The Los Angeles Lakers have been a given a shot in the arm after receiving its second medical disabled player exceptions of the season as the league officially confirmed that Steve Nash will miss the 2014-15 NBA season due to a back injury, as reported by ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst on Tuesday.
“The Lakers have been awarded a $4.85 million disabled player exception for Steve Nash according to a league source,” according to Windhorst.
They Lakers already received a $1.5 million disabled player exception following a season-ending leg injury to rookie Julius Randle in opening night, but the latest medical player exceptions would allow the team to acquire a mid-level salary player either via free-agency signing or trade.
The Lakers have already worked out several free-agents (Gal Mekel, Tyrus Thomas, Quincy Miller and Jordan Hamilton) for the past few weeks and even entertained talks with Earl Clark for a potential reunion, but the team hasn’t made any decision yet.
“Over the past several weeks, the Lakers have looked into available wing talent that features Quincy Miller. The Lakers came out of last week’s free agency workouts without delivering a deal, and while no deal has been reached yet with Clark, they are expected to have an elevated urgency due to the recent season-ending injury to Xavier Henry,” as reported by Real GM correspondent Sharms Charania.
There are also speculations that the Lakers could move Steve Nash’s expiring contract to a salary cap-strapped team that needs to unload burdensome deals. Moreover, incoming free-agents like Greg Monroe of the Detroit Pistons and Gerald Green of the Phoenix Suns can still be had with a right mix of trade packages.
After striking out on elite free-agents last summer, the Lakers were expected to miss the postseason for the second consecutive year. However, their miserable 3-11 record (worst in franchise’s history) to start the season is simply incomprehensible to most analysts and NBA followers. The Lakers have until March 10 to use the medical players exeption.
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