The Los Angeles Lakers approached the weekend with a bit of good news and a bit of bad news. First the bad news, point guard Kendall Marshall was waived by the team on Friday morning. Then the good news, versatile guard Xavier Henry agreed terms to return to the team for another season.
Reluctantly, the Lakers waived Marshall on Friday morning. Yahoo! Sports first reported the move and stated that the team was hopeful that Marshall would clear waivers, as the Lakers would likely offer the point guard a minimum contract at that point.
After a disappointing first year with the Phoenix Suns, Marshall went to the NBA Development League, and the Lakers scooped up the point guard midseason after injuries hit the back court. Marshall performed well as a starter but often struggled to find his rhythm off the bench.
The Lakers’ winning bid for Carlos Boozer complicated matters, and the team would have had to renegotiate the contract that it had verbally agreed to with Nick Young in order to sign Marshall. With plenty of cover at point guard, the Lakers released Marshall on Friday morning.
In an unrelated move, the Lakers signed Henry to a one-year minimum contract. Henry, not alone in this by any means, was plagued with injuries during the 2013-14 season. The left-handed fan favorite underwent surgeries on his wrist and knee before the season ended, but he continued to be a fixture in the Lakers’ facility while undergoing rehab.
On the court, Henry thrilled fans with his high-flying dunks and attacking style of play. The athletic shooting guard played point guard when the Lakers were short at the position and often slotted into the small forward role. Considering the Lakers still appear pretty stacked at point guard and thin at small forward, Henry will likely find himself playing on the wing again this season.
In his lone season with the Lakers, the four-year professional out of Kansas averaged 10.0 points, 1.2 assists and 2.7 rebounds in 21.1 minutes per game—all career highs.
With the Marshall move and the Henry signing, the Lakers will likely look to seek signatures from rookie Jordan Clarkson and second-year Ryan Kelly.
As it stands, the Lakers officially have Jeremy Lin, Kobe Bryant, Robert Sacre, Julius Randle, Steve Nash and Boozer on the books. Also, the team has reportedly agreed verbally with Young, Jordan Hill, Ed Davis and Henry. Clarkson is expected to be signed at some point, and Kelly would be a welcomed addition.
If everything goes as expected, the Lakers would stand at 12 players.
