MARCH 1: In addition to meeting with Waiters, the Lakers will also work him out on Monday in Los Angeles, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
The Lakers, who waived Daniels on Sunday, now have an open 15-man roster spot, but the team won’t be in a rush to fill it, according to ESPN. Although Woj and McMenamin suggest that Waiters will be one candidate for that roster opening, the ESPN duo notes that the Lakers will go through a “significant vetting process” with the veteran guard after his turbulent year in Miami.
FEBRUARY 26: The Lakers have a meeting scheduled with free agent guard Dion Waiters for March 2, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (relayed by Marc Stein of The New York Times on Twitter).
After being traded by the Heat and then waived by the Grizzlies earlier this month, Waiters has been on the open market, free to sign with any team except Miami. In the wake of his release, a report indicated that Waiters was expected to have “exploratory” discussions with the Lakers.
As we noted on Monday, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst suggested earlier this week that Waiters and the Lakers had already met, but that may have been more of a touching-base conversation then a full-fledged meeting. Windhorst added that the team would likely want to bring the 28-year-old in for a workout to “see what kind of condition he’s in.”
Waiters, who averaged 14.0 PPG and 3.6 APG in 120 games (28.7 MPG) during his first three seasons in Miami, barely played for the Heat this season, appearing in just three games. He fell out of favor with the club, serving three separate suspensions for violating team rules before being traded to Memphis.
Still, the Lakers are said to be in the market for a play-making perimeter scorer and Waiters could fit that bill. Of course, it’s worth noting fact that their meeting is set for March 2. Since March 1 represents the deadline for players to be waived and retain their postseason eligibility, the Lakers will know by next Monday whether there are other players on the buyout market who would be more favorable options than Waiters.
If the Lakers sign Waiters or another free agent, they’ll have to release someone from their 15-man roster. Troy Daniels and Quinn Cook would probably be the club’s most likely release candidates.
Doesn’t make much sense to sign Waiters on the 2nd and not have him playoff ready.
Plus eating a contract.
Where’s this is coming from is a complete mystery.
Not sure if “playoff-ready” = “playoff-eligible,” but just to clarify: Waiters will be playoff-eligible if he signs with a team anytime between now and the end of the season, since he was waived before March 1.
Yeah, hence the point about the Lakers knowing if there will be any other options available prior to the meeting on March 2.
Edibles are legal in Cali. He’ll be having ‘panic attacks’ daily
We call it building a tolerance here
LOL
Speaking on this, is there a date a player must sign by to be playoff-eligible with his new team?
Last day of the regular season.
I think your confused – A player can be signed after Mar 1 and play in the playoffs he just has to be cut by his initial team by then to do so-
There tryin to stack up on guards. If they want to do that then cut Dudley for the sake of everyone!
Dudley isn’t a guard. They’d be waiving Daniels and Waiters is definitely a huge upgrade over him.
Dudley won’t be seeing the floor now with the addition of Markeif, but if theres an injury to the frontcourt they’ll need Dudleys size as depth over another guard.
I think they value Dudley’s locker room presence and cheerleading more than anything else, and him staying roster has little to do with his position and on court value. I doubt the Lakers see him as anything more than that, and I don’t think it’s in anyones plans (hopefully) to be giving Jared Dudley meaningful minutes in a playoff game, bar catastrophe.
Dudley actually contributes a little. Daniels does not. Did not.
Now that they have Morris a Dudley cut makes sense.
Guess I was confused on Waiters. Didn’t know he could be signed on the 2nd and be playoff eligible.
Yep it has to do with when.theyre released, not signed
I bet Lakers wish they gave Melo a chance. Maybe next year
Why? He hasn’t looked good at all in Portland, despite putting up meh numbers in huge minutes. He’s a ball stopper and significant negative on both ends of the court, nothing has changed here with melo
He hasn’t learned to cut to the basket then.
They need firepower off the bench! AD hasn’t been holding his own when LeBron sits!
Is he going to be enough though?
AD + LBJ= Giannis.
Tyler Johnson
Would be a good fit for LA. Seems like the tough kind of player that could thrive in a playoff game as well.
Not too shoet?
HEADLINE
Lakers to work out WAITERS
More like Waiters on display at the court of King James.
Good one.
Waiters could be s long term asset. Still young. He had some slip ups with management and a few incidents with edibles. It’s not like he beat a woman or killed someone in a DUI. He definitely has basketball left in him.
Doesn’t matter. Lakers will not get past the clippers. Neither will get past Giannis.
Surprised the King not calling his old friend DWade to come out of retirement.