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Los Angeles Lakers: 2016 Offseason Grades

By Gerald Bourguet

July 5, 2016; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers draft picks Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubac pose with vice president of basketball operation Jim Buss following their introductory press conference at Toyota Sports Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
July 5, 2016; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers draft picks Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubac pose with vice president of basketball operation Jim Buss following their introductory press conference at Toyota Sports Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 8, 2015; New York, NY, USA; Los Angeles Lakers point guard Jordan Clarkson (6) dribbles the ball up the court on the fast break with New York Knicks point guard Jose Calderon (3) defending during the 1st qtr at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks won 99-95. Mandatory Credit: Gregory J. Fisher-USA TODAY Sports /

Odds And Ends

Wrapping up the Lakers’ offseason, Los Angeles enjoyed a rather one-sided trade with the Chicago Bulls, who shipped off Jose Calderon and two future second round picks to the Lakers in their quest to free up cap space for Dwyane Wade.

Calderon does little to help the Lakers from a basketball standpoint. He averaged a meager 7.6 points and 4.1 assists per game last season with the New York Knicks, and though he shot 41.4 percent from downtown, Calderon is hardly a priority with the Lakers sporting such a flashy, young backcourt.

He can provide a veteran presence if the Lakers keep him though. His contract is only $7.7 million for one more year, and since the Lakers were gifted with two free second-rounders at the minimal cost of the rights to a TBD draft-and-stash player, this was hardly a loss for L.A.

The Lakers re-signed third-string big man Tarik Black to a two-year, $12.85 million deal. Though this is quite a hefty sum for a virtual unknown name, Black is a hard-working 24-year-old with career averages of 5.0 points and 5.1 rebounds in just 16.6 minutes per game.

Black’s numbers and minutes took a nosedive last season, with the second-year player putting up 3.4 points and 4.0 rebounds in 12.7 minutes per game — significantly down from the 7.2 points and 6.3 rebounds in 21.1 minutes per game he averaged during his 38-game stint with the Lakers the year before.

Black plays center, but at 6’9″ he’s slightly undersized. This isn’t much of a gamble — both in the risk and the potential reward.

Finally, the Lakers plan to sign former Notre Dame standout Zach Auguste, who went undrafted in this year’s draft, according to Basketball Insiders’ Eric Pincus. Auguste averaged 5.2 points and 4.0 rebounds per game on 45 percent shooting for the Lakers’ Summer League team.

Grade: C+

Next: Overall

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