Los Angeles Lakers Running Out of Time on Free Agency, Losses Ty Lawson to Houston Rockets

Jul 21, 2015 02:54 AM EDT

The Los Angeles Lakers had a terrible year in the 2014-2015 NBA season and with Byron Scott coming back as head coach, the once dominant team which has won 16 championship is looking to improve its line up heading out of the summer league.

The Lakers team is looking for free agents that have yet to sign up, including JaVale McGee, Kevin Seraphin, Samuel Dalembert and Carlos Boozer. But with the next NBA Season fast-approaching, time is running out on then on free agency. While the Lakers have inked some few big signings, they have failed to sign up some veteran experience, like a key point guard and reserve front line.

The Lakers missed out on Ty Lawson, the 5-foot-11-inch guard who was the 18th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft, to the Houston Rockets because they did not provide a better trade package than Houston has offered, reported Lakers Nation.

The Denver Nuggets have been looking to trade the troubled Lawson who is earning $12 million annually despite inconsistently for the team. Initial rumors indicated that Lawson will be shipped to the Sacramento Kings but the team signed free agent Rajon Rondo instead. Lawson is currently undergoing rehab after his second driving under the influence (DUI) arrest this year.

Aside from his brushes with the law, something that interested teams might consider a distraction which could hamper Lawson's performance, the arrival of rookie Emmanuel Mudiay into the Nuggets' roster further deteriorated his playing time with the team. Nuggets new head coach Michael Malone will definitely have hard a time looking where Lawson will fit in his rotation, according to Christian Today.

For its part, the Lakers have been looking for trade options involving Nick Young, Robert Sacre and Ryan Kelly but no deal has been finalized as yet. There were also concerns the Lakers do not really want to part ways with Jordan Clarkson as a possible trade for Lawson.

There were reports that the Lakers offered of Nick Young, Robert Sucre, Tarik Black, Jabari Brown, and Ryan Kelly to the Nuggets to acquire Lawson but Denver thought the offer was not enough, Inquisitr, quoting SB Nation, said.

It said that the Lakers' refusal to include Clarkson in the trade talk cause the collapse of the deal.

As expected, the Los Angeles Lakers picked No. 2 draft D'Angelo Russell to complete a deal for Sacramento Kings center DeMarcus Cousins.   They don't really believe that this trade will happen right away, as there is a long game being played here.  Chances are, the salaries are not going to work unless more is sent to the Lakers, and the Kings will want more for Cousins.