The Lakers currently have 16 players under contract, but will look at to add anywhere from two to four more players to their roster for training camp. Among the players they have shown interest in is former Kings Forward Eric Moreland. From Shams Charania of Real GM:
Free agent Eric Moreland has multiple deals to compete for a roster spot in NBA training camp, with the Detroit Pistons as frontrunners, league sources told RealGM. The Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings are strong under consideration for Moreland, sources said, and their front offices expect the 6-foot-10 forward to settle upon a destination once the final offers are presented. The Kings waived Moreland on July 29 before his contract guarantee date for the 2015-16 season.
After having a good summer league with the Kings (6.4 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks in 20 minutes a game), Moreland is looking to catch on and find a more permanent role with a team. That said, any contract and camp invite from the Lakers isn’t likely to bring that security.
The Lakers are already very deep at PF with no fewer than 5 players who could draw consideration for minutes at that spot. There might be more flexibility if Moreland could play C, but with a listed weight of 218 pounds, that’s an unlikely solution.
Ultimately, then, I’d not expect Moreland to stick even if he did choose the Lakers. There are simply too many players he’d need to unseat to earn a regular season roster spot, nearly all of them players the team has already invested in. He would likely just be camp fodder who could compete with the other Lakers’ bigs in practice and provide an extra body as insurance should injury occur or if a player needs a day off for rest.
Whether that situation is enough to entice him would likely depend on how he and his agent view the opportunities with the Kings and the Pistons. Detroit currently has more guaranteed contracts than roster spots and will need to make cuts to get down to the maximum roster size. The Kings offer familiarity, but also just drafted Willie Cauley-Stein and added Kosta Koufos and Quincy Acy in free agency.
Whichever team Moreland chooses, then, offers an uphill climb to a roster spot. We’ll see if the Lakers end up being that team.
Laker uruguayo says
Randle, Bass, Black, Nance, Kelly, Holmes. Too much PFs. Don’t need him.
Rico Tico says
@ Laker Uruguayo. Igual pienso yo.
C Hibbert, Sacre,
PF Randle, Bass, Black, Nance, Kelley
SF Kobe, A.Brown
SG Clarkson, Williams, N.Young, J Brown, Mozier?
PG Russel
We have to many PF on our roster. We need to concentrate on C, SF, PG.
FunFact says
Fun fact: Eric Moreland has the largest hands in the nba, and some of the largest of all time on any internet basketball databases.
R says
Speaking of large hands, the last time I was in the Portland Rose Garden arena there were outlines of Rasheed Wallace’s hands on display (long after he left the team). Don’t know where they rank for a basketball player, but very big compared to us mere mortals!