With the Los Angeles Lakers moving on from the NBA Draft and focusing their efforts towards free agency, the team’s front office have looked to add a quality big man to their frontcourt depth. Most of the top targets have been linked or expressed some form interest in joining with the Lakers with LaMarcus Aldridge and DeAndre Jordan already setting meetings with the team’s officials.
One free agent who won’t be meeting the Lakers however will be Marc Gasol. He also won’t be expected to meet with other teams besides the Memphis Grizzles, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein:
In the latest signal Marc Gasol is going nowhere in free agency, the Memphis Grizzlies center is scheduling no meetings with rival teams interested in him, according to league sources.
The report comes to no surprise as Gasol was expected to remain with the Grizzlies throughout the ordeal. In addition, it was extremely unlikely Gasol would’ve considered the Lakers after the way his older brother’s final years transpired in Los Angeles. Without Gasol in the fold, the Lakers as well as other NBA teams have shifted their focus to other players.
The Lakers are considered to be among the favorites in landing Aldridge. Team officials will meet with Aldridge as soon as free agency opens up Tuesday night and will be the first ones Aldridge hears pitches from. The Lakers are expected to offer Aldridge a max four-year, $80 million offer which some believe Aldridge to be leaning towards.
Following the meeting with Aldridge, the team will see Jordan on Wednesday and attempt to schedule others with Kevin Love and Greg Monroe.
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