The Lakers haven't brought on a franchise-altering player in free agency after shedding Kobe Bryant and three years of high-profile draft selections. The team hasn't sat on its hands either, but visions of NBA Finals contention after major moves only apply to the NBA 2K series right now.
Instead, the Lakers have spent cash on areas of need while rounding out a roster able to—on paper—provide the franchise with its most successful season in years while growing into a mature team free agents might want to join.
Here's the latest.
Tarik Black Back in the Fold Center looked like the biggest area of need for the Lakers this offseason, with the coaching staff needing an effective enforcer next to the developing Julius Randle.
It was easy to forget about Tarik Black, given the big names on the market. Los Angeles didn't, though, as Shams Charania of The Vertical revealed the team reached an agreement with Black for a two-year extension and revealed the following: "Black’s deal will include a trade kicker and a guarantee date in the second season, sources said."
Black is a critical young piece of the organization when one remembers he is just 24 years old, and posted averages of 7.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in 2014.
Last year, he only received an average of 12.7 minutes per game, a point of contention, according to Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times:
It will be interesting to see how much run the Lakers give Black with Timofey Mozgov in the fold, but it sounds like the team wants to see what the Memphis product can develop into with a few more years of experience under his belt.
Until then, the Lakers have a quality high-energy guy who can come off the ...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
