The Lakers want to add free agency center Trey Jemison to their newly available two-way slot, according to sources who spoke to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), shortly after cutting former two-way point guard Quincy Olivari.
Most recently, the 6’11” big man from UAB was part of a two-way contract with the Pelicans. He was waived by New Orleans last week.
This season, Jemison averaged 10.4 minutes per game with 2.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 0.6 assists in 16 NBA games against the injury-plagued Pelicans.
After going undrafted in 2023, Jemison began playing as an affiliate player for the Birmingham Squadron, New Orleans’ G League affiliate, at the beginning of the 2023–2024 season. After signing 10-day contracts with the Grizzlies and Wizards, he was later selected by Memphis on a two-way contract to finish the season. This past summer, Jemison was cut by the Grizzlies before being acquired by the Pelicans.
Jemison averaged 10.9 points, 12.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 31.6 minutes per game over 25 games while playing for Birmingham the previous season.
Jemison has joined Christian Koloko as the second center to sign a two-way contract with Los Angeles. This season, the Lakers have had to contend with chronic ailments to a number of their backup big men. In order to spell All-NBA center Anthony Davis, the team’s front staff is understandably looking for quick, temporary assistance at the five spot.
Moving forward The third two-way player on the Lakers’ roster is Armel Traore.
ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets that Jemison’s physical presence strengthens the team’s frontcourt. Being a two-way player, he will probably divide his time between the G League team in Los Angeles, the Moving forward The third two-way player on the Lakers’ roster is Armel Traore.
ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets that Jemison’s physical presence strengthens the team’s frontcourt. Being a two-way player, he will probably alternate between the NBA team and the South Bay Lakers, a G League team in Los Angeles.
Both forward Jarred Vanderbilt and reserve Lakers center Christian Wood have missed the whole season due to their recovery from summer operations. Due to personal issues, backup Los Angeles center Jaxson Hayes has spent a large portion of the season in and out of the starting lineup. After Davis, Koloko has periodically been the team’s only real healthy center, requiring him to put in a lot of work. Davis, on the other hand, has been the Lakers’ most reliable rotating big man despite his own injury history.
