True, it's not as simple as that, and replacing a 26-year-old who's already a journeyman with a 27-year-old who's been to the last three NBA All-Star Games is still something of a pipe dream for the Los Angeles Lakers.
But, if there's anything GM Mitch Kupchak has demonstrated in the time since he took over for Jerry West, it's that where there's a will, there's a way.
Or, in this case, where there's a D-Will.
Sessions' decision not to exercise the player option on his contract, as reported by Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times, hardly comes as a surprise. His agent, Jared Karnes, made it clear that his client is in the market for a long-term pact:
“Ramon has carefully considered this decision. He had to make a career decision and ultimately decided to do what was best in providing stability and longevity for him in the NBA, and this could only be achieved through a multi-year contract.”
Not that Sessions is necessarily trying to dig for gold outside of L.A., much to the chagrin of those who saw him tank in the playoffs. As he told the Times during his exit interview in April:
“I want to be here. I don’t know what that means or how that’s going to happen. It ain’t no secret. I’ll tell anybody that. I tell Mitch Kupchak. I tell my agent. I want to be here. Period. For a long time.”
Whether that means the Lakers want him to be there is another story.
The team owns Sessions' Bird Rights but would likely have to pony up another $5-6 million per year (if not considerably more) to keep him around. That would thrust the the Lakers even deeper into luxury-tax territory, which they've been trying desperately to pull themselves out of in anticipation of the new collective bargaining agreement rules kicking in.
Like, say, when the Lakers sent Lama...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
