Los Angeles Lakers: 10 worst free agent signings in franchise history

BEIJING, CHINA - OCTOBER 13: General Manager Mitch Kupchak of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks Jerry West of the Golden State Warriors after practice as part of 2013 Global Games on October 13, 2013 at MasterCard Center in Beijing, China. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
BEIJING, CHINA - OCTOBER 13: General Manager Mitch Kupchak of the Los Angeles Lakers speaks Jerry West of the Golden State Warriors after practice as part of 2013 Global Games on October 13, 2013 at MasterCard Center in Beijing, China. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2013 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Los Angeles Lakers
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7. Samaki Walker

The move to sign Samaki Walker actually was a solid decision because he ended up playing a decent role in a championship Lakers team in 2002.

He makes the list because he was brought in to be the starter to replace Horace Grant that season, but he was eventually surpassed by Robert Horry, who made big shots that turned him into a Laker legend.

Walker was a former top ten overall pick, so the Lakers probably expected to get a little more out of him and why they elected to only keep him for a couple of seasons. He was a solid backup power forward and filled in for Shaq at center when it was necessary, but he definitely was not a major impact player that the Lakers might have been expecting when they signed him in 2001.

It’s hard to really put him on the list though because he did win a title in one of his two seasons with the franchise.