Since free agency began on July 1, the Los Angeles Lakers have reached out to numerous players including LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and most of their players from this past season.
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While there are reports the Oklahoma City Thunder are the front runner for Pau Gasol, there is belief he will stay if the Lakers sign Carmelo Anthony according to Los Angeles Times’ Mike Bresnahan:
If Anthony eventually chooses the Lakers, they feel they have a good chance of bringing Gasol back.
“If the Lakers get Carmelo, Pau will stay,” said a person familiar with Gasol’s thinking.
With the Lakers meeting with Anthony on Thursday, the team is “laser-focused” on persuading the All-Star forward to join Kobe Bryant and hopefully Gasol to form a strong trio of their own. While it is unknown if Bryant will be part of the pitch meeting, Jeanie Buss will be joining her brother and general manager Mitch Kupchak.
After the worst season in franchise history, the Lakers are looking to quickly rebuild and have taken the first step by selecting Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson in the NBA Draft. With ample cap space, the team has pursued numerous players, but appear focused on re-signing Gasol and bringing Anthony to Los Angeles.
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