The Los Angeles Lakers are pulling out all the stops to court some new free agents, including opening up a new practice facility. In the midst of a lost season that will see the Lakers miss the playoffs for the first time since 2005, the team will undoubtedly look for new players through the free agent market over the next few years and is looking for a modern training facility to accommodate potential free agents.
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According to the Los Angeles Times, the team will remain in El Segundo, however they will no longer share a training facility with the L.A. Kings of the NHL. The report states they'll stay in El Segundo because they like the area and that it's close to LAX airport.
The Lakers have trained at the Toyota Sports Center since 2000 but will soon have a new place to work out within a quarter of a mile from their current facility. The Lakers will not be a tenant as they'll buy the space outright, however they will likely earn money through selling naming rights.
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"We have had initial conversations with a developer and the city of El Segundo but we have nothing further to add at this time," Lakers spokesman John Black said Tuesday via the Los Angeles Times.
The report states that there is only one court at the current facility and that the Lakers outgrew their office space there, having most of their office operations taking place a block away.
The Clippers $60 million facility is newer and located in Playa Vista with two basketball courts and state-of-the-art video and weight rooms, similar to what the Lakers desire for their new place.
It seems as though a new facility would be a great bargaining tool for the team if and when it plans to court free agents Kevin Love in 2015 and Kevin Durant in 2016, however it may not even be completed by those summers.
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