Lakers Free-Agency Rumors (Photo : REUTERS)
The Los Angeles Lakers are supposed to be capped out by now after trading for Roy Hibbert and agreeing with both Lou Williams and Brandon Bass to a deal. Eric Pincus of Basketball Insider suggested the Lakers can still create enough cap space to make a run at several players available on the free-agency market by unloading players.
In his latest article on Basketball Insiders, Pincus provided the cap room status of all 30 NBA teams.
While most of the big spenders this free-agency season had already exhausted their cap room, they can still make moves by using their mid-level or trade exceptions. If they don't have these loopholes, a team might as well unload a player through a salary dump trade or use the stretch provision to create more room.
According to Pincus, the Lakers are likely to trade some of its players to eke out just enough room in signing another free-agent. Pincus and Yahoo Sports NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski believed Nick Young is a strong candidate to be moved as he has been on the trading block since at the end of the regular-season.
It's unclear how the Lakers would dispatch Young's contract ($5MM per year over next three seasons), but unloading him would create a cap room estimated at $2.5 million to $3 million, which is enough money to sign the likes of Gerald Green, Michael Beasley or veteran Tayshaun Prince.
"By $67.1 million cap, overspent by $1.2 million. If cap climbs to $69.1 million, numbers work - otherwise Lakers can manipulate system to get out of Roy Hibbert's trade bonus, or look to cut/trade other players to open up more cap room," according to Pincus.
After missing out on elite free-agents, the Lakers recovered quite well by fortifying their frontline with the acquisition of Hibbert (trade) and Bass (free-agency) and adding firepower to their backcourt with Williams (free-agency).
However, the Lakers still don't have a big swingman on their roster following the departure of Wes Johnson to free-agency. Green, who averaged 11.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per game, can bring in athleticism and outside shooting (35 percent shooting from 3-point line) to any team on a cheap price. On the other hand, Beasley (8.8 points and 3.7 rebounds in 21 minutes per game) could be another option, especially after showing maturity in his third stint with the Heat last season.
