Lakers Make Surprise Signing Before 2021-22 NBA Season Begins

The Los Angeles Lakers are dealing with a lot of injuries right now. They will be without some of their key players at the beginning of the regular season. LeBron James and Anthony Davis will need extra help, and the Lakers have brought a new name in town. LA looked like a really great team early in the offseason, but they had too many injuries on the floor. Some players will undergo surgeries while others need more time to recover. Jay Huff is the latest addition to the team. The talented center will sign a two-way deal with the Lakers and this signing is a big deal for the franchise. Huff is the second two-way deal for the franchise, meaning there’s another available roster spot.

On Friday, Vogel said Lakers would "give it some time" re: filling the 2nd 2-way. He said, ideally, LA would fill the spots w/ a big & small, though talent was priority. LA now has 6'8 Sekou Doumbouya & 7'1 Huff on 2-ways. 4 different players have occupied a 2-way this offseason.

— michael corvo (@_michaelcorvo_) October 18, 2021

Huff was a good player as a Virginia Cavalier. He measures at 7’1 and played with the 2019 NCAA Champion Cavaliers. In his senior campaign, Huff made the ACC All-Defensive Team.  Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan aren’t really young, and the Lakers could really use more depth. The big man sure provides great depth at the moment. Huff offers great size and Frank Vogel will be excellent as a rim defender.

What about the summer league? In 18 minutes, Huff averaged 4.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks. At Virginia, he did 38% from beyond the arc while averaging 13 and seven. The Lakers need someone like Huff and he could be an excellent floor-spacer. On the roster, Huff will replace Joel Ayayi. The latter joined the Lakers in training camp, but they waived him. The Lakers also got former first-round pick Sekou Doumbouya on a two-way deal. Of course, he didn’t play in the final two preseason games. We all know what that means.

The Lakers struggle with injuries but they will also need time to build strong chemistry. LeBron is really confident at the moment and he believes that his teammates will play much better together later in the regular season. It’s time to pull out the heavy machinery. The Lakers are considered contenders and they are on a good way to win the title.