Restricted Free Agents
With the date teams can officially sign players quickly approaching (July 10), the next biggest target for the Lakers after free agency ends will be the restricted free agents. As of now, none of them have been formally offered a contract aside from Avery Bradley, which is quite odd. Topping the list includes Eric Bledsoe, Monroe, and Thomas. The Lakers have shown interest in all three, with Gordon Hayward and Chandler Parsons also on the list.
For the Lakers, Thomas is the most likely option. With the Kings seemingly moving on without the point guard, Thomas has made public his admiration of the Lakers’ franchise. Given a fair offer, Thomas would likely sign an offer sheet that the Kings would not match, which is reportedly in the $8-9 million range.
Bledsoe and Monroe will certainly command much bigger contracts, likely max deals. For Bledsoe, the Phoenix Suns are expected to match any deal. Monroe and the Pistons, however, seem to not be on quite the same page, regardless of what Stan Van Gundy has said. While it’ll take a max deal, Monroe could be had for roughly $16, a steep asking price for a young player like Monroe. However, without Melo, the Lakers could be left without many options.
Likely signings: Thomas, Monroe