With free agency on the horizon, the rumors are ramping up. Sources are all over the place, but the real fun starts at 12:01 a.m. ET.
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The Lakers will be actively trying to pursue free agents to come to Los Angeles and they need a lot of help. They need to fill the small forward and center positions, but they only have the cap space for one max contract.
The fans want LaMarcus Aldridge, but the Spurs could be tough to beat in the free agency battle. The Lakers must be prepared for any scenario and have back-up plans in place. Mitch Kupchak can shift the focus to wing players, where they will have a couple of good option to choose from.
The Lakers have their eyes on one particular wing that was playing in the NBA Finals. According to Chris Broussard of ESPN, the Lakers are one of the teams interested in Iman Shumpert:
Sources: Lakers, Mavericks & Bucks interested in @I_Am_Iman (Shumpert). FYI: @KingJames is a big fan of Shump & his defense.
— Chris Broussard (@Chris_Broussard) June 30, 2015
Shumpert is known as an athletic defensive specialist, which is something the Lakers lack. Offensively, he needs some work, but can shoot the three at a somewhat decent percentage. At 6-foot-5, Shumpert doesn’t have the best size, but his athleticism makes up for it.
The guard out of Georgia Tech got his first taste of the NBA Finals playing alongside LeBron James. They were close to winning the title, but injuries derailed them and the Warriors were simply the better team. As Broussard points out, LeBron wants Shumpert back, so the Lakers would have to lure him with a bigger contract if they want to sign him.