second full season after sitting out two-plus years because of a knee injury and a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Thompson grew up a Lakers fan and a Kobe Bryant…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/no-klay-l-lakers-next-233255031.html
Author : LA Times
Publish date : 2024-07-01 23:32:55
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
