NBA News Roundup - Friday, July 19th: Update on the Los Angeles Lakers' pursuit of Kyle Korver, JR Smith to the Bucks and more
The 2019 NBA offseason is now well underway, and most of the in-demand free agents around the league have already been snatched up. At this point, the remaining pool of available talent is pretty shallow and consists primarily of veterans looking to extend their careers via minimum deals.
However, teams have already started to look towards trades, and a number of major moves could still be in the works. So, with plenty going on around the NBA, here is all the latest news and rumors you need to know for July 18th.
Lakers not set on signing Kyle Korver; could keep final roster spot open
After missing out on the free-agent signing of Kawhi Leonard, the Los Angeles Lakers have quickly put together a roster that they hope will be a contender next season. The Lakers have added several names including Avery Bradley, Danny Green, Jared Dudley, and DeMarcus Cousins, while also bringing back JaVale McGee, Rajon Rondo, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Despite an influx of moves, the Lakers still have one roster spot open, and Kyle Korver has strongly been linked with a move to Los Angeles. However, ESPN's Kevin Porter believes that the team will opt to keep open their final roster spot rather than signing Korver.
Korver spent two seasons playing with LeBron James in Cleveland, and the veteran remains among the NBA's best three-point shooters. But, with the Lakers already adding a series of shooters in free agency, it appears that the team prefers to keep an open roster spot heading into the season.
The team has also been linked with a move for Carmelo Anthony, so it remains to be seen when the team will fill out their roster.