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Former Brooklyn Nets big man and first-round draft pick Sekou Doumbouya has agreed upon a two-way deal with the Los Angeles Lakers per Shams Charania of “The Athletic.” Doumbouya was drafted in 2019 with the 15th overall pick by the Detroit Pistons. He spent the first two years of his career in Detroit, where he averaged 5.6 points per game in just above 17 minutes per game.
This summer, the Pistons dealt him to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for center DeAndre Jordan, who was eventually bought out by the organization. Jordan, unironically, signed to the Lakers a short while after.
The Lakers are progressing toward a two-way deal with free agent forward Sekou Doumbouya, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Doumbouya was the No. 15 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
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Doumbouya Showed Out for Nets in Preseason
Doumbouya gave fans a taste of his potential in his Nets preseason debut scoring 11 points and going a perfect 5/5 from the field. Unfortunately, his tenure in Brooklyn was short-lived as the Nets traded Doumbouya to the Houston Rockets on October 5, where he was waived almost immediately.
Los Angeles’ acquisition of the two-year big man could prove to be beneficial for the organization, as they are lacking size within their roster. After the Lakers recent signing of shooting guard Austin Reaves, 8 of their 14 rostered players are listed as guards. This leaves some cause for concern in the frontcourt. The potential for more playing time could be what Doumbouya needs to get his career jumpstarted.
Sekou Doumbouya played earlier in the preseason vs. the Lakers, he finished with 11 points
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Steve Nash Elated To Have LaMarcus Aldridge Back
Back in Brooklyn, the team and organization have been preparing for the upcoming season. This offseason, they re-signed veteran big man LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge was set to play for Brooklyn earlier this year but suddenly retired in April after the discovery of an irregular heartbeat. He is a respected and skilled forward in the league. Over his career he has averaged 19.4 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in addition to being a 7-time NBA All-Star. Nets head coach Steve Nash is elated about his return.
“It’s great to have him back,” Nash said per Brian Lewis of the “New York Post.” “We really enjoyed having him last year for a brief period of time. We were all really sad and devastated for him when he had to retire. He was fitting into our team, but more importantly, him having to step away from the game was tough. So, to have him back is a great story, and he’s been not only a pleasure to coach, but he looks good. Playing well, moving well. I’m almost a little surprised, considering the layoff and everything that went on.”
Nets coach Steve Nash on how LaMarcus Aldridge had exceeded his expectations so far in training camp after returning from retirement
Paul Millsap Speaks on Pairing Between He & Aldridge
In addition, Brooklyn signed another veteran big in free agent Paul Millsap. Over his career, Millsap has averaged 13.7 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Though his impact may not always show up on paper, Millsap provides veteran insight, as well as a defensive presence most complimented by his selection to the 2016 NBA All-Defensive Team. After their postseason win against the Lakers, Millsap spoke on he and Aldridge’s pairing in the low post.
“We worked on different rotations in practice. Different lineups, and [Sunday] it was pretty smooth,” Millsap said after a win over the Lakers on October 3. “And the way we play, we feel we can implement anybody in the system and be successful, so as long as we’re moving and we’re cutting and we’re playing for each other, it’s gonna look good.”
The frontcourt was one of the Nets’ biggest struggles in 2020. With Aldridge back and a welcomed addition in Millsap, we could see a completely different Nets team this coming season.
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Lakers Reach Deal With Former Nets Big Man for Remaining Roster Spot