While the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2021-22 season was disappointing to say the least, the organization is doing what it can to put it behind them and try to avoid it happening again in 2022-23.
That started with the hiring of new head coach Darvin Ham, who was introduced in a press conference at the team’s practice facility on Monday afternoon.
After speaking about his plans to change the culture and hold everyone accountable, Ham immediately got to work. The team hosted their latest crop of draft prospects for a workout on Monday afternoon.
Now, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN, they held a free-agent workout on Tuesday for Langston Galloway, Kyle Guy, Alize Johnson, Louis King and D.J. Wilson:
The Lakers held a free agent workout on Tuesday, sources told ESPN. Participants included Langston Galloway, Kyle Guy, Alize Johnson, Louis King and D.J. Wilson. LAL could have as many as seven open roster spots to fill this summer on its 15-man roster.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) June 8, 2022
Ham previously served as an assistant coach for the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks under Mike Budenholzer, so he has connections to a number of players across the league.
Galloway is an eight-year NBA veteran who spent most of the 2021-22 season in the G League. He did have two short NBA stints during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, appearing in four games for the Brooklyn Nets and three with Ham’s Bucks.
Wilson is another player Ham is familiar with as a former first-round pick by the Bucks (17th overall) in 2017. The power forward didn’t pan out in Milwaukee though and has since played sparing minutes for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors.
Guy is a former standout at Virginia who – like Galloway – got a shot this past season via the hardship exception. He made the most of his opportunity with the Miami Heat, scoring 17 points in a game and eventually landing a two-way contract. The shooting guard was eventually waived in March and finished out the season in the G League.
Johnson has played for six teams in his four NBA seasons, most notably the Nets in 2020-21 where he averaged 5.2 points and 5.0 rebounds in 18 games.
King has the least NBA experience of the bunch, playing in 26 total games for the Detroit Pistons and Sacramento Kings. Ham stated that the Lakers will search all avenues to fill the roster though, including G League, college and overseas players.
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