After striking out on a number of elite players during last summer's free-agency and the recent trading period, the Los Angeles Lakers aren't going anywhere as far as attracting superstars is concerned.
With Kevin Love still struggling to fit in with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Rajon Rondo still uncomfortable with the Dallas Mavericks, all eyes will be on the Lakers to make a hard push for these incoming free-agents this July.
Trying to recover from back-to-back postseason absence, general manager Mitch Kupchack is hell-bent to exhaust all options available in order to form a competitive team next season.
The Lakers will be armed with at least $25 million cap space or more depending on their decision Jordan Hill's team options worth $9M for next season. Then again, this cap space won't hold much value if they aren't able to attract their target free-agents.
Of course, there are plenty of free-agents up for grabs this coming summer. In fact, the free-agency class of 2015 will be as loaded as the previous year with Marc Gasol, LaMarcus Aldridge, Reggie Jackson, Kevin Love and Rajon Rondo all hitting the market at the end of regular-season. Among these players, Rondo and Love stand out as the most desired players for the purple-and-gold.
Several months ago, the Lakers thought their chance in nabbing Love already closed after the Cleveland Cavaliers made a powerplay to acquire the All-Star power forward in an offseason blockbuster trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, Love hasn't been the force he was known during his time with the Wolves, largely because of his diminishing role in the Cavs' star-studded lineup, which also features four-time NBA MVP LeBron James and three-time All-Star guard Kyrie Irving.
Like Love, Rondo hasn't much success with his new team, the Dallas Mavericks. In an attempt to bolster their backcourt, the Mavs traded their precious draft pick and several young players, Brendan Wright and Joe Crowder, to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Rondo, who's playing the final year of his contract. Regardless of the risk they made, the Mavs remain hopeful Rondo will help them win their second championship this season. Unfortunately, Rondo are still struggling to get on the same page with the Mavs coaching staff, creating friction with head coach Rick Carlisle.
Once considered off the market, Love and Rondo are now viewed hot commodities teams can buy this summer with a irresistible package of a max contract ($20M+ per year) and the much coveted role of a franchise player, according to NBA insider Amin Elhassan of ESPN.
Without a doubt, the Lakers are up there along with big market teams (New York Knicks, Boston Celtics, and Miami Heat) in the hierarchy of free-agents destinations in July.
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