Earl Clark to visit Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday
While the Lakers await the decision of free-agent center Dwight Howard, forward Earl Clark will test the waters himself with a visit to Cleveland.
According to Bob Finnan of The News-Herald in Willoughby, Ohio, Clark will meet with the Cavaliers on Tuesday.
Clark was a little-known throw-in when the Lakers acquired Howard from the Orlando Magic last summer. With injuries to Pau Gasol and Jordan Hill, Clark became a regular part of the Lakers’ rotation, starting 36 games.
The Lakers would like to re-sign the 6-foot-10, 25-year-old Clark, but at the right price.
The Cavaliers stand to have up to $24 million in cap room this coming season. There’s only so much the Lakers will be willing to spend given their already massive luxury-tax bill.
The Lakers are also targeting the summer of 2014, looking to maximize the team’s available cap space. They have Clark’s Bird Rights, enabling the Lakers to pay him up to an eight-figure salary -- but that should be well above market value.
If the Cavaliers make Clark a reasonable multiyear offer (perhaps $18 million over three years), that might be enough to lure him away.
Cleveland just made forward Anthony Bennett the top pick in the 2013 NBA draft. With Tristan Thompson, Kevin Jones and Bennett, it’s unclear exactly where Clark would fit in with the Cavaliers.
Nonetheless, a meeting is set for Tuesday.
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Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.
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