The Lakers are eyeing yet another free agent with the cap space they opened up. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the purple and gold are listed among several teams interested in signing Jimmy Butler when free agency officially begins tomorrow.
The Lakers are in the running for Butler. Among other suitors: his current team the Sixers, the Brooklyn Nets, Miami Heat, and Houston Rockets. Miami or Houston would have to acquire Butler via sign-and-trade.
Butler would be a great option if the Lakers fail to sign Kawhi Leonard. The eight-year veteran is one of the best two-way players in the NBA. He averaged 18.7 points per game, 5.3 rebound and 4 assists in 65 games this past season which he split between Minnesota and Philadelphia. Butler helped lead the Sixers to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. There, the Sixers lost to the eventual NBA champion Toronto Raptors in a thrilling 7 game series.
