The date for NBA teams to guarantee contracts for the remainder of the 2023-24 season came and went this past weekend, so the Los Angeles Lakers decided to make some roster moves.
The Lakers decided to part ways with two of their two-way players in D’Moi Hodge and Alex Fudge, who they signed an undrafted rookies this past season.
Colin Castleton remains with the Lakers on his two-way contract but the moves opened up two more slots for the organization to add talent. They wasted no time in filling one of them by signing wing Dylan Windler, who was coming off a record-breaking 33-rebound performance in the G League.
The Lakers have now filled the other one by signing guard Skylar Mays to a two-way deal, via Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:
Free agent G Skylar Mays has agreed on a two-way deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN. He’s spent parts of the past four seasons with Portland and Atlanta. He gives the Lakers some point guard depth. pic.twitter.com/4KGrbaQgD6
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 8, 2024
Originally a second-round pick of the Atlanta Hawks in 2020 out of LSU, Mays has some NBA experience across the last four seasons. He spent two seasons with the Hawks and then parts of two with the Portland Trail Blazers, averaging 4.9 points, 1.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 11.8 minutes across 88 NBA games.
Mays appeared in 21 games (five starts) with Portland this year and averaged 6.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 3.6 assists. In a short cameo of six games to end last season, he put up 15.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 8.3 assists, showing his potential as a distributing lead guard.
That earned him a standard non-guaranteed NBA contract for this season, although the Trail Blazers decided to waive him before it became guaranteed on Jan. 6, which paves the way for him to sign the two-way contract with L.A.
Ball-handling guards have been scarce for the Lakers this season with Gabe Vincent missing most of the year and Jalen Hood-Schifino needing development in the G League, so perhaps Mays can earn a chance at some playing time if he makes an impression on the coaching staff.
He may have already made an impression in two games against the Lakers this season, averaging 15 points and nine assists as a member of the Trail Blazers.
Lakers reportedly hesitant to take on Zach LaVine’s contract
If the Lakers want to make a bigger move at the guard position then Zach LaVine of the Chicago Bulls is on the trade block, although reports indicate they are hesitant to take on his massive contract.
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