Lakers Sign Veteran Wing Ahead of Training Camp

Los Angeles is adding some perimeter depth.

Jul 10, 2024; San Francisco, CA, USA; Miami Heat forward Keshad Johnson (20) shoots the ball between Los Angeles Lakers forward/guard Vincent Valerio-Bodon (27) and forward Blake Hinson (36) during the second quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

A familiar face is returning to Los Angeles Lakers training camp this fall.

That's because wing Vincent Valerio-Bodon has agreed to return to the club where the 23-year-old spent his last training camp, ahead of the 2023-24 season, Los Angeles has announced via its official X account. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports that the agreement is an Exhibit 10 training camp deal.

Valerio-Bodon is a familiar face (and name) to Lakers fans. After signing his training camp deal with Los Angeles last season, he was waived prior to the start of the year, and inked an affiliate deal with the Lakers' G League affiliate in El Segundo, the South Bay Lakers. Across 25 regular season contests with South Bay (five starts), Valerio-Bodon averaged 6.0 points on a .394/.306/.909 slash line, 2.4 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.7 steals. In 10 Showcase Cup games before the start of the G League's regular season, he averaged 5.1 points while slashing a more efficient .500/.409/1.000, plus 2.7 boards, 1.2 assists and 0.7 swipes in 10 games.

The 6-foot-9 swingman hails from Hungary, and had suited up for multiple squads there before trying to make the NBA leap.

Players signed to a training camp agreement can, in theory, see those contracts converted to two-way deals with a team ahead of the regular season — and from there, if a team is especially high on their upside, those two-way contracts can in turn be converted into standard deals. But in the Lakers' case this year, that could be uphill sledding for Valerio-Bodon. All three of L.A.'s two-way slots are occupied, as are all 15 of the team's standard roster contracts. Lakers team president Rob Pelinka, if so inclined, could theoretically waive a player to accommodate Valerio-Bodon, but it's more likely that he'll ink an affiliate deal with the South Bay Lakers once again.

Valerio-Bodon will also be competing with several high-level other Exhibit 10 signings: former Oregon State center Kylor Kelley, former Xavier guard Quincy Olivari and veteran guard Jordan Goodwin. Former Missouri guard Sean East II is also reportedly joining Los Angeles, though no deal has officially been inked yet.

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