Even with Kobe Bryant's albatross of a contract hanging around their necks, the Lakers only have about $37 million in salaries committed for next season. (This figure rises to around $46 million if the team picks up the option on Jordan Hill's final year.)
With next season's salary cap estimated to be around $68 million, that's enough room to fit in a max contract and more, so money will be no object when the Lakers attempt to woo free agents this summer.
Let's take a look at who should be the top three entries on their big board.
No. 1: Kevin Love
When the Minnesota Timberwolves dealt Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers last offseason, nobody could envision Love bolting for L.A. just one year later.
After all, with LeBron James and Kyrie Irving alongside, Love and the Cavs were set up to preside over the meek Eastern Conference for the rest of the decade—and be in title contention every single year.
But all that optimism has started to unravel.
It feels like every day a new report, like the one from the New York Daily News' Frank Isola, breaks about the friction between Kevin Love and LeBron James in Cleveland's locker room. Every honest quote and innocuous Instagram photo is dissected for possible hidden meanings and antagonizing subtexts.
And above all, it feels like Love is just really bummed out to be doing what he's doing with the Cavs,
Here is a guy who put up a 26-13-4 nightly line just one season ago, just standing in the corner waiting for the ball to be swung his way just once every few possessions.
Chris Bosh embraced the role of third wheel with the Miami Heat, but it becomes clearer with every passing game that Love will never get there. Nobody could deny Bosh'...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
