With just over a week remaining before the regular season starts, the Los Angeles Lakers have made their first cuts to the training camp roster.
The team announced today that it has requested waivers on both Stephen Zimmerman and V.J. Beachem. The Lakers released a statement on the team website:
“The Los Angeles Lakers have requested waivers on forward V.J. Beachem and center Stephen Zimmerman, it was announced today.
Beachem scored two points with one assist in four minutes of play vs. Denver on October 4. Zimmerman tallied two points, one rebound and one assist in three minutes of action.
The Lakers training camp roster stands at 18.”
This comes as no surprise as both players were always long shots to make the final roster. Of course, bigger surprises have happened in the past as no one expected Metta World Peace to claim the final roster spot in each of the last two years.
Nonetheless, with both players only getting a couple of minutes through four preseason games, it was easy to see that both would likely be gone soon.
The roster now stands at 18, but one of those players is Alex Caruso, who is on a two-way contract and will be sent down to the South Bay Lakers of the G-League. As such, it is down to Vander Blue, Briante Weber, and Andrew Bogut to see who earns the final spot on the Lakers roster.
Bogut was the favorite, but he has yet to take the floor due to visa issues as well as a groin injury. Proving his health is key to Bogut earning the spot and Blue and Weber will have their opportunities to take that spot from him as the preseason winds down.
The Lakers finish off their preseason with games against the Utah Jazz on Tuesday, and the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday before next Thursday’s regular season opener against those same Clippers.
