The LA Lakers may offer Jimmy Butler a max contract in free agency this summer and he will be a top free agent target for Los Angeles along with Kevin Love, Goran Dragic, Greg Monroe and Marc Gasol and this comes as Kobe Bryant is hoping to make one final run and Jeremy Lin could also return as a free agent for some bench depth.
The Lakers are planning to spend big in free agency and they are projected to have over $25 million in salary cap space to use. Butler is set to be a restricted free agent this summer after rejecting a contract extension from the Bulls and he is expected to get top dollar from whoever signs him. The Bulls have been vocal about saying they will match any offer for Butler, but if they get priced out, there is chance they could let him go.
Butler has emerged as one of the best young players in the league and it is 100 percent certain that he will get a max contract this year. According to Pro Basketball Talk, teams like the Knicks, Lakers, Spurs, Celtics and Rockets all have interest in Butler along with the Bulls, who obviously want to keep him. RealGM reports that the Lakers plan on offering a max contract to Butler and while the Bulls can give more money and years, Los Angeles thinks they can compete with the offer.
The report says that the Lakers are one of the many "expected suitors" for Butler and that the team could give him a max offer sheet. The San Antonio Spurs were mentioned as an option for Butler if Tim Duncan retires to free up cap space, while the Celtics also could make a move. Butler is expected to stay with the Bulls, but clearly the Lakers are interested.
As Pro Basketball Talk points out, the Lakers would be in a tough spot if the Bulls end up matching, as the offer would keep their cap space taken up until the deal is resolved. Either way, the Lakers are going to make a run at Butler, and if that doesn't work out they will likely go after the rest of the top free agents. Earlier in the offseason it was reported that the Lakers would go hardest after Dragic with a max contract, but that appears to be changing.
Dragic is going to hit the market, but reports have him likely staying with the Miami Heat after they traded for him this season. Dragic said that he likes Miami and the team also can give him the longest contract for the most money. If Dragic does stay with Miami, the Lakers likely will concentrate on Butler and Rajon Rondo, who will be a free agent after his trade to the Dallas Mavericks.
The Lakers have other players on the radar as well, including Gasol, Greg Monroe and LaMarcus Aldridge, while Kevin Love will be a target if he opts out of his contract in Cleveland. The Knicks, Lakers and Celtics are praying that Love hits the market, but right now with his shoulder injury and future up in the air, it looks like he will stay in Cleveland at least for the moment.
