Lakers Signing Veteran Guard to Bolster Roster Depth

Los Angeles is bringing in a late-offseason reinforcement.

Apr 9, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Jordan Goodwin (4) shoots as San Antonio Spurs guard Malaki Branham (22) defends during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports / petre thomas-usa today sports

The Los Angeles Lakers are inking former Memphis Grizzlies combo guard Jordan Goodwin to a training camp agreement, reports NBA insider Chris Haynes. Sources later confirmed the news to Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times.

Because the agreement is a camp deal, it seems likely the agreement is a non-guaranteed, veteran's minimum contract, with Exhibit 9 and 10 language.

The 6-foot-3 guard out of Saint Louis first inked a training camp deal with the Washington Wizards after he went undrafted in 2021. He was cut, and signed an affiliate deal with Washington's G League affiliate squad, the Capital City Go-Go. The Wizards, excited by his averages of 15.8 points, 5.9 boards and 3.6 dimes a night with Capital City, inked him to a 10-day deal in December of that year.

He returned to Washington on another training camp agreement that ensuing fall, then saw that agreement get converted into a two-way deal. In February 2023, that two-way deal was converted into a long-term standard deal.

That summer, Goodwin was included as part of the deal that shipped out former All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal and power forward Isaiah Todd to the Phoenix Suns. He didn't last long in Phoenix. He was shipped off to the Brooklyn Nets as part of a three-team deal with the Memphis Grizzlies, but was cut the next day.

Memphis quickly brought Goodwin back a few days later on a 10-day deal, before agreeing to another two-way contract with Memphis. Across 17 contests with the Grizzlies last year (including 12 starts for that injury-depleted Memphis guard), the 25-year-old averaged 10.0 points on a .349/.311/.633 slash line, 8.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.5 blocks per bout. All told, across 57 contests (12 starts) with the Suns and Grizzlies in 2023-24, Goodwin averaged 6.5 points while slashing .369/.298/.746, 4.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 0.8 steals a night.

All 15 of the Lakers' standard roster spots and all three of their two-way openings are filled. Small forward Blake Hinson, forward Armel Traore and center Colin Castleton are currently the team's three signed two-way players.

If Los Angeles really likes what it sees from Goodwin in training camp, the team would need to cut someone to accommodate him. It seems more likely he'll be cut and signed as an affiliate player with L.A.'s G League squad in El Segundo, the South Bay Lakers.

Read More: Hip Hop Star Releases New Kobe Bryant Tribute Song