The Los Angeles Lakers have yet to sign a player in NBA free agency. The team was able to get their first-round draft picks Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, and Kyle Kuzma to ink their rookie deals earlier this week, but haven’t brought in any veteran free agents.
That may soon change with the team’s front office expected to meet on Wednesday to talk about the possibility of signing players like Dion Waiters and Rajon Rondo, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne:
From the dominoes waiting to fall department: Knicks continue to speak with Dion Waiters. Lakers meeting tomorrow on Waiters/Rondo etc
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 4, 2017
At this point, it is uncertain how highly they value either player. The expectation is that whoever they sign this summer in free agency will have to agree to a one-year deal or two-year deal with the second year being a team option. This way the Lakers can preserve cap space to go after big-name players like LeBron James and Paul George next summer which they fully intend to do.
Along with Waiters and Rondo being possibilities for the Lakers, Jamal Crawford was reportedly traded to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal and is rumored to have an interest in joining the franchise. Crawford is said to want to play alongside Ball in the Lakers backcourt and that may be an intriguing option for Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka.
Although the Lakers won’t be signing any game-changing talent this summer, the team does have some viable options to immediately make the team better while also providing mentors for the young players in Los Angeles.
With Gordon Hayward agreeing to terms with the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, free agents around the league may start to agree to new contracts quickly with the biggest name on the open market now off the table.
