The Los Angeles Lakers are in the thick of it when it comes to recruiting star free agent Kawhi Leonard.
However, that does not mean that they are not looking to add role players to their roster as well.
According to several different reports, the Lakers are targeting T.J. McConnell, Andre Iguodala, and Danny Green.
McConnell makes sense for the Lakers as he is a solid role player who can fill in at the point guard position and offers decent shooting from beyond the arc.
#Twolves are still kicking the tires on FA PG T.J. McConnell. As are the Sixers, Heat, Lakers, Grizzlies, Suns, Wizards, Pacers, others. Quality rotational guys are still out there to be had.
— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) July 1, 2019
The rumors regarding Iguodala came from a recent Stephen A. Smith Show radio broadcast. Based on the report, it seems like that move is quite close to a done deal.
“He has basically — according to sources — informed everybody he’s going to work out a buyout and then go to the Lakers,” Smith said.
“So Andre Iguodala is planning on joining the Lakers from what we’re being told. I don’t know how true that is, whether or not it is going to definitively happen.
“But that is the plan at this particular moment in time.”
Iguodala has of course spent the last several seasons with the Golden State Warriors. He’s a proven winner and while he is entering the twilight of his career, still shows flashes of his former ability when asked to do so.
As for Green, it is unclear how the Lakers will end with the sharpshooting veteran. If they do sign Leonard, it is likely that they won’t have the cap space to sign the veteran who earned $10 million over each of the past four seasons. If they don’t sign Leonard, it seems likely that Green, his longtime teammate, will follow him to whichever destination the 2019 Finals MVP chooses.
The only way that the Lakers will be able to add Green to their roster if they do acquire Leonard is if Green elects to take a significant pay cut in order to play for the presumed championship favorites.
Despite the multitude of moving pieces, it appears as though the two parties have indeed been in touch.
The Lakers have also been in touch with Danny Green’s camp, according to a source. Over the weekend @AndrewGreif reported they’ve spoken to the Clippers too. https://t.co/ESNsqHslXR
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) July 1, 2019
This is all to say that much of the Lakers’ offseason plans are still very much in flux. If one thing is certain it is that the coming days and weeks are going to be quite exciting as the Lakers seek to build the NBA’s latest superteam.
