There may finally be an answer—sort of. According to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, Young considers the Lakers to be his “first choice” and also seems willing to accept some type of hometown discount:
It depends how much the discount is. But as a player, everyone wants a place they feel comfortable at. I feel comfortable in L.A. But I can’t keep taking these discounts. I need a raise a little bit. But if it’s for the right cost and they’re bringing in players and I fit into the rotation, then I’ll probably take a pay cut.
A pay cut from what? Young is planning on opting out of his player’s option of $1,227,985 when free agency officially starts in order to seek more money, not less. Does he mean a cut from a previous salary or simply a lesser amount that he feels he deserves?
And just exactly how does his agent, Mark Bartelstein, feel about negotiating downward through the media, before the process even begins?
When not undercutting his representation’s position, Young has been having a perfectly lovely summer vacation—hanging out in Cabo, Mexico, and celebrating the birthday of girlfriend Iggy Azalea. His next stop, according to Medina, will be London, where “Swaggy P” will try his hand at modeling in a fashion show.
Young was one of the few bright spots in a miserable Lakers season, coming off the bench as a sixth man and lighting up the scoreboard. And while not exactly known for being a lockdown stopper on the other end of the court, he at least showed a willingness that has sometimes gone missing over a career defined by minimalist defending and maximalist scoring.
NBA free agency is just like any other fre...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
