Getty Maurice Harkless, Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly held a private workout with 10-year veteran, Maurice Harkless, as they consider signing him for the upcoming season, as reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
“The Lakers bought in 10-year NBA veteran Mo Harkless, for a free-agent workout and meeting this week. Sources tell me that the Lakers are considering the potential signing to bolster their wing and front-court depth, and Harkless, who was waived by Houston in training camp, is among the top available players on the open market,” Charania reported.
Lakers hold free-agent workout and meeting with a 10-year NBA veteran – details:
Harkless, 29, would provide the Lakers with an additional wing defender who can also hurt teams in transition, however, as a 32% career three-point shooter, the Connecticut native doesn’t project to help ease the team’s struggles from deep.
Still, adding another veteran wing to help bolster the team’s bench rotation and give Darvin Ham additional line-up options isn’t a bad thing, especially when there’s still plenty of upside left and your defense will improve as a result.
Harkless has participated in 621 regular-season games throughout his career, averaging 6.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game while shooting 47.4% from the field and 32% from deep.
Deonte Burton Pleads for Roster Spot
The Lakers have came out of the gates flat, losing their first two games of the new season while looking just as disjointed as they did to end last season – where they missed out on the playoffs.
As such, it should come as no surprise that players around the league are looking at the Lakers and thinking they could help make a difference. On October 19, former Oklahoma City Thunder guard Deonte Burton decided to shoot his shot by Tweeting at both LeBron and the Lakers, noting how he believes he could help the team through their current rough patch.
@KingJames @Lakers I promise y’all I can help y’all!!! 🏀🏀🏀🏀
Burton, 28, has spent the last two seasons with the Thunder, participating in 71 regular-season games averaging 2.6 points, 1.2 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per contest, while shooting 36.7% from the field and 22.5% from deep. Unfortunately for Burton, the Lakers are already crowded at the guard positions, and wouldn’t need another non-shooter in their rotation, so it’s doubtful we see him suiting up in purple and gold anytime soon.
Charles Barkley Sounds Off on Rob Pelinka
With the Lakers looking like a team without a direction, Rob Pelinka has come under the microscope, as he’s responsible for constructing the Lakers roster – despite whose council he seeks before making any deals.
Speaking after the Lakers’ October 20 loss to the LA Clippers, TNT analyst Charles Barkley noted how he believes someone in the Lakers’ front office isn’t doing their job correctly.
Charles Barkley rips into the Lakers front office 😳
“Last year and this year, what they are putting around LeBron is an embarrassment.”
“Last year and this year, what they are putting around LeBron is an embarrassment. Last year they put all those geezers around him, and what they got out there around him right now — somebody is not doing their job in LA, period,” Barkley said.
Los Angeles recently extended Pelinka’s contract with the team, but if the on-court results don’t begin to materialize, and the Lakers miss the playoffs for the second straight season, he could find himself under increasing pressure from the team’s ownership group next summer.