The Los Angeles Lakers announced the signing of Zach Norvell Jr. to a two-way contract on Monday. The deal was reached prior to the team tipping off against the Miami Heat in the opener of the 2019 California Classic.
Norvell was a redshirt sophomore at Gonzaga last season, where he averaged 14.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 steals in 30.7 minutes over 37 games (36 starts). He shot 43.4% from the field and 37% behind the arc, which could be a boon for the Lakers.
Norvell was selected to the 2019 First Team All-West Coast Conference last season, and he led the conference with 39 made 3-pointers, along with finishing third in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.6).
The 6’5 guard participated in the 2019 NBA Draft Combine but ultimately went undrafted, paving the way to signing with the Lakers. Norvell follows former two-way standouts Alex Caruso and Johnathan Williams, who not only were key to South Bay but the parent team as well.
Caruso and Williams were both extended qualifying offers by the Lakers and therefore are restricted free agents. The Lakers presumably would have interest in bringing Caruso and Williams back, though such a decision might not be made until Kawhi Leonard makes his free agency decision.
NBA rules permit teams to have up to two players under two-way contracts on their roster, in addition to a standard 15-man roster.