Lakers add Carmelo Anthony as well as youngsters like Talen Horton-Tucker
Along with another veteran player, the Lakers added some youth Tuesday to their team on the second day of the NBA’s free-agency period.
With agreements from the seasoned Carmelo Anthony and the 20-somethings Talen Horton-Tucker, Malik Monk and Kendrick Nunn, the Lakers have a loaded roster of 13 players for coach Frank Vogel and his staff.
Anthony essentially broke his own news on social media Tuesday, posting a two-second video displaying ME70, with the seven turning into the Lakers’ logo. His agent, Aaron Mintz, confirmed that Anthony will join the Lakers.
Anthony and Laker star LeBron James have been friends for a long time, and both hoped to play together at some point.
They get their chance after Anthony agreed to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum.
The Lakers reach an agreement with Dwight Howard to bring the veteran center to L.A. for a third time. Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore and Wayne Ellington also agree.
Anthony, 37, is an 18-year veteran who averaged 13.4 points and made 40.9% of his three-pointers last season in Portland. The 6-7 Anthony was solid off the bench for the Trail Blazers.
Horton-Tucker, 20, agreed to a three-year deal for $32 million, with a player option for the third season, according to his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports.
In his second season with the Lakers, Horton-Tucker established himself as a key role player. The 6-4 wing averaged 9.0 points, 2.8 assists and 2.6 rebounds in 65 games. He shot 45.8% from the field but just 28.2% on three-pointers.
With eight players older than 30 on the team, having the youth of Horton-Tucker was key for Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ vice president of basketball operations.
Monk, who became an unrestricted free agent because he was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Charlotte Hornets, agreed to a one-year deal.
He’s a 6-3 guard in his fourth season who can make open shots.
Monk, 23, averaged 11.7 points and shot 40.1% from three-point range in 20.9 minutes per game last season in Charlotte.
The Lakers were able to get Nunn, 26, after the Miami Heat pulled his qualifying offer off the table.
That allowed the Lakers and Nunn to agree to a two-year deal for $10 million, with a player option for the second season, according to people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. Nunn also had offers for more money, but he turned those down to compete for a championship with the Lakers.
The Lakers and Clippers have many holes to fill. The Times’ NBA reporters discuss the big names in play, all of whom will have to take small pay.
Nunn is a 6-2 point guard who averaged 14.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 56 games for the Heat last season. He shot 48.5% from the field and 38.1% from three-point range.
The Lakers also announced Tuesday that they had signed guards Joel Ayayi and Austin Reaves to two-way contracts. Ayayi averaged 12 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 32 games with Gonzaga last season, while Reaves averaged 18.3 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 25 games with Oklahoma.
Free-agent center Andre Drummond, who signed with the Lakers last season after he received a buyout from the Cleveland Cavaliers, agreed to a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.
Free-agent point guard Dennis Schroder, who started at point guard for the Lakers last season, has yet to sign with a team.
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