After reportedly inking Jonathan Holmes to a partially guaranteed contract and, if you listen to sources close to the player, showing some interest in veteran big man JaVale McGee, the Lakers are still looking to add to their roster.
Free-agent rumble: Hear Lakers bringing in young vet Toure Murry to audition for guard spot in same workout as recent Team USAer Bobby Brown
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) August 10, 2015
Another name surfaces for Lakers' guard workout: Sean Kilpatrick gets invite after summer-league stint w/Milwaukee and strong D-League play
— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) August 10, 2015
Per Sportando, Monday’s scheduled workout will include 11 additional players bringing the total to 14.
With training camp set to start next month, reports like these should not surprise. While, if you include Holmes and Robert Upshaw — whose reported deal is apparently still not signed — the Lakers have 16 players on their roster, they typically bring about 20 players to training camp with the last six or seven of those players competing for the final one or two spots on the roster.
Without knowing for sure how much of Holmes’ contract is guaranteed or if the Upshaw verbal agreement ever turns into one on paper, it’s difficult to know how much of a chance these players have to unseat Tarik Black or Jabari Brown who have non-guaranteed contracts or even Robert Sacre, whose deal is guaranteed, but is for the minimum. The Lakers could easily waive any of these three players to minimal or no financial impact.
As for the talent coming in for the workout hoping to sign a deal and compete in camp, Brown is easily the most accomplished. As Marc Stein noted, Brown had a very good showing at the Pan-Am games for Team USA last month and has also performed quite well in China in recent seasons. He is a scoring point guard who can really fill it up and is at the point of his career where, I’d imagine, he’s looking to get back into the NBA and see if he can make a difference stateside. Murry is more of a combo guard who has seen some action in the NBA the last two years, but had his most significant burn with the Knicks in the 2013-14 season where he played 373 minutes. Not the biggest sample size, for sure.
While the session is worth discussing, don’t expect much, if anything, to come from this workout. The Lakers roster is already (essentially) full with players they like and have invested resources into. The likelihood any of the 14 players coming to compete for a camp invite usurp even one of the current end of the bench guys is low. I mean, they’d have to shine enough in today’s workout to be one of a handful of guys just to get asked to come to camp and then beat out a guy who already knows the Lakers’ system. That’s a tough road to hoe.
But the Lakers are wise to do their due diligence and see if any of the above are worth a more extended look in training camp where they can compete daily with guys currently on the roster. From there, maybe they open enough eyes to make the Lakers think hard about keeping them around.
Vasheed says
Any word as to why Upshaw is not “signed”? I’ve really liked what I’ve seen in him but, news about him seems to frequently be vague.
Craig W. says
Vasheed,
Just guessing here, but I suspect his agent wants some reasonable money to be exchanged, rather than just to sign to attend training camp. The Lakers want to keep all their options open and would prefer he beat out Sacre before they sign him to decent guaranteed money.
Paulie says
It’s up to Upshaw to make the team I hope he does, he could put together a nice game
Jose says
That’s a tough road to hoe. It sure is
Trey Erving says
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.