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The preseason is wrapping up for the Los Angeles Lakers and the regular season starts next week. With real games about to be played, the team should have a strong idea of what the final roster might look like. They’ve brought in a number of young players for training camp to see who sticks. The Lakers signed Sekou Doumbouya to a two-way contract on Tuesday, which meant the team had to let a player go.
According to Jovan Buha, that player is guard Mac McClung, who will be signing with G League affiliate the South Bay Lakers.
McClung signed with the team as an undrafted free agent this offseason. There was some excitement around him considering he had become a viral sensation in recent years for his dunking ability.
Unfortunately for him, he never had much of a chance to show off his dunking ability with the Lakers. McClung only averaged 4.2 points a game in the NBA summer league. He still has a lot of work to do to become a dependable NBA player. He’ll get the chance to work on his game in the G League. Alex Caruso also played for the South Bay Lakers before the team gave him a chance.
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Lakers Roster Pretty Much Set
With Doumbouya in and McClung out, it’s hard to see the Lakers making many more roster moves in the immediate future. Recent injuries to Talen Horton-Tucker and Trevor Ariza could lead to the team seeking more depth but it appears that they’re going to stay put with what they have – at least for now.
During the offseason, the Lakers were linked to names like Isaiah Thomas and Darren Collison. The team even went so far as to work both of them out. It appears that neither of them piqued the team’s interest. Los Angeles has plenty of veteran talent and depth despite the injuries to Horton-Tucker and Ariza. It’s possible that the Lakers look at some veteran names as the season goes on but it looks like we have our best idea yet at how the team’s roster will be constructed this season.
LeBron James Praises Austin Reaves
When McClung was signed by the Lakers, he seemed like the most likely candidate to replace Caruso as the team’s unlikely fan favorite. However, fellow rookie guard Austin Reaves has been impressive and even earned a guaranteed spot on the roster. Plus, he’s already caught LeBron James‘ eyes.
“He’s an NBA player and he can play at this level, and play at a high level,” LeBron said of Reaves Tuesday, via Mike Trudell. “I watched a lot of film on him when we drafted him actually, and I knew right away that he could be an NBA player and play at this level. His size, his shot-making ability, his pick-and-roll play, his passing … he’s a high IQ kid, and he’s got a lot of dog in him too.”
Arguably the greatest player in NBA history endorsed the 23-year-old rookie out of Arkansas. The Lakers may have another steal on their hands.
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