In a glass is half-full kind of world, the Los Angeles Lakers perhaps can lay claim to establishing a first in the NBA.
They're the first team to be rejected by a free agent twice.
Kobe Bryant's sales pitch turned off LaMarcus Aldridge?
Lakersnation.com reported that the once-storied franchise secured a second meeting with free-agent LaMarcus Aldridge but failed once again to convince the prized big man to play in Los Angeles next season, based on a tweet by the Los Angeles Times' Brad Turner.
Sources said Lakers had a" good presentation" with LaMarcus Aldridge Thursday, but Lakers "don't think he was wooed" by it.— Brad Turner (@BA_Turner) July 3, 2015
USA TODAY Sports' Sam Amick tweeted a similar sentiment.
All the twists & turns in LaMarcus Aldridge's day, & I'm told nothing changed about lay of his free agency land: Spurs, Suns, Mavs out front— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) July 3, 2015
The Lakers were the first team to meet with the Portland Trail Blazers forward when free agency began at midnight on Wednesday morning, Eastern Time, or 9 p.m. Tuesday on the West Coast.
The franchise, considered the co-favorites along with the San Antonio Spurs for Aldridge's services, reportedly came to the meeting with the wrong message.
Lakers still pursuing Sacramento Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins?
"It was less than two days ago when Aldridge's free agency frenzy began with an evening meeting in Los Angeles, one that included everyone from Lakers president and governor Jeanie Buss to Kobe Bryant to officials from the AEG company that owns part of the team and the building it plays in," USA TODAY Sports reported. "Not counting the reps from AEG and the Time Warner company that telecasts Lakers games (head count unknown), there were eight people in the room with Aldridge and his representatives.
"Apparently that was six too many."
The second meeting featured only Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and coach Byron Scott. The meeting went better, but still not good enough.
With all the agreements that took place on Wednesday, the Lakers appear on the verge of striking out on big-name free agents for a third consecutive year.
"Likely the top target remaining is small forward Tobias Harris who is a restricted free agent," lakersnation.com reported. "However, there have been reports that the Orlando Magic would not match a major offer for Harris, which would make it seem as if he is attainable. Kosta Koufos of the Memphis Grizzlies is considered the best big man remaining in free agency."
Not exactly the names to lead Lakers fans to believe that a return to glory is right around the corner. Many Lakers fans believed that the team passed on Duke center Jahlil Okafor for Ohio State guard D'Angelo Russell because a big man - Aldridge - was sewn up in free agency.
Whether that was the case, the fact that the Lakers failed twice on Aldridge gives fans serious doubts about management's ability to return the program to the land of the elite.
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