Lakers signal former LeBron James teammate so as to add depth earlier than playoffs

The Los Angeles Lakers signed two gamers on the ultimate day of the common season, together with LeBron James‘ former teammate, Tristan Thompson, who received an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.

Thompson, 32, can be leaving his ESPN analyst place — he has been part of the “NBA At present” solid and different applications since late January — to proceed taking part in skilled basketball. He hasn’t performed within the league because the 2021-22 NBA season, when the large man was a backup heart for the Chicago Bulls.

Lakers head coach Darvin Ham spoke concerning the addition of Thompson previous to the staff’s season finale victory over the Utah Jazz on Sunday.

“What he brings, his spirit, his positivity in addition to the way in which he is performed, years and years of championship-level basketball,” Ham mentioned. “Championship pedigree. Nice man to be round, nice teammate, I’ve heard nothing however nice issues about him.

“And having coached in opposition to him for a bunch of years, he and I’ve at all times had an excellent rapport all through his profession. I am an enormous fan of him, I watched him again when he was taking part in at Texas. However simply one other nice man so as to add a serviceable participant if we have to go in that path.”

Lakers additionally signal Shaquille Harrison

Lakers additionally signed Shaquille Harrison so as to add depth previous to the beginning of the play-in match, which the Purple & Gold could not escape attributable to a loss in opposition to the Los Angeles Clippers.

Harrison, 29, performed for the staff’s G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, this season and is coming off a 10-day contract with the Portland Path Blazers.

The guard is a defensive specialist who can be a “break in case of emergency” participant, in keeping with Ham.

“Simply to shore up our backcourt and to shore up our frontline,” Ham mentioned. “[Harrison] is a man that may rating and defend and playmake and guard a number of positions. To have a man like that that is I feel simply shy of 200 NBA video games below his belt, so he is performed actual NBA minutes, and we noticed a chance simply if something ought to occur health-wise with our guys we’ll have somebody that we will throw within the combine, that is acquainted, that is been in our program, that understands how we wish to play and the terminology and whatnot. So, yeah, there is a little bit of company information there.”

What quantity will Tristan Thompson put on?

Neither Thompson nor Harrison had been accessible for the staff’s win over Utah, however will doubtless be able to go for the beginning of the postseason.

Thompson will put on No. 9 for the Lakers and Harrison will put on No. 0, the quantity left vacant by Russell Westbrook.

Lakers waived guard Davon Reed to make room for the brand new signings, who can be becoming a member of a staff that completed the season successful 9 of the ultimate 11 video games.

The Purple & Gold are the No. 7 seed and can host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday in hopes of securing that spot for the playoffs.