Los Angeles Lakers: Kansas University product Malik Newman waived
By Mason Kern
As the Los Angeles Lakers finalize their training camp roster, Malik Newman from Kansas University is on his way out
Recent Los Angeles Lakers news surround the prospects that the team will be signing, and cutting, from their training camp roster. The latest to see their name cut from the list is Malik Newman, the undrafted rookie out of KU.
Despite being one of the more highly regarded prospects not hearing their names called on draft night, Newman had an uninspiring Summer League campaign. In five contests for the Lakers, he averaged 3.2 points in 9.8 minutes per game.
Newman was one of the Lakers’ two players on a two-way contract, along with Alex Caruso, and played for Los Angeles during both the Sacramento California Classic and Las Vegas Summer League.
By waiving Newman, the Lakers have freed up a second two-way contract that they could offer to one of the two recent training camp signees, or a player they have not yet signed.
With Newman’s dismissal, the Lakers now have 17 players signed heading into training camp with 14 guaranteed contracts and one two-way contract. They have room to offer one more of each type before the season starts. However, recent reports are that they are signing Michael Beasley. They are also allowed to bring up to 20 players to training camp.
Recent signees Joel Berry II and Jeffrey Carroll are two of the two front-runners for the remaining two-way contract.
In his last year at KU, Newman averaged 14.2 points, and 5.0 rebounds on 41.5 percent shooting from three-point range. He transferred to Kansas at the end of the 2015-16 campaign from Mississippi State and was a redshirt sophomore during the 2016-17 season.
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Whoever receives the lone remaining two-way contract will spend time going back and forth between the South Bay Lakers in the G-League and up to 45 days in the NBA with the Lakers on a pro-rated NBA salary.