NBA Rumors: Los Angeles Lakers to pursue Eric Bledsoe, Kyle Lowry & Lance Stephenson?
The Los Angeles Lakers have traditionally been very busy in the offseason, acquiring players through trades of through free agency.
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After losing center Dwight Howard to the Houston Rockets last season, the Lakers went through a terrible season, finishing with a record of 27-55. Although the Lakers may better served saving their cap space for next year, there are several free agents that could immediately help the Lakers return to the postseason. A few of those players are Toronto Raptors’ point guard Kyle Lowry, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent and Phoenix Suns’ guard Eric Bledsoe and Indiana Pacers’ guard Lance Stephenson, who will both be restricted free agents.
Jabari Davis of Basketball Insiders believes the Lakers would choose former Kentucky Wildcats’ forward Julius Randle over former Oklahoma State Cowboys’ point guard Marcus Smart if both are available when the Lakers’ seventh-overall pick comes up because they could make at Bledsoe, Lowry and Stephenson.
"Hey Randy, thanks for you submission this week. That could very well be the decision the Lakers are faced with come June 26. If both are there, I think I would still go with Randle, as I would actually make a run at Bledsoe/Lowry/Stephenson at the right price to settle the PG issue. I like Smart more than others, but I just think Randle is ready to contribute or at least closer to being ready at this point."
Lowry put up 17.9 points, 7.4 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game last season while Bledsoe averaged 17.7 points, 5.5 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game and Stephenson went for 13.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.