Since Ramon Sessions has decided to opt-out and become a free agent the Los Angeles Lakers are targeting other free agent guards in case Sessions doesn’t return. Â Read more after the jump.
When NBA free agency officially started Saturday night, securing a point guard was No. 1 on the Los Angeles Lakers’ agenda.
Shortly after the 9 p.m. PT start to the free-agent frenzy, Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak called a representative of Ramon Sessions to formally express the team’s interest in opening contract negotiations, according to Sessions’ agent, Jared Karnes.
Sessions averaged 12.7 points, 6.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds on 47.9 percent shooting from the field and 48.6 percent shooting on 3-pointers in 23 regular-season games after being acquired from Cleveland at the trade deadline in March. He struggled in the playoffs, however, averaging just 6.8 points and 3.0 assists while shooting 35.3 percent in the Western Conference semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder before opting out of the final year of his deal that would have paid him $4.55 million for the 2012-13 season.
While the Lakers have genuine interest in retaining the 26-year-old Sessions, they’re protecting themselves by pursuing a list of established, veteran free-agent point guards as well, a source familiar with the team’s plan for free agency said.
The Lakers are targeting a handful of veteran point guards including Chauncey Billups, Jameer Nelson and Kirk Hinrich, the source said.
