Even in a roster rebuild, the Lakers have a type. And after losing LeBron James along with several rotation pieces, they’ve been quietly restocking with young wings who need a second chance. Ziaire Williams became the latest project when he signed a one-year minimum deal Sunday.
What made the Lakers pull the trigger? It wasn’t his college highlights or his 2021 draft pedigree. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, it was a private workout in Las Vegas that sealed it.
The Four-Man Lakers Contingent
Stein reported that GM Rob Pelinka, senior adviser Kurt Rambis, and assistant coaches Nate McMillan and Greg St. Jean all showed up at Joe Abunassar’s Impact Basketball gym to watch Williams go through drills. They wanted to see if his perimeter shooting had improved, something that’s held him back since he entered the league.
Williams, 24, was the 10th overall pick by the Pelicans in 2021, but he never quite found his footing in New Orleans or Memphis. He got traded to the Brooklyn Nets and spent two seasons there. Last year he averaged a career-best 10.2 points on 22.9 minutes per game across 56 contests. That production came when he got real floor time.
But the Lakers are deep at the wing. They’ve already added Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Kevon Looney, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Jaden Hardy — plus Williams. So minutes won’t come easy.
Reunited With Bronny
One small bit of connective tissue: Williams and Bronny James played together at Sierra Canyon High School. So there’s some familiarity in the locker room, even if Bronny’s own role is still taking shape.
Williams stands 6-foot-9, which gives the Lakers some length on the perimeter they lost when Marcus Smart and Jaxson Hayes left. And he’s shown flashes of being able to create his own shot in a way that could work alongside the team’s newer playmakers.
The signing is a low-risk flier, really. Minimum deal, one year. If he hits, the Lakers caught something on clearance. If not, they’re not on the hook for much. That’s how you rebuild after losing a guy like LeBron — you take a bunch of swings and hope a couple land.
Williams will have to earn his minutes. But the Lakers already saw enough in a sweaty Vegas gym to believe the swing was worth taking.
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