One of the more pleasant surprises for the Los Angeles Lakers down the stretch of this past season was David Nwaba. A standout on the Los Angeles D-Fenders (now South Bay Lakers of the G-League), the Lakers signed Nwaba to a 10-day contract and he impressed them so much that he was ultimately signed for the rest of the season.
Included in that deal was a team option for the 2017-18 season, which the Lakers announced they have exercised:
The Los Angeles Lakers have exercised their team option for the 2017-18 season on David Nwaba, it was announced today by General Manager Rob Pelinka.
Nwaba has been lauded for his efforts on defense and his constant energy. He made a number of different hustle plays down the stretch of the year and the Lakers clearly see potential in him as a defensive stopper.
One thing that Nwaba must improve upon is his 3-point shooting, and he is well aware of that. Magic Johnson has spoken about his need to be able to stretch the floor and Nwaba has been working hard this summer on exactly that.
The first chance Nwaba will have to show off his improvements will be in Las Vegas during Summer League. Nwaba will be a part of what should be a stacked Lakers team that will also include Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, and Ivica Zubac.
With Nick Young opting-out of his contract, the Lakers have a hole at the shooting guard position. Should Nwaba develop and improve the way the Lakers hope, he could find himself in prime position to be a starter for the Lakers next season.
In 20 games last year Nwaba averaged 6.0 points and 3.2 rebounds while shooting 58 percent from the field.