For months we’ve heard NBA rumors suggesting the Los Angeles Lakers have their eyes on Jimmy Butler of the Chicago Bulls. But the swingman won’t come cheaply, so are the Los Angeles Lakers really ready to open their wallet for a non-franchise player?
Perhaps.
That’s the word from RealGM who says the Lakers are interesting in giving Jimmy Butler a max-contract in NBA free agency in effort to steal him from the Bulls.
Outside of Chicago, teams are already preparing possible maximum-salary offer sheets for Butler in free agency, including the Los Angeles Lakers as one of several expected suitors, league sources told RealGM. Even Butler’s college area connection, the Milwaukee Bucks, will have cap space in July. Around the league, there’s a question: How will Chicago handle the inevitable max out of a star player not named Derrick Rose?
There are always outlandish Lakers rumors out there this time of the year and while this might not fall into the crazy category, you do have to wonder if the Lakers would really eat up a large portion of their money on a player like Jimmy Butler.
That’s not to say he isn’t deserving of such money, but few places – even with an aging Kobe Bryant – are more attractive from a free agent standpoint than playing in Southern California. Granted, the Lakers sub par record the past few years isn’t exactly going to charm anybody but would you rather play in Los Angeles or Milwaukee if you were a free agent?
