Not only did the Los Angeles Lakers make a splash with the acquisition of Anthony Davis but they also managed to clear some much-needed cap space going into free agency.
With Davis waiving his $4 million trade kicker and the move to send Moritz Wagner, Isaac Bonga, and Jemerrio Jones to the Washington Wizards, the Lakers now have more room to work with heading into June 30. The question now remains whether to go after a third All-Star player or divvy up the money to bring in some solid role players.
Los Angeles has been tied to nearly every notable free agency set to hit the market. It appears three more can now be added to that list.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Lakers have their eye on Danny Green, Terrence Ross, Seth Curry, and their very own Kentavious Caldwell-Pope:
The Lakers are expected to pursue several scenarios in free agency, including Brooklyn Nets point guard D’Angelo Russell — who is a restricted free agent — and Toronto Raptors star Kawhi Leonard, league sources said. If the Lakers decide to break up the money, they’re interested in several combinations of players, including Toronto’s Danny Green, Orlando Magic guard Terrence Ross, Portland Trail Blazers guard Seth Curry, free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and several other free agents with strong shooting ability.
Zach Lowe of ESPN also shared they could also be looking for players in the $10 million range:
They also have begun discussing players expected to fetch somewhere in that $10 million-plus range, sources say.
Los Angeles raised plenty of questions with the roster they assembled last offseason when they seemingly focused on acquiring playmakers as opposed to shooters. It is safe to say they will not be making that mistake again.
Caldwell-Pope’s tenure in Los Angeles could either serve to improve or harm his chances with them in free agency. Although they are well aware that he fits the mold of what they are looking for, they may be hoping one of these other players could provide them with more bang for their buck.
Green is coming off a stellar year with the Toronto Raptors that saw him shoot for a career-high 45.% from the three-point line en route to winning his second championship. Meanwhile, Curry made a name for himself with his marvelous performance throughout the Portland Trail Blazers’ impressive playoff run during the 2018-19 NBA season.