Jordan Farmar wants to re-sign with the Lakers when he becomes a free agent this summer, and the Lakers would like to accommodate him, reports Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. A reunion isn’t a slam-dunk, Medina cautions, writing that much depends on other players the Lakers target and the offers that the Southern California native receives on the market. Still, the Tony Dutt client tells Medina that he’s optimistic about his chances to remain with the Lakers for years to come.
Farmar could have earned a combined $10MM for this season and next had he remained under contract with a Turkish team last summer, but he says he doesn’t regret his decision to leave that club and instead sign with the Lakers for the minimum salary, Medina notes. The point guard inked a three-year, $12MM deal with the Nets in 2010, but it’s doubtful he’d approach such numbers this time around after missing half of this season with two left hamstring tears and a strained right groin. Farmar is averaging 10.4 points, 4.7 assists and 2.2 turnovers in 21.9 minutes per contest.
The 27-year-old felt constrained in Phil Jackson‘s offense in his first stint with the Lakers from 2006 to 2010, and he’s a fan of embattled coach Mike D’Antoni‘s go-go attack, Medina writes. Farmar is one of 10 Lakers with expiring contracts, so there figures to be plenty of shuffling this summer for GM Mitch Kupchak and company. The Lakers can clear significant cap space, but if they use it up, they have Farmar’s Non-Bird rights, allowing them to exceed the cap with a deal worth 120% of his salary this season, slightly more than he’d make on a minimum-salary contract next year. He doesn’t appear to be one of the team’s first offseason priorities, but it looks like the Lakers wouldn’t mind bringing him back if the opportunity presents itself.