Portland Trailblazers guard and newly elected NBAPA president CJ McCollum was not happy with how free agency played out for now-Los Angeles Lakers guard Kendrick Nunn.
Nunn was a restricted free agent and was offered a qualifying offer from the Miami Heat. However, once his former team locked in a deal for Raptors star Kyle Lowry, they pulled the deal, making Nunn an unrestricted free agent. However, that happened after the first day of free agency, which left Nunn in a bind with many deals happening very early on, limiting what teams had to spend. McCollum talked about Nunn’s situation on ‘The Woj Pod’ with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
“The Kendrick Nunn situation. He was gonna be a free agent. They basically waited until the money dried up, right? You correct me if I’m wrong,” McCollum said. “Have you (Wojnarowski) seen this happening in the league and not being discussed at all? Where they talk about players forcing their way out, player movement. But then what about the manipulation that goes into some of these situations where teams are waiting for the market to dry up before they release a player’s rights.”
21-22: $5,000,000 22-23: $5,250,000
Second season is a player option for Nunn.
@spotracNunn ended up signing with the Lakers on a two-year deal worth $10.25 million.
Nunn Said It Wasn’t Hard to Pick Lakers
Nunn went undrafted but quickly made an impact once he suited up for the Miami Heat. He averaged 15.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 67 starts with the Heat during his rookie season, landing on the All-Rookie team and finishing runner-up in Rookie of the Year voting. Last season he averaged 14.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
The Lakers are glad to have Nunn, especially considering the restrictions they had in free agency
“It wasn’t that hard, to be honest,” Nunn told reporters after signing. “I’m a guy that knows how to sacrifice for the better of the team. I know how to do that and I’m willing to do that. It’s not about myself. It’s a team sport, and I want to win. That’s what I play this game for, to win.
“It’s an honor to be in this position, to put on an LA Lakers jersey,” he added. “It’s a powerhouse franchise. It means everything, it means a lot to represent this city. Obviously, I’m a kid from Chicago, the South Side of Chicago, but I love L.A., and I want to represent them as well as I can.”
Nunn Prides Himself on Defense
GettyKendrick Nunn of the Miami Heat .
Nunn should fit right in with the Lakers when it comes to his defensive mindset. The Lakers have stepped up their defense with Frank Vogel at the helm, finishing last regular season with the top ranked defense in the NBA. Nunn is looking forward to adding to that defensive equation.
“I’m a point guard, combo guard, whatever you want to call it in today’s game,” Nunn said. “This game is (mostly) positionless.
“I just bring my strength to the game, whether at the 1 or the 2, on or off the ball. Playing both sides of the floor and bringing my strengths which are playmaking, getting my teammates involved and getting after it defensively.”
If Nunn does harbor any hard feeling towards the Heat, his first opportunity to make them pay is on November 10 at Staples Center. He’ll make his return to Miami on January 23.
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Blazers’ CJ McCollum Upset With ‘Manipulation’ of Lakers Free Agent