Former Lakers Guard Signs with Western Conference Powerhouse

Ricardo Sandoval | 21 Hours Ago

Jan 11, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Skylar Mays (4) moves to the basket against Phoenix Suns center Bol Bol (11) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Former Los Angeles Lakers guard Skylar Mays has found a new home for the upcoming 2024-25 season.

Mays has agreed to join the Western Conference contender Minnesota Timberwolves. Senior NBA insider for HoopsHype Michael Scotto shared the news via Twitter/X.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to deals with Skylar Mays and Eugene Omoruyi, sources told @hoopshype. Mays appeared in 38 combined games for the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers last season. Omoruyi appeared in 43 games for the Washington Wizards last season. pic.twitter.com/obZQxudsub

— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) September 16, 2024

EuroLeague club Olimpia Milano was reportedly targeting the former free agent guard. A few weeks later, Mays now finds himself with one of the best teams in the NBA.

The Timberwolves are projected to be one of the top contenders for the NBA title this season, and Mays could play a pivotal role if things pan his way.

The 6-foot-3 point guard donned the purple and gold for 17 games during the 2023-24 season. Mays signed a two-way contract with the Lakers in early January. The 26-year-old played 4.5 minutes per game and averaged 1.3 points, 0.4 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 0.4 steals while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 40 percent from deep. 

Mays began his professional career in 2020 when the Atlanta Hawks drafted him in the second round with the No. 50 overall pick. In late Nov. 2020, the Hawks signed Mays to a two-way contract, and he split time between the Hawks and their NBA G League affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks. 

Mays played for the Hawks in the 2021 NBA Summer League and signed a second two-way contract with them in late Aug. 2021. Eventually, the Hawks converted his two-way contract into a standard NBA contract at the end of the 2022 season. 

Just before the 2022-23 season, Mays was added to the Delaware Blue Coats roster. However, months later, he was traded to the Capitanes de Ciudad de México (Mexico City, Mexico) in exchange for Jahlil Okafor, Shabazz Napier, Bruno Caboclo, and Matt Mooney. 

In March 2023, the Portland Trail Balzers signed Mays to a 10-day contract, and before the 2023-24 season, he signed a two-way contract with the Trail Blazers. As a Trail Blazer, he averaged a career-high 8.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 0.7 steals while shooting 42.2 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from deep. 

The Louisiana native has been in the league for four years. Before Mays made his way to the NBA, he was a standout guard at Louisiana State University.

At LSU, he was named to the First-Team All-SEC in 2020, Second-team All-SEC in 2019, and First-Team Academic All-American in 2019 and 2020. Mays averaged 12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game, shooting 44.5 percent from the field and 34.5 percent from deep. 

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