Henri Veesaar reportedly tanked his 2026 NBA Draft value to land with a specific team and avoid the Los Angeles Lakers in specific. The Lakers appeared interested in drafting Veesaar, as they traded the second-round pick they'd only just bought once he was off the board.
Rather than lamenting the fact that a rookie didn't want to play for Los Angeles, the purple and gold have moved on by signing two new big men in his place: Robbie Avila and William Kyle III.
Veesaar's skill set was understandably appealing, as he stands at 6'11.25" without shoes and is an excellent shooter and passer. He would've hypothetically created an intriguing pick-and-pop game with franchise player Luka Doncic and $185 million shooting guard Austin Reaves.
The Lakers didn't seem to lose much sleep over Veesaar's slap in the face, however, as they moved on to a decorated college player with a similar skill set: Avila.
NEWS: Saint Louis’ Robbie Avila has agreed to an Exhibit-10 contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell DraftExpress.
— Jon Chepkevich (@JonChep) June 25, 2026
The A10 Player of the Year is one of the nation’s most skilled bigs.
Shot 40% from three and averaged 4+ assists per game as a frontcourt playmaking hub. pic.twitter.com/q6yYnRtAXW
Los Angeles handed out another Exhibit 10 contract just a few hours earlier when they signed Kyle to the same type of deal.
Former Syracuse center William Kyle III is signing with the Lakers on an Exhibit 10 deal, sources told ESPN. The 6-9, 230-pound big man averaged 8.4 points on 66.1% with 7.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game in his senior season with the Orange
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) June 25, 2026
Though the Veesaar saga will be remembered as a bizarre example of a player avoiding the Lakers at all costs, Rob Pelinka and company are wise to simply move forward.
Lakers sign big men Robbie Avila, William Kyle III to Exhibit 10 contracts
Exhibit 10 contracts are non-guaranteed one-year deals that position a player to appear with a team during Summer League, training camp, and the preseason. In other words: Los Angeles will give Avila and Kyle every opportunity to prove they belong on either their regular season roster or with their G League affiliate.
There's reason to believe they can step up and deliver, as Avila fits the Veesaar mold the Lakers seemed to covet and Kyle is the type of rim protector and rim runner Doncic reportedly wants.
Avila finished the 2025-26 season with averages of 12.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.9 three-point field goals made per game on .497/.410/.803 shooting. He was an offensive dynamo, shooting the lights out from beyond the arc and ranking among the best playmaking bigs in the country.
In Los Angeles, Avila could fill a role that sees him provide offensive firepower to a bench that desperately needed sources of it in 2025-26.
As for Kyle, he averaged 8.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.8 offensive boards, and 2.5 blocks per game. His offensive game is unrefined, but he's a tremendous athlete who skies through the air as a lob target, blocks shots as well as just about anyone in his class, and offers defensive versatility.
The Lakers have a clear need for depth at center, and with a pair of Exhibit 10 contracts, they've brought in two intriguing talents at virtually no cost at all.
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