While the Lakers have been focused on their meeting with Dwight Howard, they placed phone calls with several perimeter shooters in an effort to adapt to head coach Mike D’Antoni’s system.
Players like Francisco Garcia, Chase Budinger and Nick Young have been mentioned as possible free agents, but it sounds like they’ve already made an offer to one free agent.
Jared Zwerling of ESPN.com was the first to report the Lakers have made an “exploratory” offer to a Knicks free agent:
League source: The Lakers have made an exploratory offer to Chris Copeland, but no signing. Cope’s camp will await further offers & #Knicks.
— Jared Zwerling (@JaredZwerling) July 2, 2013
The Lakers did reach out to Copeland when free agency started, while the Knicks have reportedly not reached out to him since the end of the season.
Much like Earl Clark in LA, Copeland was a mid-season sensation and averaged 8.7 points and 2.1 rebounds in only 56 games last season.
The 29-year-old is only in his second season and it remains to be seen what kind of money he’ll receive after the Bulls signed established veteran Mike Dunleavy to a two-year $6 million contract.
It remains to be seen how the Lakers strategy will change once they know Howard’s decision, but they’ve been very aggressive with free agents and that’s likely to continue.
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In case you missed it, be sure to check out our NBA Free Agency Day 1 Roundup.
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