After losing out on their top target in free agency, some around the NBA questioned whether or not the Lakers still had the same appeal necessary to sign free agents. Considering that every free agent that has signed or agreed to sign with the Lakers so far this offseason have all done so knowing they would take a pay cut, I think that argument lost a lot of merit.
The Lakers’ new frontcourt addition, Chris Kaman, acknowledged that he had other offers that came with more lucrative contracts, but he choose the Lakers to be a Laker and because he felt it was the right fit. The Lakers spent their mini mid-level to sign Kaman for one year, and GM Mitch Kupchak made the signing official on Friday.
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Kupchak had the following to say about Kaman, who is quickly become a fan favorite on Twitter alone:
“We’re pleased to be able to add a big man of Chris’ caliber to the roster for the upcoming season,” said Kupchak. “He’s a versatile center who defends well, goes hard to the glass and can score both in the paint and from mid-range while also being a high character guy and solid locker room presence.”
Kaman will most likely be coming off the bench next season for Mike D’Antoni and the Lakers. There, he will provide needed backup and depth to the Lakers’ frontcourt and to Pau Gasol, who is coming off of knee procedures this offseason. Kaman seem like a solid signing, especially for the minimal cost and a contract that won’t interfere with the Lakers’ plans in the 2014 offseason.
Kaman was originally drafted by the Clippers with the sixth overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft. The 10-year veteran was named to the 2010 Western Conference All-Star team and has a career average of 11.8 points and 8.0 rebounds.
Click below for the full press release.
[showhide type=”pressrelease”]EL SEGUNDO – The Los Angeles Lakers have signed free agent center Chris Kaman, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.
Kaman, a 10-year NBA veteran out of Central Michigan University, has averaged 11.8 points, 8.0 rebounds and 1.38 blocks in 606 career games (510 starts) with the Los Angeles Clippers, New Orleans Pelicans and Dallas Mavericks.
“We’re pleased to be able to add a big man of Chris’ caliber to the roster for the upcoming season,” said Kupchak. “He’s a versatile center who defends well, goes hard to the glass and can score both in the paint and from mid-range while also being a high character guy and solid locker room presence.”
Originally selected by the Clippers with the sixth overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, the 7-foot, 265-pound center has scored better than 10 points per game in each of his last eight NBA seasons and is one of only 13 players since entering the league to record at least 7,000 points, 4,000 rebounds and 800 blocked shots.
Named to the 2010 Western Conference All-Star team in a season in which he ranked 25th among league leaders in scoring, 14th in rebounding and 23rd in blocked shots, Kaman, a dual citizen of the United States and Germany, was also a member of the German National Team that competed at Eurobasket 2011 and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
Appearing in 66 games (52 starts) with the Mavericks last season, Kaman averaged 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds in a career-low 20.7 minutes while shooting above .500 from the field (.507) for the third time in his career.[/showhide]
