EPSN wrote this column on their website. Read it carefully-
Sam Cassell is a free agent, coach Mike Dunleavy is entering the final year of his contract and long-suffering Clipper Brand-wagoners fear that Sam I Am won't be retained and/or that Dunleavy won't be extended. That would be problematic because Cassell and Dunleavy, along with Elton Brand, were widely regarded as the main catalysts in the Clippers' breakthrough season.
Adding to the Cassell intrigue is the Lakers' alleged interest. One theory reverberating in the Staples Center hallways suggests that the 36-year-old, if he receives no more than a one-year offer from the Clips, will spite them by signing a multiyear deal with the glamorous team in the building, even though the Lakers' starting price can't rise above $5 million mid-level. Lakers skeptics dismiss the viability of that theory, figuring that Cassell's camp wants that notion out there merely to put pressure on Clippers owner Donald T. Sterling.
My take? I don't think Cassell is kidding. Kobe Bryant and Sam I Am would be a rather nasty combination, and Phil Jackson is certainly lusting for some additional veteran know-how after Kobe's kids couldn't finish off Phoenix after taking a 3-1 series lead.
We've discussed previously that Stojakovic and best friend Vlade Divac would love to reunite in Los Angeles, with Divac now serving in the Lakers' front office, but that would require a sign-and-trade. If L.A. didn't have enough to tempt Indiana when Ron Artest was available, its chances of concocting a deal for the shooter Kobe so badly needs probably aren't worth discussing.
Ok now that you've read that let me give you my take. Another group of experts mentioned thes players that the Lakers are intrested in:
Al Harrington (yes really)
Vladimir Radmovic (Lakers are seriouly pursuing)
Bobby Jackson
Sam Cassell
Speedy Claxton
Marcus Banks (Agent said he has just as good of a chance to resign than anything else)
Peja Stojakovic (Proably the least likely, but who knows?)
The Lakers are most intrested in Banks, Radmonivic,and Cassell according to most papers and experts. The Lakers can proably only afford one of these guys unless a sign-in-trade occurs. This puts Chris Mihm, Brian Cook, Sasha Vujacic, Devean George, and future picks back on the block espically if we want Harrington.
Nazr Mohammed and Reggie Evans are both not on that list but appear to be headed to other teams anyways. If Reggie Evans and Mohammed sign what big man options that we can afford are left? What Do you think of these speculations?
