Los Angeles Lakers: The Signing of Robert Upshaw and His Future

So much mystery surrounded the future of Robert Upshaw going into the draft, and much of this curiosity lingered afterward. With his collegiate troubles, it was already a slim chance of any NBA team taking a chance on the talented big man. With little resistance, the Los Angeles Lakers made the move to invite Upshaw to their Summer League.

The uphill battle that he faced came with conditioning issues, front office trust, and the need to show that Upshaw belonged as an NBA pro. With still more work to be done, Upshaw has proven that all three things are worth a shot from the franchise.

Last Monday marked the official signing of Upshaw to the Lakers.

His deal is at the minimum, but only limited to a training camp invite. Upshaw will be the third center at Lakers’ camp, behind Roy Hibbert, Robert Sacre, and Tarik Black.  With the aforementioned limited interest he drew after expulsions from Fresno State and the University of Washington, it’s not likely that Upshaw will get a crack at another NBA roster.

Since both the end of Summer League and making his signing official, Upshaw has spent time getting into better game shape.

Often during the summer, he looked winded in his minutes on the floor. The games were his first since his NCAA dismissal, so the fatigue was understandable. It goes without saying that if Upshaw wants to prolong his career, he has to maintain fitness.

There are two scenarios that Upshaw could see playing out this season. The first is that he can make the team’s final roster, and play under the tutelage of one of the league’s best defensive centers in Roy Hibbert. It would be a huge win for the Lakers to acquire yet another young talent to anchor their defense of the future.

Imagine Upshaw becoming anywhere near where he was at the University of Washington. We are talking about nearly five blocks per game. Combine his ability with the offense of Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and D’Angelo Russell; that’s scary for the NBA!

The more probable scenario is the team relegating Upshaw to the Development League. If the Lakers go this route, then they allow Upshaw plenty of time to get his NBA experience. With the D-Fenders, he can make his mistakes, have his progress monitored, and hopefully remain tightly knitted to the Laker brand.

Regardless of where things end, I’m happy that Upshaw will get his chance at an NBA career. His road to the league is the one less traveled, but we all run into these types of roadblocks while pursuing our dreams. Just like the Lakers, I am counting on Upshaw to continue his goodwill and show other players experiencing these troubles that it’s not too late to make the necessary change. The journey is certainly not over for Upshaw. It is truly the beginning to what can be special for him and a franchise starving for past success.

Who would have ever thought that the future of the league’s most legendary franchise will be affected by an unlikely prospect? Apparently the Lakers think so, and are ready to take a big step forward with Upshaw.

Next: 25 Best Players to Play for the Los Angeles Lakers

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