On Sunday, the L.A. Lakers signed free
agent, Lou Williams, a 10 year Veteran
who last played for the Toronto Raptors
to a 3 year $21 million contract...this comes
after the Lakers traded for the Indiana
Pacers Roy Hibbert. Williams was 6th
man of the year last season after averaging
a career-high 15.5 points with the Raptors.
Williams has averaged 11.9 points and shot
34.1% from a 3-point range in his 10-year
NBA career, including stops with the Phila-
delphia 76'ers. (2005-12), Atlanta Hawks
(2012-14) and then the Raptors (2014-15).
Lakers also plan to sign, as free-agent,
forward Brandon Bass, adding to a bloated
front court that soon could dwindle to open
up cap space. Bass, a 10-year NBA veteran,
averaged 10.6 points and 4.9 rebounds in
92 games with the Boston Celtics last
season. Williams' deal has no player or
team options, according to a league source
familiar with his contract. But the teams of
Bass' deal were not immediately clear
since the move may require the Lakers
to trade players to free up cam space.
Candidates that include Nick Young, Ryan
Kelly and/or Robert Sacre. Those players
are the only ones with guaranteed con-
tracts for the 2015-16 season besides
Kobe Bryant, D'Angelo Russell, Julius
Randle, Jordan Clarkson and Larry
Nance, Jr. All players the Lakers have no
intentions of trading. The Lakers also have
a room exception worth $2.8 mil. The most
likeliest trade candidate appears to be
Young. He has 3 yr's. worth $16 mil.
left on his contract. The Lakers earlier had
visions of young fulfilling a role that Williams
excelled in last season. That dream un-
fortunately turned into a nightmare. Young
averaged 13.4 points on a career-low 36. %
shooting. He and Lakers Coach Byron
Scott clashed on issues surrounding his
inconsistency, his playing time and in
his playful personality. Young also
opened and ended the 2014-15 season
with right thumb and left knee injuries
that kept him out for a combined 40 games.
Regardless of how any of this plays out,
it will not erase the sting of another top
free-agent saying no thanks to the Lakers,
a disturbing trend for a franchise that
usually could have landed stars any
time it was asked. Sad but true so we
as fans must rally around our team
and hope for the best.
BABS WELLS
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