Like many other teams in the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to be big-time players in free agency and sign some of the top names on the market. Kevin Durant is obviously the first target for any team that has enough money to possibly sign him. After Durant is a very deep pool of talent, and one player making a big name for himself in the playoffs is Toronto Raptors’ center Bismack Biyombo. As it stands now, the LA Lakers may even be willing to give him a max deal.
After falling behind 2-0 to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Raptors have won two straight to tie up the series. A lot of the credit for this two-game win streak needs to be given to Bismack Biyombo, who has been an absolute star on both ends of the court.
As the NY Times reported, Biyombo racked up 12 points, 7 points, 2 assists, and a whopping 40 rebounds across Games 3 and 4. Going along with those great stats is the fact that he committed a mere two turnovers and was a nightmare for any Cavs’ player that entered the lane.
Now, this showcase he’s putting on in the NBA Playoffs could very well land him a huge payoff this summer.
According to Lakers Nation, Bismack Biyombo is just the typeof big man they have been searching for and failing at acquiring for years. It’s not expected for them to bring back Roy Hibbert after just one season in Los Angeles, and Biyombo does have a player option to become a free agent once the current season comes to an end.
The Lakers will have a lot of roster spots to fill up, as only six current players have guaranteed deals, but they will have more than $60 million in salary cap money to spend. If the Lakers, or any team for that matter, wants to sign Biyombo, they will need to be prepared to spend for him.
It’s quite possible that he could end up looking for a deal that will pay him $16-17 million per season, and it’s not out of the question for him to get it. Sporting News is reporting that an anonymous Eastern Conference general manager believes that this year’s free agency could land Biyombo a deal of “three years and $60 (million).”
If the Lakers were to give Bismack Biyombo a deal of $60 million over three years, that would essentially take away a third of their cap space for the upcoming season. Restricted free agent Jordan Clarkson and a few other players will be necessary re-signings as well, but it’s all quite possible.
Partnering up Biyombo with a player like Julius Randle would give the Lakers a formidable force up front, but they will have competition. Other teams such as the Boston Celtics will likely go after the 23-year-old center, and the Raptors are expected to try to bring him back as well.
Of course, this is all dependent on whether or not the Lakers can sign Kevin Durant or not. If they can give Durant the kind of money he’s looking for and sign him to a deal, then Biyombo is likely to go elsewhere as the Lakers will be running short of money.
Bismack Biyombo had decent numbers during his first four seasons in the league, which were all spent with the Charlotte Hornets. His stats went up during the regular season this year with the Toronto Raptors, but his surge in the playoffs could be enough to get him a huge deal this summer. The LA Lakers have been searching for a big man like Biyombo for years, and they may finally have him, but it’s certainly going to cost them to get him.
[Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images]
