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Lakers Pick Up Team Option on David Nwaba’s Contract

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The Lakers have announced they have picked up the team option on David Nwaba’s contract for the 2017-18 season. Nwaba is set to earn $1.3 million next season and, depending on what happens with the team’s depth chart, should be able to compete for minutes as a 4th or 5th guard in the rotation.

Nwaba had a fine close to the season last year after being called up from the D-League and signed to a 10-day contract. After signing a second 10-day deal, Nwaba stuck for the remaining of the season by signing a two year contract — with the option that was just picked up representing the 2nd year of that deal.

Ultimately, this was a smart move by the Lakers. Nwaba’s contract is about what would be paid to a veteran on a minimum deal and, as I wrote when looking at the Lakers free agency prospects, the team really needs depth on the wing. So, simply from those angles, Nwaba fills a need as a low salaried player who also fills a positional need.

Beyond that, Nwaba has an intriguing skill set that could stick in the league. He’s a fine defensive player, is excellent in transition, and is a plus athlete who understands how to be an off-ball threat as a cutter and slasher. His outside shot needs work — and how much he develops in that area will determine his staying power in the league — but his form is not “broken” and the hope is that he continues to work and improve in that area.

Even if he doesn’t, though, players of his ilk can have a long career in this league. If you’re willing to defend and can prove to do so at a high level, teams want you. So, I’m happy the Lakers have stuck with him and will invest more time into his development. With Magic, Pelinka, and Luke trying to build a culture of hard work and team play, Nwaba fits right in.


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Comments

  4. CraigW. says

    With the emphasis on character and maturity (the #30 & #42 picks), Nwaba fits in perfectly. My guess is that he practices his shooting more than Randle this summer. We will see in summer league and camp next October.

  5. Jim213 says

    Pelinka on Brook Lopez: “One of the best stretch 5s in the game” and fits their “vision” of the type of player they want on the Lakers

    Lol, but may/will possibly be a one yr rental.

  6. Ed says

    I`m a big fan because he`s a local guy and hard worker who had to fight even to make it in the D- League.

    • D.R. HOOPS says

      Let’s bring back Luke’s buddies Farmar and Sasha to mentor the kids on cheap one year deals

      • Anonymous says

        THE MACHINE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        What about SLAVA?????????!!!!?!?!?!!?!?

  7. Chearn says

    I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of Nwaba. When he joined the Lakers, he competed from the onset, getting to the rim for offensive put backs, baseline cuts for the lob, and driving with the intent on finishing at the rim. Now all he needs is repetitions off the court, and playing time on the court to season into a complete NBA player, worthy of a spot on any team. This off season David should work on developing a floater so that when teams officially have him on their scouting report as a finisher at the rim he’ll be able to drop that tear drop on them instead. It stands without reason that he’ll have to be respectable from the 3pt line, somewhere in the mid-30s.

    Off topic-The league continues its dilution of the East Coast so Lebron will be ensured of reaching the finals for the entirety of his career. Chris Paul and every other NBA player of any worth are stockpiling teams on the West Coast to thwart the Warriors attempt at a dynasty.

    Query: Why is the league committed to weakening the Eastern Conference by allowing Milsap, George, Anthony and any other player with a modicum of talent to overload the Western Conference for a team to dethrone the Warriors; yet no such attempt is choreographed to depose James of his stranglehold out East? Would it not be simpler for some of these elite agents to join the Celtics, Wizards, or Raptors for an opportunity to reach the Eastern finals and be the cog in Lebron’s historical record?

  8. Clay Bertrand says

    I’m a Nwaba fan (as much as one CAN be a fan of a fringe D/G League Call Up who was only with the team for 20 games). His hunger is so apparent in his game. The flimsy Defense that MOST players in the league these days play means that every team needs players who are Defense First to compliment those who are, uhhhh…….Defensively Challenged.

    Tony Allen, Danny Green, Thabo Sefolosha, Patrick Beverley, Andre Roberson, to name a few, are guys whose primary focus is defense with any offense being mostly gravy (except for maybe Danny Green whose shooting from 3 has been better than the others listed.)

