Lakers nearing two-way deal with former first-round pick Sekou Doumbouya
The Los Angeles Lakers are progressing to sign Sekou Doumbouya on a two-way deal, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The Detroit Pistons drafted Doumbouya, a 6-foot-8 forward, with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2019 draft, but it’s been a rocky ride for the youngster since then.
Through two seasons with Detroit, he averaged 5.6 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.7 assists in 17.3 minutes while shooting 38.4% overall on 5.5 attempts and 25.4% from deep on 2.3 attempts.
Detroit dealt Doumbouya this summer to the Brooklyn Nets for DeAndre Jordan, which led to Jordan’s buyout with the Pistons. Then Jordan signed with the Lakers.
But the Nets didn’t keep Doumbouya for long. Brooklyn rerouted him to the Houston Rockets, but the Rockets waived him upon arrival.
Head coach Frank Vogel said the team would consider players currently on the roster and league-wide availability for the second two-way spot available.
Vogel said Chaundee Brown was making a case, but it looks like the Lakers see more upside in the 20-year-old Doumbouya.
Doumbouya will spend more time developing with the South Bay Lakers of the G League, but his size could be useful to the main roster given Trevor Ariza’s injury and the general lack of players of his frame on the roster.
