Hot off the heels of waiving former two-way point guard Quincy Olivari, the Lakers intend to sign free agent center Trey Jemison to their newly available third two-way slot, sources inform Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report and Marc Stein (Twitter link).
The 6’11” big man out of UAB had most recently been on a two-way deal with the Pelicans. New Orleans waived him last week.
Across 16 bouts with the injury-plagued Pelicans proper this year, Jemison averaged 2.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 10.4 minutes per.
Jemison went undrafted in 2023, and joined New Orleans’ G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, as an affiliate player at the start of the 2023/24 season. In nine games for Birmingham, Jemison averaged a far more impressive 13.6 points, 12.2 boards, 1.7 assists, 1.0 blocks and 0.7 steals.
He subsequently signed 10-day contracts with the Wizards and Grizzlies, and was later picked up by Memphis on a two-way deal to close out the season. Jemison was cut by the Grizzlies this past summer, before being picked up by the Pelicans.
Jemison is now the second center inked to a two-way deal for Los Angeles, alongside incumbent vet Christian Koloko. The Lakers have been dealing with long-term injuries to several of their reserve big men this season. It makes sense that the team’s front office is seeking out immediate, short-term help at the five spot to spell All-NBA center Anthony Davis.
Forward Armel Traore is the Lakers’ third rostered two-way player.
Shams Charania of ESPN tweets that Jemison helps bolster the club’s frontcourt as a physical post presence. As a two-way player, he will ostensibly split his time between L.A.’s G League club, the South Bay Lakers, and Los Angeles proper.
Reserve Lakers big men Christian Wood and Jarred Vanderbilt have been sidelined all season while recuperating from offseason surgeries. Backup Los Angeles center Jaxson Hayes has been in and out of the lineup for much of the year with his own ailments. Koloko has had to log significant time as occasionally the team’s only legitimate healthy center behind Davis. Meanwhile Davis, often considered injury-prone, has been the Lakers’ steadiest rotational big man.
