I mean the Lakers are already floating at the hardcap with AD, Bron, Kuzma, KCP, Trez (player option) and Gasol. They can basically only afford vet mins to continue filling their roster.
I don't think they could match like a 4 year/20 mil offer without risking getting to the hard cap. They basically have to keep restocking their bench with vet mins at this point. Not a bad risk/reward at all for a super young wing who's played decently well getting rotation minutes.
Keep in mind that THT falls under the Arenas provision as well.
This means the first year of his new contract can’t be higher than the non-taxpayer MLE ($9,720,900) but the 2nd, 3rd, etc. years can be heavily back weighted (think Tyler Johnson’s poison pill).
Outside teams would need to have enough 2021-22 salary cap space to sign him to the average salary over the length of the deal. If someone offered him 10 + 20 + 20 + 20. They would have to have at least $17.5 mil in cap space in 2021-22 (10+20+20+20 = $70 mil / 4 years = $17.5 mil).
However, the team that owns his right can choose to either have the average salary count against their 2021-22 cap ($17.5 mil) or to count the real amount against the cap ($10 mil counted against the 2021-22 cap but it goes up to $20 mil in 2022-23 and on).
This may not matter a lot if you’re thinking he’s only going to get $20 mil over 4 years but I’m thinking he’ll get more.
As for the trade, THT is of value to them to compete this year (and years after with his potential). With Davis, Gasol, & Harrell on the roster at C, I don’t see how a Whiteside + 2nds is valuable for THT. His ballhandling and playmaking would be of higher value.
If Whiteside is bought out, sure add him as a backup C. If he’s not, go get someone like Cousins. Not sure Lakers are looking to dangle a guy like THT for 3rd/4th rotation Cs.