How does L.A. fix what still ails it? This deal removes the largest expiring contract the Lakers could use in any future trade. Anything they do now would have to rely on aggregating multiple contracts that go beyond this season and, most likely, would carry negative value to receiving teams: Gabe Vincent, Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt. These three and Jalen Hood-Schifino’s expiring $3.9 million deal can mix to make $43.6 million in outbound wage and will take again roughly the identical quantity whereas preserving L.A. beneath the collective bargaining settlement’s second apron (keep in mind, the Lakers must backfill empty roster spots in a four-for-one or three-for-one commerce). That quantity is sufficient to match the salaries of a lot of the star gamers they’d be contemplating. Zach LaVine, as an example, makes $43 million; Anfernee Simons makes $25.9 million; LaMelo Ball (positive, let’s go there) makes $35.1 million; and De’Aaron Fox (what the heck, let’s go there, too) makes $34.5 million. -via New York Times / December 30, 2024
