The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t land Goran Dragic at the trade deadline but they still have the best chance of signing him this offseason.
The Goran Dragic trade drama ended before the deadline passed on Thursday but he didn’t land on the Los Angeles Lakers like so many predicted he would. There was a push from the Lakers to possibly try and put together trade package that might land them the coveted guard but nothing materialized.
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Even though Dragic is in Miami with the Heat for the rest of the season, he’s only under contract for the rest of this year. Once the Heat are done with postseason play, Dragic will be a free agent, unless the team can re-sign him. But Dragic has shown no interest in signing with a team before testing free agent waters.
According to a report, it appears that Goran Dragic still wants to play for the Los Angeles Lakers despite the fact he was traded to the Miami Heat this week.
"A person familiar with Dragic’s thinking said he “loves the opportunity” to join the Lakers and sees them as a “perfect fit” when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. But the Heat can sign Dragic a five-year deal worth up to $100 million, while other teams can offer up to a four-year deal worth $80 million.A person familiar with Dragic’s thinking said he “loves the opportunity” to join the Lakers and sees them as a “perfect fit” when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer. But the Heat can sign Dragic a five-year deal worth up to $100 million, while other teams can offer up to a four-year deal worth $80 million."
Miami was seen as a destination for Dragic earlier this week when free agency was still the main discussion. But now that the Suns have dumped Dragic on the Heat — a very preferable situation for the guard — he will have the remainder of the season to sort things out and figure out where he wants to end up.
The Heat are getting a nice little test run with Dragic, which is something the Lakers can’t use as leverage. But Dragic wants to play in Los Angeles, which may be all the leverage the Lakers end up needing in the end.
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