Lakers Rumors: Latest Buzz on Dion Waiters, Jamal Crawford and More

A tidal wave of buzz surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers just got a green light.

With Gordon Hayward leaving the Utah Jazz for the Boston Celtics, reported by Chris Haynes of ESPN and confirmed by the man himself in The Players' Tribune, the rest of the free-agent market unfreezes.

The incoming wave figures to help the Lakers get active in one way or another.

Other than the D'Angelo Russell trade and an apparent interest in Andre Iguodala, reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Lakers have been rather quiet. But with Hayward out of the way and the rest of the market free to pick and choose, the Lakers won't simply be a leverage point for free agents like Iggy.

Here's a look at the latest.

Dion Waiters Update

John Amis/Associated Press

Lakers fans wouldn't have predicted Dion Waiters as one of the team's big targets in free agency this summer.

Alas, Waiters shed his bust label in 2016 with the Miami Heat, finally breaking through to average 15.8 points, 4.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game on 42.4 percent shooting at 25 years old.

The outburst has rebuilding teams like the Lakers paying attention. Magic Johnson and the front office scheduled a meet with Waiters recently, according to Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders.

More recently, ESPN.com's Ramona Shelburne followed by noting the Lakers have competition from at least the New York Knicks:

The Lakers obviously want to be conservative with cap space right now while eyeing major names in free agency in 2018. But it's hard to ignore a player like Waiters, especially if the team can get him on a one-year deal with an option for a second.

Under such a structure, the Lakers could keep Waiters around for a second year if he proves 2016 wasn't a fluke. From there, Waiters himself wins big because he can pursue a gigantic payday at 27 years old if everything works out.

Either way, Waiters is the upside-minded sort of player the Lakers will clearly seek out to stick with the current plan. It'd be disappointing to see the Lakers miss out on him, but it's at least a reaffirmation of the plan.

Nick Young's Market

Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

It's odd—especially for Lakers fans—to think Nick Young would create a bidding war in 2017.

As some with the nickname Swaggy P might say, what a time to be alive.

Young, 32, rehabbed his image slightly last season after years of odd play with the Lakers, shooting 43.0 percent from the floor and 40.4 from deep en route to 13.2 points per game.

Perhaps viewed as a bargain, the bounce-back campaign and affordable potential cost might explain why Sam Amick of USA Today noted several teams might enter the fray:

Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News followed by revealing one of the major players:

That's a wide range of possible outcomes for a veteran with an up-and-down stigma attached to him over the years. It's also rather fitting, though, as Young is a journeyman of sorts having already played for four different teams.

The Lakers don't figure to enter the fray here given he could want a big price tag or a chance to compete as opposed to more years of rebuilding. The Golden State Warriors give him a shot at a ring and the Minnesota Timberwolves have one of the most upside-minded rosters in the league.

Elsewhere, the Oklahoma City Thunder boast Russell Westbrook and Paul George, and the New Orleans Pelicans have a dynamic duo of their own with Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins.

So no, the Lakers don't figure to want any involvement in this potential bidding war because the price tag would run too high if Young is to ignore the lesser stature of the Lakers compared to the interested names.

Call it the end of an era and something helping to explain the next nugget.

Lakers Hunting for Jamal Crawford?

David Zalubowski/Associated Press

Rather than cough up the cash for Young, the Lakers might instead turn to another veteran swingman for help—Jamal Crawford.

With major dominoes out of the way, Crawford has slowly become one of the biggest names out there. He just got swept up in a three-team deal involving the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets, which has him landing with the Atlanta Hawks, according to Wojnarowski.

But he might not stay in Atlanta long. Here is Hoops Hype's Alex Kennedy with the details:

Crawford is more in line with what the Lakers want right now in large part because of what he'll cost. He's 37 years old, so there's a cap on what the market will give him and for how long, which fits right in line with Magic and the front office eyeing 2018.

It'd be a smart investment considering Crawford dropped averages of 12.3 points, 2.6 assists and 1.6 rebounds over 26.3 minutes per game last year, still shooting well at 41.3 percent from the floor and 36.0 percent from deep.

On paper, Crawford would simply reinforce the backcourt while Lonzo Ball and Jordan Clarkson get the nod as starters. He's not only productive, but a good mentor presence whose career has spanned six franchises starting back in 2000-01.

Though a contending team could swoop in and ruin any Lakers interest after a possible buyout happens, the apparent interest is at least another reminder the Lakers are staying the course with the long-term outlook in mind.

All stats and info via ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.