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Lakers Rumors: 'Aggressive Bid' Made for Jimmy Butler, Pushing for Meeting
June 30, 2019
The Los Angeles Lakers aren't giving up hope on talking to Jimmy Butler when free agency opens Sunday night.
Per Marc Stein of the New York Times, the Lakers have made an "aggressive bid" for Butler, and team officials are pushing his camp to secure a pitch meeting before he makes any decision.
Butler is currently expected to meet with the Miami Heat at the start of free agency Sunday and sit down with the Houston Rockets early this week, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, Butler will also will meet with the Philadelphia 76ers and has drawn attention from the Brooklyn Nets as well as teams interested in sign-and-trade scenarios.
Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press reported Butler is expected to tell Heat officials he wants to play for them. That doesn't necessarily ensure a deal will happen because Miami would need to work out a sign-and-trade in order to make the money work.
One advantage Los Angeles has is a near-max spot open with $32 million available when the Anthony Davis trade with the New Orleans Pelicans and Washington Wizards gets finalized July 6.
The Lakers appear to be targeting another max-level player with the money available to put alongside Davis and LeBron James. In addition to Butler, they have been connected to D'Angelo Russell and Kawhi Leonard in the lead up to free agency.
Butler is coming off a season in which he averaged 18.7 points and 5.3 rebounds per game with the 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves.