Lakers Agree To Deal With Wayne Ellington

The search for another wing player is over.  Michael Beasley won’t be the guy.  The Lakers have signed Wayne Ellington.

Wayne Ellington is a shooting guard from North Carolina.  Draftexpress.com lists Wayne Ellington officially at 6’4.25″ without shoes with an average 6’6.5″ wingspan.  He has the same standing reach of Nick Young at 8’4″. What he loses in reach, he makes up with vertical ability, where he was listed at a solid 31″ standing vertical, but a very good 38″ two-step vertical.

Skill-wise, Wayne Ellington is known for his perimeter accuracy and athletic finishes at the hoop.  Throughout his career, he has hovered around 39% behind the 3-point line with a career high 42.3% a couple seasons ago for the Memphis Grizzlies.  He is a solid finisher at the hoop.  According to basketballreference.com, ithin 3′ of the basket, his career average is 61%.

DownToBuck made a great highlight video of Wayne Ellington, where he hit 6, 3-pointers and scored 26 points against the Sacramento Kings.

The signing of Wayne Ellington adds depth at the shooting guard slot.  Xavier Henry isn’t expected to be 100% by training camp.  This allows the Lakers to get a perimeter spacer in Ellington, while sliding Kobe Bryant, Nick Young, and Wesley Johnson to the small forward spot depending on need.

The Lakers have tremendous depth at the small forward and shooting guard positions. Kobe Bryant, Nick Young, Xavier Henry, and Wayne Ellington are all capable of a consistent 25-35 minutes per game..  The loss of Jodie Meeks meant the Lakers needed another role-playing perimeter shooter on the floor.  Jodie Meeks had a tremendous couple of years with the Lakers and was arguably their most valuable player last season.  He made huge strides with his ball-handling, defense, and consistency, and it earned him a contract with the Detroit Pistons.

Like Jodie Meeks, Wayne Ellington has the same strengths and opportunities.  While he’s a tremendous shooter and athletic finisher, he could use improvement with defensive intensity and ball-handling.

The Lakers are going through a youth movement as Kobe Bryant leads the last chapter of his career.  Hopefully, Wayne Ellington can improve as a Laker and be a part of the team for years to come.