After losing out on many big-name free agents, the Los Angeles Lakers are attempting to move on in a different direction. They traded for big man Roy Hibbert to fulfill their frontcourt needs on Saturday afternoon.
Now the Lakers have nabbed last season’s Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams. The two sides have reached an agreement upon a three-year, $21 million contract, multiple sources have confirmed.
The Lakers’ offseason went south when LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre Jordan, and Greg Monroe all chose to pass up the opportunity to play in L.A. However, the Lakers have bounced back by making two under the radar moves.
The free-agent market has gone dry, but the Lakers are finding ways to add key pieces to their young roster. Williams will join D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson in the backcourt rotation.
Williams is a capable bench scorer, as he averaged a career-high 15.5 points off Toronto’s bench last season. Although the greatest flaw in his game is his offensive efficiency, as the 28-year old shot merely 40.4 percent from the field.
In his 10-year career, Williams has played for three different teams – the Raptors, Atlanta Hawks, and Philadelphia 76ers. He has career averages of 11.9 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.0 rebounds. Williams has been a sixth man throughout most of his career. Out of 634 career games, he has only started 54 times.
With Nick Young also expected to be part of the second unit, he and Williams could make for a potent scoring duo.
The Lakers’ goal is to fill their roster with players who could compliment the young core of Russell, Clarkson, and Julius Randle, who is expected to make a full recovery once the season begins.
Adding Roy Hibbert as a defensive anchor was the first step. Williams is another outstanding pickup considering the minimal talent left on the market. The Lakers still need to bolster their small forward position and have interest in retaining Wesley Johnson, who is also garnering interest from the Los Angeles Clippers and Hawks.
The Lakers also have interest in big man Kevin Seraphin, but they may need to focus on enhancing their three spot before adding another big.
Even though the Lakers were unable to snag star players this summer, they have made alternate moves that could make them more relevant than last season in a tough Western Conference.