The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t make any impactful additions to the roster during the offseason, so it’ll be interesting to see how their current group fares once the 2024-25 NBA regular season begins.
The Lakers are banking on impactful seasons from LeBron James and Anthony Davis, though there is the question mark of how head coach JJ Redick will perform in his new role.
Los Angeles mostly struggled during the preseason, and its exhibition slate ended with a whimper after it was blown out by the Golden State Warriors.
It wasn’t all bad, though, as the Lakers got another strong showing from rookie guard Quincy Olivari, who has endeared himself to the organization with his play and attitude.
Olivari made his mark in a preseason win against the Milwaukee Bucks and had another scoring outburst in the loss to Golden State.
For his hard work, Olivari reportedly is getting his opportunity to stick with the Lakers on a two-way deal.
“The Los Angeles Lakers are signing Quincy Olivari to a two-way NBA contract, his agent Darrell Comer told me and [Dave McMenamin]. Incredible story for the Lakers’ undrafted rookie out of Xavier who earns roster spot after standout preseason. Lakers are waiving center Colin Castleton,” ESPN insider Shams Charania wrote on X.
The Los Angeles Lakers are signing Quincy Olivari to a two-way NBA contract, his agent Darrell Comer told me and @mcten. Incredible story for the Lakers’ undrafted rookie out of Xavier who earns roster spot after standout preseason. Lakers are waiving center Colin Castleton. pic.twitter.com/R132rLudFv
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 19, 2024
It’s been a remarkable ride for Olivari, who went from an undrafted free agent to a two-way player for one of the league’s storied franchises.
The organization has done well in recent years identifying talent, and it looks like they may have hit again.