The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly are planning to pursue Phoenix Suns guards Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic in free agency next summer, assuming neither guard re-signs with Phoenix or is traded first.
Bledsoe and Dragic both could hit the market next summer as unrestricted free agents - Bledsoe by signing his qualifying offer with Phoenix, and Dragic by opting out of his contract after the season - and are expected to be courted by Los Angeles.
"The Lakers, for example, are just one team league sources say would likely make a hard run at both of them, based on the premise that the Suns couldn't afford the cost of paying both at that point, theoretically making either Bledsoe or Dragic gettable," ESPN's Marc Stein wrote Wednesday.
As Stein noted, Phoenix won't be able to sign both guards to big contracts. Phoenix so far has been unable to ink either guard to a long-term deal, which could preempt the Suns into trading one of the guards this season to prevent letting them both walk for free in the summer.
Los Angeles was previously reported as interested in Bledsoe, although the team appears unlikely to pursue a sign-and-trade for him with Phoenix. In all likelihood, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak is waiting - and hoping - Bledsoe becomes an unrestricted free agent in July.
Bledsoe, who purportedly wants a max-deal contract, has yet to reach an agreement with Phoenix and is expected to sign his qualifying offer soon, which would give him a no-trade clause and make him an unrestricted free agent on July 1. Signing Phoenix's offer, though, puts Bledsoe at risk of getting injured during the season and having his market value plummet.
As for Dragic, he's expected to opt out of his contract in the summer regardless of any trade due to the financial incentives of doing so. If he does hit the open market, the Houston Rockets are also expected to pursue him.
In addition to Bledsoe and Dragic, the Lakers are expected to make a run at Boston Celtics star Rajon Rondo, whose contract expires after the season.
