<https://www.timesnews.net/sports/mcclung-signs-with-lakers/article_c1ee8cdc-f0ee-11eb-9b8b-b7d573907cd4.html>

McClung signs with Lakers By P. KEVIN MAYS kmays@timesnews.net 13 hrs ago
McClung passed over in NBA draft Former Texas Tech star Mac McClung of Gate
City signed a free-agent deal with the Lakers on Friday.

Doug McSchooler/Associated Press Facebook Twitter Email Print Save Mac
McClung's basketball plans took a detour Thursday. However, it didn't take him
long to get his NBA deal.

After not being selected in the NBA draft - which consists of two rounds and 60
total picks - the former Texas Tech and Georgetown star from Gate City wasted
little time in signing as a free agent with the Los Angeles Lakers.

"Thank you God for the opportunity! Let's go to work, " McClung posted early
Friday morning on Twitter.

McClung announced in May that he would "chase his dreams" and not to return to
Texas Tech, where he enjoyed a solid season after transferring from Georgetown.

How Dogs Cry For Help: 3 Warning Signs Your Dog Is Crying For Help SPONSORED
CONTENT How Dogs Cry For Help: 3 Warning Signs Your Dog Is Crying For Help By
DogFoodExpose.com According to several published reports, McClung signed an
Exhibit 10 contract with the Lakers. The contract allows McClung to
participate with the Lakers' training camp, while the team will control his
G-League rights.

McClung will get his shot to show what he can do by playing in the Las Vegas
Summer League.

ROAD TO THE LAKERS McClung, a 6-foot-2 guard, averaged a team-best 15.5 points
for the Red Raiders - shooting 34.3% from 3-point range - this past season and
was the coaches' unanimous choice as the Big 12 newcomer of the year.

He was a first-team All-Big 12 pick by The Associated Press and a second-teamer
on the coaches' all-conference squad.

McClung's success at the college level carried over from his dominating play at
the high school level.

He was the VHSL 2018 Class 2 player of the year after leading Gate City to the
state championship. He scored 2,801 points during his high school career, the
most in VHSL history.

##########################################################################

<https://michigan.rivals.com/news/lakers-sign-michigan-wolverines-basketball-s-chaundee-brown-after-draft>

L.A. Lakers Sign Chaundee Brown, Bucks Give Mike Smith A Shot
Chris Balas • TheWolverine Senior Editor

It was a big draft night for Michigan basketball — again — with Franz Wagner going eighth
overall to the Orlando Magic and Isaiah Livers going No. 42 (second round) to the Detroit
Pistons. The good news continued when the Los Angeles Lakers signed undrafted free agent
Chaundee Brown to a 10-day contract, giving him an opportunity he was seeking.

"Michigan wing Chaundee Brown will sign an exhibit-10 contract with the Los Angeles Lakers,
a source told ESPN," Jonathan Givony reported. "[He] was the No. 60 ranked prospect on the
ESPN 100. Great pickup for the Lakers."

"Let's work ... this is all I needed," Brown said in a tweet following the signing.

Brown averaged 8.0 points and came up big in the NCAA Tournament, making seven of his 12
triples in four games and shooting 49 percent, 42 percent from three-point range for the
season, and adding 3.1 rebounds. He was a willing defender and an outstanding teammate.

"Brown is a chiseled 6'6 wing who shot 42 percent for three this past season and is a
multi-positional defender,'" Givony added. "He will be one of the best wing prospects in
the G-League next season and a strong call-up candidate for all 30 teams."

Guard Mike Smith, meanwhile, has received a summer invite from the Milwaukee Bucks. He
averaged 9.0 points and 5.3 assists per game at 5-10, shooting a career-best 42.8 percent
from long range.

###################################################################################

<https://www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/lal/los-angeles-lakers>

Lakers extend qualifying offer to Horton-Tucker
The Los Angeles Lakers made their first move in what promises to be a busy offseason by
extending a qualifying offer to second-year guard Talen Horton-Tucker, the team announced
Thursday.

####################################################################################

<https://clutchpoints.com/nba-draft-news-lakers-sign-jalen-suggs-teammate-joel-ajayi/>

NBA Draft news: Lakers sign Jalen Suggs' teammate, Joel Ajayiby Michael
CorvoJuly 29, 2021joel ajayi lakers The Los Angeles Lakers traded their
first-round pick in the 2021 NBA Draft to acquire some guy named Russell
Westbrook, but they were still able to land a promising prospect on Thursday:
former Gonzaga wing Joel Ajayi.

