The Lakers reportedly view their final open roster spot as a very important piece of their potential puzzle.
The Los Angeles Lakers made a splash in free agency, completing a major roster overhaul.
They currently have one open roster spot remaining, and they are not viewing it merely as a filler addition.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the Lakers see their final roster spot as a very important piece of their potential puzzle.
“There’s one empty roster spot remaining. They view this final spot as a very important piece to their potential puzzle,” McMenamin reported on ESPN’s NBA Today.
“They’re trying to pitch opportunity. You will come here, you’ll play on the biggest stage in basketball, and you may have to take a pay cut for a year or two, but you can get back into the big dollars,” he added.
Lakers eyeing Jonathan Kuminga
With the Lakers not expected to be done with their offseason moves, Jonathan Kuminga has emerged as a major target for the franchise.
Siegel said he believes Kuminga will eventually end up with the Lakers, despite the financial gap that still exists between the two sides.
“I think that’s a deal that we’ll see get done during Summer League,” he noted. “Obviously, you look at the Lakers’ financial situation right now, they’re not in a terrible spot, they’re not in a good spot. They do have room to sign Kuminga to the rumored deal out there at a $10 million-per-year type contract. I believe it’s 2 years at $20 million.
Jonathan Kuminga
Credit AP-Scanpix
“So, Kuminga and his camp obviously want to get more money. That was the thing with the Warriors; it’s been the thing again this offseason, where they want to lock him into a place that believes in him, and the Lakers do. But at $10 million, they feel like he’s a guy who should earn at least the full mid-level. Obviously, with the Lakers making the moves that they did, they don’t really have a path to doing that.
“So we’ll see what the Lakers do with Jarred Vanderbilt. He’s a contract that they could either look to waive and stretch, or a contract that they could look to offload with some of these second-round picks that they just got back.
“I don’t think that the Lakers are done yet. I do see them getting Jonathan Kuminga and getting that deal done. He’s a guy who would fit in well in a Luka Doncic-led offense.”
Lakers not pursuing DeRozan
Credit IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect – Scanpix
Recently waived star DeMar DeRozan has long been linked with a possible return to Los Angeles, with both the Lakers and Clippers often mentioned due to his Southern California background.
However, Siegel made it clear that the Lakers are not currently a team to watch in the DeRozan situation.
“DeMar DeRozan has been wanting to go back to Los Angeles, and there are two teams there, obviously, the Clippers and the Lakers. We can speak with certainty right now, the Clippers are not in the mix for DeMar DeRozan. They are not going to be actively pursuing him. They have their eyes on some other avenues, particularly in the restricted free agent field.
“And then the Los Angeles Lakers, they’re not a team that’s in the mix for DeMar DeRozan as well. It doesn’t fit their agenda of what they’re trying to build around Luka Doncic.”
Like what we are doing? Support us by becoming BN+ member.
