Things just haven’t gone the team’s way, and their luck recently has been getting worse. There is a legitimate chance that the Lakers will actually miss the postseason. Even if they crawl their way in, there is hardly any historical precedent for a squad like this winning the NBA Finals.
Let’s take a look at the latest happenings around L.A. and try to find some good news for disheartened fans of the Purple and Gold.
Jordan Hill Exception
The Lakers' backup big man will likely be undergoing season-ending surgery in the immediate future, leaving the team short by one man. If the L.A. brass is going to spend more than the minimum on a replacement, they have to apply for the disabled-player exception by Tuesday.
According to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times, if the franchise is approved, they will receive $1.78 million to put towards a free agent (or trade for an expiring contract worth up to $1.88 million) due to Hill’s hip injury.
This exception would certainly give the Lake Show more flexibility and leverage to sign a productive big, but it would also cost them a prohibitive amount of money due to the team already being over the cap, in the luxury tax and having approximately $100 million in payroll.
It will be interesting to see if GM Mitch Kupchak decides to petition the league for the exception or just leaves it alone on Tuesday.
Playoff Talk
While the Lakers are certainly alive in the postseason race with a 16-21 record, it’s going t...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
