With an open roster spot to use for 10-day contracts between now and the trade deadline, the Los Angeles Lakers have been doing their due diligence by working out free agents to see if any are worth a look.
Veteran guard Sterling Brown is currently on the roster on a 10-day contract that ends this weekend. He has played sparing minutes for the team and likely won’t be sticking around long-term.
With that being the case, the Lakers have also worked out some other free agents with DeMarcus Cousins reportedly on the docket for this Friday.
It appears Cousins won’t be working out alone as according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, the Lakers are also bringing in big man Meyers Leonard:
Free agent center Meyers Leonard will work out for the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 12, 2023
This is a controversial one as Leonard made anti-Semitic remarks that have kept him out of the league for the last couple of seasons. He also dealt with ankle and shoulder issues although is believed to be healthy at this time:
Leonard last played in Jan. 2021, at which point he had season-ending shoulder and ankle surgeries. Based on issues that stem from the ankle surgery, Leonard has been sidelined for almost two years, and recently was fully cleared to work out for NBA teams. https://t.co/NjQx7ZTKyP
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) January 12, 2023
In nine career NBA seasons, Leonard is a 39% career 3-pointer shooter. In his last full season with the Miami Heat in 2019-20, he averaged 6.1 points and 5.1 rebounds while shooting 41.4% from deep in 20.3 minutes per game.
After working out Cody Zeller and now both Cousins and Leonard, it is clear that the Lakers are looking to add another big man to the mix. While Anthony Davis is on his way back from a foot injury, there’s still some uncertainty there and Thomas Bryant has taken on a big load in his absence.
Leonard has taken some steps by learning and supporting the Jewish community in the wake of his anti-Semitic remarks, but whether or not it is enough for the Lakers or another team to sign him after being out of the league for multiple years remains to be seen.
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