3:01pm: The Lakers have officially signed Robinson, the team announced in a press release.
2:04pm: Robinson will get a non-guaranteed deal from the Lakers, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link).
1:57pm: The Lakers have added another free agent forward to their roster, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical, who reports that the team has reached a deal with Thomas Robinson. With Robinson and Metta World Peace now in the mix, Los Angeles has reached the 20-man offseason roster limit.
The fifth overall pick in the 2012 draft, Robinson hasn’t lived up to his billing as a top prospect since entering the NBA, averaging just 4.9 PPG and 4.8 RPG in 265 career appearances. However, he flashed some promise down the stretch last season in a very small sample for the Nets — in his final seven games (six starts), Robinson averaged a double-double, with 13.4 PPG and 11.4 RPG.
After opting out of his contract with the Nets in June, Robinson was linked to several teams during his free agency, including the Mavericks, Wolves, Pelicans, Spurs, Pacers, Suns, and Hawks. In the end, none of those teams opted to take a flier on the former Kansas standout, leaving the door open for the Lakers to bring him to camp.
With 14 players on guaranteed salaries and Yi Jianlian also expected to make the team, the Lakers don’t have any obvious openings on their roster. However, Nick Young is considered a release candidate, and it’s possible preseason performances could affect the Lakers’ roster decisions.
Robinson will join World Peace, Travis Wear, Julian Jacobs, and Zach Auguste as the five Lakers’ camp invitees on the outside looking in, hoping to impress coaches and earn a 15-man roster spot.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Another questionable signing by a very fragile front office – for the same price they could have had Chase Budinger who is more talented and fills a role more similar to the playing style of their new head coach ore that of his assistant (Mark Madsen).
The only thing that makes Budinger a fit for the Lakers is that he isn’t very good.
As mentioned in the other post: Goal is a Top 3 pick in next year’s draft
Bold statement, but I think Thomas Robinson makes the Lakers and plays pretty well off the bench. And if I’m wrong then I’m wrong but r non guarenteed salaries able to b cut during the season with no commitment? Then I’d go as far as saying Artest and Wear also make it.