If this wasn’t already obvious, the Lakers will need to throw some bodies overboard and may have to pay a team like the Pistons or Jazz with second-round picks to take them. Most simply, L.A. could drop Christian Wood and Cam Reddish off on another team’s doorstep, re-sign Taurean Prince for up to $5.5 million and have a 14-man roster that is right at the second apron. To get a player like DeMar DeRozan with the nontaxpayer midlevel exception, however, the Lakers would likely need to part with bigger contracts — think Gabe Vincent, Rui Hachimura and/or D’Angelo Russell. Max Christie’s new deal, occupying an estimated $7.2 million on their cap sheet, remains a thorn in the Lakers’ side in this respect. -via New York Times / July 3, 2024

Source: New York Times July 03, 2024 23:39 UTC