The Lakers came away with nothing at the trade deadline and now they are left with the NBA Draft and the off-season to try and improve this ball club. The Laker fan base is growing impatient, not only are the Lakers losing on the court, but they haven’t been making the necessary moves to get better.
Losing out on Goran Dragic was disappointing, but general manager Mitch Kupchak is confident they will be able to rebuild through the draft and this off-season as well. Well, it looks like the Lakers might still have a shot at landing Dragic. According to Mark Medina of the LA Daily News, Dragic is still considering signing with the Lakers in the off-season:
"A person familiar with Dragic’s thinking said he “loves the opportunity” to join the Lakers and sees them as a “perfect fit” when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. But the Heat can sign Dragic a five-year deal worth up to $100 million, while other teams can offer up to a four-year deal worth $80 million."
Dragic was a member of the All-NBA Third team least season, so he can play, but is he worth $80 million? The Lakers need a lot of help this off-season and giving a max contract to Dragic could prevent them from attracting other free agents.
Dragic would fit perfectly with the Lakers, his fiesty demeanor on the court would go really well with Kobe Bryant, but are the Lakers willing to go over the cap? They could add a couple of really good players through free agency and not put all of their eggs in one basket.
The fact that Dragic is still considering the Lakers is a good thing, but with Jordan Clarkson improving with every passing day, giving $20 million for four years to a soon to be 29 year old point guard seems like a bad idea.