The Los Angeles Lakers have already made a big splash to land Steve Nash. They decided to go a little bit more quiet in their next signing as they moved to retain young Devin Ebanks. Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times files this latest report.
Small forward Devin Ebanks re-signed with the Lakers for a one-year deal worth the team's $1.4-million qualifying offer given 11 days ago, The Times has learned.
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Ebanks, who will turn 23 in late October, has impressed the Lakers the past two seasons with his unassuming work ethic, length and athleticism. For the Lakers, this move keeps some needed youth on an otherwise veteran-laden team. For Ebanks, it gives him another season to convince the Lakers that he should be in their long-term future.
Most signings can't become official until the free-agent moratorium ends on Wednesday. But Ebanks' case is different since it involves a qualifying offer.
Ebanks averaged four points and two rebounds per game in just over 20 game appearances during the regular season., but those numbers figure to rise this upcoming season. With Matt Barnes not likely to be back, Ebanks could be the first small forward off the bench in spelling Metta World Peace, and could see an uptake in his minutes as one of the few youngsters on a veteran-heavy Laker team.
Ebanks was actually the starter for most of the first round series between the Lakers and the Nuggets when World Peace was suspended and managed to score in double digits three times, so he does have some solid experience under his belt. It probably became part of the calculus in deciding to keep Ebanks around.
Talk about Ebanks with Lakers fans over at Silver Screen and Roll.
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