Obviously it's moot now but couldn't he have negotiated his buyout/release and then re-signed with the Lakers 30 days following the trade? That was what was done in the past.

A lot of hubub about an 11th man who's old as dirt with a lot of winning experience behind him. I'm not surprised at all that a team took the low risk of a useless roster spot and a small sum of cash to bring him for the stretch run.

Maxxx is mostly right about him, he was fortunate to wind up with the Lakers and wind up overpaid between stints because of his success there. He was a hustler, a details guy, a decent shooter and early in his career an average defender (who was propped up like a good one). So, sure, respectable, but not anyone any would remember had he played just about anywhere else.