Just three weeks into the regular season, all the talk about patience and growth with a Los Angeles Lakers team comprised of mostly untested young talent has quickly dissipated. With the team sitting at 4-6 on the season, Magic Johnson has already had a highly-publicized run-in with coach Luke Walton during which he reportedly implored him to start turning things around. Plus, outside of their nucleus of gifted but inexperienced players, the roster is filled with players who are on the downside of their careers.
Yet Magic and the rest of the execs haven’t let that deter them from bringing on at least one more player who fits that profile. A report emerged earlier this week that Tyson Chandler planned to sign a short-term deal to join the Lakers after he reached a buyout agreement with the Suns, and that’s precisely what happened on Tuesday afternoon.
OFFICIAL: Lakers Sign Tyson Chandlerhttps://t.co/uy7dAgTZIt
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) November 6, 2018
Chandler will sign a prorated veteran minimum contract with the Lakers. It will be for approximately $2.1M, which replaces the money he gave back to the Phoenix Suns in his buyout. https://t.co/B5Cye1PcLI
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) November 6, 2018
Aside from outside shooting, one of the Lakers’ primary concerns has been their lack of depth at the center position, despite the face that JaVale McGee has been putting up impressive numbers through the first few weeks.
Chandler adds another big presence in the paint, as well as veteran leadership in the locker room. The organization is hoping that Chandler can help clean up some of their defensive miscues and add some rebounding, but he’ll also be viewed as just another stop-gap measure for a roster that still has significant challenges ahead.
