Although the Lakers were eventually upstaged on Wednesday by the stunning Jaylen Brown trade agreement between the Celtics and Sixers, Los Angeles’ flurry of free agent deals looked like the NBA’s biggest story of the day for much of July 1.
In the span of 35 minutes, the team went from having upwards of $50MM in cap room available to using all of that space – along with its $9.4MM room exception – to secure commitments from Walker Kessler, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, and Collin Sexton.
Although the brunt of their offseason work appears to be done, the Lakers continue to keep an eye out for a young wing who could help improve their perimeter defense, league sources tell Dan Woike of The Athletic. One potential target receiving “significant” consideration, Woike reports, is 23-year-old forward Jonathan Kuminga.
Having used all its cap space and its room exception, Los Angeles will only have access to the minimum salary exception. In order to give Kuminga – or any other free agent – more than the veteran’s minimum, L.A. would need to work out a sign-and-trade deal with the player’s former team. A player acquired via sign-and-trade must sign for at least three years, though only the first season needs to be fully guaranteed.
We have more on the Lakers:
- Describing Kessler as “a player (Luka) Doncic wanted at center most of all,” Woike cites a team source who says the Lakers believe that the former Jazz center fits “perfectly” alongside guards Doncic and Austin Reaves. Los Angeles will pay a steep price to acquire Kessler, sending two first-round picks and two pick swaps to Utah in the sign-and-trade deal.
- Lakers head coach JJ Redick has long been a fan of Grimes, team and league sources tell Woike, who says the team’s four-year, $60MM deal for the former Sixer is a bet on his ability to make an impact on both ends of the floor.
- All indications are that the divorce between LeBron James and the Lakers has gone about as smoothly as possible for a split of this nature between a superstar and a team. Woike hears from sources that James and Doncic had no personal issues with each other and that they bonded over their newfound love of golf, while Khobi Price of the California Post notes (via Twitter) that Doncic posted an Instagram story calling it an honor to “play with and learn from” the four-time MVP. LeBron also responded to the Lakers’ statement calling him a “cherished part of the Lakers family” with an equally flattering message (Twitter link). “No, THANK YOU!,” James wrote. “Truly an honor to wear the (purple and gold) while trying to continuing the greatness and legacies that came before me! Hope I made a few proud during my stint.”