General manager Mitch Kupchak and the front office continue to rebuild and at least put up the appearance of an organization learning from its mistakes of the Dwight Howard era.
It shouldn't shock, then, that the team's name continues to come up in chatter surrounding a major free agent, with other whispers suggesting the front office might get crazy with the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NBA draft.
That's one way for an organization to grab the headlines, right? Below, let's round up the latest to keep up, because it's sure not to remain the "latest" for long when it comes to the Lakers.
L.A.'s LaMarcus Aldridge Chances
This won't come as a shock to anyone: The Lakers would love to ink LaMarcus Aldridge to a contract.
Nobody official from the organization needs to say it, either. Aldridge is one of the best players in the league, is 29 years old and just averaged 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 1.0 blocks on a 22.85 player efficiency rating, per ESPN.com.
Any team not wanting to sign Aldridge with it sounding like his leaving the Portland Trail Blazers will happen needs to admit the tank job is on in full force.
Los Angeles would want him, of course, to pair next to last year's top-five selection Julius Randle. It's a formidable hypothetical front, and it even opens things up for the team early on in the draft.
One problem—when dollar signs are involved, even the Lakers can lose. Bleacher Report's Ric Bucher provides some context:
The Lakers and Knicks are not considered viable options, league sources said, because Aldridge isn't likely to sacrifice $27 million—the difference between a max five-year deal with the Blazers and a four-year deal with anyone else—to join ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
