Ramon Sessions to Opt Out

[Ckay]

Point guard Ramon Sessions will not exercise a player option to stay with the Lakers and will become a free agent, The Times has learned.

https://twitter.com/#!/Mike_Bresnahan

[lodom7]

guess he isn't coming back then, we have to sign him, hill, ebanks and morris

[Kilroy]

Interesting... I'm not sure how much of a pay raise over the $4.6M he'd get this year, he's thinking he'd get on the open market... But I would think, opting out means his agent is telling him he's getting a lot of interest. So you're right, he's probably gone...

But given the ever-increasing penalties of the new CBA, maybe it makes sense for players to get new contracts sooner rather than later?

Don't we have a team option on Hill? Or is Hoops-Hype wrong again?

[ROballer]

The Rockets did....they had a deadline for picking his option or not
They chose not to,so he's an unrestricted FA

[hoops_32]

I think he will be back next season. Sessions has never had the chance to be a starter anywhere else in his career and has always been a backup on a bad team. He won't get to start on a contending team if he leaves. I think he opted out so that he could get a long term deal. Hopefully he is back for something like 3yrs/15M. I think that he will be much better next season as he will have a full training camp and knows what to expect in the playoffs. I believe Hill had his team option declined with Houston so we can't pick it up but I think that we will resign him because of his play in the playoffs and we will need him if Gasol is traded.

[Payaso]

So we'd have to sign Sessions and Hill. Hopefully. While making other improvements to the team. If sessions decides to opt for more money. Resigning him could be a problem. Same with Hill. This team definitely needs a pg and a back up pf as it stands now.

[ROballer]

Just trade McBob,get rid of his salary and give Hill the MMLE

If he can produce like he did in the playoffs for 1 or 2 entire seasons,then he can get payed

[eckoner]

I have a feeling this plays well into the Lakers hand giving them more flexibility financially.

With Sessions opting not to pick up the final year the Lakers can pursue the names at that position we all have talked about so much. If we somehow got a MAX player at the PG spot it does not really make a lot of sense to have a backup making 5 mill per year to play a few spot minutes here and there.

Perhaps they use him to back up the 2 also but still even backing up the 1 and 2 he likely would not see more than 10 mins per game.

It's possible his agent had him opt out so he was not included in any trades for an all-star calibur PG, with that said i agree it makes sense for him to opt out so he hopefully could land a longer deal but i have a feeling it wont be with the Lakers.

[Payaso]

We still have Steve Blake under contract. So I'm not really sure what they do at PG at this point. Either resign Sessions at atleast 5 million per in a length contract (doubtful). Or trade Pau Gasol in a deal for a legit PG. But I'm not sure what the options are for pau gasol.

[dockingsched]

i'd be shocked if he isn't re-signed. he obviously wants to come back. im thinking 2-3 yr deal around the 5 mil mark.

[laduane1]

Fisher will return and the Lakers get older...lol

[Synciere]

Do Laker fans even want Sessions back?

[Kilroy]

i'd be shocked if he isn't re-signed. he obviously wants to come back. im thinking 2-3 yr deal around the 5 mil mark.

That's the price range I was at for him too... And I'd want him back for that, but given what he's opting out of, I just have a feeling he has some suitors for more than that... I think he's going like Fish did the first time... And like Turiaf did...

I think someone may really want him and he's going to get paid a lot more than we are willing to.

[One Love]

This is a positive for the Lakers as we gain more flexability... For example, Pau ($19 million) Utah for Harris ($8.5 million) & Millslap ($7.2 million) (last year of contracts) which would save the Lakers over $16 to $18 million in salary & luxury tax next year alone as Pau would make $19 million & Sessions would get around $5 million... This is a HUGE positive for the Lakers...

What about a sign and trade with Dallas for Kidd using our exemption... Many options...

[Jajwanda]

All indications are they want him back according to Sessions.

[ShowTimeERA]

Unless Sessions is willing to take a 3year/15million deal with the 3rd year being a team option, he isn't coming back.

[Iamabeasttt]

whatevs. more space for deron

[Kalidogg24]

Unless Sessions is willing to take a 3year/15million deal with the 3rd year being a team option, he isn't coming back.

I think thats exactly what he's looking for.
A multi year deal.

It would be dumb for him to opt in his final year .
He could lose money as his stock could drop within that time.

I mean if Steve Blake got that type of money Ramon definitely deserves that as well.
Of course hoping that Ramon replaces Steve as our backup pg and another superstar pg takes over as the starter.

[Gek]

Sessions said he'd do this a few months ago and also said that he'd want to remain a Laker. Of course the end of the season was not nearly as good as post trade deadline, so his affinity for LA may not be as high. He seems like the type of guy that wouldn't let a coach or teammate change his opinions about that though, the type of player that may never get to top, but will keep trying to get there. The top is in Purple and Gold.

[Anklebreaker702]

Not smart unless he's looking for more years from