The Los Angeles Lakers have officially signed former South Bay Lakers forward Jemerrio Jones to a contract for the 2018-19 NBA season, the team announced.
The team did not release the terms of the contract, but it is believed to be a two-year deal with the second year being a team option.
After going undrafted out of New Mexico State in the 2018 NBA Draft, Jones was taken by the Santa Cruz Warriors with the No. 18 pick in the 2018 G League Draft. He was traded to South Bay last October.
In 47 appearances for the team’s G League affiliate, Jones averaged 9.4 points (54.4% shooting from the field and 34.1% shooting from the three-point line) and a team-leading 9.6 rebounds per game to go along with 3.5 assists and 1.4 steals.
Jones is expected to join the Lakers for their final road trip of the season that begins against the New Orleans Pelicans as well as the final six games.
The Lakers recently announced that LeBron James will be shut down for the remainder of the season, so Jones could get an opportunity at playing time right away in his absence.
It shouldn’t take Jones long to get acclimated with the roster considering he played with a handful of them like Alex Caruso, Jonathan Williams, and Isaac Bonga in South Bay.
He and the Lakers will have their work cut out for them, facing Western Conference playoff teams in each of the final five games after their contest against the Pelicans.