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Los Angeles Lakers waive shooting guard David Nwaba

By Kenneth Teape

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 08: David Nwaba #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers passes against the Boston Celtics during the 2017 Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 8, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Boston won 86-81. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 08: David Nwaba #10 of the Los Angeles Lakers passes against the Boston Celtics during the 2017 Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 8, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Boston won 86-81. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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The Los Angeles Lakers waived shooting guard David Nwaba to make room for free agent signing, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

It took a while, but the Los Angeles Lakers finally jumped into the free agent market late Monday night. The Lakers made a big splash, signing shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a one-year, $18 million deal.

The Lakers fill a big need on their roster with the addition of Caldwell-Pope. He should slide right into the starting shooting guard spot. His strengths, three-point shooting and defense, are two of the weaknesses for the Lakers.

To make room for the $18 million that the Lakers and Caldwell-Pope agreed on, Los Angeles needed to make some other moves to free up some space. That move came today, as the Lakers decided to waive shooting guard, David Nwaba.

This was a tough decision, but one the Lakers needed to make. By waiving Nwaba, the Lakers freed up enough money to get to the $18 million needed to sign Caldwell-Pope. Nwaba’s $1.3 million contract was non-guaranteed, so the money was freed up that they needed.

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Nwaba came out of nowhere for the Lakers last season. After playing well for the Los Angeles D-Fenders in the NBA D-League, the Lakers signed him to a 10-day contract. Nwaba was part of the youth movement the Lakers turned to after the All-Star break and he made the most of his opportunity.

Nwaba earned a second 10-day contract with the Lakers and played well again. Nwaba eventually earned a contract for the remainder of the season, with an option for a second season. The Lakers exercised that option just about two weeks ago. Now, Nwaba is on waivers.

If Nwaba clears waivers, the Lakers could still bring him back and retain all his Bird Rights. At this time, it is unclear if the Lakers are looking to bring Nwaba back. They now have 14 players on the roster and the $4.3 million mid-level exception to use on the final roster spot. They also have two two-way contracts to offer to someone they want to retain for the G-League.

The Lakers made this move only because of financial restrictions according to Mark Medina of Inside The Lakers. The Lakers liked the defense and hustle that Nwaba brought to the table as he was an energetic player. Caldwell-Pope is also a strong defender but brings a lot more to the table offensively than Nwaba does.

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Hopefully, the Lakers can figure out a way to bring Nwaba, a player they liked, back to the team. The Lakers are also considering Rajon Rondo and Tyler Ennis for their 15th spot on the roster. It will be something to keep an eye on as the Lakers will fill that spot sooner or later, probably using their mid-level exception.

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