In typical Mitch Kupchak fashion, the Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly signed veteran overseas guard Marcelo Huertas before the rest of the league knew what hit them, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.
FC Barcelona point guard Marcelo Huertas has agreed to a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 31, 2015
Huertas is a Brazilian-born player who has played professionally for ten years overseas. He most recently played with FC Barcelona in the Euroleague where he averaged 12.7 points and 7.5 assists per 36 minutes.
The 6′ 3″ guard is known as a flashy and exciting passer out of the pick and roll. He has a similar style to that of the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, D’Angelo Russell.
The highly decorated international player won four gold medals and a silver in various championships across the Americas. In 2006, Huertas was named the South American Championship MVP and awarded the Brazilian League Revelation Player in 2003.
Huertas brings veteran leadership to a team that will, for the first time in a longtime, rely heavily on their younger players in the regular rotation with the hopes of a potential 2016 playoff berth in the future.
Without a doubt, the team will provide plenty of opportunities for Russell and Jordan Clarkson, but the two young guards will surely have their ups and downs throughout the duration of the upcoming season.
The Lakers will likely turn to Huertas to provide steady play and leadership. Yahoo Sports conducted an interview back in April with Huertas who expressed his interest in being a leader and providing bench production.
"If you look at NBA rosters, there are unbelievable starting point guards, but maybe not as many guys who can come off the bench able to run the team, score the ball – as well as being able to be a leader for young players. Those are things I know I’ll be able to bring with me."
The move would bring the Lakers roster to 17 and create an interesting battle for the remaining spots in training camp.
The Lakers have twelve of those spots guaranteed (not including Huertas) which doesn’t leave a whole heck of a lot of opportunity to make their roster heading forward.
The team is also expected to bring in at least two or three more players before training camp including Robert Upshaw. Players such as Tarik Black and Jabari Brown, standouts from last year, are still on non-guaranteed contracts and could find themselves fighting for one of the last few remaining spots.
Next: Jim Buss Opens Up About the Future of the Lakers
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