As the NBA preseason draws to a close, the Los Angeles Lakers have been making a number of minor roster moves to get ready for the 2023-24 season.
After signing Scotty Pippen Jr., Damion Baugh and Vincent Valerio-Bodon to Exhibit 10 contracts at the beginning of training camp, the Lakers recently waived all three players in order to open up some roster spots. All of them are expected to stay in the organization, however, as Exhibit 10 deals are non-guaranteed contracts that can easily be converted to G League contracts, allowing them to suit up for the South Bay Lakers this coming season while also making some extra money by being on the training camp roster.
With open roster spots at their disposal though, the Lakers can add other players on similar Exhibit 10 deals before the end of the preseason, and they have already begun doing so by announcing the signing of Louis King.
It appears they have signed another player in guard Quinndary Weatherspoon on a similar deal, according to Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report:
Los Angeles Lakers are signing guard Quinndary Weatherspoon, his agent Daniel Hazan tells @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport. Weatherspoon averaged 15.5 points, shot 52 percent and 40 percent from distance in two NBA preseason games while playing for Israeli club Maccabee Ra’anana.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) October 19, 2023
Weatherspoon was originally a second round draft pick of the San Antonio Spurs in 2019 out of Mississippi State. The 27-year-old has since bounced around a little bit, appearing in 42 career NBA games for the Spurs and Golden State Warriors while averaging 2.1 points, 0.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 6.5 minutes per game.
Weaterspoon has spent most of his career in the G League as a two-way player with the Warriors for two seasons although as Haynes alluded to, he most recently impressed while playing in a pair of NBA preseason games for Maccabee Ra’anana, which obviously got the Lakers’ attention to sign him.
Lakers expected to go into season with open roster spot
As has been the case in past years, the Lakers are expected to go into the regular season with an open roster spot in order to maintain some flexibility.
The Lakers currently have 14 players on guaranteed contracts, so that 15th and final spot will be available early in the season until the Lakers find someone on the free agent or trade market to fill it later in the season. If guys like Weatherspoon and King impress at the G League level, then perhaps they will be in consideration down the road.
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