On Saturday, the Los Angeles Lakers announced that the team had waived Travis Wear, Briante Weber and Vander Blue, sliding the team roster down to 16 players i.e. 15 players on the full team contract and point guard Alex Caruso on a two-way contract with the South Bay Lakers. Approaching Monday's deadline for setting NBA rosters, the team is in compliance with one two-way contract still open.
Andrew Bogut appears to be the non-guaranteed contract that made the cut despite being limited in training camp and preseason, while Blue's future with the organization remains in doubt. The 25-year-old guard has spent three years with the organization as a member of the NBA Development League's LA D-Fenders, highlighted by the natural scorer winning D-League MVP in 2017 and the 2017 NBA Summer League with the Lakers.
Blue was desperate to make an NBA roster, but Bogut's arrival left little chance for the guard to assume a full-time role with the Lakers.
As it stands, the Lakers have Lonzo Ball and Tyler Ennis as point guards, along with Alex Caruso as a point guard on a two-way contract. At shooting guard, the team starts Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, with Jordan Clarkson and Josh Hart filling out the back court. Brandon Ingram projects to start at small forward, with Corey Brewer and Luol Deng available at the position, along with rookie Kyle Kuzma expected to get minutes at the position.
At power forward, Lakers coach Luke Walton has Julius Randle, Larry Nance Jr. and the aforementioned Kuzma, with the coach still searching to find the best fit for the starting role. At center, the team has Brook Lopez projected to start with Ivica Zubac, Bogut and rookie Thomas Bryant all fighting for the reserve minutes with the second unit.
This is your 2017-18 Los Angeles Lakers roster.
