The Los Angeles Lakers and Tarik Black reportedly agreed on a two-year contract worth $12.85 million according to Shams Charania of the Vertical at Yahoo! Sports.
Undrafted in the 2014 NBA Draft, Black found a home in Houston prior to being waived to make space for Josh Smith in December of that same year. The Lakers claimed Black off waivers, though the 6-foot 9-inch center struggled to find consistent playing time on the court under former coach Byron Scott.
Black possesses a unique combination of athleticism, speed and strength. He is an active defender, a strong screen setter and good finisher on the pick-and-roll. Black should immediately slot into the back-up center role, behind new signing Timofey Mozgov.
Despite only averaging 12.7 minutes per game during the 2015-16 season, Black still managed 4.0 rebounds and 3.4 points per contest on 54.8 percent shooting from the field.
Widely considered a positive influence in the locker room, Black stayed in school and went back and completed his masters after he graduated. Without a doubt, the 24-year-old is one of the smarter, more responsible players on the team. In fact, Black served as a the Lakers' representative to the National Basketball Players Association, which is the NBA players' union, in only his second season in the NBA. Black expects to continue in that role.
Also, Black has become a familiar face in the LA community, as the Memphis native even booked out a movie theater in downtown Los Angeles during Black History Month and invited local kids to an advanced screening of the film, Race.
Off the court and in the locker room, Black has already displayed value. With the two-year deal worth $12.85 million, the Lakers are counting on the 250-pound big man to show his value on the court, as well.
