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The LA Lakers had a pretty good 2023 NBA draft after selecting Jalen Hood-Schifino at No. 17 and acquiring 40th overall pick Maxwell Lewis. However, it seems like the Lakers are not done adding some fresh faces to their Summer League roster.
According to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers are signing undrafted TCU guard Damion Baugh to an Exhibit 10 deal. Baugh averaged 12.6 pts, 4.7 rebs and 5.8 ast last season for the Horned Frogs.
An Exhibit 10 deal is a one-year contract worth a minimum salary, no bonuses and is non-guaranteed. It can be converted into a two-way contract before the start of the 2023-24 NBA season. All Baugh has to do is to impress the Lakers. and he will likely be on the roster next season.
Damion Baugh was not the only undrafted rookie the LA Lakers have signed after Thursday's NBA draft. The Lakers also signed Alex Fudge out of Florida to an Exhibit 10 deal, while D'Moi Hodge and Colin Castleton were signed to two-way contracts.
Hodge is a guard from Cleveland State University, while Castleton is a big man out of Michigan. The Lakers are allowed to have three two-way players on the roster next season as part of the new roster rules. That means Baugh and Fudge will compete for the final two-way spot.
The Lakers have had success finding hidden gems in the undrafted rookies' pool in recent years. They turned Alex Caruso into one of the best defenders in the league before letting him go in free agency in 2021. They found Austin Reaves last year, and he's set to have a lot of suitors this summer.
LA Lakers had pretty good 2023 NBA draft
The LA Lakers picked Jalen Hood-Schifino out of Indiana with the 17th overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft.
The Lakers passed on Cam Whitmore, who fell from being a top-five pick down the mid-lottery. However, the 17-time champions went with Hood-Schifino, who Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka described as a lottery-level talent.
"We think he fits well with the young core that we’re building here," Pelinka told The Athletic. "He comes with such a great physical package and profile to be a great defender.
"He's got all the skills with the length to disrupt passing lanes, disrupt shots. … He's got a real physical presence: big shoulders, big back; he's really built."
Meanwhile, Maxwell Lewis can be considered a steal for the LA Lakers. They liked him so much that they had to facilitate a four-team trade with the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers and OKC Thunder to acquire him. They also had to $4.35 million to the Pacers as part of the deal.
Guess the Lakers players!
