Lakers Sign Bradley Beal’s Protege: Report

Getty LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers controls the ball over Jordan Goodwin #0 formerly of the Phoenix Suns.

The Los Angeles Lakers finally made an offseason move, albeit a minor one.

On Tuesday, Sept. 3, the Lakers signed Jordan Goodwin to a training camp deal, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes.

Goodwin is Bradley Beal’s protege and a former teammate in Washington and Phoenix. They became good friends when Goodwin played for Beal’s AAU basketball team he coached in St. Louis.

The Lakers’ roster is currently full. So Goodwin might end up with the Lakers’ G League team if he impresses in the training camp or dislodges a player on a two-way contract.

Second-year center Colin Castleton, undrafted rookie wings Blake Hinson and French Armel Traoré are the Lakers players on two-way deals.

Jordan Goodwin’s Mentorship From Bradley Beal

After going undrafted in 2021, the 6-foot-4 Goodwin joined the Washington Wizards Summer League team and eventually joined their G League team after getting waived. Then he went from a 10-day contract to a two-way deal until earning a multi-year deal to join Beal with the Wizards.

After his first full season with the Wizards, averaging 6.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists, he was included in the Beal trade to the Suns. In 40 games as a reserve for the Suns last season, Goodwin averaged 5.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 14 minutes.

Goodwin parted ways with Beal at the February trade deadline when the Suns traded him in to the Brooklyn Nets in a three-team trade with the Memphis Grizzlies for Royce O’Neale.

“I’ve known J Good since he was a teenager,” Beal told reporters when Goodwin was traded. “It is definitely surreal in some ways, but at the same time, we’ve talked about this in DC. No matter what man, if you’re here, anywhere else like somebody wants you, you go prove yourself [and] continue to be yourself. I’m excited for a new opportunity for him.

It definitely sucks. I wish he was still here, but business is business. He understands it, I understand it and he’s off to a better place and hopefully, he can land on his feet and be ready when his name is called.”

Coming Into His Own

After playing backup to Beal, whose shadow loomed large on him, for the first two years of his NBA career, Goodwin finally stepped up with more playing time for the injury-ravaged Grizzlies.

After the Nets waived Goodwin, the Grizzlies picked him up and signed him to a 10-day contract which was later converted into a two-way deal.

Goodwin averaged 10 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals in 17 games, including 12 starts, for the Grizzlies to end the season.

However, the Grizzlies did not re-sign him.

What’s keeping Goodwin from becoming a solid NBA rotation player is his lack of outside shot. He’s shooting just 30.8% from the 3-point range in 121 NBA games which is not good enough for a point guard in the modern game.

The Lakers’ point guard depth is wanting with their current lineup. They only have D’Angelo Russell and Gabe Vincent as their natural point guards in their projected rotation with second-year Jalen Hood-Schifino and rookie Bronny James as projects.