The Lakers and the Knicks may be the biggest markets the NBA has to offer, but the current state of their respective rosters makes them less-than-desirable destinations from the perspective of the majority of the league’s marquee free agents.
LaMarcus Aldridge may technically be still deciding, but L.A., despite their second chance at convincing him, increasingly seems like a long shot. Greg Monroe, linked to the Knicks since the middle of last season, has already chosen to play somewhere else.
That leaves the glamor franchises clamoring to convince second-tier talent to sign, and Robin Lopez is the most recent name that has evidently garnered a significant level of interest.
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports:Free agent center Robin Lopez discussing deal with Knicks that would earn him in range of $12M-$13M per season, league sources tell Yahoo.
Another serious consideration for Robin Lopez: The Lakers.Lopez has evolved into an excellent defensive big man, and one who is at least capable on the offensive end of the floor. He averaged 9.6 points and 6.7 rebounds in Portland last season, while shooting 53.5 percent from the field in 27.8 minutes per contest. He’s a fine piece to build around, especially for teams like the Lakers and Knicks who are desperate at this point to add foundational pieces to the roster.