EL SEGUNDO, CA - OCT 1: Sasha Vujacic #18 of the Los Angeles Lakers during media day at Toyota Training Center on October 1, 2007 in El Segundo, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2007 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images )
Juan Ocampo
The Lakers had the highest payroll in the NBA last season -- and you get what you pay for. They won. They got to have a parade and go on late-night talk shows. Ron Artest got validation and Kobe Bryant relaxed for nearly 24 hours.
Next season the Lakers may have an even higher salary price tag, and owner Jerry Buss wouldn’t mind saving a little dough.
The Lakers would love to move Sasha Vujacic and his $5.5 million, if any teams need an overpriced shooter. And after watching the free agent bidding this summer, apparently teams are willing to overpay for shooters. So the Lakers are shopping him around.
The Lakers tried to make a deal with the Cleveland Cavaliers for Delonte West, according to Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. That’s a deal that make sense for the Lakers -- West can be waived. Saves a lot of money. Problem is, the deal makes no sense for the Cavaliers -- they get a worse player for more money. So the deal is dead.
So the Lakers keep on trying.
This may also be part of the holdup in the Lakers signing Shannon Brown. Los Angeles would prefer Brown and his lower salary on the roster, but they may be trying to move Vujacic first.
