NBA free agency has, for the most part, finished up. A majority of the money has been spent, players have found their homes for next season and teams like the Los Angeles Lakers are at their roster limits.
Trades are likely to dominate the rest of the offseason. But there remain a few well-regarded free agents on the board, including former Toronto Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr.
Trent was, at one time, seen as a very coveted piece. And although he is no longer viewed in quite that way, he is still someone that can improve a team with his scoring and shooting ability. The Lakers appear to be a team potentially interested in him, but they would need to clear salary space under the second apron if they want to even be in the running to afford him.
And they may have some stiff competition, as several contenders — including teams like the Milwaukee Bucks — are in the market for his services, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic:
Milwaukee is also among several contenders pursuing the top free agent remaining, Gary Trent Jr., league sources said. Trent, the 25-year-old who averaged 13.7 points on 39.3 percent 3-point shooting for Toronto last season, is taking a patient approach to find the best opportunity for his seventh NBA campaign. The Raptors never made an offer for Trent to return this offseason, clearing the way for him to seek a new home. As the league’s harsher salary-cap rules with the second apron take an increasing effect, the landscape has left talented players such as Trent on the market because some franchises with salary-cap space are electing to use the room in ways other than free agency.
At this point of the offseason, Trent is likely to get somewhere in the ballpark of a team’s taxpayer mid-level exception. Most of the league’s contenders only have that chip to play, and with the Raptors and Trent preparing to part ways, there is little leverage for him to get more elsewhere.
Getting Trent at the mid-level exception would be a bargain. The new and harsh salary cap rules have lowered his market from a possible full non-taxpayer mid-level exception player to this. So if the Lakers want to get involved, they should have the means to do so. But the Bucks, for the time being, may appear to be the frontrunners.
Lakers receive NBA Cup grouping
The Lakers will be looking to repeat as In-Season Tournament champions in 2024 and the beginning of that road is now known as the groups for the Emirates NBA Cup were revealed with L.A. landing in West Group B along with Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz and San Antonio Spurs.
It’s a similar group to last year as the Lakers were also with the Suns and Jazz in 2023. It may be more of a challenge to run the table this time around, however, with the Thunder having arguably the best roster in the West and the Spurs no longer being a pushover.
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