The Fan Hub

The Los Angeles Lakers have been informed by point guard Ramon Sessions that he will not be signing his $4.55 million player option and will instead test free agency. In what is setting up to be a very shallow market of UFAs, Sessions and his agent Jared Karnes are hoping they can capitalize on what could be an inflationary period for the the limited number of quality free agents.

While the Lakers still remain one of the teams that could end up signing Sessions, his opting out also hurts the Lakers in another area: acquiring Dwight Howard or Deron Williams. While Billy King is still hopeful he can keep Williams by assuring him more money than any other team can, the Lakers have the trade assets to make a big move by potentially flipping Andrew Bynum and other pieces for Williams in a sign-and-trade.

Could Ramon Sessions be the key for the Lakers to land Deron Willams? Credit Kirby Lee UsPresswire

Sessions would have been a good piece for the Lakers to dangle in front of Brooklyn for Williams or Orlando for Dwight Howard. Under the new CBA, sign-and-trades are still legal, but both Bynum and Williams would have to leave some significant money on the table. As of now, a straight Bynum-for-Howard swap seems the most logical move for both parties.

Sessions’ shortcomings on the defensive end were on full display in the Western Conference semifinals as he was repeatedly torched by Russell Westbrook. Still, he shot a TS% of .570 percent from the field this postseason and averaged 12.7 and 6 as the Lakers were bounced by OKC. Sessions can still run the point, create off the dribble, and set the table for his teammates. And at 26, he is still young enough to be worth the investment on a three-year deal at anywhere between $5m-7m this summer. Look for the Knicks, Lakers, Mavericks, and Orlando all to at least take sniffs around Sessions, if for no other reason than to drive the price up on the Lakers.

— Dave Jacober