Step #2: Sign 3 talented vets on one-year “prove it” contracts, but don’t actually give them a chance to “prove it.”
- JaVale McGee: He’s averaging 17 minutes per game over the last 15 contests.
JaVale began the season as the Lakers starting center and he led the league in blocks through the first portion of the season. As the season has worn on, JaVale’s gone from a fringe Defensive Player of the Year contender to being replaced in the starting lineup by 21-year-old Ivica Zubac.
I bet after the first 20 or so games, JaVale started to think that at least a couple of teams were going to offer him a $15 million a year or more deal next season, but now it looks like he’ll probably have to settle for another minimum contract. That’s rough!
- Michael Beasley: He’s averaging 13 minutes per game over the last 15 contests.
Beasley started the season basically not playing because his mother was sick with cancer. Unfortunately, his mom passed about a month ago and I’m sure Beasley’s wanted to get some decent playing time now that he can focus on basketball again. He hasn’t gotten the minutes he’s wanted and there’s a chance he won’t be in the NBA next year. That’s rough!
- Lance Stephenson: He’s averaging 18 minutes per game over the last 15 contests.
After LeBron went down with his groin injury it seemed like Lance would get a lot more minutes because he plays small forward, the same position LeBron plays. That hasn’t been the case, though. Since James suffered his injury, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been the player who has seen his minutes go up the most.
Lance has been a perfect citizen for the Lakers and he’s played well. It’s hard to know why he’s not seeing more action, but he’s probably only going to get offered a minimum contract next year just like JaVale. That’s rough!
I’m sure the Lakers signed these three vets to one-year deals with the promise that they’d get enough minutes to earn themselves bigger and longer contracts next year, but that hasn’t been the case.
Making matters even worse, the Lakers front office has made it abundantly clear that they have no interest in signing Beasley, Lance, or McGee next year and they’ve even offered Beasley and Lance in trade packages.
Is it any wonder that “some of the Lakers veterans” got into a locker room spat with Luke a few days ago? It’s like the Lakers are running a university course on how to kill the spirit of a hard-working NBA veteran. The Lakers have treated these guys so badly I’m surprised they are still giving even 50% effort on the court at this point.