Immediately following the 2015 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers moved quickly to make undrafted center Robert Upshaw a part of their Summer League team. A lottery talent, Upshaw went undrafted after being kicked off of two college programs.
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Despite his issues in college, many were anxious to see how Upshaw would do for the Lakers this summer. Though he didn’t have a dominant performance, he has done enough to secure a two-year contract from the Los Angeles Lakers according to Chris B. Haynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer:
Undrafted free agent center Robert Upshaw (from Fresno!), Lakers reach agreement on two-year deal, league sources tell @Clevelanddotcom.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 11, 2015
Upshaw led the nation in blocked shots at Washington last year, averaging 4.5 a game in only 25 minutes per night. He showed his shot blocking prowess in limited minutes during the Lakers’ opening game in Summer League as he tallied three blocks in 12 minutes.
For the Lakers, this solidifies the center position as Roy Hibbert will surely be the starter, but things were questionable behind him. Tarik Black was likely the backup, but he stands only 6’8″ and Robert Sacre does not have the potential that Upshaw possesses.
This deal looks like a win-win for both sides as the Lakers get the chance to develop a talented young big man while Upshaw has solidified his spot on a team as he intended. The first year on the contract is partially guaranteed, while the second year is non-guaranteed.
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