The Los Angeles Lakers on Monday were granted a Disabled Player Exception by the NBA in the wake of the long-term leg injury suffered opening night by rookie forward Julius Randle, according to league sources.
The Lakers were granted the exception, valued at $1.5 million, after it was determined that Randle is "substantially" more likely than not to miss the remainder of his first pro season.
League rules stipulate that the Lakers can use the exception to sign a free-agent replacement for Randle worth up to $1,498,680, which amounts to 50 percent of Randle's rookie salary.