Report: Lakers found no takers, plan to retain Nick Young
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The Los Angeles Lakers tried to find a taker for Nick "Swaggy P" Young's contract, but they found no takers.
As a result, Swaggy P will reportedly be staying in Los Angeles.
Heard today Lakers have no plans to trade Nick Young. Called around seeking suitors so they could clear cap room quickly. Didn't materialize
— Bill Oram (@billoram) July 14, 2015
The Lakers signed Young to a four-year, $21-million extension last season, but the gregarious shooting guard struggled through a down season. Without Mike D'Antoni's fast-paced, space-oriented schemes, Young's averages dropped across the board and his shooting percentages tanked.
| Statistic | 2013-14 | 2014-15 |
|---|---|---|
| PPG | 17.9 | 13.4 |
| APG | 1.5 | 1 |
| MPG | 28.3 | 23.8 |
| 3PT% | 38.6 | 36.9 |
| USG% | 26.8 | 26 |
Young offered up one simple explanation for why his numbers dropped.
"I blame it on the rim," Young said. "The rim was tripping this year."
Shooting woes aside, Young battled injuries and didn't see eye-to-eye with new Lakers head coach Byron Scott. It comes as no great surprise that the Lakers couldn't move his deal.
Young has three more seasons remaining on his deal, worth an average of $5.4 million per season.
Young's role in Los Angeles figures to change given their offseason additions. The Lakers drafted star point guard D'Angelo Russell, while signing shooting guard Lou Williams. Add a healthy Kobe Bryant to the mix and shots might be hard to come by for Swaggy.