NBA Rumors: Could Los Angeles Lakers pursue Lance Stephenson, Greg Monroe?
The Los Angeles Lakers will likely wait until the 2015 offseason to be major players in free agency.
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With Kobe Bryant’s massive contract and some others players, like Steve Nash, still on the books, the Lakers are probably best served waiting until next year when the likes of Minnesota Timberwolves’ power forward Kevin Love, Portland Trail Blazers’ power forward LaMarcus Aldridge and Memphis Grizzlies’ center Marc Gasol can all become free agents.
Larry Coon of Basketball Insiders does believe that Detroit Pistons’ power forward Greg Monroe, who will be a restricted free agent and Indiana Pacers’ guard Lance Stephenson, who will be an unrestricted free agent, could be the complimentary type of player(s) the Lakers would like to add this offseason.
"I think this year will be another transition year for the Lakers. I think they will get the rebuild process started by signing a nice complementary player (not their franchise player, but someone who will be a part of their core moving forward). Stevenson & Monroe are two candidates, but there are downsides to both. Stevenson is crazy, and Monroe will be restricted (meaning a team probably will have to overpay to pry him away from the Pistons)."
Stephenson averaged 13.8 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game this season while shooting 49.1% from the field, 35.2% from beyond the arc and 71.1% from the free throw line in the regular season. In the postseason, he put up 13.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. He shot 45.5% from the field, 35.8% from three and 71.4% from the charity stripe.
Monroe put up 15.2 points, 9.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 49.7% from the field and 65.7% from the free throw line last season.