Lakers Reportedly Making Aggressive Push for Jimmy Butler
By Ryan Flores
NBA free agency is still a few hours away, and it's already getting wild.
On Sunday, Philadelphia 76ers guard Jimmy Butler plans to meet with Miami Heat officials at 6:01 p.m. ET on Sunday. However, he's drawing a plethora of interest around the league, with the Los Angeles Lakers being especially aggressive in their bid for the star guard.
Jimmy Butler meets with Heat officials at 6:01 PM ET tonight but continues to draw interest from a number of suitors, league sources say, with the Lakers making the latest aggressive bid. Lakers officials, I'm told, are pushing for a pitch meeting with Butler
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 30, 2019
This should come as no surprise, as the Lakers are looking for a third start to pair with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Butler would be a good fit for LA, as he is not only a strong defensive player, but also a well-rounded offensive player.
BREAKING: The Lakers reportedly have interest in signing Jimmy Butler in free agency https://t.co/BmmsOtshAZ pic.twitter.com/4kO65CNQfq
— Silver Screen & Roll (@LakersSBN) June 29, 2019
The Lakers are focused on a plethora of free agents that are not named Jimmy Butler, including NBA champion Kawhi Leonard. However, should the Lakers strike out on Kawhi, Butler would be a nice option for them to spend their max cap space on.
Both sides seem to have higher priorities as of right now, but don't rule out Butler to the purple and gold if things fall through for both parties.