Following the completion of the draft, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported the
Lakers signed Ajayi to a two-way contract.

Ajayi showed up raw to Spokane, but he turned himself into a winning,
do-everything player over three years on campus. In 2020-21. he averaged 12.0
points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game for the No. 1 ranked Gonzaga
Bulldogs and recorded the program's first-ever triple-double. For the most
part, he was the fourth scoring option behind Drew Timme, Jalen Suggs, Corey
Kispert, and Andrew Nembhard.

Ajayi is the fourth ex-Bulldog to join the NBA ranks on Thursday, following
Suggs (drafted No. 5), Kispert (No. 15), and Filip Petrusev (No. 50).

Ironically, Ajayi showed flashes of late-Lakers-era Kyle Kuzma last season for
the Zags, albeit from a shorter frame.

The versatile 6'5 wing is essentially positionless and served as a
Swiss-Army-Knife contributor for Mark Few. He excels at moving without the
ball and cutting to earn his looks. That said, he shot 38.9% from the
three-point range and 78.1% from the free-throw line in 2020-21, hinting at an
enticing 3-and-D potential.

On a loaded Gonzaga squad, Ajayi learned how to play around great scorers and
find crevices for open looks.

Joel Ayayi is the best backdoor cutter in the 2021 Draft by a wide margin,
imo. Just one of the many great skills he has that I think would make him a
solid pick for the Sixers at 28. pic.twitter.com/aKM6ZUvYcm

Daniel Olinger (@dan_olinger) July 9, 2021

His rebounding average should give you an idea of both his effort and
instinctual nose for the ball. Even better, he was one of the best
pick-and-roll ball-handlers and around-the-rim finishers in Division I in
2020-21.

His athleticism and length may not translate, though his foundational defensive
skills are encouraging. For an undrafted signee, he has plenty of room to grow
and his ceiling is relatively high.

Considering the Lakers' recent track record of developing second-round and
undrafted talent - including Alex Caruso, originally signed on the same two-way
deal - Ajayi might end up being one of the steals of the night.

Ajayi will join the Lakers' Summer League roster in Las Vegas, which will
include, among others, Zavier Simpson, Dakota Mathias, Yoeli Childs, and Vic
Law. The Lakers' Summer League slate will tip off on Aug. 8 vs. the Phoenix
Suns.

#########################################################################

<https://lakeshowlife.com/2021/07/30/los-angeles-lakers-rumors-free-agency-russell-westbrook-trade/>

Los Angeles Lakers: 5 must-sign free agents after Russell Westbrook trade by
Jason Reed 4 hours ago Follow @EatYourReedies

The Los Angeles Lakers made the biggest move of the NBA offseason by pulling
off a blockbuster trade. The Lakers traded Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell,
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and the 22nd overall pick (Isaiah Jackson) in the 2021
NBA Draft for Russell Westbrook, a 2024 second-round pick and a 2028
second-round pick.

The Lakers got their third superstar even if it is a weird fit for the team.
Westbrook is a ball-dominant play-making guard that does not seem to mesh well
with LeBron James.

However, with LeBron's basketball IQ and the pure talent of having LeBron,
Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, the hope is that they can figure it out
and make a run at the 2022 NBA Championship.

If the Lakers are going to do that, though, they are going to have to fill out
the rest of the roster. The Lakers desperately need shooting around their new
big three, among other needs, and are going to have to add that with minimum
deals in free agency.

The team's hands are tied money-wise with Westbrook, Davis and LeBron
accounting for around $120 million of the cap alone.

There are five specific free agents that the Los Angeles Lakers should target
after the Russell Westbrook trade. It is also important to note that the Laker
cannot utilize the mid-level exception. The MLE would allow the team to go
over the cap on a deal that is projected to be worth $9.5 million next season.
The problem with that is that it would hard cap the Lakers at the tax apron,
which is a number that they are now going to have to go over with Westbrook in
town.

Here are the minimum free agents that the Los Angeles Lakers should now turn
their attention towards.

1. JJ Redick (more text with each name below)
2. Trevor Ariza
3. Hassan Whiteside
4. Carmelo Anthony
5. Jeff Teague

Teague would help round up the depth in the backcourt and if the Lakers were to sign all
of these free agents they would have a complete rotation. The starting five would be along
the lines of: