NBA News Roundup, April 4th, 2019: Lakers unlikely to lure second All-Star, college star declares for NBA Draft and more
After another year of exciting action, the 2018/19 NBA season is quickly coming to a close. The playoffs are set to begin in less than two weeks' time, with a number of the league's strugglers already turning their attention towards the postseason.
Due to this, there are a number of stories emerging around the NBA, and here is all the latest news that you need to know for April 4th.
The Lakers face a battle to lure a second All-Star
After failing to make the postseason for a sixth consecutive season, the Los Angeles Lakers are desperate to add a second All-Star alongside LeBron James this summer. If the Lakers offload the likes of Rajon Rondo and Lance Stephenson, the team will have $35 million in cap room this offseason, easily enough to sign at least one All-Star.
Due to the presence of LeBron and the prestige of the franchise, the Lakers organization expect to be major players this summer, although Howard Beck of Bleacher Report suggests that the team will find it difficult to land a second star:
There's another L.A. team, armed with even more salary-cap room, a strong roster and all the same sunshine. There's a New York team, teeming with history and blessed with a famous arena, with room to sign two superstars. And there's a vibrant young team in Brooklyn, also poised to make a free-agent splash.
This summer's free agent pool is perhaps the best in NBA history, with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson, DeMarcus Cousins, and Kawhi Leonard all hitting the market.
Nevertheless, if the Lakers ultimately miss out on one of their prime targets, they may have to turn their attention to a lesser star such as Kemba Walker, Khris Middleton or Nikola Vucevic.