With one more day awaiting before free agency begins, the Lakers made one move that frees up cap space to pursue a coveted star.
The Lakers declined to pick up a $9 million team option to retain Jordan Hill for the 2015-16 season, according to league sources familiar with the situation. The Lakers have leaned that way for numerous reasons since the 2014-15 season ended.
First, the Lakers will prioritize targeting front-court players in free agency, including Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge, Memphis’ Marc Gasol, the Clippers’ DeAndre Jordan, Cleveland’s Kevin Love and Detroit’s Greg Monroe. Hill’s departure gives the Lakers about $23 million in spending power to fill out their roster.