Lakers plan on waiving Shake Milton in order to sign Marcus Smart
Right now, they don't have enough space under the first apron of the NBA's salary cap to sign Smart. But according to Shams Charania of ESPN, they're planning on waiving guard Shake Milton in order to clear some space.
"The Lakers plan to waive guard Shake Milton to create the roster spot to sign Smart, sources told ESPN," Charania wrote. "Milton's $3 million contract for next season would have become fully guaranteed Sunday."
Milton was thrown into the deal that brought Los Angeles forward Dorian Finney-Smith in late December. He played sporadically afterward and averaged 3.9 points on 43.3% field-goal shooting, 1.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 11.5 minutes a game as a member of the team.
Waiving him would open up a good portion of L.A.'s bi-annual exception. In order to open up the full bi-annual exception of $5.1 million, another move, such as waiving guard Jordan Goodwin or a consolidation trade, would need to be made.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Lakers plan on waiving Shake Milton in order to sign Marcus Smart
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
35 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Kendrick Perkins predicts that Luka Doncic will win the MVP next season: "This is the type of commitment that I wanna see from a great player"
Kendrick Perkins predicts that Luka Doncic will win the MVP next season: "This is the type of commitment that I wanna see from a great player" originally appeared on Basketball Network. Kendrick Perkins has seen the Luka Doncic situation before. Great, young players often bump into adversity, but, more often than not, they emerge stronger than ever before. With this in mind, the former NBA center implores the Los Angeles Lakers faithful to see how everything plays out with the Slovenian star before worrying about the future. "Look, this has accountability and disrespect all over it and Luka took it into the offseason," Perk said on ESPN's "NBA Today." "I know it's early for hot takes, but damn it, I'm going out on a limb early in this summertime and I'm gonna say I'm betting on Luka Doncic to win the MVP next season. This is the type of commitment that I wanna see from a great player like Luka." Doncic was criticized last season for being out of shape. Dallas Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison reportedly alluded to his conditioning as the primary reason they traded him to the Purple and Gold. Responding to the criticism, Luka apparently took his offseason regimen more seriously. He appeared to have slimmed down to a more ideal playing weight, showing, according to Perkins, that he has taken accountability for his actions. Same old, same old? Landscape's David Dennis, Jr. joined Perkins, Dave McMenamin and Jorge Sedano in the discussion. However, like the Yin to Perk's Yang, the senior writer is not convinced Luka's new-look physique would make much of a difference. "We're supposed to be talking about this guy who needs to be an MVP-type of dude and we're celebrating the fact that he looks like he's in shape?" Dennis Jr. asked rhetorically. "The bar should be way higher than that for somebody of Luka Doncic's caliber. You have to be one of the top three players in the league for the Lakers not to be bounced in the first round." Dennis Jr. also opened up an old wound, poking at the same issues and questions many have for Doncic. "By the way," Dennis Jr. adds, "A lot of people who are in shape are still bad on defense. Being in shape doesn't stop you from falling asleep on back screens or being left on an island come playoff time.""This isn't something new" Matching his fellow guest's debate show energy, a visibly irritated Perkins attempted to straighten out Dennis, Jr. by pointing to history. For the former Boston Celtics and OKC Thunder big man, everything Doncic is dealing with now is just part of the usual path for elite players. Perkins pointed out the adjustments and adversity of past and present greats. Michael Jordan had to absorb the bumps and bruises from the Detroit Pistons, Giannis Antetokounmpo had to fill up his thin frame and Nikola Jokic had to get in shape to reach the pinnacle. "This is nothing new. Young players that hit the ground running when they come into the league, they hit their head on the wall every now and then. Then all of a sudden, they have to bounce back," Perkins answered Dennis Jr.'s argument. Of course, Luka hasn't been to the mountaintop yet. All talk of him having a bounce-back season and leading the Lakers to contender status remains wishful thinking. Still, if history is any indication, players with Luka's skill and drive rarely stay down for long. The league has seen this before — stars facing scrutiny, growing pains and doubt, only to come back sharper and more determined. Doncic may not be there yet, but his response this summer suggests he's heading in that story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 24, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Nets' Michael Porter Jr. posts vlog of first day in Brooklyn
Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. had one of the more eventful offseasons compared to most players in the NBA as he found out he was being traded while on a flight. Brooklyn acquired Porter and a 2032 first-round pick from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for forward Cam Johnson and the former Missouri Tiger finally got the chance to explore his new surroundings. "Excited. (I) got my first lift today. My first little core workout, you know what I mean? So, I came here to grind. (I) got to get better," Porter said during his vlog of his first day in Brooklyn posted to his "Curious Mike" YouTube channel. Porter's vlog shows him getting a tour of the Nets' practice facility that he will be familiarizing himself with over the course of the upcoming season. "I'm not even going to lie, it's a whirlwind getting traded," Porter said following the conclusion of the tour. "To figure out the new facility, your new space, how you get to the arena, all that little stuff. It takes a minute. It took me about 3 years to learn how to get from my crib to the Denver airport with no GPS. So, it's definitely going to be a little adjustment period." Porter, 27, spent his first seven years in the league as a member of the Denver Nuggets before being traded to the Nets earlier this offseason. Porter, the 14th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, said during his time watching Brooklyn play in the Las Vegas Summer League that he's excited to show what he can do in an expanded role after seeing his game "plateau" in Denver. Porter previously posted a video on his YouTube channel about how being traded away by the Nuggets was a shock to him and was unexpected given how the summer had been progressing. Despite the suddenness of the trade, Porter is getting to work. "I'm not even going to lie. They got me working probably as hard as I've ever worked, but I'm making progress. Um, I'm excited, man. This is an amazing opportunity," Porter said in his vlog following a workout. This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets' Michael Porter Jr. posts vlog of first day in Brooklyn
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
"It's still in me a little bit" - Larry Bird admitted coaching in the NBA again crosses his mind
"It's still in me a little bit" - Larry Bird admitted coaching in the NBA again crosses his mind originally appeared on Basketball Network. There are some things a person never shakes, no matter how many years pass or how far they wander from the game. Larry Bird, at 68, wears that truth plainly. His coaching days are behind him now, but the gym still calls to him — faintly, stubbornly — in a way that only the hardwood can. A return to the sidelines? Sitting back and reflecting on his time running teams, Bird didn't talk like a man haunted by unfinished business. He talked like a man who loved the work, knew when to walk away. And still catches himself feeling the pull when summer rolls around. "I enjoy watching the guys work out all summer, so it's still in me a little bit," Bird said, probably with a quiet grin. "But as far as a full-time gig with a GM or a coach or something like that, I don't have no energy, man." His words carry the weight of someone who's seen everything — championships, collapses, the frenzy of an NBA Finals run and the quiet indignity of rebuilding seasons. Bird coached the Indiana Pacers to the Finals in 2000 and though they came up short against Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers, he thinks the strength of that Lakers' team didn't allow his guys to show their true worth. "Well, you build teams hopefully to get an opportunity to play in the Finals and they were definitely good enough," he said. "Even though we went to the Finals in 2000, I think that team was better. They didn't get to show us how good they were." Those words hang heavy because Bird has always spoken about his teams the way a craftsman speaks about his tools with both affection and a hint of frustration over what they could have days Through the years, the Boston icon has developed a kind of gentle philosophy about the role he wants basketball to play in his life. He enjoys popping into practices, spending time at summer workouts, catching up with players and coaches. But he's careful not to let that enjoyment turn into obligation. "Well, I enjoyed all that," Bird once explained of his time with the Pacers' front office. "I knew my time was going to come when we needed a change, a fresh voice, just like a coach and I've always felt that. A lot of guys like to hang around for the last minute. But I enjoy my life and I feel good and I don't have to be there all that time. I can go out and do other things." Bird's "other things" are simple and quiet. Winters in Florida, summers back home, trips to basketball camps and events around the world. Every so often, he'll drop by a gym and watch younger players — his eyes still sharp, still scanning the floor like the old days — and then leave just as easily, satisfied to watch from a distance. He doesn't need to pace the sidelines anymore. He doesn't need the clipboard or the long nights of film. But anyone who's ever known Bird can still see it — the faint glint in his eye when the ball hits the floor, the way his gaze lingers just a little longer when a player makes the right cut. "It's still in me a little bit," he said. And you believe him. Because he's Larry Legend. And when he puts his mind to something — ask the Showtime Lakers; ask Magic; ask Jordan; ask Isiah; ask Barkley — he'll get it story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 21, 2025, where it first appeared.
