Report: Lakers G League affiliate officially opts out of G League bubble

The Los Angeles Lakers’ G League affiliate South Bay Lakers have officially opted out of the NBA’s G League bubble in Orlando, Fla.

The South Bay Lakers released a statement explaining that they are opting out of what is the “best course of action for the Lakers organization.”

“While we appreciate the G League’s efforts in putting together this model to accommodate all member teams, we have determined this is the best course of action for the Lakers organization,” the statement read.

“We look forward to our eventual return to G League basketball. In the meantime, we will continue to assign opportunities to our staff as they become available.

“We encourage you to visit sblakers.com and our South Bay Lakers social channels for the latest news, updates and interactive features to stay connected to the game, along with guidelines on how to keep yourself and your family safe and healthy.

“Thank you for your loyalty and patience during these unprecedented times. We are grateful for your understanding and for being the best fans in sports.”

For the Los Angeles Lakers, this means that Kostas Antetokounmpo and Devontae Cacok will remain on the roster instead of heading to the G League bubble.

Normally, players on two-way deals such as Antetokounmpo and Cacok are only allowed 45 days with an NBA team.

However, the league lifted those restrictions this year. Instead, two-way players can be active for 50 games during the season.

Unless the Lakers experience a major injury to someone in their rotation, it is hard to see either of the two-way guys making a major impact this season.