Up until the trade deadline this past season, the Los Angeles Lakers were staring at a reality of not having a first-round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. It was the end result of the previous front office trading away future draft picks in deals that didn’t
While sending Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. to the Cleveland Cavaliers was considered notable in that it helped the Lakers create salary cap space for 2018 NBA free agency, they also acquired a draft pick.
It projected to be late in the first round given the Cavs’ record, but that’s an area the Lakers have flourished in over recent years. The pick ultimately landed at No. 25 overall, which the Lakers used to draft Moritz Wagner.
He reportedly is among the rookies who have signed a shoe deal, agreeing to a multi-year deal with Jordan Brand, according to ESPN’s Nick DePaula:
LA Lakers 1st Round pick and former Michigan standout Moe Wagner has agreed to a multi-year shoe deal with Jordan Brand. pic.twitter.com/mR3gNbNO48
— Nick DePaula (@NickDePaula) September 8, 2018
That Wagner would sign with Jordan isn’t much of a surprise considering previous ties established while in college. In the fall of 2016, the University of Michigan became the first college football program to opt for the “Jumpman” logo in lieu of Nike’s trademark swoosh.
While they were not the first collegiate basketball program to do so, the Wolverines also sported the Jordan Brand logo on their basketball jerseys and were outfitted with footwear from Nike’s subsidiary.
This season will mark the first in which Wagner and all NBA players will be permitted to wear shoes that don’t abide by uniform color rules that have long be in place. Traditionally, the NBA had only allowed for players to break from the guidelines on special dates (Christmas, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, etc.).
Are you following us on Instagram? We’ve changed our handle to @LakersNationOfficial! Find us on Facebook at @LakersNation, and on Twitter @LakersNation.