With 2019 NBA free agency officially underway via meetings between players and teams and reported contract offers on the horizon, the Los Angeles Lakers appear to have the bulk of their attention on Kawhi Leonard.
If they are unsuccessful in signing the two-time Finals MVP, it’s believed the Lakers would attempt to pivot to Kyrie Irving. Should the Lakers fail to sign either Leonard or Irving, they may elect to break up their salary cap space amongst multiple players.
In that event, D’Angelo Russell has been among those linked to the Lakers. While Los Angeles has reported interest in a reunion, it doesn’t appear it would come by way of a max-contract offer.
Russell could potentially receive that from the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are focused on signing the 23-year-old, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times:
The Lakers' interest in D'Angelo Russell is undeniable, league sources say, but Minnesota has made the All-Star guard its top priority in free agency knowing that the Nets mere hours away from the momentous addition of Kyrie Irving
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 30, 2019
Russell averaged 21.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 7.0 assists in his first All-Star season. He set career highs in points per game and assists, and tied his best mark for assists.
Although the Nets extended a qualifying offer to Russell to make him a restricted free agent, his future may very well be tied to Irving’s. Brooklyn’s reported interest in Irving and a potential second max free agent has been one of the league’s worst-kept secrets.
As Kevin Durant is announcing his decision tonight, the Nets are trying to sign DeAndre Jordan to lure him away from the Golden State Warriors, according to Stein:
The Nets will have a formal commitment from Kyrie Irving at their practice facility in two hours, league sources say, and — as @NYTSports reported Monday — have been aggressively pursuing a Kyrie/Kevin Durant/DeAndre Jordan trio in hopes of luring Durant away from Golden State
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 30, 2019
While the Nets have salary cap space to sign Irving outright, they would need to renounce the rights to Russell, making him an unrestricted free agent, in order to pair him with Kevin Durant or another All-Star player.
In any event, Russell could very well be on his way out even if the Nets are only to sign Irving as they may be pursuing a sign-and-trade with the Boston Celtics and Charlotte Hornets.
From the Lakers’ perspective, they presumably are unlikely to possibly present Russell with a contract offer until Irving, Leonard and perhaps Jimmy Butler have made their respective decisions.