Recent Lakers rumors are that executives believe Jimmy Butler will go to the Los Angeles Lakers.
With the NBA Playoffs right around the corner, recent Lakers rumors have been about their offseason plans. The Lakers might have had a disappointing season, but they are still in a great position to succeed next season with cap space, LeBron James, and their young core.
The goal for the Lakers has always been to pair another star with James after they signed him this summer. However, they were unsuccessful in trying to trade for Kawhi Leonard over the summer and Anthony Davis during the season.
Even though not being able to trade for those players might have stung, the Lakers still have the cap space to spend this summer. In a free agency class that looks very strong, the Lakers should be able to land themselves a second All-Star.
Recently, Howard Beck of Bleacher Report wrote about the Lakers being a strong possibility for Jimmy Butler according to league executives.
"Rival executives will tell you, without hesitation, that Durant is bound for the Knicks; that Irving is likely to join him; that Leonard likes the Clippers; that Butler might choose the Lakers—unless he chooses the Nets."
Seeing some of the bigger fish like Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, and Kyrie Irving going elsewhere according to these executives might not be ideal, but Butler is still a very good player. For the Lakers, the second star has to be someone that can play alongside James. This is something that some players might struggle with, but Butler shouldn’t
Butler is a very good two-way player, who can both play with or without the basketball and have success. This would be appealing for the Lakers, who have players like LeBron, Lonzo Ball, and Brandon Ingram, who need the ball in their hands.
On the defensive end of the court, Butler is very strong and would help the Lakers a lot on that end of the court. With his ability to guard and play multiple positions, there is a lot to like about Butler. However, there are some concerns that come with Butler, and that might result in the Lakers being hesitant to offer him a max deal.
As the summer approaches, it will be interesting to see all of the rumors about the Lakers. They will certainly be trying hard to add a star, but who that star is will still be a big question mark for a few months.