Lakers make Robert Sacre restricted free agent with qualifying offer

The Lakers extended a qualifying offer to center Robert Sacre, making him a restricted free agent this summer.

Sacre, taken by the Lakers with the 60th pick in the 2012 NBA draft, received an offer of $988,872 from the team.

“Right now I’m a Laker. I know I’m a Laker and I feel the Lakers are comfortably with me, so let’s just go with that,� said Sacre last week at a Time Warner Cable Media event to honor the late Dr. Jerry Buss.

While Sacre didn’t play many minutes as a rookie, making just 32 appearances at 6.3 a game, he was a positive presence in the locker room and on the practice floor.

Sacre is free to negotiate, both with the Lakers and other teams in July, but he can accept the team’s standing offer at his discretion.

In addition to getting matching tattoos with his girlfriend, Sacre has been a regular at the team’s practice facility.

“I work out during the day and then I finish off with a nice day at the beach,� Sacre said.

The Gonzaga product is expecting to be a part of the Lakers’ summer league team in Las Vegas in July.

“That’s the goal. I don’t see why not,� said Sacre of summer league. “My progression in working out is getting ready for that.�

Sacre said he hasn’t taken part in the team’s recruiting of free-agent center Dwight Howard.

“I do want to be the fault of him choosing the wrong team,� Sacre said. “I think he’ll be fine.�

The Lakers have not announced their intentions with three potential restricted-free agents (Darius Morris, Andrew Goudelock and Devin Ebanks).

ALSO:

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak says Dwight Howard is ‘our future’

Metta World Peace opts into contract, but will Lakers keep him?

Watch: Jeanie Buss accepts TWC Media award in late father’s behalf

Email Eric Pincus at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.