The start of training camps in the NBA is about a month away now, with preseason action following shortly after, starting in early October.
While the bulk of the Lakers’ roster is set in stone, the front office is still making moves. Los Angeles and Zach Auguste have reportedly agreed on a deal that will bring the big man to training camp, at the very least. Now, the Lakers have brought in another big man they have been linked to recently.
The team officially announced on Monday that they have signed Yi Jianlian to a contract, although the terms of the deal were not released, per team policy. 2012 was the last time Jianlian played in the NBA before leaving the Dallas Mavericks to return to China.
The Lakers already have surplus of big men on the roster at both the four and the five, which are both positions that Jianlian can play. It will be interesting to see how head coach Luke Walton allocates playing time amongst all of his front court players.
Jianlian, 28, could help provide floor spacing for the Lakers, given his ability to shoot from the perimeter. That shooting could help Los Angeles utilize some lineups that could push tempo and have five guys on the floor that can all shoot.
Even if the former No. 6 overall pick is unable to crack the rotation — which would be a bit surprising — his appeal to the massive market in Asia could help the Lakers off the court, seeing as Kobe Bryant will obviously no longer provide that luxury to the capacity he has in years past.
How will the rotation play out when the regular season rolls around? Who will make the final roster and who will be let go? Answers to questions like those are rapidly approaching, as the offseason continues to wind down.
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