The Los Angeles Lakers are working to complete their roster and players like Bobby Brown, Toure Murry, Eric Moreland, DJ Kennedy, Sean Kilpatrick and JaVale McGee could be potential options with Jonathan Holmes to bring in for depth in training camp and this comes after LA has added Roy Hibbert, Brandon Bass, D'Angelo Russell and Lou Williams this summer.
The Lakers have 12 guaranteed contracts on the roster, according to Pro Basketball Talk and that means they have some flexibility heading into training camp. The team can have 15 guaranteed players and with Jordan Clarkson making the roster, the Lakers may want some more depth behind Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell at point guard. The team also may want to beef up behind Roy Hibbert and Robert Sacre and that could lead to JaVale McGee being signed.
According to Basketball Insiders, Alex Kennedy reports that McGee is a potential option for the Lakers and he is also generating interest from the Mavericks. Sources reported to Kennedy that McGee is "focused on getting healthy" and that while several teams have "shown interest," the Lakers and Mavericks "seem like frontrunners" to get a deal done. The Mavs just signed Samuel Dalembert as a free agent and that could make the Lakers a more likely landing spot.
McGee has dealt with injuries over the past couple years and he only played in 23 games last season, but if he is healthy he could be a productive bench option. The Lakers have Robert Upshaw as a player that could make the roster, but Mitch Kupchak said earlier in the summer that he likely would not factor into the Lakers plans this season. According to RealGM, the Lakers have added undrafted forward Jonathan Holmes from Texas to a deal.
Pro Basketball Talk points out a ESPNBoston.com blog post from Chris Forsberg about Holmes, who played for the Celtics in the Summer League, describing the forward as "steady but quiet." Holmes put up 15 points and seven rebounds in a game and he also showed some skills from long range, making three shots from 3-point range and also had a block and an assist.
The Lakers have worked out Bobby Brown, as Bleacher Report's Jared Zwerling reported that the team was set to look at the guard on Monday. Brown has not been in the NBA for a few years, but he played for the USA team during the Pan Am games and also has played overseas. Brown could be a solid option to come in and add depth at guard, while Marc Stein at ESPN reports that Toure Murry will also get a workout for the Lakers.
Stein writes that Murry along with Sean Kilpatrick will have workouts and it comes after Murry previously played with the Knicks and Wizards, while Kilpatrick was with the Bucks summer league team. David Pick reports that the Lakers are also working out DK Kennedy and Eric Moreland, who was with the Kings last season. The Lakers may bring some young bodies to camp and those players will compete for roster spots.
Check here for more on the Lakers offseason moves and potential roster options.
