Lakers ‘Very Much’ in the Hunt as Rick Fox Nears a Decision

Free-agent forward Rick Fox will decide which NBA team he wants to play for today or Wednesday, his agent said, with the Lakers one of the two leading contenders despite salary-cap and geographical shortcomings.

Bill Strickland would not identify which other team is high in the running, but when asked if fans in Los Angeles have reason to be encouraged, said, “Very much so.”

Four other teams are among the finalists. The Atlanta Hawks have been high on Fox’s list from the start of the bidding, and the Cleveland Cavaliers are the only team with enough room under the cap to make a huge offer. The New York Knicks are also a possibility. The Philadelphia 76ers, helped by the likely ability to make a much bigger deal in a year, are longshots because Fox wants to play for a winner.

Fox also prefers to remain in the East, and the Lakers are the only Western Conference team under consideration. And like the Hawks, Knicks and 76ers, they are able to pay only $1 million for one season, the probable deal from those four since Strickland has encouraged his client to forgo a two-year, $2.15-million offer because the salary-cap rules may change next summer.