There are “strong” indications that the Lakers are trending toward a new two-year deal with free agent point guard D’Angelo Russell, reports Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. According to Fischer, that two-year contract could be worth in the neighborhood of $40MM in total, though the second season may be a team option or non-guaranteed.
While the Lakers have interest in re-signing both Dennis Schröder and Lonnie Walker, it’s unclear which one the club is prioritizing, Fischer writes. Schröder will likely require a raise that exceeds the Non-Bird exception, so if Los Angeles uses its mid-level exception on an outside free agent, the team may have to allot its bi-annual exception to him, Fischer explains. In that scenario, it’s unclear whether the team would have enough room to re-sign Walker to a market-value deal as well while remaining below a hard cap.
Another potential path would see L.A. splits its mid-level between Schröder and a frontcourt player such as Mason Plumlee, sources tell Yahoo Sports. If Schröder doesn’t end up back with the Lakers, a reunion with Bulls coach Billy Donovan in Chicago is possible, Fischer writes. Donovan previously coached the point guard in Oklahoma City.
Finally, Fischer is one of a handful of reporters who have linked free agent forward Cam Reddish to Los Angeles. The Lakers were said to have some trade interest in Reddish – a Klutch Sports client – during each of the past two seasons. He’d be a minimum-salary target, Fischer notes.
Here are a few more free agency rumors from around the Western Conference:
- Two forwards who had their team options declined by the Pelicans on Thursday figure to take very different paths this summer. According to Fischer, Herbert Jones will likely end up back in New Orleans on a four-year deal worth a little more than $50MM, which would presumably be his Early Bird maximum. Willy Hernangomez, on the other hand, is considered a good bet to accept a lucrative offer from a EuroLeague team rather than seeking another minimum-salary NBA deal, Fischer reports.
- The Suns intend to bring back several of their own free agents, including Torrey Craig, Damion Lee, Jock Landale, and Josh Okogie, according to Fischer, who says agent big man Drew Eubanks is another strong candidate to end up in Phoenix. Fischer is also the latest reporter to link Yuta Watanabe and Mike James to the Suns.
- The Lakers and Warriors are among the teams eyeing free agent guard Shake Milton, per Fischer. Free agent forward Dario Saric has also received “strong” interest from Golden State, sources tell Yahoo Sports.
Just No to Cam Reddish
They can get up to 7.8 on Lonnie naturally , I think the moneys enough (AAV) but does he really wanna get buried on this roster full of players that all kinda/can play the same position as he?
Idk feels like even if he had to take a TPMLE (5 mill/small paycut) it might be more lucrative long term for his wallet as he needs to fully break out soon to get the bag. Have a bad feeling Dennis gets plucked as well from a different team with soem exception money and increased promised role
Does Herb have any Boozer in him?
Phoenix Suns definitely need to bring there guys back that are of quality like Jock Landale Torrey Craig Josh Okogie and Damion Lee.
Oh yea, there’s even a reasonable argument they should overpay them a little on purpose to be able to trade/match at the next trade deadline. OFC Ishiba has to be down w that but I think he is …They gotta keep Bis Imo too, that team needs some Grit
I like Saric on the Warriors. Fills the need for a backup center. He can shoot the 3. His familiarity with Paul should help with the transition.
Saric would be godsend. He’s like Bjelica except he’s better.
I get the idea with Saric, but the Warriors need some more athleticism on their roster. Get Mo Bamba; he won’t need much mentoring, can already shoot, defend, and grab boards, and gives them the size needed in the West. Saric is good, but he’s more of a PF than a true Center. He can also give you more minutes than Saric, who is still recovering from that ACL tear.
Saric is a better basketball player than Bamba. It should be obvious by now to fans that the Warriors do not value size/athleticism over guys who know how to play their style of basketball.
@ike I am confused. Size and athleticism don’t always go together. You say Saric is better than Bamba. So, they should go after Saric like they trying to do.
Saric is a more experienced basketball player, but he’s also recovering from an ACL tear, and doesn’t have the defensive ability like Bamba does because of that. Bamba is younger, healthier, and has similar offensive capabilities but better rebounding. It’s one thing to say that the Warriors don’t value athleticism, but that’s not true; they just don’t value it over the team fit. Else Draymond would never have been so integral to their system. But Bamba fits just fine.
I’m not sure how the salaries work in the NBA. But, how much of his contract would GS be on the hook for?
Depends on when they grab him. If it’s after he clears waivers, then they just sign him, probably for the minimum. I don’t think they can grab him off waivers, but it’s assumed he’ll clear them because teams don’t think he’s worth the full 10 million.
Saric, on the other hand, probably signs for more than the minimum.
Saric yes – if no one else will come, but Shake Milton absolutely NOT. Why can’t GSW ever target guards who are OVER 6’5″ for once!?? You have Moses Moody for this role, stop blocking him!!!
@EaonADS if they were competent they would get both Bamba and Saric. If its even possible they should get JaVale McGee too.
Herb Jones got some really nice defense!!!! He guards 4 positions. Just need to continue to get better as a three point shooter!!!
I really like Shake Milton and think he’s a guy that just needs a change of scenery.
Los Angeles Lakers got a whole lot of decisions to make this offseason. I think they will bring a lot of their guys back and try to sign two new free agents.
I like bamba for the warriors as well, but saric can likely be had for the vet min, bamba will cost more
Really sounds like a great fit. Rebounds and threes. He’d probably fit great with Draymond.
LAL priorities should go Reaves (EBR), Rui (BR), UFA (MLE), DS (NBR/BAE/MLE) and Walker (NBR), and only then DLO (BR).
They can reasonably do all except the Walker part which is a shame bc I really like him. Debatable if he’d even want to come back tho as pt is crunched and he really needs to make his mark soon to get payed
I love the rumor D/Lo for 1/20 with a non guaranteed 2nd year/team option. Being able to leverage the flexibility for maybe a couple extra mill this year is good spending power. Getting a yr 2 option is just gravy. There just isnt many other options for PG this year- DS on the bn is a luxury but probably a ding in the starting lineup.
That’s still too much for DLo… But the Lakers hands are tied… can’t just let that much of the salary cap walk…
GSW has
Steph
Klay
Paul
Moody
Payton II
If you can’t split 96 minutes between those guys, you suck at your job. For the love of god stop targeting small guards and instead go for size or else Lebron and AD will just cook you again.
I think Klay Thompson and Gary Payton play a lot of small forward in the Warriors lineups. You’ll often see two guards out there with Thompson and Payton.
Anthony Davis is Pretty Tough, not sure there’s any one guy outside of Draymond Green who can guard him pretty well. Plus out of those five or eight guys in the NBA, who’s available for the Warriors at a minimum contract?
If you sign a guy with size Davis just takes him outside and blows by him with a dribble or shoots a three. Not so easily addressed.., he’s going to get his 35 and you stop the rest of them.
Come to think of it Moody plays a lot of small forward also so your two lead ball handlers are Curry and Chris Paul. That’s why they’re more than likely to keep Ty Jerome on the team especially since both main guys miss quite a bit of time and you can count on Jerome for minimal turnovers and mistakes.