because Lakers are a TOP market team like the Knicks, it hurts us much more than any other team moving up to the TOP 2 pick for future players that would like to go to a top market team with a solid core
Lakers actually have 3 draft picks this summers draft and could possibly buy more late/2nd rounders to stash or sign if they want...
Pick #2 (OK4 or Towns)
Pick # 27 (Houston's draft pick for trading Lin)
Pick # 34 (2nd rounder)
Julius Randle
Only Nick Young will be will be on the contracts in 2017 and everyone else will be on rookie contracts, would not surprised if they looked to move him for more cap space...
$5,219,169 *this upcoming season*
$5,443,918 *2017*
$5,668,667 *player option*
Jordan Clarkson *will be RFA as a late 2nd rounder*
Jabari Brown *D League callup*
That means they will have OVER 70-80m to use, more than enough to sign 3 MAX contracts and a bit more, depending on the player/years of experience
On top of that they will have the FULL MLE in 2017, to utilize as Clarkson and Jabari Brown are both RFA with EARLY BIRD RIGHTS so with a low cap hold
Kobe's contract expires while we have CA's contract but will have trouble surrounding him with the talent needed to contend
Whether they sign anyone this summer like LA or a Greg Monroe considering it would be a discount when the cap goes up in 2017, leaving them more money to utilize
They can also use this season to sign CAP FRIENDLY DEALS and use them as trade bait to acquire more assets in the near future, along with taking back bad contracts this year to have more picks to use like Gereld Wallace/David Lee
So in short, they could be competing with us, they likely will win on any player that we both would have interest in
