With just a week left before the NBA training camp officially opens, the Los Angeles Lakers is still busy looking for new players to fill in their injury-filled roster.
BREATHEcast reported that the team is talking with a few free agents over the last couple of weeks. Some of the names mentioned include veteran players Ronnie Price, Michael Beasley, and Wayne Ellington.
Other possible players who are being tapped to play for the Lakers include Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic.
In the latest development, the Lakers reportedly announced last Monday that they have managed to sign up veteran guard Ellington for the upcoming season.
Ellington has played for four different teams over the past five years that he spent with the league, including Minnesota Timberwolves, Memphis Grizzlies, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Dallas Mavericks. He has a career average of 6.4 points, 1.8 rebounds, as well as 1.0 assists.
On the other hand, the deal with Bledsoe may not push through.
Hoops Habit reported that Bledsoe had been offered a $63 million four-year deal by the Minnesota Timberwolves while his former team Phoenix Suns is also offering to sign him for another contract. Though Bledsoe still has to formally sign with any of these teams, it means that the Lakers is not included in his current option.
The Lakers had been plagued with injuries over the last decade. Key player Kobe Bryant is nursing a lateral tibial plateau fracture located on his left knee just months after injuring his Achilles tendon. Because of this, there is no assurance that the 2–time NBA Finals MVP can play the entire season.
Another Lakers gem was also injured this season. Steve Nash is experiencing chronic nerve damage in his hamstrings and back over the last season, forcing him to join the team for only 15 games.
At the moment, the Lakers have a total of 14 players listed for the training camp. If things go well, they can come up with a roster that could help increase their chances of performing better than the previous season.
