AUGUST 6: The Lakers have officially completed their deal with Howard, the team announced today (via Twitter). The club also confirmed the signings of Ellington and Ariza (Twitter links).
AUGUST 2: The Lakers are set to add three old friends as they prepare to mount another hoped-for deep postseason run for the 2021/22 season.
The team appears to be adding some much-needed perimeter shooting and big man depth after trading away wing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, big men Montrezl Harrell and Kyle Kuzma and its No. 22 pick in the 2021 draft to the Wizards in a deal for the max salary of future Hall of Fame point guard Russell Westbrook last week.
The club will add free agent shooting guard Wayne Ellington on a one-year contract, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).
The oft-traveled Ellington, 33, was most recently knocking down jumpers for the bottom-dwelling Pistons during the 2020/21 season. Ellington averaged 9.6 PPG, 1.8 RPG, and 1.5 APG on .441/.422/.800 shooting. He was last with the Lakers during the 2014/15 season.
Los Angeles will also bring back a pair of prior Lakers champions. 2009 champ Trevor Ariza, a two-way forward, is set to re-join L.A. on a one-year deal, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Ariza, 36, was most recently with the Heat following a mid-season trade from Portland during the 2020/21 season. He played in 30 games with Miami, starting in 27, and averaged 9.4 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.0 SPG and 0.6 BPG across 28.0 MPG. He posted a solid shooting line of .411/.350/.773, and is a career 35.2% shooter from deep on an average of 4.1 attempts.
Ellington and Ariza should add reliable bench shooting behind the Lakers’ big three of Westbrook and All-Star forwards LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Ariza remains still a solid defender, though he is no longer at the same level of his prior Lakers days.
2020 champ Dwight Howard will return to the Lakers as well, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).
The Lakers opted not to retain Howard after he and JaVale McGee helped proved rim-rolling and defensive moxie in the post during the team’s 2020 title run, and Howard signed on with the Sixers as All-Star Joel Embiid‘s prime backup for the 2020/21 season.
Howard, 35, has proven he can still be a sneakily-effective reserve center even in his NBA dotage, especially during the regular season. Howard averaged 7.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG, and 0.9 BPG (plus a less-great 2.9 FPG) for Philadelphia in just 17.3 MPG.
Ellington, Ariza, and Howard will all be signing one-year, minimum-salary contracts, according to Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Nice job by the Lakers to add three key veterans.
Fill 3 holes . Love the move when you got little money to spend .
Kill N it
Howard is brutal hands of stone and a technical foul waiting to happen not to mention his horrendous free throw shooting. Lakers are desperate.
He’s 3rd string, who cares.
AD > Gasol > Howard
Howard was huge during their run in the bubble. I’ve been saying they needed him back and now that he is I’m liking the way their roster is shaping up.
Huh? Last time I checked Howard shut down Jokic in playoffs. He’s here for defense and rebounds. Congrats and not understanding the fit
Last time I checked Dwight barely played more minutes than McGee.
He’s being brought in for his defense.
He fits pretty well with this team.
It’s probably a minimum deal too, but a lot of risk
Howard is the rim protector the Lakers lacked last year as LAL got killed in the paint.
Still gonna need more shooting
Two 36-year olds and a 34-year old on minimum contracts. What a coup for LA.
It will be exciting watching them wallop the Rockets next season
Facts!!
Lakers Nets finals finna be a movie
Gonna get Melo next.
Solid. Vet pickups for cheap. Still need shooting though
Love these moves. Cheap but fill holes. I don’t think Ellington or Ariza start so they still need to add a starting SG unless they bring back THT and he starts which could be the case. I hear people complaining about this team and about adding Westbrook but I’m really excited for next season. Hopefully we bring back THT, seems like Caruso is gone.
As a 76ers fan, I wish the Lakers the best with him. Some nights he feels like playing, most nights he doesn’t. And he still can’t make foul shots. Hopefully, the 76ers invest some money into the backup center position.
I would love to be a fly in the room when Pelinka and Rich Paul talk.
How did they get Harrell to agree to opt in just to be traded to Washington?
He might not have gotten the $10 mil AAV, but he could have secured more guaranteed $ and pick his new home.
Nice moves by the lakers!
Wow literally every piece I previously named. Surprised they got Dwight for the pick and roll defending, rim protecting depth big they needed b/c that role will be relatively limited, outside of certain matchups, behind Anthony Davis and Gasol
It looks like a de facto trade of Drummond for Howard since Drummond is now signing with the Sixers.