Coming into the off-season, it seemed likely that the Los Angeles Lakers would look to trade Nick Young. After a down year in which he disagreed with head coach Byron, it made sense that the Lakers would look to move him. The Lakers signing Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams made it seem more likely that Young was on his way out of town.
The Lakers were unable to find a taker for Young and after a recent meeting with general manager Mitch Kupchak, Young apparently feels comfortable that he will be on the Lakers roster at the start of the season according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News:
It is not entirely clear what Young and Kupchak addressed in their meeting. It is typical for Kupchak to meet with players to discuss both professional and private issues. But the conversation at least left Young feeling comfortable enough that he will enter the 2015-16 season on the Lakers’ roster, according to a source familiar with his thinking.
At this stage, the Lakers probably need to keep Young around as they are extremely thin at the small forward position. Kobe Bryant looks like the starting small forward right now and the only other player who could play the position besides Young is rookie Anthony Brown.
Kupchak has spoken about what Young needs to do to earn consistent minutes and he will likely get the chance to prove it in training camp. If he fails to do so, however, the Lakers will likely explore the possibility of moving him again closer to the trade deadline.
