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) /

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Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images /

4. Slava Medvedenko

Yes, it is true that Slava Medvedenko is a two time Champion with the LakeShow during the Kobe and Shaq era, but he was seen as a liability on the court by most and he did not do much to help the Lakers win those titles.

Medvedenko is another example of the Lakers going after a boom or bust foreign big man with potential and a good jump shot. The rest of his game just failed to develop in the NBA. The best season, statistically, that he had with the Lakers was in 2003 when he started 38 games, averaging 21.3 minutes and 8.3 points per game.

Those numbers are by far his career highs, so it is obvious he was relegated to the bench for most of his Laker career. He was not signed with astronomical expectations, but he never really improved like he was expected to, after signing a contract with the team back in 2000. The Ukrainian never panned out after coming over to the NBA as a 21 year old.

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