Lakers Free Agency Rumor: Lakers interested in Iman Shumpert, according to report

The Los Angeles Lakers are hours away from beginning their pursuit of free agents, and Iman Shumpert of the Cleveland Cavaliers is the latest name to be linked to the purple and gold, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN. Shumpert is a restricted free agent and the Cavaliers are hoping to bring him back after acquiring him from the New York Knicks.

Shumpert is unlikely to be an early target for the Lakers, who are set to meet with LaMarcus Aldridge on Tuesday and DeAndre Jordan on Wednesday. Iman just turned 25 in on June 26 and could be a stabilizing, defensive presence in the Lakers' backcourt. Jordan Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell could become the Lakers' exciting guard duo of the future, but bringing in a perimeter defender would be a nice addition to help round out the rotation.

It's unclear what kind of contract Shumpert can field as a free agent, but the fact that he's restricted makes him a complicated player to target for the Lakers. His value largely depends on what the Cavaliers will do with the rest of their roster, and LeBron James plans on waiting until everything is set before re-signing with Cleveland. Both Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love will also hit the open market, making them top priorities for Cleveland.

As it goes, the Lakers are always a name to attach to available players. Shumpert could make some sense for Los Angeles, but that's a discussion for further down the road.