The Los Angeles Lakers have needed a young, athletic upgrade at the center position, and now they will be getting one.
They have reportedly signed Damian Jones, a 6-foot-11 big man, to a two-year contract.
Free agent C Damian Jones has agreed to a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2022
Jones, who turns 27 today, averaged 8.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 0.8 blocked shots in 18.2 minutes per game this season for the Sacramento Kings.
He even started to add a bit of range to his offensive game, attempting 0.5 3-point shots per game and hitting 34.5 percent of them.
Jones had previously spent a brief stint with the Purple and Gold during the 2020-21 campaign, during which he didn’t impress much, but he has apparently grown as a player since.
This past season, L.A. had to make do with DeAndre Jordan and Dwight Howard as its primary centers. Both proved they weren’t exactly what they were just a few years ago, and Jordan fell out of the rotation after several weeks.
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has stated that the squad needs to get younger. They had one of the oldest rosters anyone could remember seeing during the 2021-22 campaign, and it hampered their ability to stay healthy, play defense and finish games strong.
Jones was originally the 30th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. He spent three seasons there, getting himself two championship rings, but he has bounced around the NBA a bit since then.
Maybe now he can find himself a more permanent home with the Lakers.
