On Friday, the Los Angeles Lakers signed Metta World Peace to cap their 2016 Training Camp roster at 20. World Peace is a fan, media and locker room favorite, so his addition is a welcome sight for just about everyone looking forward to another season of purple and gold.
Most famously, World Peace won a title with the Lakers and hit the shot that won Game 7 over the Boston Celtics during the 2010 NBA Finals. After that moment, local fans seemingly universally show love to World Peace around Southern California. At Staples Center, World Peace regularly draws loud ovations when entering a game.
For the press, World Peace's name provides for wonderful headlines. For example, if one wanted to make a case for World Peace, the headline "All We Are Saying is Give Peace a Chance" would be tough to pass up. Even in the current instance, the thought of "World Peace Joins Lakers" can't help but draw a smirk.
NBCLA.com already made the case for World Peace to make the Lakers' final roster earlier in the week, when the news first broke, and it had a great deal to do with his locker room and end of the bench experience. Younger players swarmed around the 36-year-old veteran during games to better understanding the nuances of the game from the sidelines. World Peace also provides a wealth of knowledge on the practice court and serves as an example of the benefits of sustaining a healthy diet to maintain longevity.
However, the bigger meaning behind World Peace is that the Lakers' training camp roster is full. Yes, Nick Young is still with the team. One would imagine, it's his spot to lose, so if everything works out in camp and he fits in with Luke Walton's vision, Young will make 2016/17 roster.
2016/17 official Lakers training camp roster...Metta officially added. #Lakers pic.twitter.com/r9wUnQANJb — Shahan Ahmed (@shahanLA) September 23, 2016
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The Lakers will hold Media Day on Monday, Sept. 26 in El Segundo before opening camp in Santa Barbara the following day. The Lakers will have double practice sessions Wednesday through Saturday and finish camp with a single practice on Sunday Oct. 2.
I'll be in Santa Barbara for the duration of @Lakers training camp for @NBCLA. Follow along and bring a friend. RTs welcome all season long. — Shahan Ahmed (@shahanLA) September 23, 2016
The Lakers open preseason on Oct. 4 against Sacramento at the Honda Center in Anaheim, before playing at Staples Center on Oct. 7 against the Denver Nuggets. LA opens its regular season on Oct. 26 against Mike D'Antoni's Houston Rockets in Los Angeles.
