NBA free agency: Lakers inquire about Chris Copeland, according to report

Free agency has officially begun in the NBA and the Los Angeles Lakers have inquired about free agent Chris Copeland, according to Jared Zwerling of ESPN. Copeland, a 6'9 forward, shot 42 percent from beyond the arc last season. He averaged 8.7 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in the 15.7 minutes he played in his first season in the NBA.

Copeland played in Europe for five years after graduating from the University of Colorado at Boulder. Internationally, he played for teams in Spain, the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium.

Copeland is an interesting option at the small forward position for Los Angeles. He made only $473,604 last year with the New York Knicks on a non-guaranteed contract. He is a strong shooter who could fly under the radar after playing his first season in the league at 29, making it a potential bargain signing for the Lakers.

The Lakers free agency offerings can only go as high as $3.1 million per year with the mini mid-level exception they can offer players.

Los Angeles may be waiting until Tuesday to meet with Dwight Howard, but Mitch Kupchak and the front office are already exploring options to add to the team and aren't sitting on their hands.

- Drew

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