Former Sixers Guard Headlines Lakers 4 New Signings: Report

Getty Los Angeles Lakers GM Rob Pelinka.

The Los Angeles Lakers are assembling their Summer League roster with four players already committing to be part of the team. According to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, the Lakers have agreed to terms with guard Dakota Mathias, forward Yoeli Childs, forward Vic Law and point guard Zavier Simpson. The four players will likely join the Lakers draft picks as well as undrafted free agents to round out the squad heading to Las Vegas.

Mathis played in eight games, including two starts, last season for the Sixers as part of a two-way contract he signed in November. The guard averaged six points, 1.6 assists and .9 rebounds in 15.4 minutes per contest. Mathis was waived in January to create a roster spot for the Sixers to add Rayjon Tucker.

Childs played in 12 games last season for the Pelicans’ G-League affiliate Erie Bayhawks 8.9 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 22.2% from the three-point line. Law played in eight games for the Magic during the 2019-20 season averaging 1.9 points and 1.4 rebounds.

Simpson Was a Starter on the Thunder’s G-League Team

Simpson was a starter for the Thunder’s G-League team averaging 9.8 points, 6.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 28.2% from long range in 15 contests during the 2020-21 season. The two-time All-Big Ten guard had a standout college career at Michigan averaging 10.3 points, 4.6 assists and 3.3 rebounds during his four seasons in Ann Arbor.

The Lakers begin Summer League play against the Suns on August 8 at 10:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN2. There will be quite a bit less on the line since the last time the two teams squared off in the playoffs, but it is an opportunity for the Lakers young players to develop. The roster could include the No. 22 pick, but the Lakers’ selection continues to be the subject of trade rumors.

Summer league rosters can seem insignificant given the number of Lakers blockbuster trade rumors, but the team has a strong track record of finding diamonds in the rough. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie believes Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka keeps hitting home runs in the draft.

“I’m not sure any other team can match their draft track record, and that’s before even something like prioritizing Alex Caruso as an undrafted free agent,” Vecenie noted. “The Lakers’ front office has a really keen eye in finding good players late.”

Pelinka on the Draft: ‘Our Process Here Tends Towards Being Very Meticulous’

Pelinka credited the team’s meticulous process for their recent success. The majority of the Lakers Summer League players will not make it to the training camp roster, but there is always a chance the team could stumble upon a viable player.

“Our process here tends towards being very meticulous, very detailed, very strategic, in terms of how we evaluate players, how we collaborate between the front office and the scouts, the amount of information and tape and in-person observations that we have,” Pelinka told The Athletic. “… You can’t make emotional decisions on draft night. And if you’re methodical from the beginning, then you can be confident with the final result.”