Luka Doncic is "excited" about the Lakers' free agency moves, reports @DanWoikeSports
"His biggest desires for the roster were addressed: keeping Austin Reaves and getting an elite rim-protecting center in Walker Kessler."
Fans freaking out about Grimes making $15M/yr are hilarious.
That’s literally less than the Full MLE, & will continue to be less than the Full MLE as it continues to grow year by year.
We had GABE VINCENT on the Full MLE for 3 yrs. Get a grip.
A team has to be willing to pay a premium for a restricted free agent. Either by paying over market value or structuring a deal in a way a current team will have a hard time matching. Or, in the Lakers case with Walker Kessler, by giving up assets in a sign-and-trade to ensure a team doesn’t match.
Lakers order of operations:
$52+ million in cap space:
🏀Sign and trade for Walker Kessler (~$30.2 million)
🏀Sign Quentin Grimes (~$14 million)
🏀Sign Sandro Mamukelashvili (~$12.1 million)
$9.4 million room mid-level:
🏀Sign Collin Sexton
$14.1 million under the first apron.
BREAKING: The Los Angeles Lakers are acquiring Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz for unprotected first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and first-round swaps in 2028 and 2030, sources tell ESPN. Kessler will sign a massive four-year, $130 million deal with the Lakers.