Former Laker Big Man Inks Another Minuscule Deal With Contending Eastern Franchise

Not exactly a lucrative contract.

Former offensively versatile Los Angeles Lakers reserve center Thomas Bryant, a 2023 NBA champion with the Denver Nuggets, is inking a two-season, $5.4 million contract with the team his Nuggets vanquished in the NBA Finals, the Miami Heat, his Priority Sports agents Mark Bartelstein and Zach Kurtin inform Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

This is something of a "prove it" deal, as Bryant has a player option for 2024-25, meaning if he outperforms the contract he is free to decline the option and pursue more money next summer.

The athletic Indiana University product, somehow still just 25, enjoyed a solid run for Los Angeles following three consecutive injury-plagued seasons with the Washington Wizards from 2019-22 (he was fairly healthy during his first year with the Wiz, in 2018-19). Across 41 games for LA, the 6'10" big man posted averages of 12.1 points on .654/.440/.741 shooting splits and 6.8 boards. 

He enjoyed some stellar moments when he was pressed into starting duty for starting center Anthony Davis. As The Brow returned and Bryant could feel his role once again waning, he requested to be traded elsewhere for a new opportunity with more playing time.

So he was shipped to the Nuggets, for whom he barely played at all during the regular season. He was out of the team's regular rotation entirely in the playoffs. LA, meanwhile, pivoted to ostensible 3-and-D big man Mo Bamba as Bryant's replacement, though that marriage soon soured, too.

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