Report: G League wing earns deal with Lakers after historic performance on Friday

The Los Angeles Lakers have signed G League wing Dylan Windler following his historic performance for the Westchester Knicks on Friday.

In Westchester’s seven-point loss to the Delaware Blue Coats, Windler dropped 23 points while shooting 10-of-22 from the field to go along with a G League record 33 rebounds in 39 minutes of playing time.

Windler will join the Lakers with some NBA experience already under his belt. He has played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks across four seasons in the league, appearing in three games with New York earlier this season.

Quite possibly his best NBA season so far was his rookie campaign, the 2020-21 season. In 31 games with the Cavaliers during that regular season, Windler averaged 5.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game while shooting 43.8 percent from the floor and 33.8 percent from 3-point range.

The Lakers have arguably hit a low point in their 2023-24 season following their loss to the Memphis Grizzlies at home on Friday. Los Angeles has now lost four games in a row and fallen all the way down to the No. 11 seed in the Western Conference with a 17-19 record on the season.

To add insult to injury, three out of the four losses that the Lakers have endured during their losing streak have come by double digits, with the only exception being Los Angeles’ two-point loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves — who hold the top record in the Western Conference — on Dec. 30.

Unfortunately for the Lakers, they have a matchup against a hot Los Angeles Clippers team scheduled for Sunday. The Clippers sit as the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference and have won five games in a row and eight out of their last 10.

Lakers fans shouldn’t expect Windler to play crucial minutes with the team anytime soon, as he is on a two-way contract. But considering his incredible G League showing against the Blue Coats, it makes sense why the Lakers have decided to add him to the team.