Lakers Want To Sign Former NBA Champion, Not Giving Up: Report

Los Angeles Lakers were desperate to add Kawhi Leonard this offseason following the arrival of Anthony Davis via trade to join LeBron James. But the 2019 NBA champion left them hanging despite holding positive meetings to join city rivals Los Angeles Clippers on a three-year deal.

The Lakers wasted no time in filling their roster after losing out on Leonard and made some quality additions in Danny Green, DeMarcus Cousins, Avery Bradley and Rajon Rondo. They certainly have a better roster than last season and are the bookies’ second favorites to win the 2020 NBA championship.

However, they have left one roster spot open and according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Rob Pelinka is hoping to add Andre Iguodala, who he believes could be the “x-factor” the team needs as they look to challenge for the Larry O’Brien trophy next season. The shooting guard/small forward was traded by the Golden State Warriors to Memphis Grizzlies as part of the deal that saw D’Angelo Russell joint he Bay Area team from Brooklyn Nets.

The Grizzlies are open to trading Iguodala but only if they receive a good package that involves a future first-round draft pick. The Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers were interested but were unable to match the Memphis franchise’s demands and have thus gone quiet in their pursuit.

The other option for the three-time NBA champion and the Grizzlies is to complete a buyout of the final year of his contract, which will require Iguodala to give up a big chunk of his $17 million earnings for next season. The buyout will make him a free agent and allow him to join a team of his choosing and the Lakers are said to be among his preferences.

"There are no regrets about the way they pursued Kawhi Leonard," McMenamin said Tuesday on "SportsCenter”. "Now, they have a roster they feel happy about. They feel good about the way they were able to build post-Kawhi, getting Danny Green, getting a guy like DeMarcus Cousins, bringing back some continuity from last season, but leaving a roster spot open to potentially get Andre Iguodala if he is bought out of his $17.2 million deal."

"A 2015 Finals MVP, a guy who was repped by Lakers GM Rob Pelinka when he was an agent, and a guy who just as recently as Game 6 of the NBA Finals, dropped 22 points, almost bringing it back to Toronto. They feel like he could be an X-factor type of guy to add with the group they already have."