[Trending News] Why the new CBA could restrict the Lakers in the buyout market

Amid all the craziness of the trade deadline, the Lakers suddenly look set to move past the deadline with an open roster spot and room to sign a buyout player. Their trade for Mark Williams saw them send out a pair of players in Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish while bringing back only the big man.

It’s not an unfamiliar position for the Lakers under vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka. Throughout his tenure in the front office, the Lakers have regularly been active in the buyout market.

They hit a home run in Markieff Morris and struck out with Spencer Dinwiddie. And somewhere in between those two was the signing of Andre Drummond.

Regardless of how it turned out, the Lakers have remained a consistent presence when it comes time to recruit and sign players bought out of their deals. However, this season, things will look a little bit different.

The new CBA is a gift that keeps on giving and the latest treat fans will get to experience firsthand involves buyouts. Because of the misguided outrage about contending teams signing buyout players, the CBA includes some wording that will really limit who the top teams can buy.

Any team over the first apron can not sign a buyout player whose previous contract was more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception. This year, that comes in at $12.8 million.

So, for example, a player like Dennis Schröder, who is making $13 million, can not sign with a team above the first apron. Similarly, Bruce Brown, who has long been a Lakers trade target and was reportedly part of the Brandon Ingram trade to the Raptors, also falls into that category with a contract of $23 million this year.

As things stand ahead of the trade deadline, the Lakers are $6.9 million over the first apron. There is a small possibility they look to shed some contracts to open up the possibility of signing someone like Brown.

A player like Maxi Kleber, who will make $11 million both this season and next and likely won’t see the court this season. would make the most sense to ship out. The problem the Lakers will run into in that scenario is their lack of assets.

The team is down to just one tradeable second round pick and a pair of pick swaps. Is it worth including their remaining limited draft capital for what is certainly an all-in move for this season? They would definitely need some assurances about who would be available and that they would sign, but it’s still a gamble on the now.

These are the calculations the Lakers will have to make this season due to the new CBA. Another big thank you to CJ McCollum for that.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.