Lakers’ week in review

The Lakers were quite active over the past week, making roster moves on the heels of free-agent Carmelo Anthony choosing to re-sign with the New York Knicks.

After a big pitch from the Lakers, Anthony reportedly said he “believes in Phil Jackson,” who recently joined the Knicks as president. It didn’t help that New York could offer a bigger contract than the Lakers, although the difference may not have been especially large.

Despite shooting for the stars in free agency, the Lakers’ actual moves were slightly less exciting.

The team managed to pry away Jeremy Lin from the Houston Rockets, along with a first-round pick in 2015. The Lakers also agreed to re-sign Jordan Hill for two seasons and Nick Young on a four-year deal.

The franchise had also hoped to lure LeBron James away from the Miami Heat. Instead, the two-time NBA champion chose to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Despite the Lakers’ inability to land a big name in free agency, Kobe Bryant lauded the team’s aggressive approach.

With most of their money spent in free agency, the Lakers chose to sign rookie forward Julius Randle, who made his summer league debut Sunday.

Randle said he was relieved to be cleared to play after visiting a specialist in Indiana, following concerns that he might require a procedure to remove a screw from his right foot.

Meanwhile, Jordan Farmar and Chris Kaman left the Lakers to join the Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers, respectively. Kent Bazemore will play for the Atlanta Hawks next season.

The team also lost Pau Gasol, who announced he was leaving for the Chicago Bulls.

The Lakers are coming off a difficult 27-win season, paying $9 million in luxury tax for the losing effort. Losing Gasol could be a blow as the team looks to rebound next year.

Finally, rookie Jordan Clarkson wants to show teams they made a mistake in passing on him in the NBA draft. The Lakers traded for Clarkson as the 46th overall pick, sending cash to the Washington Wizards.

Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.