Los Angeles Lakers Blog – Page 28 – NBA Blog

Lakers sign Lance Stephenson

The Lakers’ signing of guard/forward Lance Stephenson became official today.

Per multiple reports, the deal is just for one year, $4.5 million.

Stephenson appeared in all 82 games (seven starts) for the Indiana Pacers last season, tallying 9.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 22.6 minutes per game.

“It’s incredibly exciting to have Lance join our team,” Pelinka said. “Lance is playoff-tested and will bring a certain edge, confidence and toughness to our roster. His multi-positional versatility and open-court playmaking abilities are key ingredients for the basketball style we designed for next season.”

An eight-year NBA veteran, Stephenson has played in 440 career games (196 starts) for Indiana, Charlotte, the LA Clippers, Memphis, New Orleans and Minnesota, averaging 8.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 24.4 minutes. He has also appeared in 57 NBA playoff games (38 starts), with career averages of 11.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists.

Selected by the Pacers with the 40th selection in the 2010 NBA Draft, Stephenson averaged 12.3 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 34 career games (32 starts) at the University of Cincinnati.

Lakers sign rookie Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk

The Los Angeles Lakers signed rookie guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk today.

The 47th overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft out of the University of Kansas, Mykhailiuk earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors last season, with averages of 14.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game. Mykhailiuk shot a Big 12-leading 44.4 percent from three-point range and set the KU single-season record with 115 three-point field goals made.

A native of Cherkasy, Ukraine, Mykhailiuk began his collegiate career at 17 years old as the youngest player in Big 12 history, and would go on to make three trips to the Sweet Sixteen, including one Final Four appearance in his four-year career. Mykhailiuk has also represented the Ukraine at the international level, leading the U-20 National Team in scoring during the 2016 FIBA European Championship.

Lakers sign rookie Isaac Bonga

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed forward Isaac Bonga.

The 39th overall pick in this years’ NBA Draft, Bonga was acquired from Philadelphia today in exchange for a 2019 second round draft pick and cash considerations. Bonga joins the Lakers from Fraport Skyliners in Germany and has competed internationally with the German National Team in qualifying rounds of the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

Bonga is expected to join the Lakers summer league team in Las Vegas for their opening contest versus Philadelphia, tomorrow at 8:30 p.m.

Lakers re-sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

The Los Angeles Lakers have re-signed guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

“We are excited to bring KCP back,” said Pelinka. “He is a true ‘two-way’ player, which is very important for our team DNA. We think he will multiply his successes from last year as we move forward with roster continuity.”

In 74 games (all starts) for the Lakers last season, Caldwell-Pope averaged 13.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals in 33.2 minutes per game, while tallying career highs in field goal percentage (.426) and three-point percentage (.383).

The five-year NBA veteran has appeared in 388 career games (348 starts) for the Lakers and Detroit Pistons, holding career averages of 12.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals in 30.8 minutes. He is also one of 22 players in league history to convert at least 635 three-pointers in his first five professional seasons (638).

Sixers trade Isaac Bonga to Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired forward Isaac Bonga from the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for a 2019 second round draft pick and cash considerations, it was announced today by General Manager Rob Pelinka.

Originally selected by the 76ers with this year’s No. 39 draft pick, Bonga averaged 6.0 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists for the Fraport Skyliners in Germany last season. Bonga has also competed internationally with the German National Team in qualifying rounds of the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

Lakers make strange moves after signing agreement with LeBron James

The Lakers reportedly came to an agreement with LeBron James early in free agency, and then proceeded to add a stream of players who are talented but aren’t known for their shooting ability or their decision-making. To hear the agreements one after the other was almost shocking. The only thought is, perhaps a big Lakers trade is looming, or perhaps the Lakers are merely stalling until next season’s free agency and that’s why they’re doing these one-year deals. Here’s the LA Times reporting:

Within 24 hours of adding the disciplined and professional James to a group of young and impressionable kids, the Lakers have inexplicably opened the locker room door to three veteran misfits.

In moves that ended Monday afternoon, they gave one-year deals to Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee and Rajon Rondo in what only sounds like a “Saturday Night Live” spoof.

All three are valued for their fierce competitiveness. All three are also renowned for their unabashed kookiness.

Not only do all three have histories of odd and unsettling on-court behavior, but none of the three can provide James with the expert shooter his game desperately needs. The Lakers still don’t have that shooter. They also don’t have fan favorite and greatly improved Julius Randle, who looked at the new landscape Monday, threw up his hands and moved to New Orleans.

Full article

LeBron James will sign with the Lakers

The first 24 hours of 2018 free agency have been epic. After a large flurry of reported agreements late Saturday night as the negotiation period kicked off, Sunday evening multiple outlets reported that LeBron James has decided to sign with the Lakers. Here’s the LA Times with more:

After securing a commitment from LeBron James on a four-year deal worth $154 million, the Lakers agreed Sunday to one-year deals with three veterans.

They will pay Kentavious Caldwell-Pope $12 million, Lance Stephenson $4.4 million and JaVale McGee $2.4 million, according to people familiar with the agreements who were not authorized to speak publicly. None of the deals can become official until Friday when the league’s moratorium on signing contracts lifts.

Two contracts did become official. The Lakers signed first-round draft pick Moe Wagner, which means he cannot be traded for at least 30 days. They also signed Malik Newman, a rookie out of Kansas, to a two-way contract.

Caldwell-Pope spent last season with the Lakers on a one-year deal worth $18 million, after spending the first four years of his career with the Detroit Pistons. He hit the market late because the Pistons waited until mid-July to renounce their rights to him after they were unable to reach an agreement on a new contract.

Full article

Lakers sign Malik Newman to two-way contract

The Lakers signed rookie guard Malik Newman to a two-way contract today.

Newman appeared in 39 games (33 starts) for Kansas last season, averaging 14.2 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 31.6 minutes. The 2018 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year averaged a team-high 21.6 points in the NCAA Tournament, leading Kansas to the Final Four and earning NCAA Tournament Midwest Regional Most Outstanding Player honors.

Per NBA rules, teams are permitted to have up to two players under two-way contracts on their roster at any given time, in addition to their 15-man regular season roster.

Lakers sign rookie Moritz Wagner

The Los Angeles Lakers signed rookie center Moritz Wagner today, General Manager Rob Pelinka announced.

Wagner, the 25th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, appeared in 107 career games (77 starts) for the Michigan Wolverines from 2015-18, with career averages of 10.4 points (.547 FG%) and 4.5 rebounds per game. In 2017-18, Wagner helped lead the Wolverines to a berth in the NCAA Championship game, earning All-Tournament Team honors with 15.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.2 steals in six NCAA Tournament games.

The 2018 Big Ten Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, Wagner helped Michigan to the team’s second consecutive Big Ten Tournament championship with four straight double-digit scoring outings. Wagner started every game of his sophomore and junior seasons, averaging career bests of 14.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.0 steals last season.

Lakers waive Tyler Ennis

The Los Angeles Lakers have requested waivers on guard Tyler Ennis, it was announced last night.

Acquired via trade on February 23, 2017, Ennis averaged 5.2 points, 2.1 assists and 1.6 rebounds in 76 games (13 starts) for the Lakers.

The Lakers may do massive things in free agency in the next week or two. We’re all waiting to see if they land Kawhi Leonard in free agency, what LeBron James, Paul George and other top players decide, etc.