Report: Lakers unlikely to exercise team option on Jordan Hill

If the Los Angeles Lakers want to give Kobe Bryant a halfway decent sendoff, they're going to need a pretty productive offseason.

Owning the second overall draft pick is a good place to start, but Los Angeles is also hoping to make a big splash in free agency. The Lakers are looking to clear up somewhere in the vicinity of $24 million in cap space, making it unlikely they exercise their team option on big man Jordan Hill, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.

Hill's option for next season is worth $9 million, and though there were rumors in April the Lakers were leaning towards bringing him back, they appear to have decided they'd be better served with the financial flexibility.

Which makes sense, given they'll have rookie power forward Julius Randle - who missed all of last season with a broken leg - back in the fray, and the No. 2 draft pick will offer them the chance at a tantalizing big man in either Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor.

The Lakers won't have to make a decision on Hill's option before June 30, but reportedly "momentum is strong" they’ll allow the 28-year-old to hit free agency.

Hill has been unspectacular but solid in two-and-a-half seasons with the Lakers, averaging 9.9 points and 7.2 rebounds, including career-highs of 12 and 7.9 last season.