The Lakers have officially added two new players to the roster. Brandon Ingram, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2016 Draft and Yi Jianlian, who last played in the NBA in 2012.
Inking the deal ? pic.twitter.com/xo7w0JeL3v
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) August 22, 2016
Signed, Sealed, and Delivered ?
Press Release: https://t.co/5ZrTk6hp3e pic.twitter.com/q78HsXWdEM
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) August 23, 2016
Terms of the deal were not released as per team policy, but nearly every team signs first-round picks to the maximum allowable 120 percent of the rookie-scale contract. Under that arrangement, Ingram would earn $5.3 million in 2016-17 on a four-year deal that would run nearly $24 million.
Here is what NBA.com had to say about the new additions to the Lakers:
The Los Angeles Lakers have signed forward Brandon Ingram, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not released.
Drafted with the second overall selection of the 2016 NBA Draft in June, Ingram averaged 12.2 points (second on the team), 4.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists over his five games (all starts) at the 2016 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. Following his Summer League play, Ingram was selected by USA Basketball to participate as a member of the 2016 USA Men’s Select Team.
Following an impressive individual performance at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, Chinese power forward Yi Jianlian has inked a deal for a return to the NBA with the Lakers.
The 6-foot-11 Heshan native averaged 20.4 points in five games in Rio, ranking third behind only Bojan Bogdanovic (25.3) and Patty Mills (21.3).
Clearly the best player on his team, he was seventh among all players in rebounds (6.6), steals (1.4) and blocks (1.0), while playing the third-most minutes (32.8). But his personal success was for naught on a team that had no other consistent scoring option, as China went winless in Brazil.
Yi has spent the last four seasons with the Chinese Basketball Association’s Guangdong Southern Tigers, whom he also played for from 2002-07 and during the 2011 lockout.
He began his career there when he was just 15 and has since compiled a decorated resume that includes eight All-Star selections, four championships, two Domestic MVPs and two Finals MVPs.
