Who Will Los Angeles Lakers Cut After Training Camp?


kelly

Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Lakers training camp starts September 28, and the Lakers will be forced to cut at least two of the players on their roster right now.

Who will it be?

The NBA allows for 15 spots on every team’s roster. The Lakers have 11 guaranteed contracts next season with (get ready for it) Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Steve Blake, Nick Young, Chris Kaman, Jordan Farmar, Wesley Johnson, Paul Gasol, Jodie Meeks, Robert Sacre and Jordan Hill. Shawne Williams also reportedly has a partially guaranteed deal. So that leaves four players to compete for the three available spots.

The Lakers signed Elias Harris, Marcus Landry, Xavier Henry and Ryan Kelly to non-guaranteed contracts, meaning they have to prove themselves during training camp in order to secure one of those three roster spots.

My guess is that, alas, Ryan Kelly will be cut.

If you read my column on www.RantSports.com you know I’m no fan of Landry, Harris or Henry. But compared to Kelly these three may look more promising to the Lakers.

Kelly is still struggling to recover from his broken foot, for which he underwent surgery. According to sources the Lakers have already spoken out about their disappointment in Kelly’s performance.

The Lakers drafted Kelly, the former Duke forward, 48th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft.  He missed all of this year’s Summer League, and my guess is he’ll serve as little more than a body to practice with at the training camp.

Nevertheless, I wish Kelly and all of the Lakers team a successful and healthy training camp.

Lucas Rubio is a columnist for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @PlayerzLeague.


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  • Qing Zhang

    Your articles make me comment, because it looks you got your info. from a 80 years grandpa living on the next block, and I want to correct it.

    15 roster spots allowed and they currently have 16 on the roster, so tell me what tells you they are going to at least cut two consider how cheap their contracts are, you can say it’s a possibility, but it’s not a certainty.

    Ryan Kelly is a 6’11 power forward who can shoot threes at a high accuracy and drive the ball. If he plays to his potential, he is the most ideal power forward in D’Antoni’s system. He is defensively well trained by coach K in Duke, it’s his roster spot to loose. If he didn’t show up in training camp, too bad, but his potential (poor man’s Dirk) is greater than any other non-guaranteed signings.

  • Jim213

    Shawne Williams has a partially guaranteed contract for training camp only. He’ll make 100k for just showing up to camp no matter if he makes or fails to make the roster. 18 current players (if correct), as IMO S Williams, E Harris, X Henry, and M Landy stand to make the possible 15 man roster otherwise SW and EH will complete the 13 man roster.

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