The Los Angeles hope to be big players in free agency this offseason. If Channing Frye is still with the team, he is willing to help recruit.
After a big trade with the Cleveland Cavaliers at the trade deadline, the Los Angeles Lakers were able to create the cap space they needed to pursue two max free agents. This has been a goal of the Lakers, and they were able to accomplish it.
In that trade with the Cavaliers, the Lakers were able to get two veterans in Isaiah Thomas and Channing Frye in return. While their futures with the team is uncertain, Frye certainly seems to be willing to help the Lakers recruit these free agents.
Like all teams, the Lakers will likely have signing LeBron James as their top priority. As teammates with LeBron in Cleveland, Frye’s input on Los Angeles is certainly valuable. Recently, Frye talked with Bill Oram of the Southern California News Group about being willing to help recruit free agents. Here’s what he had to say.
"With just 12 games remaining in the regular season, Frye said he wants to see where he “could fit in for the future.” If it’s with the Lakers, he also can envision himself serving as a bit of a matchmaker.“I think a lot of vets are going to ask me how it is,” Frye said. “They’re going to ask I.T. (Isaiah Thomas) how it is.”And yes, if his former teammate James is the target, Frye will happily make a phone call."
With the Lakers, Frye has unfortunately not played much due to having his appendix removed just before the All-Star break. While Frye is no longer the player he once was, being a veteran on a young team like the Lakers certainly has value.
On Thursday night, Frye is expected to return for the Lakers against the New Orleans Pelicans. Due to the injuries that the Lakers have been dealing with recently, getting a healthy body will be welcomed. Frye can still give the Lakers some minutes off the bench and stretch the floor from the forward position in the next 12 games. Since he is a free agent at the end of the season, the final games of the season are an audition for Frye with the Lakers.
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While the offseason is still a few months away, it is good to see that Frye would be willing to help the Lakers out. When it comes to recruiting a great player like James, he is certainly going to want as much information as possible on the Lakers if he is going to make a major switch.