UPDATE (11:40 AM PST): The Los Angeles Lakers are finalizing a trade with the Houston Rockets for Jeremy Lin according to Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski:
Houston is finalizing a deal to send Jeremy Lin to the Lakers, league source tells Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 11, 2014
With LeBron James headed back to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Houston Rockets are now trying to clear cap space to sign his former teammate, Chris Bosh. According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Rockets are trying to trade Jeremy Lin’s expiring contract to the Los Angeles Lakers:
Sources say Houston Rockets trying to trade Jeremy Lin to the Los Angeles Lakers. Report now on @SportsCenter
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 11, 2014
Stein believes Lin being traded to the Lakers makes sense as it would not cut into any of their 2015 cap space:
Lakers would make sense as destination with cap space to take on Jeremy Lin's expiring contract & without cutting into any of 2015 cap space
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) July 11, 2014
With the latest rumor of Carmelo Anthony deciding between the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls, the Lakers are inching closer to moving forward with their Plan B. While Los Angeles will lose out on an All-Star, there are plenty of players available and Kobe Bryant seems confident.
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Although there will be uncertainty surrounding Pau Gasol’s decision to return, players like Greg Monroe, Trevor Ariza, Lance Stephenson, and Isaiah Thomas are still available despite it being 10 days into free agency.
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