After missing out on the big names in free agency, the Los Angeles Lakers bounced back by announcing a trade in principle to acquire Roy Hibbert and agreeing to deals with Brandon Bass and Lou Williams.
— Have you seen the ‘Bleed Purple and Gold’ phone case? —
The news of Williams surprised many with the Lakers already having someone on their roster to provide scoring off the bench in Nick Young. Williams is the reigning Sixth Man of the Year and is excited at his chance to defend his title as a member of the Lakers, according to an interview he had with Basketball Insiders’ Alex Kennedy:
Absolutely. I look forward to it. That’s become something that is part of my career and it’s a role that I’ve learned to love over the years. If you’re going to be a Sixth Man, if you’re going to come off of the bench, you want to be the best one to do it.”
Although Williams and Young may seem redundant on the same roster, it is unclear whether or not Young will still be with the Lakers when the season begins. The team’s front office has been reported to be exploring trade options for Young, Robert Sacre, and Ryan Kelly in order to make space for their new additions.
The Lakers previously had high hopes for Young and thought he would be their Sixth Man of the Year candidate. However, Young disappointed last season while dealing with injuries and inconsistent efforts on the court.
Williams figures to be the team’s new primary bench option. He averaged a career-high 15.5 points in 25.2 minutes while playing in 80 games for the Toronto Raptors last season.
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