Lakers May Have a Shot at Anderson

Former Portland Trail Blazer shooting guard Derek Anderson, an unrestricted free agent via the “amnesty” provision in the new labor deal, will meet with the Lakers on Sunday in Los Angeles, his agent said.

Anderson, 31, was waived Tuesday by the Trail Blazers so they could avoid luxury-tax ramifications.

Anderson, who will still be paid $18.8 million over the next two seasons by the Trail Blazers, is seeking a two-year deal with the Lakers worth the full midlevel exception of $5 million a season.

“I think he deserves that,” said Anderson’s agent, Tony Dutt. “He’s high-quality.”

The Lakers are open to a two-year deal, but they might not go as high as the full midlevel for Anderson, who has sat out 66 games over the last two seasons, primarily because of back problems. The midlevel exception, used by teams over the salary cap, can be spent entirely on one player or may be broken up and spent on two or three players.

Anderson, 6 feet 5, has averaged 13.1 points and 3.7 assists in an eight-year career with four teams. He averaged a career-best 16.9 points with the Clippers in 1999-2000.

The Miami Heat, Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons and Minnesota Timberwolves have also shown interest in Anderson.

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-- Mike Bresnahan