Lakers Rumors: Breaking Down Buzz on Jeremy Lin, Amar'e Stoudemire and More

It's already been an interesting offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers. They started things off by drafting D'Angelo Russell with the second overall pick, which seemed to go against the conventional grain with Jahlil Okafor on the board. 

That offbeat trend has continued into the early free-agent period. The Lakers have tried to make a big splash but were spurned when LaMarcus Aldridge announced on Twitter he intends to sign with San Antonio, and ESPN's Marc Stein and Tim MacMahon reported DeAndre Jordan will sign with Dallas when the moratorium ends on July 9. 

As a result, the Lakers have been forced to look in different directions to fill out a roster for next season without committing big dollars for multiple years to players. It's not a bad strategy to take, though it's hardly the exciting splash fans in Los Angeles were hoping to see from this team coming off a 21-61 season.

Here's what the Lakers could be looking to do as the free-agent pool begins to fill up with the second- and third-tier players. 

A Jeremy Lin Reunion?

Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

The Lakers aren't hurting for guards—in volume, if not quality—but one option the team hasn't given up on is Jeremy Lin. 

Of course, Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News reported the Lakers are one of many teams showing interest in Lin:

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The Lakers expressed interest in retaining Lin after free agency began on Tuesday night, according to a league source familiar with the situation. Lin also fielded interest from several teams, including Dallas, Memphis, Indiana, Chicago, San Antonio and the Clippers, according to a league source. 

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Lin would seem to favor other teams over the Lakers after his one season in Los Angeles. The 26-year-old shot a respectable 36.9 percent from three-point range, but he drew the ire of head coach Byron Scott late in the season due to turnover problems. 

Looking at that list of potential landing spots for Lin, the Indiana Pacers would make a good fit because they are looking to play faster next season. They're poised to make a major investment to facilitate that, reportedly agreeing to a deal with Monta Ellis, according to ESPN's Chris Broussard.

Lin would make a capable backup at either guard spot for the Pacers. The Lakers' interest would seem to stem from the fact Lin isn't likely to cost much in terms of years or dollars. 

Amar'e Stoudemire, a Big Man Alternative

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

It's funny to look at how the Lakers have struggled to find big men this summer, knowing that Okafor was on the board for them in the draft. That's not to suggest Russell was a bad—or wrong—selection; it's just a sign of the ripple effect one choice can have on a franchise. 

The Lakers are taking steps to find a starting center, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports reported they are nearing a deal to acquire Roy Hibbert from the Pacers. 

Yet even if the Hibbert deal winds up going through, having alternative big-man options to choose from isn't a bad thing. 

B/R's Jared Zwerling reported the Lakers are one of a few teams with mutual interest in Amar'e Stoudemire:

That wouldn't be a bad option for the Lakers, as Stoudemire remains a superior offensive player to Hibbert:

Stoudemire	Stat	Hibbert
11.5	PPG	10.6
55.7	FG%	44.6
5.6	RPG	7.1
3.6	Win Shares	4.2

Hibbert's calling card is on defense, as he's been worth at least four win shares on that side of the ball each of the last four seasons, per Basketball-Reference.com. He's also more durable than the oft-injured Stoudemire, who hasn't played 70 games in a season since 2010-11. 

Even though it seems like the Lakers want to play more on the perimeter next season based on the addition of Russell and return of Kobe Bryant, it would benefit them to lure Stoudemire in as a backup center/power forward who can play down low when Hibbert isn't contributing on offense or Julius Randle needs to rest. 

Carlos Boozer Gets A Call

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

If all else fails for the Lakers, they can always return to a big man they have some history with, like Carlos Boozer. 

Medina reported the Lakers are on the list of teams that have shown an interest in signing Boozer.

"Among the teams that expressed interest in re-signing him included the Lakers, Clippers, San Antonio, Portland, Dallas, Houston, Boston, Washington and Miami, according to a league source familiar with the situation," Medina wrote. 

Medina also noted that the Lakers "did not express much interest" in bringing Boozer back after last season because of his erratic performance and the logjam they have developing in the frontcourt.

Yet that logjam isn't preventing the Lakers from having at least some degree of interest in Stoudemire, so why should Boozer be any different? At the very least, he's more durable than Stoudemire and can be counted on to play 70-plus games and score 10 points per game. 

The Lakers haven't fully embraced their need to rebuild yet—largely because of Bryant's bloated contract eating up $25 million in cap space next season—but the bones are in place, signing aging veterans who can mentor young guys and still play well enough to justify being on a roster. 

Boozer certainly falls into the latter category, so their renewed interest in him this summer makes sense. It's just up to the two sides to figure out if a reunion fits into what they expect for the 2015-16 season.