    Nwaba fits the mold perfectly and in fact, I’d argue he is a better athlete with higher offensive upside than ALL of those players. If he can develop his 3 point shot (he’s working hard on the corner 3 this off season) the guy will be a big value to the Lakers ESPECIALLY on a $1.3 Million Dollar deal. His shots will come organically and opportunistically within the offense and should consist of lobs, non lob rim finishes off cuts, short corner threes and free throws. His bounce is downright Ruben Pattersonesque. If he can continue to sharpen his defensive chops at the NBA level, this guy could be a real find. Can you say, CURRY-STOPPER???????

    To echo Ed above, his being local and an undrafted guy is also a cool backstory and its a GREAT accomplishment if he continues to progress and can stick with the big club. The guy kicked around between different fairly unknown (or just plain CRAPPY) college and JC basketball programs and was not drafted. One thing he does not lack for is EFFORT.

    I’m really pulling for Nwaba to make the strides and become a rotation guy for the Lakers.

    As for other options to fill the guard spots, I wonder if Vander Blue actually has a legit shot to make the team (he will be in Summer League). Vander has been a terror in the D/G League for 3 years as a score first push the pace “PG”. He isn’t undersized for the position (6’4″-6’5″) so conceivably, he could be coached up on D (maybe). While he handles the ball quite a bit, he is not much of a distributor. Rather, he is a Volume Shooting Scorer with scarce assist numbers who has shot OK if somewhat streaky at times from 3 point land (altho in 2015 he did shoot 41% from 3).

    On paper, it doesn’t appear that his game would mesh too well with what Walton is trying to cultivate. However, he is the reigning NBA D/G League MVP and with a team that will be void of Swaggy and Lou’s shooting AND in need of back court depth, Vander Blue could be an intriguing option if scoring from the guard spot is a concern when the final roster starts to crystalize later this Summer and in Camp. OR he could just be a Camp Body. We shall see. At least, he is getting another look.

    PREDICTION: Lakers will WIN the Summer League Championship. Not a banner, no rings, no parade. Baby Steps though……back to where we need to be. We need to plant the seeds of winning whenever and wherever possible.

    P.S. YES I’m late to the Party but the ESPN 30 for 30 on Lakers and Foston is really good. Its just too damn real–all these old feelings!!!!!! I had to turn off Part 1 last night with all the Celtic success. It made me a little queasy AND A LOT PISSED OFF!!!!!!! Better Lakers days are forthcoming in the rest of the doc. But man, seeing all those scumbag Celtic Fans in 60s/70s attire with their crappy hair cheering for Havilcek makes me wanna PUKE. I thought I had buried a lot of that old anger but the Hatred of the Celtics will never go away…….If you haven’t got a chance to see it, maybe the ESPN App has it somewhere. Do yourself a favor, get your juices flowing, watch “Lakers and Celtics: Best of Enemies” and get a MEAN ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    GO LAKERS!!!!!!!! THEN AND NOWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • 213inthe415 says

      Lol….I had to “pause” after the Worthy pass at the Garden. Primal Scream therapy that was. What is old is new again.

  9. D.R. HOOPS says

    Looks like Afflalo will be available might be interested in a one year career revival tour

  10. FredP says

    Hmmm, looks like Houston is not afraid to pair two ball dominant point guards…

    For curiosity’s sake, if Lebron and George come to the lakers next summer, what positions would they play? Lebron is on record as not wanting to play PF and the Lakers already have Ingram.

    I like the Nwaba signing too and hope he can learn to shoot well enough to get playing time.

    • R says

      Yes, hard to see how it would’ve hurt the Lakers to try DAR and Ball side by side for a season.

  11. Old Timer says

    Lakers have a need for 2nd PG if they are not going with smaller Tyler Ennis. Well, go for the best european player Milos Teodosic on Sat, hopefully he would agree for 1 year deal with Lakers and “pay to see” at $6M before signing a longer contract. He is now signed with CSKA listed on the available FA’s. Popular in Euro League as a high IQ player and three-shot phenom, weaknesses common to euros soft on defense.

    • Peter says

      Teodosic is a legend in European basketball but is on the downside of his career now. Would have been great a few years ago. At this stage, he can definitely still offer fantastic outside shooting, but i’m afraid of how he would defend. Either way, it would be a really interesting addition if we could get him.

      • Clay Bertrand says

        I heard Teo still smokes cigarettes. If he chewed, at least his cardio wouldn’t be affected. Just sayin.

  13. Alan says

    I am thrilled the Lakers picked up his contract. He shows up and does everything the team asks with genuine enthusiasm. He is a great asset.